“Community is something one chooses for oneself, through a process of self-discovery.” —Megan Garber, The Atlantic
In 2019, Eric and Brittany Highland and their 2-year-old son, Caspian, found themselves deep in the Sierra Gorda mountain range of mainland Mexico, descending sharp switchbacks in the dark with a group of total strangers. Well, nearly total strangers. Eric met Chepo from Mexico City and A.P. from Querétaro on the online platform, “Overland Bound,” while planning the couple’s first international overland trip to mainland Mexico.
The group of 10 spent the next three days together—camping, fixing a torn-up radiator, sharing delicious meals of grilled carne from the back of a group member’s Tacoma and touring an abandoned mission and cathedral in Bucareli. For Eric and Brittany, this weekend adventure brought back fond memories of their 2,000-mile trip through the interior of Mexico. It also marked an international extension of the overlander community, which they were a part of back home in the United States.