Category: Countryside

Countryside, Foothills, GPS, MTBing, Photos

Oaxaca – W. Etla Valley – Cuilapam

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The rolling hill country of the Etla Valley to the west of Monte Alban is a lure to mountain bikers wanting to escape from the city. Riding from Oaxaca to Cuilapam provides a perfect getaway, offering pleasant vistas to soothe the soul and just enough challenging terrain to rate as a good day in the saddle. The out & back route from the center of Oaxaca to the ruins of the never-completed monastery in Cuilapam covers 31.4 miles (50.5 kms) and accumulates 2625 feet (800 meters) of elevation gain and loss along the way. It is also possible to ride a loop through Cuilapam that returns to Oaxaca via the main paved highway, which is shorter and faster (see second map below) — covering just 23.6 miles (37.5 kms) and with only 1505 feet (459 meters) of climbing and descending. Either option makes for a great cycling experience. 

 

Countryside, GPS, Hiking, MTBing, Photos

Mapping the Route for a Hike

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Albi and Larry are both mountain bike enthusiasts and sponsors of a program of weekly hikes around the Valley of Oaxaca and in the surrounding mountains (see www.HoofingItInOaxaca.com). They are always interested in finding new places to take groups of hikers. Many of the hike venues utilized each year were first explored aboard mountain bikes. Such was the case for a proposed new hike from the town center of San Tomas Mazaltepec to San Felipe Tejelápam. The purpose of today’s ride was to map the hike route and find out from local officials what permissions and/or payments were needed before bringing van loads of gringo tourists to hike in this part of the Etla Valley north of the city of Oaxaca. The day’s excursion got under way at 10 am, allowing the sun to warm things up on a mid-winter day. Larry and Albi were joined by Ron and Rafa for the outing. Moving at a leisurely pace, the foursome covered 30.9 miles (49.7 kms) and gained and lost 1774 feet (541 meters) in elevation on what amounted to an out & back ride with a lolly-pop loop at the far end. It was along that loop that the hike route was mapped out. It turns out the new hike will run 5.7 miles (9.2 kms). The highest point along the route tops out at 6097 feet (1858 meters), with the lowest part registering 5418 feet (1651 meters). Hike participants will climb 682 feet (208 meters) and descend 731 feet (223 meters) in the course of their walk. 

 

Countryside, GPS

A visit to the Tlalixtac presas

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Another spectacularly sunny Sunday in Oaxaca in the middle of January, perfect for a bike ride through the countryside. Originally we expected our group of gringo bikers to number at least half a dozen, but in the end just two fellows – both retired expats from the U.S. – were able to make it. Today’s outing was a round-trip excursion from a home on the south side of Oaxaca city to the two small presas which belong to the community of Tlalixtac. The reservoirs are located near where the Mil Rios trail emerges from a mountain valley after plunging down the hillside from near the town of La Neveria in the Sierra Norte. The point was to get some fresh air and exercise, but on country roads rather than single track trails.This objective was achieved nicely. The total distance ridden was exactly 26 miles (41.8 kms), with an elevation gain and loss of 1284 feet (391 meters) along the way. The ride got under way at 10:30 am and concluded at 3:00 pm and included a stop for lunch at a favorite watering hole on Hwy 175 near Huayapam. 

Countryside, Foothills, MTBing

Buddy Ride

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Another delightful, sunny, warm Sunday morning in Oaxaca – even though it is December 2 on the calendar. Four buddies agree to go on a loop ride through the rolling hill country of the Etla Valley to the west of Monte Alban. Two – Albi and Larry – are retired gringo expats living in Oaxaca, while Omar and Vidal are natives. The foursome rendezvous at the Plaza Bella shopping center in Atzompa at 9:30 am – late enough in the day for the sun to take the chill out of the air and for everyone to have breakfast before the ride. After a brief discussion they agree to ride in a counter-clockwise direction, first pedaling north toward San Lorenzo Cacaotepec, then swinging west to San Felipe Tejalápam, through La Unión and then on to Jalapa del Valle. After a brief rest stop, they head east over a ridge of hills, drop down and through San Pedro Ixtlahuaca and on into the Oaxaca valley and their original starting point. By the end of the ride the guys have been in the saddle a bit under three hours and have covered exactly 22 miles (35.4 kms). There was a gain and loss of 550 feet (167.6 meters) along the way, mainly due to crossing that ridge. The temperature ranged from 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit (16 to 24 degrees Celsius) during that time. 

Countryside, GPS, MTBing, Photos

Sunday Loop Ride to Santa Ana Zegache & Back

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It is always a special treat to discover a new route to a favorite place. Such was the case on today’s 70 kilometer ride through the countryside of the Zimatlan Valley to the south of Oaxaca City. Even though this author has cycled a number of times around Zegache and led several hiking groups from there to Tilcajete or Ocotlan, I was not aware it was possible to bike all the way to Zegache using unpaved country lanes, thus staying clear of traffic on the main highway. What a pleasant surprise! There were sixteen riders in our group when we set out from the church of Santo Domingo in the center of Oaxaca on a bright and clear Sunday morning in early November. We stuck to the valley floor all the way to our destination, so there was almost no change in elevation, making for easy pedaling the whole distance. It took almost exactly two hours to cover the distance of about 20 miles (32 kms) from Oaxaca to the church in Zegache, which was rebuilt and painted by Rodolfo Morales, the famous painter from Ocotlan. We did not stop there, though. Keeping the cranks turning, we rode 4 miles (6.4 kms) more to Santo Tomas Jalieza where we stopped for a late breakfast. From there we had a choice of several different routes back to the capital city, the shortest and fastest of which was Highway 175. All told, the loop ride ran for 43.4 miles (70 kilometers), with an elevation gain and loss of 1796 feet (547 meters), most of which came crossing a ridge of hills on Highway 175 between Guegorexe and San Bartolo Coyotepec.