Today’s Sunday morning ride attracted sixteen jaunty participants, half of them gringos – including a young couple visiting from Vermont and a fellow from Vienna, Austria. All enjoyed pedaling 4.5 hours through the countryside, passing through Cuilapam and Arrazola, where the group stopped for brunch. The route covered 24.1 miles (38.8 kms) with an elevation gain and loss of 950 feet (290 meters).
This is one of the favorite and prettiest rides close to the city. Originally mostly a single track through the hills, the Los Molinos trail was incorporated into the much longer Camino de Juárez when that paved trail was constructed from Guelatao to Tlalixtac in 2023. The route shown runs from Santo Domingo in el centro to the second bridge, at which point the going gets appreciably steeper, at times using a series of staircases to climb the mountain. Cyclists often turn around here unless they plan to go as far as El Estudiante or even all the way to La Cumbre Ixtepeji. Today’s trek covered 19.8 miles (31.0 kms) with an elevation gain of 1390 feet (424 meters) and took 4.5 hours, including a stop for brunch at the Los Charolitos lakeside restaurant in Huayapam.
A gorgeous Sunday for a long ride through the countryside to San Martin Tilcajete. Eleven riders took part in the outing, stopping for brunch at the charming Almu garden restaurant in Tilcajete. The rainy season has run its course this year and we had blue skies with puffy white clouds overhead. The termperature – 73°F / 23°C – was ideal. Our route covered 44.3 miles / 71.3 kms, with 1429 feet / 435.5 meters of climbing along the way. The only disappointment was that we hoped to see fields of flowers ready to be harvested for Day of the Dead festivities, but found nary a one. The ride got underway at 7:30 am and concluded at 2:00 pm.
Some of the serving wenches at Almu.
With group bike rides happening every Sunday year around, it is quite unusual to latch onto a route and destination never explored before. Such was the case on this day in the fall of 2026. Seven cyclists – including a visitor from Vancouver on an ebike – took part in this outing which covered 36 miles (58 kms) on a track leading from the center of Oaxaca city into the hills above San Gabriel Etla. Most of the route was fairly level, following an old railroad right-of-way through open countryside. However, once at San Miguel Etla the gang had some serious climbing to reach the waterfall deep in a lushly forested valley. All told, the elevation gain and loss amounted to 1378 feet (420 meters) on the round trip. Riders stopped at the Rancho San Antonio on the way home for a delicious late morning meal. The ride got underway at 7:30 am and lasted seven hours, with folks getting home at 2:30 in the afternoon – having to ride in light rain the last few miles into town.
This is essentially a loop ride through the countryside southwest of Oaxaca which makes use of many little used back roads. There is a good amount of climbing and descending, but nothing too difficult or challenging. This five hour long excursion includes a stop for breakfast at a family owned comedor in Arrazola. Distance: 24.2 miles / 38.9 kms Elevation change: 1326 feet / 404 meters. Duration: 5 hours Rating: moderate
