This Tuesday morning ride to Jalapa del Valle and back utilized a combination of paved and unpaved roads. Skies were clear, with a few puffy clouds hovering above the mountains to the north and west of Oaxaca and the thermometer registered 17º C (63ºF) at the outset. Riders covered a total of 54.5 kms (33.9 miles) on the outing, with an elevation gain and loss of 721 meters (2367 feet). The ride kicked off at 8 am and was completed at 11:30 am – well before afternoon thundershowers moved in. All in all, a delightful time to be out on a bicycle!
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Countryside, GPS, MTBing, Photos, Uncategorized
San Agustin Etla
by Larry • • 0 Comments
This Sunday ride took cyclists to the Casa de las Artes in San Agustin Etla, roughly 24 kms (15 miles) north-northwest of Oaxaca’s city center. Bright blue skies provided lots of sunshine in place of the low-hanging clouds which are the norm in the rainy season. Riders consisted of two women and two men, all of roughly equal ability. There were no surprises – flat tires or mechanical problems – so the ride went smoothly and the day was most enjoyable. Cyclists covered 47.8 kms (29.7 miles) on today’s outing and accumulated an elevation gain and loss of 376 meters (1236 feet) on the journey.
Countryside, MTBing, Photos, Uncategorized
Color Me Mud
by Larry • • 0 Comments
The first day of August was a particularly beautiful day – one that just begged for a long bike ride. So that is exactly what we did. Four friends met at Santo Domingo church at 8 am and set out on a long loop from Oaxaca to San Felipe Tejalapam, then over the hill to San Tomas Mazaltepec and back to Oaxaca – a ride of 59 kilometers (36 miles) with an elevation gain and loss of 512.7 meters (1682 feet). The highest point on the ride was 1855 meters (6088 feet). Recent rains left a number of puddles along the route, which contributed a lot of mud to encrust our bikes and soil our riding gear. Cleaning the bikes afterward required using a putty knife to pry off the bigger chunks of dried muck. That chore notwithstanding, it was a great ride.
requiring some strong pedaling – or hike-a-biking!
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String Cheese & Flat Tires
by Larry • • 0 Comments
The small village of Reyes Etla claims to be the birthplace of Quesillo – otherwise known as Oaxaca string cheese. Legend has it that this notable cheese was created by accident when a young girl helping her mother make cheese botched the recipe. The happy result was this flavorful and chewy concoction prized by chefs throughout Mexico and beyond. On this third Sunday in July Reyes Etla was holding its annual Feria de Quesillo, and was the destination for our weekend ride.
As for those flat tires . . . . Yours truly is a big proponent of tubeless tires. However, my new Trek e-bike came equipped with tubes. I thought I would leave them well enough alone until a problem arose, then make the switch to tubeless. On this Sunday ride an abundance of thorns on the trail caused not one or two, but three flat tires on the front wheel. Thank goodness for a patch kit and a spare innertube – and the forbearance of fellow riders! Come Monday I will be busy converting the factory Bontrager tires to a tubeless setup.
For those of you who prize statistics, today’s excursion covered 48.6 kilometers (30.2 miles) round trip, with an elevation gain and loss of 198 meters (650 feet).
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Weekday ride to Donaji mountain park
by Larry • • 0 Comments
When riding the foothills trail from San Felipe del Aqua to Huayapam a few weeks ago, one member of the group pointed out a forest road going higher into the mountains, which he said made for a nice ride. I decided to go that way today. Glad I did. It was a pleasant, if rather short, ride. There were great views looking out over the Oaxaca valley. And where the road ended there was a spider web of hiking trails, some continuing up the mountain, and others dropping down and (probably) ending at the entry gate to the Benito Juarez National park. We will have to plan an exploratory hike here one day to map the hiking trails and find out where they lead.
