By Kevin Majoros
Jackson Groves started his travel blog, Journey Era, two years ago and it has attracted a cult following among millennials and the younger demographic.
Below is an excerpt from his weekly travel blog from last October that spotlights a typical day for Groves.
“Every day is a new adventure. I’ve been in an airplane over 50 times this year already and crossed countless time zones. It’s no wonder my life is like one big blur of crazy adventures and trips.
As an example, this morning I woke up at 4:30 am to go on a sunrise camel safari then headed off to jump out of a plane at 12,000 ft over Australia’s most iconic landmark, Uluru. We then went out for a classic Aussie BBQ, now I am back writing and editing knowing I am waking up in 5 hours for a sunrise bike ride, followed by a hike and a sunset adventure later in the day.”
One year later, he finds himself adventuring through the lesser known parts of Panama, documenting viewpoints and the beauty that surrounds him. The only thing that has changed is Groves himself.
“My original goal was to earn $800 a month as a travel blogger to fund my journeys,” says Groves. “The big shift now is diving into things that are bigger than myself. I want to take the time and effort to create causes and projects that have an impact on people and the environment.”
The Adventure Bag Movement Kicks off in Panama
The concept is simple, and the idea is to pair adventuring with a thought process.
STEP 1: Collect a bag of trash next time you go on an adventure into the mountains, jungle or the beach.
STEP 2: Sharing your Adventure Bag on Instagram is just as important as collecting it. The idea isn’t to receive praise or brag about the good deed. The sole purpose of sharing your Adventure Bag is to inspire your friends and family to join the movement. If you pick up one bag of trash and inspire nine people to do the same on their next adventure, your total is 10.
STEP 3: Groves will repost the Adventure Bags on the @adventurebagcrew Instagram and on the Story. He will post some of his own story at @jackson.groves, but the main focus is over at @adventurebagcrew. The hashtag is #adventurebag.
“It’s been great exploring all over the world but there is often an educational gap,” Groves says. “I’m hoping this movement helps in getting people to think, change their thought patterns and form a habit rather than a one-off.”
Adventure Bag Adventure Day in El Valle de Anton, Panama
The spirit of los panameños came to life on September 24 as people gathered from across Panama to take part in Adventure Day. At 4:30 am, over 70 people with torches trekked to La India Dormida trailhead to begin a hike to the top before sunrise.
Groves described the view as “a beautiful pop of color into the valley, which is a volcanic crater. The clouds rolled down over the mountains and, while the sun never managed to fully burst through the clouds, the fog and the atmosphere was amazing!”
On the way down, the hikers began collecting trash which was taken to a waste disposal center. After a group breakfast at the Bodhi Hostel, Groves gave a short talk at the APROVACA Center on the beginnings of the movement and the importance of social media in inspiring others.
The Beginnings of a Digital Nomad
Jackson Groves grew up in Adelaide, Australia with most of his free time focused on soccer. He landed a soccer scholarship at Hawai’i Pacific University in O’ahu and quickly fell in love with the hiking there and the unlimited amount of adventures.
He publishes up to five articles per week and utilizes dorm rooms and hostels to keep his sleeping costs under $15 per night. His focus is on anything related to adventuring including hiking, waterfalls, viewpoints and cliff diving.
He is an experienced content creator and has worked on over 100 campaigns with brands, companies, hotels and tourism boards. His blog has over 400,000 page views per month.
“My aim is to connect to the people I want to connect to – people who have respect for the type of travel that I am doing,” says Groves.
When Seven Seas Media caught up with him recently, Groves had just returned from Isla De Veraguas Escapades. Locals had described it to him as a ‘hidden gem’ and the ‘last frontier’.
With no electricity, water or buildings, he camped with a group under palm trees just meters from the beach. He witnessed some late night action in the form of over 100 turtles ‘bursting out and making a dash for the ocean’.
“The highlight was the amazing crystal clear water – it looked like a swimming pool,” Groves says. “The mangrove system on the island was unbelievable.”
New Adventures for Jackson Groves in Bali
Groves is slowly continuing to pick up different adventuring sports. In December, he will take on the Bali Hope SwimRun in Nusa Lembongan.
The event is a fundraiser to help protect the islands of Lembongan and Ceningan from plastic pollution.
He will follow that up with the Bali Hope Ultra in Seminyak which is a fundraiser for disadvantaged kids in the north of the island.
“The new challenges I am undertaking are just about going with the flow and trying to tackle as many things as I can,” says Groves.
Does Jackson Groves have a Favorite Place?
“I am documenting all these places – so many cool spots. It becomes a craving and I want to be impressed each time,” Groves says. “Usually the spots that stick with me involve some sort of crazy experience in just getting there.”
When pressed a little harder on the topic, he brings up Volcan Baru and the clouds rolling below him on the summit. He describes the experience on his blog and the photos are breathtaking.
Groves will be turning 27 this month and his self-awareness is growing. He recognizes the impact on the environment that adventurers like himself may be creating.
“Overtourism is happening in places that aren’t ready for travelers. I am bringing people to new places and I am not there to monitor their behavior,” says Groves. “Since I am the catalyst, I want to find ways to discourage any bad behavior. Adventure Bag was born from that thought process and I hope it results in less of a negative impact.”
Check out Jackson’s adventures on Journey Era.
Jackson Groves on Instagram.
Adventure Bag on Instagram.
Want to see more Jackson Groves on youtube?
Ola Waterfall in Cocle, Panama (1:19s): https://youtu.be/0ltu6YQxpTU
CERRO CARA IGUANA IN ANTON VALLEY, PANAMA (0:33s): https://youtu.be/hA6j_5UiX8Q
SUBI WATERFALL IN VERAGUAS , PANAMA (0:34s): https://youtu.be/VqbQ_P_52v8
CERRO LA GAITA HIKE IN COCLE, PANAMA (0:27s): https://youtu.be/wx47OFWYp8g
Koolau Summit Trail Attempt GoPro, Oahu -Hawaii (3:54s): https://youtu.be/veoSJsB3LNk
NUSA ISLANDS BLOGGER WORKSHOP 2018 – JACKSON GROVES: (1:58): https://youtu.be/zKeYpck9vjE
Kevin Majoros shares stories on sports, ocean adventuring and conservation. He is based in Baltimore/Washington and travels the world as a competitive swimmer.