Dhruba volunteered to lead our outing on Sunday, 1 May 2022 and planned a long ride through the Tlacolula valley, going to the village of San Marcos Tlapazola, famous for the red clay pottery many women of the town produce and sell. Ten cyclists gathered in the plaza in front of the church of Santo Domingo for the 9 am departure. While on the bike path to Tule we encountered a roadie going our way, so he accompanied us as far as Rojas de Cuauhtemoc. Sad to say, the ride was plagued by the failures of the rear derailleurs on three bikes and flat tires suffered by two other members of the group. This was a most unusual – and unwelcome – occurrence, as we rarely have any mechanical problems on our Sunday excursions. These breakdowns slowed the group considerably, as we spent about 90 minutes dealing with the several problems. Two of the riders had to complete the ride on single-speed bikes when their rear derailleurs proved inoperable. Even so, the gang pedaled on and completed the circuit successfully. However, it was 6 pm by the time riders got back to Oaxaca – making for a grueling nine hours in the saddle. That included a most welcome stop for a late lunch at a favorite restaurant in Santa Maria del Tule on the last leg of the journey. It was a tired and sunburned bunch who finally made it home at the end of the day. The stats for the ride: 80.3 kms (49.9 miles) with 553 meters (1815 feet) of elevation gain and loss in the course of the ride.
Lots of open countryside in the Tlacolula valley. 
The first of three bikes having a derailleur failure on the ride.
Despite having several competent mechanics in the group,
the rear derailleur could not be repaired.
Our leader felt the ride was jinxed because of all the problems and delays.
Once arrived in San Marcos Tlapazola exhausted and behind schedule
riders relished a chance to relax with snacks and cold beverages.
2 comments for “Sunday Ride: Derailed and Deflated”