Author: Larry

Zimatlan

One could not watch the sunrise in Oaxaca today because of heavy overcast, but the clouds burned off by the time we began our weekly ride at 9 am. Ours was a small group of just seven riders for this excursion to Zimatlan and back. The paucity of bikers did nothing to detract from the enjoyment of the day, though. Our route outbound was a mix of paved and dirt roads, staying in the countryside away from traffic as much as possible. The return leg was on pavement all the way. No one brought a camera on the outing, so there are no photos to display below. Total distance amounted to 54 kilometers (33.6 miles), with a very mild elevation gain and loss of just 141 meters (464 feet) on the round trip, which was completed in almost exactly four hours.

San Pablo Etla

Manuel P. was the ride sponsor for this Sunday outing on 20 November 2022. He chose to lead the group on an easy ride to San Pablo Etla and back, a round trip distance of about 26 Kilometers (16.5 miles). My GPS unit malfunctioned, so there is no map of today’s outing. There are, however, some photos of the fourteen riders who took part in the excursion – several of whom were new to our group. We departed from Santo Domingo at 9:10 am and returned about 12:30 pm.

Round Trip to Zegache

On this 13th day of November four members of our Sunday riding group set out from Oaxaca to pedal to Santa Ana Zegache and back – a round trip distance of 64.9 kilometers (40.3 miles). It was a lovely day – of course! – with blue skies in the morning, turning partly cloudy as the day progressed, and with temperatures at about 27º C (80º F) for the day. Though the distance traveled was significant, the ride was rated easy to moderate because of the mostly level terrain. The gang departed from the plaza in front of Santo Domingo at 9 am and returned to the city shortly after 2 pm. A grand time was had by all.

Taken again by the charm of Tomaltepec

Regular visitors to this site know that the ride through the countryside to the two presas in the valley above Santo Domingo Tomaltepec is a favorite Sunday outing for our informal group of extranjeros and local cyclists. The sky was grey and drizzle was falling when the gang assembled in front of the church of Santo Domingo in the center of Oaxaca at 9 o’clock the morning of 16 October 2022. Ten riders turned out for the day’s ride – nine guys and one gal. The drizzle stopped and the sky gradually cleared for what turned out to be an excellent day to be in the saddle – also in the reservoir, where three of the gang took a swim. The ride out and back was delightful, if uneventful, covering a distance of 39 kilometers (24.4 miles). The elevation gain – all of it on the outbound leg – amounted to 221 meters (725 feet). That ensured that the ride back to town was all sweet downhill. There were lots of fall wildflowers blooming merrily all along the way.

Cuishe Trail

The Cuishe trail is the newest venue offered in the “Hoofing It In Oaxaca” `hiking program sponsored by the Oaxaca Lending Library (see details at www.HoofingItInOaxaca.com). Larry decided to check it out one weekday in late August. It made for a very satisfying ride in the rolling hills on the flanks of the mountains which form the western boundary of the Valles Centrales. Moving at a leisurely pace and exploring some side roads, the round trip took four hours to complete. Stronger riders can make it out and back in about three hours. This was a shuttle ride, with bike and rider driving almost to La Lobera to get onto the trail, which is mostly a dirt road. Though relatively short in terms of distance, the ride is rated moderate to difficult because some of the gradients run to 11% and 12% – though most of the climbs are in the 5% to 6% range. This could be an out & back ride from central Oaxaca, but that would add at least another 48 kilometers (30 miles) to the distance – a pretty formidable day’s excursion. A new “destination” restaurant has set up shop in the countryside near La Raya. Owned and operated by the chef at Casa Oaxaca, “El Portozuelo” is an interesting mix of rustic setting and upscale cuisine. The restaurant is open only on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.