#48671 - 04/17/0605:08 PMEver been winehiking, anyone?
Anonymous
Unregistered
*Winehiking* is an intriguing term that you may not find in the dictionary, but it's starting to show up on the 'Net here and there where outdoorsy fun happens. It got me thinking, and so I surfed around a bit to see if I could find out more. There's not a lot out there, so perhaps one of you hardy folk can elucidate.
So what is *winehiking,* anyway? Thoughts, experiences, or embellishments, anyone?
My guess would be dayhiking between wineries and visiting their tasting rooms as you go. And ending the day by trying to remember where you parked your car. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />
Yeah, we went to Napa two years ago and stayed at Boothe State Park. It was 12 hikers from Miami who work together for an airline. Our choice was either a $200-a-room place in Napa or what we opted for, the State Park campground up by Calistoga. We didn’t reserve it, but since it was midweek and not taken, we got the group site, which fit all our tents (eight). I think it came out to about $4 a person a night. And since half of our group was Cuban (a partying bunch), that allowed us to raise hell without making anyone mad since we were isolated from anyone in the regular campsites who might impose on us something called quiet time or whatever. We did the Mount St. Helena hike the next day, it was cloudless and hot and nearly killed several of our group suffering from hangovers. We kind of fell into a routine. Hike in the morning and hit the wineries in the afternoon. There are plenty of trails (even up behind Boothe) to keep you busy at least in the morning before you hit the tasting rooms in the afternoon. It is a dichotomy: getting fit in the morning, then killing brain cells in the afternoon. On a more personal level, we (two) have hiked in Tuscany doing a backpack trip thru the vineyards of Chiant Classico. We did this on the fly, and slipped the van driver for some high-end organized group a little money to take our packs to the next town along with theirs, allowing us to walk without everything you need in Italy for 3 weeks. Another hike/wine spot is the Rogue River. We camped in a state park and then hiked all over the place. But we interspersed the hikes with stops at wineries and even the Shakespeare Festival in Medford. Our next wine-hike is the Skyline to Sea trail near Santa Cruz. A three-day backpack followed by two days at several of the wineries nearby. Endless possibilities.
I'm french and I don't like wine... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> But I tried whiskyhiking in Scotland. Much much better <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />
"But I tried whiskyhiking in Scotland. Much much better"
You know, I'm of Scottish ancestry, and learned to drink whiskey before I ever drank beer or wine. But I don't think I would want to hike on a whiskey binge. Genetically I process the stuff like water - it takes 8 or 10 shots for me to get a noticeable buzz. Then it hits like a series of hot flashes, then I have an uncontrollable urge to fight. Don't get me wrong - it's great fun <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />...... so long as I have friends around to fight with who know it's nothing personal.
I just wonder what it would do to my motivation to hike........
Still, if you ever want to hook up with me in Scotland, I would love to have a knowledgable guide to show me the ropes <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
Did you actually go to the distilleries or buy some and hike with a flask? Are there distilleries out in the country or anywhere near the trails? Do they let you taste and have a tasting room? Would like to know cause it would be a great diversion on a hiking trip there if the whisky stops were anywhere near the trails.
Did you actually go to the distilleries or buy some and hike with a flask? Are there distilleries out in the country or anywhere near the trails? Do they let you taste and have a tasting room? Would like to know cause it would be a great diversion on a hiking trip there if the whisky stops were anywhere near the trails.
You don't exactly need proper "trails" over there, but some areas (Speeside, Pitlochry and surroundings, parts of the Highland valleys...and many many more) are dotted with distilleries, and hiking paths are also numerous, so you can litteraly walk from village to village, and visit. A "wee dram" is usually included in the tour, well, at the end of the tour... And the fresh air will clean up your head <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
Hey you sound like a Frenchman I could get to like! I think after one or two "wee drams" at the tasting rooms my hike would probably be over for the day. Do they let you camp out back?
Let's see--Scottish, 8 or 10 shots, ex-marine, wants to fight friends--it all makes perfect sense to me. I'm of Scottish ancestry too and really do like single malt scotch and Kentucky straight burbon. I think maybe it's a genetic thing.
Hehe...I don't know about "whiskeyhiking" but once I stayed with some friends at a cabin near Yellowstone. We started drinking brandy and schnapps. At midnight somebody came up with the brilliant idea to grab our fishing gear and hike up to the lake (5 mile hike up the mountain with nasty scree and precipitous drop-offs). I don't know how we made it but we awoke to the blinding morning sun shivering our tails off with screaming hangovers. Nobody felt like fishing and I recall every painful footfall back down the mountain. It was like I was walking ON my brain. That was probably the longest 5-mile hike I've taken.
Somehow, just don't see Bearpaw pulling a French Rabbit out of his knapsack (or hat). Seen It? Backpacker, May '06, p.21. Designer-wine-in-the-box. What next?
LOL! - Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss) must be rolling around in his grave right now...wishing he had a bottle of wine! (Hmmm....or is he turning into wine....GAAACK!)
I was going to belatedly respond to the question with an epic winehiking post here, but decided it was more of a Trip Report, so I've moved it to that area.
Not sure if I could make it from one winery to the next carring a couple of cases of whine. We did it by car once. I spent too much and drank too much. It was suprising how much whine was wasted. I had several bottles that went bad after less than a year. I whined.
I spent a week hiking thrrough the countryside of Central France. One warm day I was out of out of water and stopped by one of the small inns where pilgrims have lodged for hundreds of years. They didn’t speak English, but were glad to fill my water bottles.
Since it was lunch time I decided to order something because they were so nice. I ordered an omelet (by far the best omelet I’ve ever had) and ½ bottle of wine. As I finished my meal a tour group arrived accompanied by a bilingual guide. The restaurant owner was concerned as to how I enjoyed my meal and had the guide translate.
Greeting the owner, I stood first the first time in over an hour and realized the impact of wine coursing through the body and mind of a dehydrated hiker. A little wobbly I assured the chef the meal was delicious. After paying my bill I staggered out of the courtyard and back to the trail. I made it about 200 meters before collapsing into a farmer’s field where I proceeded to stuff myself with cookies followed by a nice nap while bathed by the soft sunlight of a country French fall afternoon.
From that day on I always left villages with a couple of bottles of French wine to accompany my lunches and dinners and any other occasion else for that matter.
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