Someone checking out this web site for the first time might well think we only go for rides on Sundays, given the information posted. That would be a false impression. When possible, local expat mountain bikers get together for rides two or three times each week. Weekday rides are rarely written up and posted at OaxacaMTB.org, however. Why? Well, it may be we are pressed for time due to other commitments on weekdays. It may be out of laziness – we often do not bother with GPS units and cameras on weekday outings. In any case, weekday rides generally do not explore new territory, so we are simply riding again on routes that have been mapped and described previously. Such was the situation this Tuesday morning in mid-August. Most of the trails in the Etla Valley to the west and north of Monte Alban have been ridden and mapped any number of times before. But this is a scenic and popular area, well worth revisiting again and again. One of the attractions of the region is that it has an extensive network of unpaved roads, most of which interconnect so that cyclists can follow slightly different routes each time they ride here. In any event, a lovely day is always an invitation to spend some time in the saddle. A bright blue sky was a welcome change from the cloud cover that had persisted over Oaxaca for several weeks running. Our riders covered a distance of 29.1 miles (46.8 kms) and climbed and descended 1675 feet (510 meters) in completing the circuit. Ride time amounted to about four hours.
