Category: GPS

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

Countryside, GPS, MTBing, Outing, Ride Routes

Teotitlan del Valle

by  •  • 0 Comments

The village of Teotitlan del Valle is famous as the home of some of the best weavers in Oaxaca state. It is also one of the oldest continuously inhabited towns in the world — people have lived there for about 9000 years, putting it in the same category as Damascus and towns in the Fertile Crescent in Persia. It is situated on the north side of the Tlacolula Valley not many miles east of Oaxaca city. A bike ride there on a pretty day can be most enjoyable!

The track on the map below shows the route we followed one Sunday, riding out-and-back from the Krotalus Bike shop (Calle Sabinos 309-B in Colonia Reforma / www.krotalusmtb.com.mx). Bernardo, the store manager, showed me the route he likes to follow on this ride, which stays away from busy streets and the main highway and uses bike paths and country back roads, instead.

We covered 34.6 miles (55.7 km) on this ride, and recorded an elevation gain of 1121 feet (342 meters), most of that in the final leg getting to Teotitlan. Riding at a moderate pace – and stopping for lunch in Teotitlan – we finished the ride in a bit over four hours.

GPS, Mountains, MTBing, Outing, Ride Routes

Oaxaca to Benito Juárez & Back

by  •  • 1 Comment

One Sunday I decided to ride from my home in San Felipe del Agua (a suburb on the north side of Oaxaca city) to the village of Benito Juarez, part of the Pueblos Mancomunados in the Sierra Norte, approximately thirty miles east and a bit north of Oaxaca. I had driven the dirt road between Teotitlan del Valle to Benito Juarez a number of times, and had ridden the screamer descent (a 5000 foot drop in 11 miles) on my mountain bike a couple of times. However, I’d never been crazy enough to crank up that mountain — until this day.

I took my time, and so the round trip took nearly nine hours, covering 65.3 miles (105 km) and required climbing 6140 feet (1871 meters) along the way. Needless to say, my legs felt like rubber and I was one tired biker by the end of the day. I accomplished the outing using some city streets, but for the most part stuck to bike paths, dirt roads and a few short sections of cowpaths. I never rode on the highway, though that was an option, as the highway between Oaxaca and Mitla is freshly paved and has wide shoulders. (Caution: it is the custom in Mexico for slow vehicles to drive on the shoulder of a highway to permit faster cars to pass, so even a wide shoulder can be a dangerous place for a bicycle.) 

If you elect to do this ride, but use the Zocalo instead of San Felipe as the start / end point, the distance will be 7 miles shorter and the elevation gain / loss will be 750 feet less.

 

GPS, MTBing, Outing, Photos

Es tu nombre Raphael?

by  •  • 4 Comments

I went out yesterday to re-examine the trail I found Sunday. It runs pretty much with the contour line between Trail M (Mechero / Burner) and Trail Ma (Martillada / Hammerblow) but I wanted to make sure my initial glee of discovery hadn’t cloud my assessment of the ridability of it. This trail Larry had told me about months ago when he rode it with Dr. Z. Yet, we could never seem to locate it. In fact, I’m still not sure this thing is the same one Larry and Dr. Z rode together months ago.

But, while out on my re-examination ride on Tuesday, I was fortunate to run into another rider I had met once before on the trail. If I have his name right and am spelling it correctly, his name is Rafael. Here is the only picture I have of him.

Mr. SecretSingletrack

Mr. SecretSingletrack

With our limited grasp of each other’s native languages (his grasp better than mine), we did our best to talk biking and trails. In that “conversation” Rafael said he could show me a trail up ahead coming off of Trail HFR, where we had crossed paths. I gladly agreed. My reward was the tightest, twistiest, most narrow, most vegetated yet rideable trail I’ve found here to date.

MUCHO MUCHO MUCHO GRACIAS, Rafael! It was a total blast and I can’t wait to do it again. Hopefully, once again chasing Rafael, as he is a fast rider who seems to share my taste for tight, twisty singletrack downhills.

Here is a map of the new (to me) trail Raphael showed me. I’m hoping to see him again and get the proper name of the trail. For now, its temporary name is Trail_CodeName-Rafael. On the map, it’s the red track. I’ve also include Trails HFR, M, and T to give perspective on where Rafael took me out in the woods to watch me fall on my head (only once, mind you!).

Oh, and since the multi tracks throw off the elevation profile, note that it’s about 1.1km long with an elevation drop of 183m. Tasty!

[ edited 2012-11-17 @ 00:05 to correct incorrect spelling of Rafael ]

GPS, MTBing, Outing, Photos, Ride Routes

Santo Domingo Tomaltepec – Krotalus Bike Shop Ride

by  •  • 0 Comments

This ride goes from the Krotalus Bike Shop in Oaxaca city (Calle Sabinos 309-B in Colonia Reforma / www.krotalusmtb.com.mx) through Tule and Santo Domingo Tomaltepec, then upvalley past two reservoirs and into bush country. Once past the lakes, the trail repeatedly crosses a stream (seven times going in; same coming out), making for a splashing good time – especially fun in hot weather! Caution: There is a large difference in the depth, width and speed of the water in the stream between the dry and the rainy season! Where the water may be only a couple of inches deep in the winter months (or the creek completely dry), it may be a foot deep in the summertime if rain has been plentiful.

The ride covers 23.5 miles (37.8 km), with an elevation gain & loss of about 1000 feet (378 meters). Though a relatively long ride, there are no steep grades to climb, just a steady, mild uphill to the end of the trail.

GPS, MTBing, Outing

The (Re)discovery of a painfully obvious trail

by  •  • 0 Comments

Stumbled across a new trail today.  Expect a new Trail Info page for it next week (after other projects get done).  I think this might be the trail Dr. Z showed Larry months ago, yet one we could never find again.  It runs pretty much along the contour line between lower Trail Ma and Trail M.