Bellingham Trails and Ales with WTA

Join WTA June 22, 2017 at Boundary Bay Brewery in Bellingham for an evening of Trails and Ales. This event is free and open to the public. Be sure to register at the link, and we hope to see you there!

Did you know that we host Trails and Ales events across Washington? These are a great way to meet other hikers and WTA staff to talk all things hiking while enjoying a refreshing beverage. Keep an eye on our hiker event calendar to see when the next one is coming at wta.org/events.

A post shared by Washington Trails Association (@washingtontrails) on Apr 11, 2017 at 3:15pm PDT

And now, for a personal Trails and Ales story.

I remember one of my first "Trails and Ales" events with Washington Trails Association (WTA). It was summertime in Bellingham -- the best time of year -- and I was stoked to get outside and drink beer with some likeminded folks. Only problem was, I didn't have anyone to go with! My introverted tendencies kicked in, and I nearly backed out at the last minute. I  don't like attending events alone. 

Well, I went anyways. Made my way up to the bar at Kulshan Brewing, ordered a beer, and headed on out to the patio. Everyone seemed to know everyone else and be having a great time. I sipped my beer coolly and peered out from under my sunglasses, searching for someone to chat with.

It didn't take long before I spotted a gentleman off by himself. I approached the guy and struck up a conversation. Turns out he volunteers at WTA trail parties, and he told me about the work -- including using tools like crosscut saws, pulaskis, and the almighty McLeod.  I began to feel more at ease, but my beer was running low. Back to the bar!

When I returned, the tool guy had found another group to chat with. So I resumed post: drink beer, play it cool. A few minutes later a woman approached me and invited me to her table. "Would you like to join us?"

Yes. Please and thank you.

As it turned out, she and her friend were in a similar situation. They wanted to meet others at the event, so they reached out to me. That kind gesture resulted in a new friendship, and I now feel much more at ease attending these events alone. So get out there! And if you don't have anyone to go with, don't worry about it. I'd be happy to tell you everything I know about crosscut saws. 

Cheers!
Brandon