Up with the 9 am sun, I brewed some coffee for the both of us. New brew from Brandon's brother, a gift from his recent trip to the Caribbean. We french press it and go, already late, thanks to me.
9:52 am we roll up to Dallas REI (for a 10:00 am garage sale crazy-grabbing bash). Now I expected a line and I expected camping out and lo and behold we got both! After all, who better to camp out in line than people who camp anyway? The Six-flags line of people stretched around the building and included camping-wise families with babies, cadres of rock climbing enthusiasts, young couples fresh off their bikes, and another varied assortment of less-outdoorsy looking folks, which I suppose included Brandon and I. I wore my Chacos anyway, just in case.
10:00 am and the doors open. The line lurches forward and we are shuffled inside and upstairs to the back. Two doors. Two rooms. Over 100 people.
I expected gnashing of teeth and fisticuffs and bumping and jostling and stealing!
Instead, there was polite quick stepping, blind grabbing, and surprising generosity among the garage salers.
The big tickets items were gone by the time we made it in the rooms. I operated on the dictum of taking first and reading the label later, and so quickly had an armful of little things that looked like a good deal. Brandon went straight for the boots and I poked around the accessory bins. Backpacks were just out of the question. And there was a great kayak. I really wanted that kayak.
Well, we rummaged and raced through there and found some pretty good things. I was upset with some not-so-generous folks who stood in a corner mooning over their heaping piles of packs and tents. REI signs posted forbade stock-piling but I guess one man might actually need 10 frame backpacks, several tents, and that beautiful yellow kayak...Maybe he's starting an outdoor tours outfit, and I say, more power to him. I mean that, or at least 20% of me does. The other 80%, well, you get the idea.
So all told, here's what I got:
REI Campware Percolator 9-cup RETAIL: $39.50 MY PRICE: $4.83
Apparently it leaks from the spout. After two cups of delicious, make-your-chest-hair-stand-up-straight percolator coffee poured with nary a drop spilled, I disagree.
Mountain Green 30-LED Lantern RETAIL: $30.00 MY PRICE: $1.83
The handle is busted and the screw-on top is poorly designed. True-but a jerry-rigged, wire handle never hurt anybody. And it uses D-batteries! How quaint.
Princeton Tec Headlamp RETAIL: $ 19.95 MY PRICE: $ 4.83
The actual lamp is broken off from the head band. Some might say it is hopeless! But where there is duct tape, there is always hope.
Portable Aqua with PA+Plus RETAIL: $10.00 MY PRICE: $0.83
This is the stuff! The packaging was tattered but looked mostly untampered. Safe enough for my drinking water! It's patented two-part purification process cleans the water and takes away the nasty purified taste of dangerous organism killing chemicals! For under a dollar, who can resist?
Byer Moskito Travller Hammock RETAIL: $ 39.95 MY PRICE: $ 9.83
This thing rocks! It gets tangles up, according to the label, but then what hammock doesn't? And now I can so easily sleep in the jungle, unflustered by malarial mosquitoes and other nasties. Sounds good to me.
FINAL SAVINGS MANIFEST
Total Retail Cost: $ 139.40
Total Garage Sale Cost: $ 22.15
TOTAL SAVINGS $ 117.25
Thanks REI for another great sale. Camping to commence any time now. Hopefully.
