2011 Boston Marathon–Sam Adams Brewery

You know I have to break these race reports down into numerous posts -

We left the house in Mississippi at 6AM towards New Orleans.  This would put us at the airport with plenty of time to spare.  I was a little worried about traffic on Friday morning and hitting NOLA morning commute.  There was some traffic but it was manageable.

We parked the car and got through security and made our way to the gate.  And then the gate changed.  There was a mechanical problem with the flight.  No problem, it was only delayed about 30 minutes. 
However, that turned into 45 then 60, etc.  There was no way to make our connecting flight in Atlanta.  I was able to talk with a ticket agent and we were then rerouted to New York.  Once in New York we would take the ‘shuttle’ to Boston.  No problem. 

What the clerk did not realize is that the ‘shuttle’ is at a completely different terminal at LaGuardia.  Our plan arrived late and we had to wait for a shuttle ( bus ) to get to the shuttle ( plane ).  This took about 45 minutes.

 

New York City

Anyway, the shuttle was also delay – it seems like every flight on Friday was delayed.  We made the flight and all was well.  When we got to Boston it was FREEZING COLD.  The wind was super strong. 

We made it to our hotel via the hotel shuttle ( bus ) and I walked about a mile to a nearby Target to get something for dinner.  The first two night we stayed at one of the airport hotels and it was too late to go into Boston proper. 

The next day was the 2011 115th Boston Marathon Expo.  We got in line about 15 minutes before it opened.  There were only a few hundred people in line.

Packet Pick up

Gait analysis at Brooks

The MASH like set up for Brooks

I have a tendency to put my hand upon my hip -

(I dip / you dip / we dip)

One last photo-op at the expo

We then walked a short distance with all of the expo gear in hand to the orange line and headed towards the Sam Adam’s Brewery.  This was the original Sam Adam’s brewery and was more like a museum.  It was no longer a working brewery but they did show us all around and then it was to the tap room.  The tour was well worth it (free) and we got to sample an ample amount of pretty good beer.  Crowd participation was encouraged and I did not disappoint.  They brew a special ‘Red Brick’ Red Ale that is only available on tap in Boston.  It was a pretty good brew.

Sam Adams award banners

Tour guide – I ate several handfuls of barley

A cup of hops

Don’t get in there!

 

Fake tavern fascia

Barrels of the Samuel Adams Utopias 

(these were not available for sampling)

Sampling glass

License plates

I would say this glass was half empty

Next we hit the aquarium district of Boston.  We shopped around Faneuil Hall, we to a local bike shop and then hopped the train back to the hotel.  We were exhausted.  It is funny, even with all of the exercise (swim / bike / run) when you are walking around and on your feet all day it takes a toll.  My legs were very tired after the first day of sight seeing.