Sunday, March 13th was a day of clear skies and warm temperatures. D., C., C., P., and E. met up on the highway out Etla way to explore some of the network of paths, trails and dirt roads on the western side of the Etla valley in the scrub-brush covered foothills that sit between the toll highway to Puebla / Mexico City and the pine-covered mountains.
Out for a ride over to Huayapam from SFdA with Spencer and Alex when Alex noticed the Donaji forest guard house had its gate open and what appeared to be a new collection of exercise equipment. Well, sure enough, the whole place has been improved recently. It may be old news to most of you, but there is new zipline across the ravine, an area filled with a playground and exercise equipment, and picnic areas. More importantly, the staff at the entrada now welcome visitors ..gratis!
We signed in to the visitors book and rode up the valley to an atypical oasis of pine trees, about .7 mile up the dirt road. On the south side of that patch of pine trees, there is a new, benchcut trail that heads back down towards town, though now you’ve crossed over the ravine that is normally a PITA to get across. It would be even easier if they’d let you use the zip line. 😉 But, at least for west-to-east travel, it’s all ridable and even has a nice section of singletrack to end the detour/alt route. No idea yet how the staff would react to bikers going east to west and coming OUT by the guard house. But regardless which way you go, stop and tell them thank you for building new trail…that generally follows the contour line…except for the very end as it drops to get to the zipline end-station. Maybe offer up a cash donation and ask them to build more trail…perhaps something pushing further up the valley and connecting with the trails above on the west slope of the valley.
With a visit from mountain bike journalist James Murren, www.MountainBikeOaxaca.com guide Carl Silverberg invited local riders to make a show of force for a group ride on Carl’s renowned singletrack masterpiece, Oaxaca Flume.
Of the 23 riders coming out for the day’s ride, almost all of them were with the Summit Cyclery riding club. The gringos drove to Carl’s home in San Pablo Etla where the men of Summit Cyclery met us after their morning warm-up riding from the shop in Colonia Reforma. Nothing like 18 kilometers (11 miles) to get you fired up for the 8.3km climb up 790 meters of dirt road to the trailhead! They breed them strong here!
After the grind to the trailhead, the gang had some snacks and a short rest before jumping into the 17.7km (11mi) descent back into Etla. It would have been a bit longer ride if your esteemed author hadn’t missed a turn for the final side loop up the valley of the flume. Oh well! Once you get that much downhill singletrack rolling and flowing, it’s hard to look for hidden cutoffs (especially ones that lead to a bit of climbing).
A beautiful, sunny day with a bunch of fellow MTBers on an absolutely ass-blast of a trail. We had fun all the way around . . . well, after the climb to the trailhead, anyway. Oh, and then the Summit gang decided to cool off with a ride back to the shop . . . only wimpy gringos need a car to get home after an MTB ride. 🙂
Angel shares some photos from the COPA race in Huayapam….
(BTW, results can be found here: http://www.mountainbike.org.mx/cms/resultados/2015.html )
Hi Folks,
Just to share with you a pair of galleries about last two weekends on Huayapan,
Feel free to share with your community,
https://www.flickr.com/photos/28528119@N07/sets/72157649638232863/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/28528119@N07/sets/72157649757693314/
Regards!
—
Angel “Gabo” Reyes
Trail LP is one of the shortest runs in the SFdA trails, but since I like to use it for a loop connector, it too needed pruning this season. Done.