We think it’s safe to say that only a handful of us are summoned out of the daily grind by the allure of leaping off cliffs and bridges, with the ability to trust that the chute will release at just the right moment.  

But, for Patrick McFarland, soaring above craggy, pointed landscapes through desert skies with only the sound of wind and air whooshing around him was what nagged at him daily on morning commutes to his office in Philadelphia.

Eight years ago, McFarland had the life many aspire to. He had landed an upper level position at a major consulting firm at a really young age. He lived in a great place just outside of the city, had a dog, and was friends with his colleagues. He did all the things – drinks after work, weekend events and outings with friends. 

But, he felt stuck. He looked around at his coworkers and saw that, in this scenario, the opportunity for a better life just meant a bigger desk, a slightly bigger office and more pressure. He couldn’t relate to that as an aspiration or even as an option. Feeling isolated and disconnected, he dove into weekend motorcycle trips, camped in preserved natural areas, and searched for paragliding and base jumping opportunities everywhere he went. Reconnection with the natural world invigorated him. 

Feeling desperate to get free from the conventional life he’d found himself in, McFarland started searching for a way out. So, when a slice of land near Murphy, Idaho (population 97) popped up on the real estate scene, he took a leap of faith. 

He resigned from his position, packed up his motorcycle and started his six-month dream trek down to the southernmost tip of South America before settling into his new spot on the map.

McFarland now runs a small gun company and quenches his thirst for adventure on cross-country motorcycle rides, weekly base jumping adventures, and paragliding through his own backyard. 

“Success, to me, is getting to live the life you really want,” McFarland says.

Having found the path to that, his thirst may never be quenched. His appetite for exploration pushes him to break boundaries and set new goals, heading off route every chance he gets to experience the joy that comes with new discoveries down every dirt road.

“I used to ask myself ‘how far can I go?’” He said. “And now I ask myself: ‘where can I get to?”