Ann Arbor, Michigan REI Trip Report

“This past weekend, Tarabull and I found ourselves among the trolls below the Mackinac Bridge and it just so happened that we had enough free time to attend the grand opening of the new REI store in Ann Arbor. The three day promotion was like this: the first 200 people through the door each day would receive a free “collector’s edition” Nalgene bottle along with a gift card worth anywhere from $5-$100. There would also be FREE breakfast served to the hardy, greedy souls who dared brave the bitter cold 60 degree Michigan temperatures. Since I never like to miss a chance at a free, deadly toxic Nalgene bottle OR cold hard cash, we were in line Friday morning with the young college kids in their TNF jackets and the old hippies in their Keen sandals. Our place in line was about number 100 or so, and there were nearly three times that many in line behind us---all steadfastly clinging to the belief that a $5 REI gift certificate was well worth the impending horrible death by Nalgene toxicity.

As we stood in line sipping our 100% pure orange juice (poured into 100% biodegradable cups, of course) and eating our mini muffin and banana slice, we dreamed about being the big $100 gift card winner. Would we buy a new titanium cookset? A new 3-person tent? Another breakfast? The possibilities were endless.

After a 90 minute wait (no biggie really…….I did the math and I think 90 minutes for a $5 gift card equals roughly 15 bucks an hour.) we walked through the doors of the very small, but shiny new Ann Arbor REI store to a thunderous applause. (true story, although it might have been just shy of thunderous.) We ignored the gauntlet of applauding employees and muscled our way straight to the free stuff. I quickly checked my new Nalgene bottle for the number on the bottom. It was a 7: instant death after only ten drinks---at least that’s what I overheard someone claim while we were outside in line. Cursing my luck and my upcoming too-young-to-die certain death, I looked inside the bottle and found a $5 gift card! Yes! Life---though soon to be over---was good! The only thing that could make the day turn sour was if Tarabull got a bigger gift card. Three seconds later she waved her new toxic Nalgene under my nose just long enough for me to catch a glimpse of her $25 gift card. Way to go, honey.

To our surprise, the store felt even smaller when they also let in the 300 people who were in line behind us. As we squeezed through the crowed, we entered a few gear raffles on our way to the doggie backpacks. Our rottweiler, Asolo, is going on her first backpacking trip this coming weekend so we decided to pool our winnings together and buy her a new pack. We managed to find a great pack at a great price: 30% off + one $5 gift card + one $25 gift card = 7 bucks! My soon-to-be tragic death aside, that’s a bargain!

Since REI was also celebrating its anniversary this past weekend (and may still be) we opted for a different, more spacious REI store a day later and bought ourselves a new cookset at a bargain price as well. Yes, life is good.

PS: this is Michigan's third REI store!”

“$5 for 90 minutes is about $3.33 an hour, but I guess since it was in REI $$$$ you can add a little premium to it..

Great trip report by the way!!!!!!!

'fool”

“Of course if you add the free nalgene bottle, your are looking at almost $8.50 an hour... (less the copayments for your medical blls after you develope whatever it is that you contract by drinking out of them)

You mighthave been better of sitting in a bar for 90 minutes...

'fool”

“Nice TR, NC.”

“LOL...I LOVED the trip report...lol....I think I have missed something about nalgene bottles...I will have to research that!!!...Hi Tara!!!.......hugs!!!”

“LOL! I like the description of your breakfast best. I was thinking about you guys and wondering if you'd gotten lucky w/ the gift cards. $30.00 is pretty darn good.

It's good to know the best MI REI is still the one closest to home. Thanks for the TR.”