Story

The Call of the Wild

You heard it, and your instincts told you it must be answered. The last bar on your cell phone disappears as you drive into the foothills, all of your worries far behind in the rearview mirror. Miles from civilization, not even your cornflower-blue-shirt-wearing boss Tad can encroach on your weekend. You're off the grid.

The untamed wilderness is your proving ground. After all, there's no greater challenge than that of Man against the Elements.

The Great Outdoors

It's just you and an overgrown hinterland seething with insects and wild animals - just the way you like it. With only a few hours of daylight left, you set out in search of a suitable campsite.

Paul Bunyan had an axe and an ox, but you have a 5-in-1 multi-tool. You wield it with the strength and precision of a grizzled mountaineer. At this rate, it's only a matter of time before you trade in your sleeping bag for a log cabin, but you need to set up camp before something mistakes you for dinner.

You're a descendant of Man, and Man discovered fire. Yours is crackling merrily in no time with a few strikes of your firestarter. The camp is your domain - would-be predators keep their distance, and the chill leaves your bones.

Survival of the Fittest

In the morning, you boil water and whip up some hard-earned hot grub while consulting your dog-eared copy of the Army Field Manual. With luck, the only hairy situation you'll have is the prodigious beard that will inevitably sprout during your walkabout, but it helps to have the backup. Channeling John Wayne with a little cowboy coffee, you toast your first night of survival. Nature, 0. You, 1.

You feel invigorated. You make short work of striking camp, and take your bearings. If you end up in a staring contest with a mountain lion, you'll be ready. It's going to be a good weekend.