It had been a while since our Sunday ride took bikers to Jelapa del Valle and back, so that was the destination chosen for this ride on 18 April 2021. Five fellows showed up at the appointed time and place. The group rode from Oaxaca to Atzompa and then followed the highway to San Pedro Ixtlahuaca, proceeding from there on dirt roads that led over the ridgeline and down into the valley of the Rio Jalapilla. Climbing up and over the hill proved the most challenging part of the day’s outing. Once in the river valley it was easy to pedal through Cieneguilla and on to Jelapa del Valle, where the community store proved a great place to stop for cold drinks and ice cream bars. At this juncture the group had to decide whether to climb back over the ridge to return to Oaxaca or follow the river through San Felipe Tejelápam and San Lorenzo Cacaotepec. The latter route was chosen, though it was notably longer. Being mostly downhill, it did not take any more time than the shorter over-the-hill route and required less effort. The ride took just a few minutes over four hours to complete.
