- Flathead Lake from above - Copernicus Sentinel-2
Finding a Gift for Dad
We’ve all been there. It’s the week before your dad’s birthday, or maybe Father’s Day, and you’re racking your brain to outdo last year’s gift. What was it again? Oh yeah, a spherical ice cube tray... A solid effort, but come on, you’re capable of more.
Somewhere in the past year, you probably came across something in a store, and for a fleeting moment, thought, “Dad would absolutely love this.” But now, in the 11th hour, that brilliant idea is gone.
Panic sets in.
Somewhat ashamedly, you turn to the internet, desperately scrolling through what can only be described as the dad gift graveyard—Amazon. As your eyes glaze over the uninspired landscape of mass-produced trinkets, from novelty grilling gadgets to politically-charged beer koozies to t-shirts declaring “Yeah, I’m a cool dad,” you make a solemn vow: Next time you find that perfect, personal gift, you’re buying it on the spot. That’s exactly what Dan did when he spotted Treeline Terrains’ display at the Big-E Art Fair.
“As soon as I saw their maps, I thought ‘Dad needs one of Flathead Lake,’” Dan recalls. “When my dad was much younger, he was stationed out there in the Air Force. He fell in love with Montana and that specific area, and then when all of us kids were old enough, he would bring us out there.” Dan went on to share that, as an 18-year-old Air Force chef working at a radar base, his father “had it pretty great, as far as being in the service goes.” With ample free time, his father explored Montana’s wild beauty at every opportunity. Today, Dan treasures the memories of exploring Flathead Lake’s rugged cliffs, hidden coves, and scattered islands with his family. “Montana’s state motto is The Last Best Place, and let me tell you, it really, really is,” Dan affirms.
So there Dan was, wandering through the art fair, when Treeline Terrains’ showcase caught his eye. He sifted through the state maps on display and had a vision of Flathead Lake’s dramatic topography, coupled with its deep personal significance, making for the perfect gift for his dad. “It was really a ‘two birds, one stone’ situation,” Dan remembers. Once the custom map was finished, Dan wasted no time in shipping it off to his dad, who proudly hung it on his wall. “My dad recognized the lake immediately, which is a testament to its accuracy. I mean, he really loved it.”
- Dan's dad's map of Flathead Lake -
Here’s the kicker: it wasn’t even his dad’s birthday or Father’s Day. This was just a thoughtful gesture—a reminder that sometimes the best gifts are the ones given just because. Dan found a unique, meaningful gift for his dad and didn’t hesitate to make it happen. So, are we suggesting you should buy a Treeline Terrains map for your dad? Well, we’d never be so pushy (YES, OF COURSE, you should). But hey, if you find yourself scrolling through endless lists of power tool sets, whiskey glasses shaped like pistols, and spice rubs destined to collect dust, just remember—there’s always another way.
Photo credit: Copernicus Sentinel-2, ESA - https://scihub.copernicus.eu/dhus/#/home, CC BY-SA 3.0 igo, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=78383483