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Thousands of Kilometers with Camera in Hand
By the Tierramérica Editor's Desk
MEXICO CITY - Photographer Mauricio Ramos will cross Mexico on foot, from the United States border in the north, to Guatemala in the south, in a challenging five-month adventure covering 3,100 km. Ramos hopes for an abundant harvest of images of nature and of the people he encounters.
Accompanied by his dog and carrying 40 kilos of cameras, camping equipment and food, Ramos, 36, begins his trek the first week in October, taking on what he calls "a great physical and mental challenge" in order to prove that "dreams can indeed come true."
An experienced traveler and photographer of adventures and nature, and member of Tierramérica's graphics team, the Mexican Ramos has crossed the country once before -- on bicycle. From August 2001 to March 2002, he traveled 6,625 km from the resort city of Cancún, on the Mexican Caribbean, to Cabo San Lucas, at the tip of Baja California state, on the Pacific.
On that trip, he captured 4,000 images of the Mexican landscape. This time, at the slower pace of walking, there may be even more pictures, and surely different ones, as his goal is "to live with the people I encounter along the way and take their portraits," the artist told Tierramérica.
The trek will involve walking an average of 30 km a day, though he aims to have some days where he walks 100. Many nights likely will be spent "in the forest" in his tent, but he hopes some of the people he meets will invite him to their homes.
Ramos begins his walk on the Mexican-U.S. border, in the state of Tamaulipas, and will end at the Guatemalan border after crossing though Chiapas.
The photographer will pull a special trailer with all of his equipment and baggage, including food for his dog.
As occurred on his bicycle trip, Ramos hopes to attract the attention of educational institutions and non-governmental organizations, many of which have invited him to give talks about his experiences.
"If they invite me, that's great. If I can serve as an example of living out one's dreams, I'll be there."
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