Life Is A [Pan-American] Highway

January 11, 2007 12:26 AM

The Pan-American Highway: A Photo VoyagePhotographer Melissa Fowler documented her journey along a stretch of the Pan-American Highway that flows through Mexico, Peru and Chile, providing detailed captions on ancient sites, local economies, rural life, and much more. Click here (wikipedia link) for more information on the Pan-American Highway and its history.
posted by amyms (12 comments total)

Oops, I got the photographer's name wrong... It's Melissa Farlow.
posted by amyms at 12:43 AM on January 11, 2007

Cool. That is a trip I want to finish on moto-bike at some point.
posted by YoBananaBoy at 1:12 AM on January 11, 2007

Is it safe to drive down the Pan-Am highway? How much of it is paved? Looks like a great motorcycle ride.
posted by IronWolve at 2:14 AM on January 11, 2007

I found this while googling.

The only missing link is a 54-mile stretch through two national parks -- one in Panama, the other in Colombia -- that contain the Darien Gap's more than 3 million acres of unspoiled wilderness.
posted by IronWolve at 2:17 AM on January 11, 2007

I knew about the Darien gap. I believe that has been done on motobike in the 1970's. I believe FARC used to hang out there too, making the entire endevour a bit scary.

Most people ship to Ecudor (too late and too lazy to fix) or Peru.I have done Colorado to Guatemala. Then I ran out of cash.

That would be a great meet up, though.
posted by YoBananaBoy at 2:52 AM on January 11, 2007

Ah yes, here it is.
posted by YoBananaBoy at 2:55 AM on January 11, 2007

I believe FARC used to hang out there too, making the entire endevour a bit scary.

Oh, they're still there. The cocaine boom of the last 30 years has made the Darien jungle a very dangerous place. Not just FARC, plain old narcos will kill you in a heartbeat. If nature doesn't get you first.
posted by crowman at 3:21 AM on January 11, 2007

It was a nice idea and all... Too bad the pictures are just travelogue.
posted by TheGoldenOne at 6:25 AM on January 11, 2007

Tim Cahill's Road Fever is about his drive from Tierra del Fuego to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, in 23-1/2 days, along the Pan-American Highway. Fun book.
posted by kirkaracha at 8:02 AM on January 11, 2007

I had a chance to talk to a commerical pilot recently. As from talking to him about this, he mentioned his Colombian wife. I mentioned the FARC thing and the Darrien Gap. He smiled, chukled, and stated that the new government had cleared out most of those problems.

Huh.
posted by YoBananaBoy at 10:57 AM on January 11, 2007

Thanks for the book recommendation, kirkaracha... Looks like a great story...

And, for those of you who are talking about a motorcycle trip, I hope you'll document it if you do go... That would be a great adventure (but, as crowman points out, don't get killed).
posted by amyms at 11:02 AM on January 11, 2007

So-so photos, awful interface...but cool that she did it.
posted by Poagao at 12:39 AM on January 12, 2007