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“Okay, so the premise is a little off-kilter – teaming up exhausting adventure sports with craft beer. These well-written columns are fast-paced, fun and really will get you off and exploring natural areas, with a cold brew as your reward.”
James Murren is an award-winning independent writer, with numerous pieces having appeared in outdoor sports and recreation media outlets, adventure and travel magazines, newspapers, practitioners’ journals and newsletters, including:
L.A. Times, The Surfer’s Journal, Adventure Sports Journal, Mountain Flyer, Roads & Kingdoms, Backpacker Magazine, Cranked (UK), Snowshoe Magazine, Sub-Saharan Magazine, San Diego Union-Tribune, Spoke Magazine (NZ), Dirt Rag Magazine, Bike Magazine, Bicyclist Magazine, Strung Magazine, Bicycle Times, Switchback, and XXC Mag.
Currently, he is a columnist for Adventure Sports Journal (“Earn Your Beer“). Earn Your Beer is about pushing yourself in the mountains, deserts, oceans, rivers, wherever and then sitting back and enjoying a beer when relaxing at camp or home. Additionally, he is on the editorial team for Snowshoe Magazine.
I’ve a new project for 2021. Check it out here: MTBeer
Several articles and writing samples are available under Portfolio in the menu bar up top, where you can also enter the Blog for current postings.
Murren has published three books. Go Here, Go There: Travel and Workis a collection of words and photos depicting such experiences in ten countries around West Africa, Central and South America, North America, and Eurasia. The other two books are based on his work and travels in Honduras and Ethiopia. You can buy the books online via the link in the sidebar, or at the following locations: The Reader’s Cafe in Hanover, PA and Verbatim Books in the North Park neighborhood of San Diego, CA.
Member: Society of American Travel Writers and North American Travel Journalists Association
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- Earn Your Beer #132: Digital Detox - 02/15/2024
- Earn Your Beer #131: Mendocino Redwoods - 12/14/2023
- Earn Your Beer: Issue #130 - 08/28/2023
Hiking Elfin Forest
By James Murren
The Earning
Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve in north county San Diego has about eleven miles of trails open to hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. The Escondido River courses its way through the reserve, creating a riparian environment that has water flowing through it, even in late August. We chose the Way Up Trail, a good option with a variety of terrain. Down low along the lazily moving water, we hopped on boulders, rocks and stepping stones under the canopy of a spectacular oak forest.
Grinding our way up to the top, our heart rates spiked in the 1.4 miles and nearly 750 feet of elevation gain on rocky, technical terrain. I reminisced about mountain biking up it years ago, when hundreds of us actually managed to pedal it for the San Diego Mountain Biking Association’s (SDMBA) Archipelago Ride fundraiser. It is steep and chunky with tight switchbacks. How much did we actually clean?
Up top, there was a spider web of trails and dirt roads. We hiked in a meandering gait in the direction of the reservoir and then looped our way back around towards the picnic area to relax and enjoy the moment. Bird songs lilted and then suddenly, we heard and saw a hawk floating above us, wings spread and riding the thermals. Eventually, we stepped in the direction of the Way Up Trail to go back down. The air was warming quickly as we descended. At the bottom and along the river that looked more like a creek, we stayed and listened to the river. We sat peacefully until other hikers came and their dogs splashed about in the water, having a wonderful time. We laughed and commented how much fun they seemed to be having while cooling off.
The Beer
The Lost Abbey is one of San Diego’s most revered breweries. Known for its ode to “old-world” beers that people enjoy sipping (primarily various Belgian styles that include Trappist/Abbey offerings), they also brew typical West Coast style beers, e.g. IPA.
After hiking Elfin Forest, we stopped at The Lost Abbey/The Sanctuary in San Elijo where I had a pint of Amigo, a Mexican style lager. It was simply delicious. Light, clean and, as is sometimes the case, it was an easy-drinker. Amigo could have become my best friend that afternoon, but I had to drive home.
There are four Lost Abbey locations: The Tasting Room in San Marcos, The Sanctuary in San Elijo, The Confessional in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, and The Church in East Village/downtown San Diego. If you’re earning your beer in any of those locales, check out The Lost Abbey afterwards for a pour.
Read other Earn Your Beer columns here.
