Category: Photos

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.

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.

     Ron, Phil & Larry set out on a lovely Sunday morning in late November for a moderate ride in the rolling hills of the Etla valley west of Monte Alban. This was Phil’s second outing on his new Trek “Marlin” bicycle, and it turned into more of an adventure than the guys anticipated. While pedaling along a pleasant farm access road running to the northwest out of Cuilapam, our gang ran across Pedro Martinez, a local legend in the mountain bike community, who was guiding a couple of young Brits through the countryside. They warned us of a very unfriendly horse they had encountered not far up the trail. After parting, we continued our journey, very much enjoying the scenery. A half a mile further along we  rounded a bend and came upon said cantankerous caballo. Catching sight of us, the horse charged and reared up, pawing the air with his front legs in a challenging manner. We halted, of course! Soothing words and gestures on our part did nothing to placate the animal, which resolutely barred the trail. We decided a cautious retreat was the proper course of action. I wish I had thought to take a photo of the rearing horse, but at the time my main concern was avoiding its hooves. Shortly thereafter Phil discovered he had a flat tire. Sadly, he had no spare tube or patch kit in his gear. Ron and I, being experience bikers, should have been prepared. But we have been spoiled by riding tubeless for a number of years without having any flats. Neither of us had a spare inner tube of the correct size, and our patch kits were so old they were ineffective. Fortunately we were not far from Cuilapam, and found a bike mechanic whose shop was open on Sunday. Three thorns were removed and patches applied to get Phil back in the saddle. The remainder of the return ride to Oaxaca was uneventful. We covered 24 miles (38.6 kms) on the out & back ride, managing to gain and lose 1316 feet (401 meters) in elevation as we went. Hopefully Phil will maintain his enthusiasm for mountain biking, despite the days’ misadventures, while adding a spare tube and a patch kit to his riding gear.