Maybe that was too opaque...
Once upon a time "step out for a pack of smokes" meant to abandon/walk out on your wife/kids.
I was meaning that one of these days I'll just get on a bike and see how long I can stay gone--spur of the moment touring.
Got a wife and kids in Kanazawa Jack, I went out for a ride and never came back, like a river that don't know where it's flowing, took a wrong turn and just kept going...
Kinda thing!
Gotcha!
Andy