REI

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Christmas on the trail: 10 gifts for the trail lover in your life

While the north wind blows cold and snow blankets the trails for the season, it’s time to turn your thoughts towards finding the perfect gift for the next big adventure.

Here are our annual recommendations for 10 unique gifts that trail-lovers are sure to appreciate.

Garmin Oregon

Garmin Oregon

1. A gift membership to the Kansas Trails Council, Kansas Singletrack Society, or the Kansas Horse Council.  As the leading organizations devoted to building and maintaining trails throughout Kansas, each of these organizations provides a great opportunity to get involved and make a difference.

2. Garmin Oregon 650t – If you want a top-line GPS unit on the trail, this should be at the top of your wish list.  The GPS is highly accurate with a large display and touch screen that makes for easy navigation.  The built-in camera is a great feature that allows you to instantly geo-tag your photos.

3. Wildflowers and Grasses of Kansas: A Field Guide – The best of the botanical world at your fingertips, finally you can own a usable guide full of color photos that is specific to Kansas.

Leatherman Squirt4. Leatherman Squirt PS4 – Lightweight yet fully functional, the Squirt PS4 is packed with an assortment of useful tools.  On the trail the pliers are particularly handy to remove all of those stubborn thorns that may have embedded themselves in your bike tires.

5. Heartland Beef Jerky – Buy local with this savory jerky made in Kansas by Del and Jenny Wyman.  An impressive assortment of flavors to choose from (and you can’t go wrong with any of them!), like Siracha Teriyaki, Bacon, Orange Apricot, Cherry Maple, Caribbean Spice, Caribbean Black, and Chipotle.

Switchgrass earrings by Gayle Dowell

Switchgrass earrings
by Gayle Dowell

6. Gayle Dowell Jewelry – First spotted during a trip to the Manhattan Flint Hills Discovery Center, Gayle Dowell’s jewelry reflects the beauty of the prairie. With earrings, pendants, rings, and more, her jewelry has imprints of real prairie wildflowers and seeds in the metal.

7. Kansas State Parks Pass – An annual pass to the state parks of Kansas is one of the best deals going.  For less than $20, you can have an entire year of unlimited access to some of the best outdoor recreation in the state.

8. 8 Wonders of Kansas Guidebook – After getting off the trail, this book is the perfect guide to appreciating and experiencing the most awe-inspiring parts of Kansas.  Written by a true expert on the Sunflower State, this guide is an invaluable part of every explorers library.

Buff9. Original Buff – A bandana has infinite uses on the trail.  This is even better.  Sun-protection, clean-up duty, neck warmer, or even make-shift potholder, do everything in style with this Buff from REI.

10. Go Pro Camera – Document your greatest exploits on the trail in high resolution and vivid clarity. Easy to attach whether you’re on foot, on a bike, or on a horse, it’s easy to use and makes it easy to share your adventures.

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REI and Dinosaurs: Prairiefire opens in Overland Park

Overland Park is now home to Kansas’ first REI store in its new $427 million development Prairiefire. Opening weekend was the first week of October, and you should stop by for a visit!

While I’m a fan of independently owned, smaller stores, REI, though it’s a big company, has to be one of my favorite stores in terms of quality hiking gear, in large part because of their return policy.

If you use the item, and it doesn’t work out for you (shoes give you blisters, shirt shrinks in the wash), they will take it back within a year of your purchase. So instead of having to hope for the best in terms of your gear working they way you want it to, you’ll always know you can go back and try again. They also sell Garmin devices, including the Oregon 650t, which we’ve tested and love.

Activities coming up with REI that will get you out exploring the Kansas City area (which, yes, does include Kansas City, Missouri, though our book will just focus on the Kansas side of the city).

And coming in May 2014 to Prairiefire will be a natural history museum called The Museum of Prairiefire. It ties in perfectly with the idea of our book – along with mapping out the trails, we’re going to be including some of the natural history of the areas, so you’ll have some context to where you’re exploring. And this museum is going to be a pretty big deal. It’s a partnership with the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

For a sneak peek at part of the exhibits, there’s the World’s Largest Dinosaurs temporary exhibit that opened the first week of October 2013.

Featuring a life-sized, detailed model of a 60-foot-long Mamenchisaurus, the exhibit will run through the beginning of January.

Ticket cost: Adults: $10; children 12 and under: $5; Museum of Prairiefire Members: free.

If you go:
Prairiefire at Lionsgate
5750 W 137th Street, Overland Park, Kansas 66223
The center is between 135th Street and 137th Street  between Nall Avenue and Lamar Avenue.

Staying the night in Overland Park? We’d recommend the DoubleTree by Hilton.