Category: GPS

Items containing GPS data (either the downloadable KML/Z or GPX file) &/or a map that displays such data.

Countryside, GPS, MTBing, Photos

The Bite of the Bike Bug

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    Beware the bite of the bike bug!  A couple of friends were recently bitten and succumbed to the urge to purchase mountain bikes. Both Phil, an avid hiker and long-time resident of Oaxaca, and Doug, who moved here a year ago, are now the proud owners of new bicis. As newbie bikers, both were eager to try out their new conveyances and test their stamina in the saddle. So it was that they and three other amigos set out on a bright Friday morning for a test ride around the Valley of Oaxaca. The group chose an easy route through mostly flat terrain, but managed to put about 20 miles (32 kilometers) beneath their wheels, while gaining and losing about 1000 feet (304 meters) in elevation along the way. The ride was judged a success — everyone survived! — and now Jim, Judy and Helen are talking about buying bikes, too! That is good news for local bike shops.

 

Countryside, GPS, MTBing

Back Way To Tule

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Most people thinking of bicycling from Oaxaca to Tule likely choose to go by way of the paved bike path connecting the two towns. But there are more interesting and challenging routes, among them this one which skirts the hills on the south side of the Tlacolula valley. Riding at a leisurely pace, it takes about 90 minutes to pedal from the south side of Oaxaca to the well-manicured central plaza in Tule, a distance of 9.7 miles (15.6 kms). This leg of the circuit offers the most change in elevation, challenging the rider to climb 1236 feet (377 meters), but rewarding him or her with 1015 feet (309 meters) of downhill. All of the ascent and descent is accomplished on rough Jeep road, which can be technically challenging. There is also a significant amount of single track trail in the vicinity of Tule — much of it obscured by tall grass in the summer months. Overall, this portion of the loop ride is rated moderate.  Be advised that there are quite a few branch trails in the hills near Tule, many of which can be used to either shorten or lengthen the ride. Once arrived in Tule, best stop to admire the gargantuan cedar tree in the church yard and enjoy a snowcone (nieve) before heading back home. The return to Oaxaca can be accomplished by retracing the outbound route or opting for the easy ride on the bike path. The entire loop ride, pictured on the map below, totals 16.5 miles (26.5 kms) and ought to take about 2.5 hours, making for an enjoyable excursion through the countryside.

 

Countryside, GPS, MTBing

New Gringo Faces on the Oaxaca Mountain Bike Scene

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The city and state of Oaxaca have received a lot of favorable press this past year as many respected national magazines and tour agencies have listed Oaxaca as one of the top five world tourist destinations. Riding on the coattails of the tour boom, so to speak, are gringo mountain bikers either visiting or moving to Oaxaca from the U.S. and other countries around the world. And so it is we have had a number of new faces join in weekly rides. On this Sunday in September a couple of mountain bikers new to the area requested an introductory ride around the Oaxaca valley. These newbies were paired with a couple of resident gringos, and the foursome set out to explore some trails in the mountain valley that holds two reservoirs supplying water to the village of Santo Domingo Tomaltepec and surrounding farms. The quartet met and passed several other groups of bikers and hikers enjoying a Sunday outing in the same area. The out and back ride covered 27.8 miles (44.7 kms), with an elevation gain and loss of 2132 feet (650 meters). No one bothered to take photos, but we did create a GPS track of the ride.

GPS, MTBing, Photos

Downhill Enduro Race at La Cumbre Ixtepeji.

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Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in the number of downhill mountain bikers in Oaxaca. Their numbers and enthusiasm were in evidence at an enduro race held on Saturday, 20 July 2019 at La Cumbre Ixtepeji. Riders were doubtless drawn to this venue by the multiple new downhill trails constructed near the ecotourism camp over the past two to three years. Today’s race challenged riders to test their skills on several of these. The first segment of the race took place on the Coralito Trail, which runs downhill 1.6 miles (2.6 kms), losing 1056 feet ( 322 meters) on the way. Then race contestants had to pedal their way back up logging roads to virtually the same starting point to take off down the Martinez Trail and then transitioning to the El Toro Trail and finally ending the race on La Herradura. The weather was perfect for the race, and the trail tread was in excellent condition – neither dusty and loose nor muddy. So far as we know everyone enjoyed the contest and no one had to be taken home in an ambulance!
For trail maps of La Cumbre Ixtepeji we suggest you use Trailforks: https://www.trailforks.com/region/la-cumbre-ixtepeji-22082/?activitytype=1&z=10.8&lat=17.18561&lon=-96.64612

Countryside, Foothills, GPS, MTBing, Photos, Trail Info

La Muneca and Santo Domingo Tomaltepec Presas

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Four biking buddies hit the trail to climb the La Muneca trail in the hills near Tlalixtac and then coast down to the two presas in Santo Domingo Tomaltepec before looping back to their starting point near the Tlalixtac town center. All told, they spent about four hours in the saddle and pedaled 12.5 miles (20.1 kms) on this leisurely ride on a lovely May morning. The climb to the monument at the top of the La Muneca trail took the riders 1477 feet (450 meters) up the hillside. The trail was sufficiently steep to cause some hike-a-biking going up. But that was rewarded with some great zinging downhill. One of the riders had never visited the two lovely presas in the valley above Santo Domingo Tomaltepec, so those were included in the day’s itinerary. The group wrapped things up with a lunch of tasty Mexican food upon their return to Oaxaca at mid-afternoon.