The Saturday Expedition

Simon slammed the SUV’s trunk shut, the overstuffed camping gear shifting with a heavy thud. 'Put the phone down, Leo. We’re going old school today,' Simon said, handing a creased topographical map to his son, who was desperately trying to catch one last bar of signal. Sarah checked her watch, then glanced at the sky—a canvas of deepening orange. 'We’ve got four hours of light left,' she noted with calm authority. 'Let’s get moving.' Young Joy scrambled into the backseat, clutching a notebook to document their findings as the car climbed toward the Western Highlands. An hour in, the asphalt ga...