Quote "Suspect it's you and the rest if us of 'a certain age', we never had the equipment or leisure time, we were the 'pioneers' though" Unquote.
Well done but?
Going back several centuries this sort of thing is what we did in the club I was a member of (still am as you cant get rid of me Badboy). I give you my example.
So Friday night after weeks physical work (we are not talking office work here ). Hitch with all the gear you need to survive in the Dales for a Bank Holiday weekend plus all the caving gear and meet up in Settle (just 2 of us). Beers in the Brass Cat at Settle (often including avoiding or not a fight with the pissed up locals) and then bivi in some run down barn or other. Saturday after pie and peas in the cafe get to Clapham on the thumb, walk up to the Allotment (including all the bivi gear) and go tripping to Far Waters via Bar Pot, out and then walk to Horton, drink beer, doss somewhere or other. Sunday morning walk to Littondale to meet other club members to explore Sleets Gill, in this example beyond the first sump (free dive). If lucky the older/richer members took pity on you and you ended back in Leeds to then find your own way home from the City Center (at best). Not done to prove any point, simply no car and little money and unable to do it any other way.
So yes well done, but?