Slow Living Issue Preview: A Conversation with Archie Frink
Ben Ashby
The following is a preview of our story with Archie Frink from FOLK’s Slow Living issue. To order the issue CLICK HERE
With roots in Appalachia and a spirit fueled by Muir, Kerouac, and the open road Archie Frink (@archiefrink) has created a scenic and well travelled life on the road.
Why do you adventure
Out of necessity to live passionately. I have always had the adventure bug, and as I got older, consciously and subconsciously I created ways to bring adventure more closely to core. Growing up in the valleys of the Great Smoky Mountains without means to have experiences like family vacations, books from the library opened my mind to worlds imaginary and real, the adventurous spirit, empowerment to question the world and seek your own answers, and the dangers and the ecstasy of the path to the unknown.
I spent three years traveling the world in my early twenties and felt more empowered and excited for every day than ever before. When I returned to America and graduated from college, I spent four years working in offices, and I was essentially miserable. The office-in-the-city lifestyle undermined my belief in the work I was doing, even though it was impactful humanitarian aid. I was losing myself. I quit and moved my life to the Pacific Northwest to be close to family in Oregon and Montana and mesmerizing nature in all directions.
My life changed when I left office life and went fully remote with colleagues in Portland and Philadelphia, which coincided with my professional development as a visual creator. It enabled me at first to dip my toes into road life and dirt bagging throughout the Northwest and Northern Rockies, and eventually as I became more comfortable with the lifestyle, commit more fully to a handcrafted adventure lifestyle fueled by creativity. I’ve never looked back.
