Between the Seas: Josefina and I in Central America

Between the Seas is the incredible story of a couple in their mid-forties traveling by motorcycle from Iowa through the isthmus of Central America and over the Panama Canal to deep within the Darien Gap…all on motorcycle. Josie’s unrelenting determination saved them from horrific disasters and this incredible story from ending at gunpoint.

May this book be an inspiration to those who need it. Jerry had polio and Josie had heart problems and trouble walking – yet they completed this remarkable journey on motorcycle. Here’s to an astounding couple! May your stories be retold, and your bravery forever be an example that physical limitations are no match for an adventurous spirit.

Quotes from Between the Seas :

“You know you married the right woman when she gets in front of a loaded gun for you, defuses the gunman, and sets you both free.” “All we could see around us was the Guatemalan jungle and below, the Rio Negro River was flowing furiously on – unaware of the incredible feat we were about to attempt.” “Even though the magnificence of its façade may have faded into the mists of history, the lake still remembers its beauty and so do we.” “A shroud of green drapes over this isthmus, connecting mighty continents, and enduring as the brave terrain between opposing seas. The result of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes has transformed this diverse paradise into a tropical labyrinth laced in high peaks, low lush valleys, powerful rivers, and dense rainforests full of wildlife.” “We pray for safety, peaceful encounters, and adventure to ignite our life. If we are asking for too much, then adventure will do.” “The streets, homes, and buildings remained intact, but every man, woman, and child in Rio Negro had been killed.” “It was dark in old Granada the night we reached the iron-barred gates. This prison was a converted 300-year-old Spanish fort and I, was its newest resident.” “There are few times in the history of a man’s life when he can pinpoint the very moment which changed his destiny. That was my moment.”
The hauntingly beautiful Central America held an inescapable mixture of deadly politics, varied natives, and picturesque landscapes. They traversed thick jungles and vast swamp lands surviving the continent’s perilous volcanos, rivers, and mountains.

Jerry and Josefina lived through the greatest disaster in Managua’s history, saw the gruesome consequences of an entire village caught in the middle of a political war, stayed in an enchanting Marble Palace, and escaped a sinking volcano after a thief’s ambush. Share in their adventure; for great dreams are not just attained, but explored, treasured, and transcended.