Wild Ideas Worth Living REI Co-op

Chev Dixon is a skilled outdoor athlete whose life changed when he learned to kayak. He is the director of an organization called the Hudson River Riders and the founder of the Hudson Valley Challenge, a 685-mile paddling, hiking, running, and cycling event that crosses the state of New York.

Galen Kirkpatrick is a world class paraglider - in 2022 she was the FAI Women’s Pan-American Paragliding Champion, and in 2023 she became the overall US National Champion. Paragliding has become a vehicle for Galen to get in touch with herself and see the world from a new perspective.

Mario Ordoñez-Caldéron is a Mayan-American storyteller, surfer, and adventurer committed to pursuing a deeper connection with his Indigenous roots, the natural world, and helping San Diego local youth foster their own relationships with the outdoors through his nonprofit, Un Mar de Colores.

Alexi Pappas is a wildly talented, multi-faceted athlete. She’s a professional runner, an author, a champion for mental health, a guide runner for blind athletes, a filmmaker, and an entrepreneur. When she runs, Alexi is often wearing a huge smile on her face and a healthy dusting of glitter across her cheeks. Alexi’s running journey has taken her to through peaks and valleys and she’s using her story to mentor the next generation.

Sasha DiGiulian is one of the best female rock climbers in the world. She's spent over a decade competing internationally, she’s a three-time US National Champion, a World Champion, and she’s had over 30 first female ascents. Sasha is also the founder and CEO of the superfood protein bar company, Send Bars.

Thruhikers, Tim Beissinger and Renee Miller started dating in college and have always been active people. Tim grew up hiking and camping with his family, and Renee was a runner. The two dragged each other along on their respective outdoor outings. Eventually they worked their way up to thru-hiking, a sport that they've fallen in love with and built a life around.