The village church in Tlcochahuaya is an artistic surprise. It is elaborately decorated with stenciling and has exceptional paintings and other furnishings, including a remarkable refurbished 17th century pipe organ. Getting there by bicycle is also quite a treat.
The route indicated on the map below avoids main roads and the highway, using side streets, a bike path and dirt roads in the country, instead. It also includes a visit to a marker set atop a steep hill just north of town. The hill requires a hearty climb, but offers a nice view of the surrounding area. You can bypass it, though, for a less strenuous outing. Similarly, you can shorten the overall ride by 7 miles and reduce the amount of climb by 375 feet by starting the ride in downtown Oaxaca rather than in San Felipe del Agua.
The ride out and back as shown covers 31.0 miles (50 km), with a total of 1766 feet (538 meters) going uphill. Other than the steep climb up the hill to the overlook above Tlacochahuaya, which at times is over loose scrabble, there are no technically demanding features. It is an easy ride, but a rather long one.
