One of the many benefits that living in the Bay Area has to offer (no, low housing prices is not one of them), is that there is a plethora of organized groups that offer structured ways to get out and explore the world. Having this resource at our fingertips is a great way to derive inspiration to get out when feeling unmotivated, learn new trails, and meet new people. Being that the Bay Area is a diverse place, one can find a subset of interest, or cause based, groups to join very easily. With a quick browsing of the interwebs one can find everything from the traditional Sierra Club, REI type of group hikes to the more obscure East Bay Barefoot Hikers or Jewish Singles Hiking Club. Long story short; even if you are an introverted trapeze artist who likes to draw clowns and sing karaoke, there is probably a hiking group for your kindred spirits. One drawback to many of these groups are that they are typically adult focused. This, however, is not the case with the latest group hike we had the pleasure of joining.

photo courtesy of Patty Osorio-O’dea

Being that we are known to never shy away from a good IPA and have our three year old trained to ask which beer place we are going to after our hike, The Fieldwork Outdoor Club was a match made in Heaven from the get go. Therefore, we found it only proper that we offer our local trail knowledge to help organize a shorter hike for the children of beer lovers(though beer appreciation is not a pre requisite for joining the hike). While the love of good beer and hiking was the binding force behind the creation of this group event, the good folks at Fieldwork are very cognizant of the power of creating community. And this was especially evident in the free and wild contagious energy the kids expressed through the hike. Joining any kind of group hike creates an exciting and engaging dynamic that is not always as prevalent on a nuclear family jaunt. While our 3 and 10 year olds find plenty of enjoyment in our family hikes, having an additional gaggle of kiddos sets forth a rolling ball of energy and inquisitiveness that feeds off of itself. And adults get to benefit from the same; meeting new people and learning about other like minded folks all while exploring the ‘greater backyard’.

Whether you are a beer lover or not, we highly recommend getting out to the next Fieldwork Outdoor Club hike and joining the community of folks who love to get outside. If you do happen to enjoy good beer, you will receive one free beer of Fieldwork’s choice when you meet up after the hike back at the brewery. How can you argue with that? You can find out about the next event through the Facebook event page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1675942262662555/

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