Most people thinking of bicycling from Oaxaca to Tule likely choose to go by way of the paved bike path connecting the two towns. But there are more interesting and challenging routes, among them this one which skirts the hills on the south side of the Tlacolula valley. Riding at a leisurely pace, it takes about 90 minutes to pedal from the south side of Oaxaca to the well-manicured central plaza in Tule, a distance of 9.7 miles (15.6 kms). This leg of the circuit offers the most change in elevation, challenging the rider to climb 1236 feet (377 meters), but rewarding him or her with 1015 feet (309 meters) of downhill. All of the ascent and descent is accomplished on rough Jeep road, which can be technically challenging. There is also a significant amount of single track trail in the vicinity of Tule — much of it obscured by tall grass in the summer months. Overall, this portion of the loop ride is rated moderate. Be advised that there are quite a few branch trails in the hills near Tule, many of which can be used to either shorten or lengthen the ride. Once arrived in Tule, best stop to admire the gargantuan cedar tree in the church yard and enjoy a snowcone (nieve) before heading back home. The return to Oaxaca can be accomplished by retracing the outbound route or opting for the easy ride on the bike path. The entire loop ride, pictured on the map below, totals 16.5 miles (26.5 kms) and ought to take about 2.5 hours, making for an enjoyable excursion through the countryside.
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