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THE WORLD'S LONGEST HIGHWAY, A MOTORHOME CHALLENGE! I have traveled in an RV expedition with 9 other RVs from McAllen, Texas to Ushuaia, Argentina. Now it is easier than ever to do! This summer I plan on re-doing this event again... if anyone needs preparation information, please feel free to ask me. I can give technical advise, but do not want to get into any advertising or promotion of any company or products. RV trekking of the Pan American Highway just became easier - finally now the connection between Panama and Columbia (Central and South America) has been made! A new ferry service will begin in a few days on May 10th, which means those traveling on the Pan Am will go directly in hours, not have to load onto a freighter, not have to pay additional airfare, and save several days in hotels in Panama and Cartengena...a savings of thousands of dollars! The dream of traveling in your RV from Albuquerque to Argentina is not a new idea! In Jan 2006 Congress passed the law below and who knows what happened to the development of it? But there still is plenty of good highways now in 2012! The first Trek RVs had over 2000 miles of bad or unpaved roadways in 1994, and now its only about 300 miles, and that is in Panagonia ...a good gravel road..no 4x4 required. By the time of this next years trip in July, it will be even better! HERE IS THE OFFICIAL TITLE: U.S. Title Code TITLE 23 > CHAPTER 2 > § 212 provides for the construction and maintenance of the Inter-American Highway program in cooperation with the Governments of the American Republics in Central America (i.e. Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama). "Title 23 of the US Code as currently published by the US Government reflects the laws passed by Congress as of Jan. 2, 2006." Under the code, the United States essentially pays for up to one-third of the total construction costs (depending on each nation's wealth): (a) Not to exceed one-third of the appropriation authorized for each fiscal year may be expended without requiring the country or countries in which such funds may be expended to match any part thereof, if the Secretary of State shall find that the cost of constructing said highway in such country or countries will be beyond their reasonable capacity to bear. The U.S. also agrees to provide all the maintenance costs: (5) will provide for the maintenance of said highway after its completion in condition adequately to serve the needs of present and future traffic. The U.S. has cooperated with Latin America on highway systems since the first Pan American Highway Congress in Buenos Aires in 1925, but footing all the costs for infrastructure can't be a good sign for expanded globalization to come.

Would like to know what type of motorhomes may be going with the Trekoftheamericas July 2013 expedition to South America. I have a 7.3 diesel chassis mount and would like to share spare parts, or maybe change my motorhome prior to the July date. It is advisable to carry extra parts, and great if several others have the same vehicle requirements. I also know there is at least one Mercedes Sprinter going on the trip.

This year's South America overland expedition decided to allow over 30' motorhomes, because the new ferry service from Panama to Columbia, will be transporting the Trek RVs! This allows the owners to go with the motorhomes, and also saves about $4000+ is shipping via the overseas transport vessels. The ferry service just started in time for a late August departure from the Texas departure location.