James Barkman, 22, born in Bird In Hand, Pennsylvania (Yes, that's "Bird In Hand”), currently parks his 76' van around San Luis Obispo, California. Back in 2014, James moved out of his apartment and into his 76' van to road trip north with his buddy and fellow traveller Matt Butera. Despite countless breakdowns and mechanical curveballs the van threw at them, both James and Matt managed to successfully circumnavigate the Northeast and are still adventuring strong today. James tributes his love for exploring outdoor parts unknown to his upbringing. Growing up in the country, surrounded by farmlands, forests, and mountains, James developed a true love for the woods and mountains. His dad grew up a farmer, and spent years in the woods, trapping and hunting. Both his parents also lived in a remote jungle village in Belize for seven years, that was only accessible by cruising through the ocean via a dugout canoe. When James was a kid, all he wanted to do was live in the woods or in a treehouse. James spent all his time climbing trees, building forts, and stomping through creeks. In fact, his last name, Barkman, means "mountain man”, and he seems to be living out his adventurous surname through and through. James’s claims to have caught the adventuring bug at the age of seven when he visited Belize with his family, and the trip consisted of eating iguana, swimming in crocodile infested rivers, and scrambling up ancient Mayan temples. Having grown up in the Northeast, James quickly became a talented snowboarder and skateboarder. However, since having moved to the West Coast, he’s become hooked on surfing and claims it’s, “probably the greatest thing man has ever invented.” Aside for his thrill-seeking activities and his venturesome upbringing, James also possesses an incredible photographic eye and after first picking up a camera just two years ago, he has gained a stellar following on his Instagram @jamesbarkman. Taking pride in posting only the things he finds to be “authentic,” James remains extremely dedicated to sharing content with others that is a “realistic representation” of his life. “That's how I spend most of my time, so I guess it came naturally. Before I had a camera, I could always be found somewhere in the woods or outside, so it only made sense to photograph what I loved,” James said. To James, the term Explorer means living an adventurous lifestyle that is authentic and genuine, and inspires people to explore, to get outside, and to appreciate the world around them. Follow James and stay up to date on all his adventures with Katin and beyond by following him on Instagram at@jamesbarkman.
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