Last weekend my family and I got to enjoy an amazing experience up in Portland, Oregon, where we went on a $250 shopping spree at one of our favorite stores, REI.
Have you heard of REI?
REI is a community of more than 3 million active members who share a love for the outdoors, for outdoor gear, and for the annual REI member refund. Members not only get a 10% discount, they keep coming back, because they love the company’s commitment to their members, employees, and to the outdoors and the health of our planet.
We shopped the store with our three teenagers (who love to camp, backpack, hike, ski) and it was fun for them to learn that their Dad has been a member of REI since the early 1990′s. This was news to them! I think they actually thought their Dad was pretty cool after roaming through the store.
REI is a store that fits different levels of outdoors needs depending on the experience of entry to expert levels. And in my state, there are 5 locations in Oregon: Portland, Clackamas, Hillsboro, Eugene, and Tualatin, which is where we shopped.
ACTIVITIES
One thing I did not know was that REI holds classes each month. For instance, on August 14 in downtown Portland, Oregon, you can join the Providence Bridge Pedal, a bicycling event ranging from 13 to 36 miles of bridge rides, and also a five-mile walk. They also hold “Members Only Used Gear Sales” which is the sale the people camp overnight for. This event is at the REI Clackamas, only, but it sounds fantastic.
They also host adventure programs for the whole family, with wide ranges of activities, information, and how-tos.
You can stop by their store and pick up a Kids Adventure Journal, and the printed out family-friendly hikes and bike rides, as well as games and ideas for getting outside. Brilliant, especially for so many couch-potato “techy” kids today.
PRODUCTS
I didn’t even get to walk through the entire store but they have biking, camping, hiking, backpacking, skiing supplies and more. They also carry sunglasses (yup, that’s what I bought, a brand new pair of Scott sunglasses, approved by my family):)
SERVICES
If you want to learn how to camp, but would feel more comfortable with some help from experts, the “Let’s Go Camping” program makes camping easier for families with guided, overnight campouts that are open to all ages and abilities. They also offer checklists for many events, so your family will have a great experience and not forget anything.
More REI classes offered are in hiking, backpacking, navigation, cycling, climbing, paddling, wilderness survival, and photography. My daughter is into photography, and I wish she could attend one of these classes, but we’re in Southern Oregon and the closest REI is up in Eugene. But how fabulous for families to take advantage of these services.
You can also volunteer, go on field trips, nature walks, learn to paddle, learn to hike with dogs, just some of the many options for experiencing nature.
(Gina was our Personal Shopping Assistant for the afternoon.)
The store is organized by each sport, and the staff went out of their way to make us not only feel welcome, but were so helpful and knowledgeable. It made our time at REI a fun family time, that is for sure.
Now for the amazing giveaway. REI is offering a $100 gift card to one of my RE readers! How exciting is that?
What outdoor activity do you pledge to do with your family this summer and how would a $100 REI gift card help you get there?
Take the REI Outdoor Pledge and submit your comment here on my blog!
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older and runs from 8/17 – 9/20/11.
Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.
You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
Head to the BlogHer round-up page for more chances to win.
Locations in Oregon:
o Portland
o Clackamas
o Hillsboro
o Tualatin
o Eugene
o Bend
REI holds classes each month
Kids’ Adventure Journal
I’d love for you check out my Reluctant Entertainer Facebook page, here. And you can follow us on Twitter @SandyCoughlinRE and @REI too!
Good Luck, Friends!
Hi, I'm Sandy. Five years ago I stocked up on beautiful glasses from the Dollar Store. As I started writing about dinner parties, I realized that this “icon” portrays a great message. 
I tweeted about this!
https://twitter.com/#!/cyn12345
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I would love to go mountain biking with my family!!
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We’re going to do some more Geocaching. Such a fun way to get some exercise in the outdoors and explore new surroundings.
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I tweeted this
http://twitter.com/txblond/status/103777371584348160
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My family is trying to reduce our t.v. viewing and get outside more. I need to head to REI for inspiration.
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Well, summer is pretty much over since school starts soon, but this summer we vowed to go camping! Our tent, unfortunately, did not do so well, so we’ll be needing a new one for next summer.
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Biking. We didn’t bring any with us- the kids need new ones anyway- but found a place that rents them and a decent place to ride without any traffic! And so we need helmets…we’ll get our own bikes next summer…
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i would get new helmets and get back to biking.
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Biking and hiking this summer…and lots of climbing once the kiddo is old enough!!!
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REI does have everything you can imagine for outdoor activities. Last year, we even bought our high schooler a backpack there, b/c we knew it could withstand those enormous stacks of books!
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The Berkeley REI is about 1/2 mile from our house. How do I know? I bought my pedometer there and walked home, LOL! There are lots of wonderful outdoor activities available here but right now “walking” is my daily routine. Family members occasionally walk the bay side trails with me.
Darla
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We are actually headed to the NC mountains this weekend. The kids love hiking to our favorite swimming hole off the Blue Ridge Parkway.
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its honestly a toss up — bike riding is high on the list, but we need a baby seat or hiking and we would need some good shoes!!! Love REI!
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Counting down the days to our colorado trip! We cannot wait to get outdoors!
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Biking and camping are on the short list of what we are doing this summer.
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Well, our summer is practically over, but I know what I would use it for. My hubby wants to start running with me, so we’d head there together to get him some running clothes and shoes and start some outdoor time just us.
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I really want to start biking as a family. But with a four-month old, we’re going to need some extra gear to make it possible (and safe)!
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We love REI. There is one about a block from our house which is kind of dangerous for Josh! We love hiking as a family!
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Camping…even if it’s just in the backyard. REI would help with getting the right gear!
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Bicycling for sure! so far my 10 year old son has logged 200 miles this summer.
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We have been members of REI since 1993! We love it! Our kids are always growing so an REI gift card would be perfect for new winter coats or a new pair of skis! We take our oldest to college this weekend in our camper. We keep teasing her that only the lucky freshmen get to move into the dorms with their 5brothers & sisters, 2 doggies & her parents in a camper.
On a side note~we are addicted to beets thanks to your blog! Thanks for the continued inspiration Sandy!
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Oh golly this is one of our favorite stores. There is not room enough in the comments to tell you all the outdoor activities we have been up to this summer! Thanks so much for this great giveaway.
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REI is one of our favorite stores as well. We started shopping here years ago when our family started snow skiing. I’ll have to check out the sunglasses Sandy!
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Love REI, go there often!! When we’re together as a family, we love to hike. Happily we live in an area that it is possible to hike in various place around our town and community!
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I love REI. We don’t have one in Oklahoma, so I shop online and go to the store whenever I’m in Dallas. I love hiking (we have some small “mountains” in OK) and cycling, so I’d use the $100 for hiking or cycling gear.
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Love biking and camping— need a new tent as our family of 3 has expanded to 4!!
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It has been my husband’s dream to backpack with our family into one of Colorado’s wilderness areas. Would love to have new lightweight sleeping bags to fulfill this adventure for him!
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Would love to win as my family loves REI!
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I have friends that do the camp out every year, they always have such an adventure waiting for the sale!
I would say hiking would be the thing for me,
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What I love about outdoor activities is that it is a wonderful way to celebrate family and creation. It encourages great discussions and has a ton of educational potential! Would love to be a winner! ps. i attempted to read the official rules and the BlogHer round-up page and both denied me access.
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Love RE, and really like REI!! Thanks for the giveaway too.
711Mum: https://twitter.com/#!/711Mum/status/103836009376129024
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We NEED to camp on the Oregon Coast! I would LOVE a new tent!
Andanbre at gmail dot com
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I tweeted!
https://twitter.com/#!/Andanbre/status/103838898530160640
Andanbre at gmail dot com
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Can’t go this summer because I am 7 months pregnant, but next summer I look forward to joining my husband and kids for bike rides. We need to get a few more helmets and my bike tuned, and $100 from REI would certainly help with that!! Thanks for the giveaway!
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We are prepping for our annual trek to the mountains of Northern PA. I know we would probably find something from REI to use around the campfire. We love to cook out there while at the cabin! Or maybe a brighter spotlight to better see the many deer, skunks, possums and other critters along the roadsides.
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We would put the money toward the purchase of a mountain bike for our son. We love moutain biking in beautiful Bend, OR and would love for him to have the right bike to go with us.
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CAMPING! we can always use more camping gear!
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Love REI! The big store here even has a climbing wall inside!
My husband and I used to camp a lot as a couple, but then we had 3 kids. Now that the kids are a little bigger, we’re trying to get back into camping again. A spree at REI would be fantastic for that!
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We are going camping as a family for the first time (in two weeks) and could certainly use this towards new gear for the kids!
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REI rocks when it comes to outdoor products. I’d love a $100 shopping spree!
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We want to hike and fish and realized we need more camping gear after just going.
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Fishing, hiking , biking, camping
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I could easily find ways to spend a shopping spree at REI. My young family have never officially camped. It’d love to plan one this summer (maybe) or the next. Thank you for the chance to make it more a reality.
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I woul LOVE to go biking with my husband and boys. The bike I’ve been dreaming about is at REI. I’m the only one in the house without a bike. We have great bike trails along the river where I live. It would be a blessing.
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My hubby wants to try kayaking…I didn’t know that REI had classes and we’re very close to one. Yippeee!
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I tweeted:
@JanUdlock
Who wouldn’t love $100 from REI? reluctantentertainer.com/2011/08/rei-10…
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My husband and my girls LOVE biking, so we’d go mountain biking for sure!
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Definitely take a hike! (some new smartwool socks would help in this regard!)
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We love to bike and hike
it’s so great to get outdoors with the family. We will be outdoors enjoying this weekend!
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I tweeted about the giveaway here
http://twitter.com/#!/createdbydiane/statuses/103869503775055874
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We have a family camping trip planned for Labor Day weekend, and our wonderful North Face tent (although over 15 years old) has seen better days…Have been talking about a replacement for ages…this gift card would really help make that a reality! Thanks for the opportunity to enter Sandy…
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We really do need to go camping this summer! It’s been so hot but it’s finally cooling off, we have a tent and everything!!
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My husband and I love REI. We’re heading out West this summer and have already looked up the closest REI store. We’re biking and hiking with our dog around the Selkirk Loop!
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tweeted:
https://twitter.com/#!/corgipants/status/103875333392056321
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Hands down REI is my husband’s favorite store. Would love new things to get us sleeping under the stars.
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LOVE the REI Store!!! And really need a new tent!
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I pledge to go camping with my 3 under 3!
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We love REI! It’s about a mile from our house. We love going bike riding and camping as a family!
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We took our 2-year-old camping for the first time this summer but we’re in desperate need of a new tent. We love REI. There are a few by us.
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We bike almost every day as a family, but my 4 year old is getting too big for our trailer. It would be awesome to get one of the bike attachments where she can pedal, too!
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We moved to the pacific northwest from southern California. We have pledged to do more field trips to explore our area, but that definitely requires more serious rain gear than we have! So I would spend it on rain gear!
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We’re going to Yellowstone!
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Living in Carlsbad NM, where it has been so hot! We would love to get up to the mountains and camp (but we no longer have a tent.) We went from tent camping to a trailer. Traded the trailer for a time share… We would like to tent camp again. A new tent from REI would be great!
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I want to start biking again….I need to get back on my bike and probably need a new helmet!
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Wow! My husband and I were just talking about going camping with the kids this year. The only thing holding me back is we don’t have any camping gear. So a gift card to REI would definitely help
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I pledge to camp with my family. REI can help me get there with this double sleeping bag:
http://www.rei.com/product/809428/kelty-callisto-35-sleeping-bag-double
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Tweeted:
http://twitter.com/#!/mjplower/status/103954865172135937
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we are helping my blind 10 year old daughter learn to run so that we can do charity runs as a family!
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We LOVE REI! Our summer has been filled with bike rides, a new (to us) canoe, camping and few hikes. Hope to get more in before the sun turns to rain
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We are planning a big group camping trip in September and could use some extra air mattresses!
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REI is one of my favorite stores. We unfortunately do not have a location close to where I currently live. If I had 100 to spend I think I’d buy some doggy gear as we love to take our dog biking, canoeing and hiking. Our pup is our family and she deserves outdoor gear too!
Thanks!
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Biking with the family!
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Love RE and REI, will be bike riding this weekend and for the rest of summer!
bethclary at yahoo dot com
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Oh I love REI….I’ve been a member since like forever. But…I’ve never been to one of their stores.
To answer the question….my bike helmet disappeared…and I feel ‘neked’ without it….so we haven’t been riding this summer. Gotta get back on the wheels…especially since that’s where I met my husband…on a bike trip.
Thanks for the giveaway…RE & REI!!!
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I would love to go camping before the cold weather comes. That is my pledge!
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Ride bikes!!
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REI is one of our favorite stores, and now that we’re in Oregon, too, there’s no end of things we can do in the outdoors! A few days ago we hiked to a lake in the mountains, and I think that’s going to be our family tradition each Sunday (until it snows, anyway… I’m still a southerner).
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My three children are all old enough now to enjoy going on a longer bike ride. Where we live in the NW there are a lot of outdoor paved trails we could enjoy together on the weekends!
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We are avid hikers and backpackers. I could really use some new shoes from REI!!!
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fishing – but i’d need to get the poles and necessary gear!
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We have such beautiful mountains out here in AZ and I would love to do more hiking in them with our family and incorporate some camping with some of these hikes. So some better hiking boots would help as well as a larger tent. I love the REI store and so thankful that we have 2 close by. What a fun place to shop and lose yourself in. Thank you Sandy for the opportunity of this giveaway.
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We are in the middle of teaching our oldest to ride without training wheels and will do so again this weekend!!
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My children would rather go to REI than Disneyworld!
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I like the idea of a family hike or bike ride. We’ll have to go the hiking route, since I’m the only one in the family without a bike. $100 gift card could be used for that! Thanks for the giveaway.
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I think it would be great to take my kids camping for the first time!
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We’ve grown out of our tent! A tent is a big investment and I’ve put it off, a new tent would mean camping this fall!
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http://twitter.com/#!/channynn/status/104193090373423104
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https://twitter.com/#!/LizyBeth_A/status/104203660745117696
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We have 4 kids ranging in age from 1-11. My hubby is gone for military training at the moment and one thing that we all enjoy and that I can safely do myself with all the kids is biking; put the baby in the baby-trailer and take off on an adventure! $100 would go a long way in our biking supply list!
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Im a assistant cub master and would love this for our pack.
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https://twitter.com/#!/lindalatina/status/104208365466554368
tweeted
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fan on facebook
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I’d love to go camping with the family. A few years ago we had to sell our little pop-up camper, so we’ll be using a tent. I’d love to be able to buy a little camp stove!
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I would love to go hiking with our family. Just beginning the outdoor journey, so gathering the tools. Would like to find some outdoor cooking things.
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Ahhh, hiking and biking! We’ve done much of this over the summer. Maybe camping next?
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Our family LOVES to camp. We’ve made some incredible memories over the years and now we have two grandchildren to bring along on our camping adventures. It would be great to get some additional equipment to accomodate our growing family!
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We plan many more hikes with our daughter. At age six, she is finally able to keep up for longer distances.
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I love to fish with my family, and could really use some waders. I’d really appreciate winning a giftcard to such a great store- REI!
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Camping..we haven’t gone for at least a year and my daughter needs a new sleeping bag…REI is the place to buy! I’d also love a new backpack for me.
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Tweeted:
http://twitter.com/#!/auntiethesis/status/104412015468085249
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We plan on going hiking in the Great Smokey Mountains in TN this fall. Lots of fun. The cooler weather and beautiful colors make it the best time of year to hike.
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My family loves to hike. We live along the Appalachian Trail. I would like to know more about hiking with our dog. We also enjoy boating. Thanks for the give-away.
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My family loves the outdoors. I love to hunt, hike, bike, garden, or anything else i can do out side. One of my favorites is going to Piegeon Forge Tn and strapping my baby on my back and hiking the mountains and the trails at Cades Cove, where we can see an abundance of wildlife while having a nice hike.
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I pledge to take a group of friends on their first camping trip this fall. I may be a seasoned vet but most of them have never even been in a tent. Hopefully it will open their eyes to a new hobby or two.
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I’m just outfitting for hiking. Think how much fun I’ll have when I start gearing up for kayaking!!!
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I pledge to fit in a camping trip, even if the weather isn’t “perfect.” Sometimes it’s a lot of work to pack up the car and submit to the weather, but it can still be fun if you have the right attitude.
I love R.E.I, but I also love borrowing gear to make camping trips more enjoyable without breaking the bank. I would LOVE to win a gift card to R.E.I so I can stock up on much-needed gear for my family, like a new, bigger tent!
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If I won the gift card I would get my husband and I some bike gear so we could do a lot more biking than we have this year! We moved to Colorado 1 1/2 years ago and they have so many trails and groups to go biking with here!
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I pledge to do weekly hikes with my husband and 5 year old son. We are also going camping in two week near Duluth!
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I pledge to take our family camping this summer. It will be the first time my husband and I have gotten out together in almost four years and the first time camping with our 1 year old. We can’t wait to start a tradition of summer camping trips. A $100 gift card would go a long way in updating our supplies for this trip.
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I’m getting back into cycling and I’d love to take one of the bike maintenance classes at my local REI. I have all the tools in my bike bag, but I’m not sure how to use all of them properly! I know the experts at REI would be just the ones to teach me. That $100 GC would pay for the class, as well as leaving some to purchase other bike items I might not have considered necessary.
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I pledge to get outside and bike with my family. REI can help me get their with this bike:
http://www.rei.com/product/808694/marin-pioneer-trail-bike-2011
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blogged:
http://mattandjolenelenahan.blogspot.com/2011/08/rei-giveaway_5175.html
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I am so ready for fall camping… this is the time of the year I basically live in rei or the mountains.
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I have been an REI member forever! Sacramento to Portland the stores are great! I love my MARMOT rain jacket the best and my REI lightweight windshell!
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We’ll be planning a great car-camping adventure for a group, as we our working on starting our family, but want to enjoy the outdoors with our sisters and brothers at the end of this summer – all thanks to a LOT of REI gear we keep stocked on!
One of the things I love most about REI, besides their quality of products and their awesome steadfastness to their products and customers, is their dedication to conservation – and getting their communities involved with different initiatives to take care of the environment and experience everything our planet has to offer! <3 Yay for the REI coop!
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REI is such a cool store! It’s nice to go in to a place like that and become a member, you get amazing deals and feel like you are more important to the store and company. You should definately go to those classes too! I’ve learned so much from the ones I’ve been to!
Personally, I pledge to go try salmon fishing for the first time, and to take at least one more weekend backpacking trip with friends up here. I’d like to go whitewater canoeing before everything freezes up as well if I can find a canoe partner! 100 dollars would help me get new winter gear, so that I can do my job working with kids better!
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I shall be in the Linville Gorge with some friends Labor Day Weekend to celebrate the unofficial end of summer and the knowledge that we will soon get some temps that are bearable for hiking here in the South East.. Oh and I need a Nano puff Jacket for the winter trips planned!!
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I’d like to hike with my dogs in some state parks, and I could really use some new hiking shoes/boots!
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Ok this is like the 8th comment I have left on this contest deal and I am running out stuff to say.
“When ever one tug’s on any part of nature one sees it is attached to every aspect of our lives.” JOHN MUIR
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Im setting up a camping trip this saturday with some friends at quarry close by. Also, a long weekend to governor dodge state park, and a trip with my dad to wabeno labor day weekend. Some new gear would be nice…
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@AshleySue – tweeted at http://twitter.com/#!/AshleySue/status/104638267579838465!!!
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I want to go camping!
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I love camping and I used to camp a lot before I have kids. Now, my kids are older (2 and 4) and should be able to enjoy a camping trip. I really want to take them camping so they can have fun and experience what I enjoyed so much. $100 REI gift card would be wonderful to help me get some camping equipment that I needed!
amy [at] utry [dot] it
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Just tweeted about this giveaway. Here’s the link: http://twitter.com/#!/uTry_it
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I love the REI classes – I was just at one last night. If I won 100 dollars at one of my fave stores (!), I’d treat myself to more bike accessories. I think I spend more on my bike than my car!
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I love my REI membership. Waiting for snow, in the meantime we’ll take a hike.
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Last year I managed to update gear and drop about 3 lbs from my pack. Heading out to REI again in a couple weeks to see how much I can lighten it again before a planned backpacking trip in early October.
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I have a coastal hiking trip planned, and three outdoor races upcoming, and yeah, so much to see and do and experience in Oregon before fall (and then winter) sets in.
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I pledge to do more hiking and geocaching. I am sure REI could help me out with hydration packs.
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Tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/chipdip2010/status/104749252072321024
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Going to go on a bike ride tomorrow in the park! I could spend hours in REI!
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I am a Girl Scout Leader and so I’ve started camping. Since I never camped before being a leader I have been having to buy everything. Would love to win the giveaway so I could purchase more equipment.
However, I’m going to go check out my local REI store for the classes. Sounds wonderful
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It will be great to take the kids on a hike, we could use some hiking shoe.
tcarolinep at gmail dot com
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tweet.http://twitter.com/#!/tcarolinep/status/104800222651228160
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I pledge to get to Bryce canyon this summer. I would use my gift card to buy a cambelbak so my husband wouldn’t have to carry all the water!
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I have an REI around me, but have never visited. I will definitely check it out now!
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I pledge to take hikes with the kids and we’d love some hiking shoes.
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tweet-http://twitter.com/#!/mami2jcn/status/104904335284121601
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I love REI! I pledge to have our family go on bike trips together around where we live. We just got back from beautiful Yosemite where we rented bikes and it was one of my fav things we did. Now I am looking to get a bike at REI and the gift card would really help out
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We love to hike, bike and camp. I pledge to explore our nature spots where we live with my family.
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We are planning a family camping trip once the weather cools off some! Love REI!
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tweet http://twitter.com/#!/annedoggett/status/104963543106977793
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Would never have thought that I would start Rock Climbing in my 50′s but I have. My 14 year old son climbs like a gecko. We are saving up for gear to go mountaineering next August in the Sierras. And we are off to Joshua Tree this October. LOVE REI!
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Get the whole family camping together again. Card would go toward gear for mommy.
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I pledged to go family with our family and I’d use the REI GC to buy some camping equipment
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http://twitter.com/#!/susan1215/status/105033734679568384
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I am going to take the family on a camping trip
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Since we live near the mountains and the blue ridge parkway we like to hike and this would benefit us with new footwear. I love REI
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i pledge to explore more parks with my dog and husband and this would help me buy new hiking shoes
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http://twitter.com/#!/DesMoinesDealin/status/105096536060461058
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We are taking the kids to a natural playscape to play and hike!
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ooh, i’d love to get a bigger tent for our bigger family:) we haven’t camped since we had kids three years ago–and they’d love it.
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Outdoor activities are a big way that my family spends time together. This summer, we have pledged to spend more time together doing activities such as hiking, biking, and camping. A $100 REI giftcard could help us get there by allowing us to provide various supplies for the activities that we might not otherwise be able to afford.
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Tweeted about it here: https://twitter.com/#!/GradyHallenbeck/status/105168333418135552
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I look forward to walking more in a few weeks. During the summer it’s just so hot that it is difficult for me. I discovered that the wicking socks I wore were no match for the desert heat. I’d come home after my brisk hr walk in the hills behind my house & my socks were soaked! Yuk! I went to REI & got a pr of Smartwool crew socks & a pr of REI wool crew socks. Much happier feet. Not only did they wick a lot better but they were cushioned in all the right places. I would love to stock up on more wool socks for happy, happy feet. After all you only get one pr & need to take good care of them.
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OK, so I pledge to go camping. But it will be October before that happens because in South Carolina, tents are just too rough it. So bring on fall when we can hike!
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We love REI! Our family goes camping every summer. We’re a little late with it this year, going over Labor Day weekend to Stillwater Cove in northern California
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We are camp-aholics, and love REI. And we love biking, too. And hiking… REI is our store.
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I went canoeing for the first time this summer and loved it. I would love to get a canoe for the family. We live right on a lovely small lake.
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hiking/running outside! and i would love some new running shoes.
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I love camping even though I haven’t been in a few years. I really miss it!
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HIking! We’ve gone a few times already, but the girls don’t have any hiking boots! I’d use them money to get boots for their growing feet.
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Will get a hike in this week and a bike ride this weekend.
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I am planning a backpacking trip for me, my husband and our 2 friends. It is my 1st time backpacking! I am already an REI member so I have already rented out backpacks. I wanted to try them out on the mountain before committing to such a large purchase. But the $100 gift card would sure help in purchasing a water purifier!
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We love REI. I am overdue for a full coverage sunhat to protect my fair skin and would love a new pair of Keens. Love REI customer service, too!
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I pledge to take my wife and 11 month old son hiking! And, maybe even camping…if we can get a new tent from REI that will fit all of us.
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we took the pledge, more biking, i would replace the tires on one of bikes and get a bike for our youngest gal.
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We having been biking more and more. I pledge to actually treat myself to a new bike and not use the 20 plus old hand-me-down one that I’ve been using.
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We like to get out and bike and hike.
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Summer is pretty much over here in Alaska, but we’ll be needing new cold-weather gear for the kids so we can keep hiking all fall and winter! We love REI!
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We just got back from a fabulous Montana vacation and it has inspired me to do more hiking with the kids!
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I’d like to do more hiking!!! and swimming!
thanks also for a chance to win!
kmassmanATgmailDOTcom
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We like to get out and fish and hike with the kids . its a great way to teach them about nature ! thanks for the chance
miketx60atmail dotcom
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We have been on two creekwalks this summer and they have been my favorite activities among all of our summer adventures. Even in the heat and humidity, walking in a creek keeps you cool.
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I would so love to take my girl on a bike ride. I would put the funds toward a bike trailer – the kind where she can “ride” her own bike, but be attached to mine.
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We’ve been riding our bikes pretty often this summer, now that two of our kids got their training wheels off. It has been so much fun riding as a family.
We’re also planning our very first camping trip!
So, we’d use the card either for bike stuff or something for our camping trip.
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My husband and I recently moved to the Pacific Northwest, and are taking advantage of all the camping and hiking this region has to offer. We have purchased a lot of camping gear and continue to slowly, but surely, purchase more. Cooking utensils, hiking poles, and camp chairs are the next things on our list of things to purchase.
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My husband and I will go camping in a few weeks. We like the packets of salmon that we get at REI. Might need new camp chairs. The old ones are starting to fray.
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Fellow Oregonian here
Our outdoor activities are limited as I’m hugely pregnant, but we’ve been doing tons of walking.
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i pledge to keep taking the kids out for bike rides …and to make it more fun we always have a picnic
and the REI GC would be great for getting a new helmet for my daughter.
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clicked on the tweet button http://twitter.com/#!/cdmtx65/status/107287923493314560
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More family hikes! We’d love some new Keens in our family!!
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I would do a kayaking trip! I would love a new sleeping pad and a footprint for my tent. I love REI and the gift card would definitely be greatly appreciated!
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We will go camping and use the money toward a larger tent!
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Tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/hypnotania/status/107635634621001728
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i want to win!!! i LOVE LOVE LOVE REI. always rockin. always great employees – great products – great sales!
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tweeted it! @melodyjoy83
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Camping ~ I would love to camp more. I enjoy the time spent with family and no TV, games ect…
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Yea! I love REI. This is a great contest
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We’re going to take a family camping trip soon and I could get some new gear with a REI GC
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i tweeted here: http://twitter.com/#!/bellows22/status/108030676175044608
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I love biking with (and without) my kids. I’d put the $ towards one of those sweet Weehoo bike trailers for my son – and who couldn’t use a few more pairs of Smartwools?
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I would get those five-toed shoes? I have been really wanting a pair of those!
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I’d put the REI Gift Card towards a new sleeping bag….my boyfriend and I love to backpack and I no longer have my AwEsOmE down bag I purchased years ago….at REI:-)
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We will be swimming this summer. The $100 REI gift card would help with swim suits. helenkeeler@comcast.net
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tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/helen1949/status/108228697252823040
helenkeeler@comcast.net
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my husband and i would love to go camping, but we don’t have a tent!
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We are just starting to get into triathlons and we love gear shopping at REI!
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I could get new tires for our bikes s we can ride again.
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We have 3 kids that love to hike. We need backpacks so that we can all start training to do the Appalachian trail next year. Your gift card would be a dream come true!
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Camping!!! I need a new tent
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http://twitter.com/#!/HappyTina0115/status/108700192940892160
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I pledge to go hiking with my family this summer and a $100 REI gift card would help me get there with some new shoes
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LOVE REI. Been a member since 1973.
Great stuff.
Climbing Mount Whitney next fall.
Need more stuff!
Jerry G
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We love REI!
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We’ve done a lot of hiking, camping and backpacking this year already. We’re looking forward to fall camping and cooler temps. We’re also planning a section hike of the AT next summer and a REI gift card would help a lot!
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In my family of eleven kids, each child gets a “big” birthday celebration for their 5th, 10th and 15th birthday. One of my Ethiopian children turns ten later this fall, and I am going to take her and a group of her friends (plus my daughter’s siblings) camping to celebrate. I love REI: I just recently retired my 32-year-old external frame pack and replaced it with a much more comfortable internal frame pack (Osprey Argon 85 for those who want to know-with eleven kids, there is no such thing as “fast and light”).
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Love love love REI! They are the best!
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I need that $100 to buy a bike!
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REI is my happy place!
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Our family loves camping, hiking, and the outdoor lifestyle!
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We would love to take our little boys camping! We love REI!
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We are going camping and motorcycle riding. We would use this to buy more camping supplies.
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I pledged to take a family bike ride! A good reminder to get out and enjoy summer while it lasts. With that gift card, I’d probably buy some nice biking gloves for long rides.
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Lots more bike riding with the kids and some camping too!
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I’m planning on a hike with my sweet boys (4 and 1). We could use the gift card for some gear (sunscreen, hats, etc)!
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Just got back from Gooseberry with the kids and am looking forward to going to J. Cook with them next weekend
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It seems like yesterday’s post about almost losing the kids at a state park this week is a good place for a link to the giveaway! If I win I’ll need to look into an instructional book for safe hiking!
http://downeastthunderfarm.com/2011/09/end-of-summer-beach-trip/
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We will be going on a bike ride. It’s our favorite thing to do as a family right now. REI could help us purchase accessories for our bikes! Thank you so much!
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now that two of my three kids easily ride their own two wheelers and my dear friend is letting me borrow her bike while she is out of the country – i have thrown on a baby seat on to the back and we are biking up a storm…more to come till the weather changes!
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I am taking my kids camping and hiking at state parks this summer!
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At 16 months old my daughter can already scale small rock climbing walls. I’d love to take her on a family nature hike!
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P.S. I tweeted!
https://twitter.com/ddemeo/status/110740108801609728
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We are planning on going camping, and while we have the basic essentials already in our “outdoor closet,” we have been wanting so badly to update our camping gear!! LOVE, LOVE REI!!
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Our summer is coming to a close here at our new hometown, and there are so many winter activities we look forward to doing together as a family. REI could help us to get outfitted for snowshoes, skiing (both kinds), winter sledding, and all other winter fun things! We may be able to squeeze in some more hiking and biking before the snow flies though.
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We need to get some pads to sleep on! The air mattress we got is too big for our tent!
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We just got a (used) pop up camper and need a few accessories. We are planning a week long camping trip in October and would really love to have a REI gift!!
Thanks for the chance to enter:)
Traci.
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I took the pledge. I’m going to go hiking in the local botanic garden with my daughter and we’ll take pictures while there. REI has hiking boots, sunscreen, hats and classes on digital cameras to help us!
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We love REI – we want to do more walking and hiking, and REI is the best resource for the gear we need – they have great shoes, packs, fleece clothing, camping gear, sunglasses, (only a small part of what is available!) etc. I’m sure we would find a use for more gear that the $100 would pay for, but it would be a lovely start! We live in Portland, and I had no idea there were so many REI stores here, until I read this article. I knew of the ones in HB, PDX, and had thought there was one in Sellwood – oops, that one may be a Columbia Sportswear store. (Nowhere near as complete a source as an REI, by any means, nice as it may be.) In any case, REI is a great favorite of ours!
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We were just at REI last weekend! My husband and I are planning a camping trip! We just stocked up but we still need some utensils and cookware…
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Camping at the Beach! We love to camp, hike, day trip, geocache, etc. etc. we even tried paddleboarding this summer!
easy pledge for us! We would love to win a gift card to help us buy some new cozy camp mats for under our sleeping bags! 
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My husband and I love to be outside and in nature. This summer we went beach camping for the first time and loved it! We would love to hike and backpack more but I don’t have the gear. I would use the $100 from REI to make this dream a reality!
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My husband and I would LOVE to take our 4 yr old quadruplets camping!! Only thing we’re missing now is a tent for 6. I think that $100 would come in quite handy!
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We have started camping with another family in Georgia. It is a wonderful experience for the whole family.
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We moved from NC to NM a year ago and I’m very excited to do more exploring around the state. I would use the gift card for a sleeping bag that can survive some colder weather in Colorado!
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I would love to win the REI gift card, we need a new water filtration/purifier pump and it isn’t in our budget but we really want to go backcountry camping one more time before the snows come.
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I love Camping and that is the pledge I will make for next summer. Family Camping!
gmissycat at yahoo dot com
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Tweeted too:
http://twitter.com/#!/gmissycat/status/115174907595337728
gmissycat at yahoo dot com
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Camping! An REI gift card would let me buy a new tent.
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I took the pledge for hiking. We all need some new hiking socks and some water bottles to enjoy the many trails around here.
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i pledge to go hiking with my best friend. I would use the gift card to buy us cool water bottles and then put the rest towards new hiking shoes.
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LOOKS LIKE YOU HAD FUN SHOPPING! I’D LOVE TO USE THE REI CARD TO GO KAYAKING DURING THE “FAMILY HIKE” =D
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2ND ENTRY TWEET @ http://twitter.com/#!/kytah00/status/115953793723674624
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I pledge to get my family back into camping. It’s something we did years ago, but have gotten away from. I know we need new gear, and the GC would help tremendously!!
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Our family would use the REI gift card for more camping gear.
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http://psthisisthelife.blogspot.com/2011/09/perfect-use-for-blog.html
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I pledge to start biking and this would help get a bike!
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Tweet! http://twitter.com/#!/mssluna02/status/116991103948955649
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