Tag: outdoors

June 18, 2024 – REI’s Re-supply and Gear

June 18, 2024 /

I have long had a love/hate relationship with Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI). Founded in the Pacific Northwest for serious outdoor aficionados in 1938. I am a member and I do occasionally shop there. In today’s world of internet shopping, anything and everything is available. But nothing substitutes seeing, feeling and holding gear before buying.

I should say, it is more a love relationship than a hate one. They carry serious, performance gear (mostly). I do find that the prices are at a premium but the service is impeccable. It is nice that members get a cash rebate each year to ease the sting of over-paying. But members also have access to equipment rental, classes and group events if so inclined. I have always wanted to get into snow-shoeing or cross country skiing but it really doesn’t make sense to invest until I know something about it.

The hate part is no doubt related to politics. After Sandy Hook (2012), REI discontinued relationships with any brands related to firearms, like Vista Outdoors. I think this is a large reason why Vista has already split the company and is selling all of those brands. I definitely think twice before putting them as a first choice. I prefer to spend my money almost anywhere else than to support this stand.

Ultimately, I am not a purist. My boys and I were sent to REI recently to spend my son’s rebate of almost $70. Technically, this was all money that I spent, we reimbursed him for money that he spent for Boy Scout stuff. Always looking for a deal, I like to check the Re-Supply area. This is gear that was returned for some reason. Some of it is nearly new and some of it might be missing accessories or packaging.

As I am putting my gear list together for my hiking trip next year, I am on the lookout for deals. I found a sleeping pad for $36. It was used, but everything was there. The best part is that the list price (@REI) was $200. I checked online afterward and found it running $140-170 depending on the source. Whether I really needed it or not, I am taking that.

This is a full length pad. My actual preference would have been a partial pad. These are about 2/3 the length of a normal pad. The reason is less length, less weight and your feet get very little benefit compared to the back and spine. The older I get, the more I find that the ground is really hard. Multiple nights on the ground is downright painful. Having a proper sleeping pad is one of the few luxuries on my short list of things I wanted.

It wont be long and I will be putting up my initial packing list. The truth is, I may not have everything that I want, but I certainly have everything that I need. The one other thing notwithstanding is I am in the market for a one man tent that is ultralight. I want to be able to get away from bugs and rain if the need arises.

Don’t expect to find everything or even anything in Re-Supply. This is the first time I have ever found anything there that I actually wanted to buy. But when you do find something, take it because you are unlikely to find something equivalent again or at least before you need it.

As I stated earlier, we went to spend my son’s credits. We were actually buying bear spray for a camping trip my boys were taking after graduation. The one thing that I wanted to look at were the one man tents. Believe it or not, they had zero inventory. While that was bust in terms of research, it is a data point. It is highly unlikely that will be buying the tent from REI if I have to order it online. I don’t need it yet and I am not in a hurry but if I cannot see it or hold it, I am not going to spend $400 on it.

End Your Programming Routine: Even if I choose not to shop at REI, many of these high performance brands also have corporate ethics that do not resonate with me. For that reason, I am not sure that it really matters whether I take some sort of ethical stance. I will continue to go in the store and I will continue to make my purchases carefully when I am there. Sometimes a deal is worth the compromise.

April 25, 2023 – Where’s the Bunny?

April 25, 2023 /

This probably won’t play well. I say that because even though I took the picture, I have a hard time seeing the rabbit in the picture and I know it is there. Regardless, I have no problem making stuff up on the fly.

Back when life was good (just kidding), I drove my Mustang through a National Wildlife Refuge twice a day. Once on my way to work and once on my way home. This was a significant asset to me because it was nearly mid-way and it was really the only bathroom via outhouse after you leave the freeway and town. Driving that everyday, sometimes I would stop on the way home, because I could.

It was 2018 that the gates were closed and they remained closed until a few months ago. In the meantime, they tore down the outhouse and built an interpretive center. I don’t know what the hold-up on opening was, but I think Covid was part of it. I don’t commute every day but I still periodically drove by wondering what this fancy new structure looked like inside and what was actually there.

In the last year, we have become weekend babysitters. I wont get into the details now, but someone needs help and we can provide help. Sometimes, I end up having to be solo babysitter and I need things to do. I am not great at this and it does sometimes crimp my life on the things that I want to do.

I was babysitter this weekend and so I decided to take an excursion to the wildlife refuge. When I said wildlife refuge, I think the child thought that we were going to see animals everywhere. Of course, I knew better but how can you convince them when the mind is made up. There is a short little 1/2 mile path that we walked. It was pretty barren but I did see a rabbit in the bushes. So, we took a picture of it. Did you see it?

Listening to podcasts about children and the outdoors, you don’t want to push too hard. Fishing turns into a walk to the water and 15 minutes of pole time. Hunting turns into snacks and coloring. You have to think of this as an investment, it is going to take a while to yield some returns, especially with a five year old.

When we were around that age, we couldn’t wait to go out with dad. It was such an adventure. But, he could only handle one of us at once. When my brother got home he would regale me with tales of the woods and I would do the same on my weekends. It was a long day for a young child and I am sure that we didn’t add much to the experience for my day but it was those moments that made me who I am today.

My biggest fear is not seeing nothing but seeing nothing consistently. I want to gently lead a young child into this new world without making it a chore or a dread. Who knows… maybe this will lead to nothing, but maybe it will lead to a love of the outdoors. So, we will keep trying new a different things. I want to be entertained too.

End Your Programming Routine: Because it is spring, my mind really starts shifting to getting on the water and getting a few fishing outings in. I also end up being a sort of father figure to this child. So, it is the perfect opportunity to do both. I have to be prepared to fish for thirty minutes but it beats watching TV all day. That I cant do.

September 26, 2022 – Adding More Adventure in Your Life

September 26, 2022 /

On the heels of my recent evaluation of my goals and accomplishments, my wife isn’t completely happy with what we got done so far this year. In fact, we had a conversation about selling everything to free us from the obligations of maintaining a home. I of course am pretty tepid about the idea preferring to see what we can do with what we have where we are at.

Today, I am talking about some my mindset issues and how I got to where I am. But it is not just problems, I look a what I want to do and ways to approach them. Hopefully, it is a good way to compromise with everyone.

End Your Programming Routine: I am within three years of having an empty nest and life changing thoughts. I am inclined to sit tight until that point, but who really knows what will happen in the meantime. I am open to consider change but what I really don’t want is moving for change sake and then moving again a few years later when the kids decide ultimately what they do.