San Pablo Cuatro Venados is a small village perched precariously on the steep slopes of the mountains which form the western rim of the Valles Centrales where Oaxaca is located. For over three and a half years, beginning in early 2020, Cuatro Venados was virtually inaccessible, thanks first to the Covid quarantine and then to the fact the road from San Pedro Ixtlahuaca was being paved – a two and a half year project – and closed to all traffic (even mountain bikes). So on this cloudy Sunday in late June it seemed a worthy destination for a solo ride. Leaving Oaxaca at 8 am, it took about 2.5 hours to pedal to Cuatro Venados, going by way of San Andres Ixtlahuaca. The climb on the newly-paved road was certainly easier than on its rocky, rutted predecessor; but with a gradient between 15% and 18% and elevation gain of 739 meters (2426 feet) it was still a challenge, even on an eBike. Needless to say, the return was much easier and faster, with just a short delay for taking cover during a sudden rain shower.
The ridge in the distance on the left is the site of Monte Alban,
the capital of the Zapotec empire from 500 BCE to 850 AD.
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