After a surprisingly quiet border crossing, we left Peru and rolled into Ecuador on our bicycles. From there we pedaled back into the Andes mountains. Hugging the walls of deep valleys high above rushing rivers, we dodged the rubble of dozens of landslides where unstable slopes had slumped into the roadway. Every few miles brought a new climate zone, from steamy, banana lowlands, to cocoa plantations that serve the world’s fines chocolatiers. Finally we reached the Ecuadorian highlands, just in time to celebrate Holy Week along Cuenca’s cobblestone streets.

Panama stands at the crossroads of two continents. At its narrowest, just 30 miles of land (48 km) separates the world’s largest oceans. Here, where the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans nearly meet, the Panama Canal bridges the gap and creates one of the most important international waterways in the world. In addition to the canal, Panama’s vibrant traditional, indigenous fabrics formed the backdrop for festivals celebrating the Lunar New Year (Asian) and Holy Week/Easter (Catholic) holidays, reinforcing Panama’s distinction as a ‘melting pot’ of cultures. Our road ended in cosmopolitan Panama City, where on any given day we could visit a historical old town, a scenic Pacific waterfront, or a nearby tropical forest. It was a wonderful ‘adios’ to our journey across North and Central America. South America, here we come!