There comes a moment in the life of men when they must answer the call of the wild, and put behind suburban comforts and head into the primordial pastures. So it was with the Patio Boys, many of whom were hardened already by the elemental activity of cheering for hometown high school football and caring for their manicured lawns.
The Boys are not alpinists. They are not ultra-light survivalists. They are not modern-day Thoreaus. They are, instead, backpacking’s weekend warriors, who twice a year head to a location that, by rule, cannot be more than a five-hour drive from home. On Friday afternoon they depart and car camp at the trail head. On Saturday morning they hit the trail with backpacks loaded for two nights out. By Monday night, they are home and back to work on Tuesday until the next trip.
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