Fourteen bikers showed up for the first Sunday ride of 2021, meeting at the plaza in front of Santo Domingo at ten am on 3 January. As expected, it was a glorious day, with blue skies, lots of sunshine and a gentle breeze. The ride was scheduled one hour later than usual, anticipating a chilly morning. In fact, though, the thermometer registered 64º F (17.7º C) at sunrise, signaling a warm day. The destination for the ride was the monumental statue of the Danzante, perched atop a hill just outside Zimatlan 16.6 miles (26.7 kms) distant. Half the riders in the day’s contingent had never ventured there before and so were excited about pedaling to someplace new. One rider had to turn back due to a mechanical problem halfway to the Danzante. When it came time to depart from the Danzante, three of the group dropped out to visit a friend in Zimatlan. Of the remaining ten bikers, five opted for a longer and more challenging route back to Oaxaca, riding 28 miles through the rolling hills west and north of Cuilapam and then through San Pedro Ixtlahuaca. That left just five of the original band to retrace their path back to the city. All agreed that it was a fine outing to kick off the new year. Photos, a map and elevation chart for this ride appear on the RIDES page of this website under the heading “Danzante of Zimatlan”.