Many bike riders consider the western side of the Etla valley to be the most scenic and delightful area of the Valles Centrales. Certainly the rolling countryside is appealing, both visually and to those who enjoy a few good climbs as part of the day’s workout. There are miles of suitable back roads and trails in this part of the country, many of them shown on other rides in this collection. This particular outing, though, might be considered the grand loop. At 25.2 miles (40.6 km) in length (measured from central Oaxaca), the trail illustrated contains about 1700 feet (518 meters) of elevation gain and loss in the circuit.