COVID-19 Pauses Epic 14-Year Overland Journey Across the Americas: A Couple's Story of Resilience and Hope
Karen Catchpole and Eric Mohl were almost 14 years into their extraordinary overland road trip across the Americas when COVID-19 upended global travel. After meeting in New York City, the couple first embarked on a four-year backpacking odyssey through Asia. They then returned with a bold new goal: to explore North, Central, and South America by road, starting in 2006.
To date, they have traversed 18 countries, including the USA, Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Brazil, Bolivia, and Chile. Since 2007, they've journeyed in a Chevrolet Silverado 1500, prioritizing scenic byways and back roads for authentic, immersive experiences over major highways.
The pair was in Argentina's Uco Valley near Mendoza when pandemic restrictions took effect, closing land borders, mandating masks, enforcing social distancing, and limiting movement and shopping. Recently, they relocated to the city for added safety.
Having dedicated over a third of their lives to travel, Karen and Eric describe the past months as profoundly disruptive. "Our passion for travel stems from the daily freedom, novelty, curiosity, and learning," they shared with Lonely Planet. "Right now, like everyone, we're taking it day by day, adhering to health guidelines to protect ourselves and our community. We're sustaining travel dreams via our Trans-Americas Journey blog, sharing past Americas stories. That's our horizon for now." They support their adventures through freelance travel writing, including features, restaurant, and hotel reviews for various outlets.
Leveraging skills honed over a decade on the road, they remain adaptable amid uncertainty. "We're optimistic that safe, intelligent travel will resume," they say. "But timelines for reopening Argentina's borders and the shape of future travel are unknown. Travel has taught us flexibility—we'll rely on that."
Learn more about Karen and Eric's Trans-Americas Journey on their official website.
Read more:
See the photos of remote African tribes captured by a COVID frontline nurse
How worldwide lockdowns have impacted conservation efforts
You'll have to kayak or paddleboard to this floating sauna in British Columbia
