Category: MTBing

Items related to actual riding of mountain bikes.

Countryside, GPS, MTBing, Photos

Ride to San José El Mogote

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One of the oldest but least known archeological sites near Oaxaca is the temple mound at San José el Mogote, It is thought that at one time Mogote was the largest and most influential settlement in the Valles Centrales and was likely the center of political and economic power of the earliest Zapotec kingdom, from which Monte Alban sprang. There is a small but interesting museum adjacent to the temple ruins. These made a fine destination for an easy bike ride for a half-dozen riders on the second day of July in 2020. With the coranavirus pandemic still in full swing, this outing was a welcome escape from the confines of the city and a chance to stretch one’s legs and lungs in the open countryside. The round-trip distance amounted to 24.2 miles (39 kms) over relatively flat terrain where the elevation gain and loss amounted to a mere 190 feet (58 meters). Bikers finished the outing in three hours, riding at a leisurely pace.

For more information about the history of San José el Mogote, go to:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Jos%C3%A9_Mogote

 

Countryside, GPS, MTBing, Photos

Welcome to Oaxaca Ride

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Robert recently moved to Oaxaca from Baja California and has been anxious to meet and ride with fellow expat mountain bikers who call Oaxaca their home. This last day of June was chosen to make it happen. Larry, Ron, Alex and Tom set out at 9 am and rode the bike path to Tule, where Robert was waiting for them. After introductions were complete, the group pedaled on to Santo Domingo Tomaltepec and then Tlalixtac, where all were eager to ride the Los Molinos trail. It was a beautiful morning for a bike ride through the countryside. The air was fresh after a heavy thundershower the night before. Farm fields in the valley and wooded mountain slopes were verdant with spring growth. The total distance traveled amounted to 27.4 miles (44.1 kms), with an elevation gain and loss of 1280 feet (390 meters) on the circuit. Everyone expressed satisfaction with the day’s outing.

Countryside, Foothills, GPS, MTBing, Photos

Oaxaca – Rosario – Tule – Tomaltepec – Tlalixtac Loop

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A couple of mountain bike visitors to Oaxaca were curious to ride two of our favorite trails in the Tlacolula valley – the “Back Way to Tule” and the ride to the presas in the hills above Santo Domingo Tomaltepec – so we combined them in one delightful loop ride.  Early spring rains had worked their magic on the countryside, so both farm fields and forested mountainsides were carpeted with bright green foliage. A group of five bikers set out at 9 am on a lovely Thursday morning for this very satisfying excursion. The trail to Tule takes off into the hills from the Rosario neighborhood on the far southeastern corner of Oaxaca city. Getting to the trailhead involves riding for 5.25 miles (8.4 kms) from el centro through a maze of city streets. Then the fun begins! The next 1.8 miles (2.9 kms) is on a rugged jeep road that rises rather steeply 455 vertical feet (139 meters) to the top of a ridge before dropping just as sharply down to the floor of the Tlacolula valley. Riders must keep a wary eye on the trail, as it is littered with a lot of loose rubble which adds challenge to both the climb and the descent. After that, the rest of the ride was a piece of cake! It was an easy and enjoyable tour through Tule and Santo Domingo Tomaltepec and thence up the mountain valley where two reservoirs catch and hold water coursing down from the hills. The ride back to Oaxaca was accomplished by going through Tlalixtac. Moving at a leisurely pace and taking time out to lounge at one of the presas, the group finished the trek in a bit over five hours.

Countryside, GPS, MTBing

Showing A New Guy Around

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We have a new mountain biker in town, a recent transplant from Colima, who is eager to explore the bike trails and back roads of Oaxaca. Antonio has taken part in several recent rides with the gringo bikers who hit the trail two or three times each week. On this Sunday morning low clouds obscured nearby mountains and the humidity was high after a heavy thundershower the night before. There were abundant puddles on city streets and lots of mud on country roads. In many places sand and rocks had washed over paved roads at the height of the storm, but these presented no obstacle to mountain bikes. The route chosen for the day took the group from Oaxaca out to Zaachila, then to Cuilapam, thence through the hills to San Pedro Ixtlahuaca and Atzompa before returning to base. Riders covered 33 miles (53 kilometers), with an elevation gain and loss of 1388 feet (423 meters) on the circuit.

Countryside, GPS, MTBing, Photos

Trek To Teotitlan

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For weeks on end the Central Valley of Oaxaca has been smothered in a thick grey haze, likely caused by forest fires in March and early April. On most days one could not see the mountains from one side of the valley to the other. Finally – almost miraculously – a clear day dawned on Sunday, 31 May.  With blue skies overhead and nary a remnant of the smog-like blanket, five bikers set out to ride from Oaxaca to Teotitlan del Valle and back. Two of the number, Tonio and Todd, were first-time riders with this group, which normally consists of retired expats who live full-time in Oaxaca. All were cheered by the crisp, clear air and eager for a great pedaling experience. Setting out at 8:30 am from the plaza in front of the church of Santo Domingo, the riders followed the paved bike path to Tule, then continued eastward on country roads to Tlacochahuaya and Dainzu before veering to the north through Macuixochitl and Teotitlan to the reservoir just north of town. It was a perfect day for such an outing. The full round-trip distance amounted to 39.6 miles (63.7 kms), with an elevation gain and loss of 1086 feet (331 meters) along the way.