Category: MTBing

Items related to actual riding of mountain bikes.

Paseo En Domingo

Anyone keeping a close watch on this website has likely noticed fewer posts in recent months. The reason for this is not that there have been fewer terrific rides, but because most of the back roads and trails around the city of Oaxaca have been pedaled many times over the years; consequently there is nothing new or exciting to report. So why this post? There is an amiable and close-knit group of gringo riders, all snowbirds from the U.S. and Canada wintering in southern Mexico, who get together every Sunday morning for leisurely rides in the country. Unlike some local bike clubs which hit the trail at 7 or 7:30 am even in the depths of winter, the gringos have the good sense to wait until the sun has warmed things up before getting in the saddle at 9 am. This author’s old bones appreciate that touch of civility, and so has joined this group for the winter of 2024-2025. Today’s outing was typical, covering a modest distance at a leisurely pace, with a stop for lunch at a local eatery near the end of the ride. The destination – the trail beyond the two presas in the mountains above Santo Domingo Tomaltepec – has been visited many times before, as it is a very popular target for Sunday hikers and cyclists. Today’s ride covered 44.6 kms (27.7 miles) and entailed gaining and losing 326 meters (1070 feet) in elevation along the way. The gang was enroute for a bit over five hours, counting time for a delicious noon lunch at the Blue Whale in Santa Marie el Tule. It was a sparkling clear day with the thermometer touching 27°C (80°F) by the early afternoon. A good time was had by all.

Ojo de Agua

A terrific – if challenging – 16.4 mile (26 kms) ride on steep mountain roads in the hills west of the cuota to Mexico City northwest of Huitzo. Turn off on a spur road 15.5 kms northwest of the Huitzo toll booth, just beyond the overpass at kilometer 207. The map below shows the route going one way (the return leg), so double the distance for the round trip ride. The total climb going both ways amounts to 935 meters (3067 feet). The initial hill climb has a gradient between 10% and 16%, which will strain your leg muscles. The highest point on the route is 2313 meters (7588 feet). There is a pleasant comedor at the highway junction which provides a perfect place to stop for rest and refreshments at the end of the adventure.

Climbing The Wall – Again

This ride features a long climb to San Pablo Cuatro Venados, which looks out over the Valley of Oaxaca from a perch near the top of the mountain ridge which forms the western boundary of the valley. The ascent is primarily on pavement – notably the Amlo road constructed 2020-2023 – while the descent is principally on an old, little-used jeep road which spirals into the valley. The gradient is steep, ranging between 10% and 19%, making for a challenging climb and a screaming descent. Good exercise and great fun! Round trip distance amounts to 62.9 kms (39.1 miles), with 1296 meters (4251 feet) of elevation change. Expect to spend a good five hours in the saddle to accomplish the loop.

Ride The Hills

This is an intermediate ride of 51 kilometers (31.7 miles) that takes advantage of some unpaved country roads which loop through the hills located between San Andrés Ixtlahuaca, Jalapa del Valle and San Felipe Tejalapam. Quite a scenic adventure when the hillsides lie green beneath an azure sky. Be advised that the hill climbs are numerous, but not too long or steep. There is an elevation gain and loss of 630 meters (2069 feet) along the way. A group of Sunday riders finished the course in five hours, counting time out for snacks (memelas, tacos & empanadas) at a street vendor’s stall in the zocalo in San Andrés Ixtlahuaca on the way back to Oaxaca.

Back Way To San Cristobal

San Cristobal is a tiny village perched precariously on the steep slopes of the mountain ridge which forms the western boundary of the Valley of Oaxaca. It is usually accessed from a paved road completed in 2022. However, there are two little-used, rough jeep roads that wind their way up to San Cristobal, one of which is the route taken on this ride. The track is used by farmers to get to their small milpas on the lower slopes, but almost no one ventures higher up where the mountain is too steep and densely forested for farming. It is a delight, though, for mountain bikers looking for a challenging climb.