Category: MTBing

Items related to actual riding of mountain bikes.

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.

Countryside, GPS, MTBing

Over Hill And Dale

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It seems the rainy season has gotten an early start in Oaxaca in this spring of 2020.  We have had multiple rain showers in the late afternoon and evening these first two weeks of May, some of them quite heavy. These frequently leave large puddles on city streets and a good deal of mud on country roads. It is not difficult to sweep around these, but inevitably our bikes and riding clothes are splattered with mud by the end of a ride. Such was the case on this Wednesday outing, which was intended to be a big loop ride beginning in San Felipe del Aqua, proceeding south through Oaxaca and skirting past San Bartolo Coyotepec, before climbing over the ridge of hills into the Tlacolua valley and returning to Oaxaca. However, things did not go as planned. Once into the hills outside San Bartolo no one could remember the route and we got lost in the maze of dirt roads in the area. After several false starts, we turned back and headed for home, satisfied to have put in several hours in the saddle.

Countryside, GPS, MTBing, Photos

Huitzo Or Bust

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In the mood for a significant ride through unexplored territory, five mountain biking buddies set out this fine Friday in early May to pedal from Oaxaca city to San Pablo Huitzo. On the outbound leg of the journey, they traveled first to Atzompa, then headed in a northwesterly direction through San Lorenzo Cacaotepec, Matadamas, Soledad Etla and Nazareno Etla to Santiago Suchilquitongo. This route took them along a series of unpaved country lanes, beneath the toll road to Mexico City and well out into the relatively flat countryside of the Etla Valley. The planned destination was the restored monastery in Huitzo, or perhaps even the large reservoir not far beyond the town. However, one of the party was on a borrowed bike that turned out to be in serious need of maintenance. Approaching Suchilquitongo both the bearings in the bottom bracket and those in the rear hub gave out, necessitating an unscheduled stop at a bicycle repair shop there. The group took advantage of the stop to enjoy a tasty lunch of memelitas. With tummies full and the wounded bike operational again, our intrepid gang decided to head back to Oaxaca, riding along the abandoned railway line that once linked the Valley of Oaxaca with Mexico City and the United States. Though the rail line was still in place (and can be traced on the map below), it was badly overgrown in several spots and so a good amount of bushwhacking ensued. This, in turn, resulted in multiple thorn punctures in everyone’s tires. Happily, all but one rider was running tubeless tires filled with sealant, so only two flat tires had to be dealt with. All in all, the ride was hailed a success. The weary bikers returned home after spending eight hours in the saddle, covering a round-trip distance of 48.3 miles (77.7 kms). Though the terrain was relatively flat, there was nevertheless an elevation gain and loss of about 2100 feet (640 meters) on the circuit. The map below shows only the outbound half of the trip, as the batteries in the GPS unit gave out while the group was stopped for lunch. The return journey followed a roughly parallel path back to Oaxaca.