The two presas in the mountain valley above Santo Domingo Tomaltepec are a frequent and much-loved destination for scenic bike rides from Oaxaca. The nearest, Presa Rosita, is not as pretty or accessible as the second, Presa Mina. The latter was the end point for both our small group of eight bikers and quite a number of other cyclists out enjoying a Sunday ride on a lovely day at the end of November. Quite a few fishermen were also gathered at the lake, testing their luck with a variety of lures. Two of our party went for a swim in the lake. The day’s gentle loop ride covered 39 kilometers (24.2 miles), with 265 meters (870 feet) of elevation gain and loss on the circuit. Moving at a leisurely pace, with a stop along the way to sample tamales from a street vendor in Tlalixtac, the group spent four hours in the saddle.
Category: GPS
Countryside, GPS, MTBing
In Praise Of Tubeless Tires
by Larry • • 0 Comments
I have been mountain biking around Oaxaca for eleven years and have never had a flat tire, despite the abundance of thorns in the area, thanks to running my tires tubeless with Stan’s sealant. Today, though, I came close to getting a flat. Six friends joined me for this 51.5 kilometer (32 mile) Sunday ride on what I call the West Etla Valley Loop – see map below. Somewhere in the hills west of Monte Alban my front tire picked up two thorns. One, a bit more than one centimeter (1/2 inch) long, embedded itself in the sidewall just above the side knobbies where it still resides. The other penetrated the center of the tire tread. Neither were a problem while they remained in place. But the second thorn pulled loose while riding at speed on a paved road. Suddenly I could hear air streaming out of the tire and a geyser of Stan’s sealant spouted from the hole left by the thorn. In theory the sealant should have plugged the hole. But to be on the safe side, a riding buddy broke a small thorn from an acacia tree and inserted it. That did the trick! I aired up the tire and rode home without further incident. Some years back I amazed my biking buddies by using a needle-nosed pliers to pull 72 thorns out of the carcass of an old tire I was replacing with a new one. Most were very tiny, but at least two were about a centimeter long. Any of them might well have caused a flat tire if I were using inner tubes. But thanks to running tubeless I had worn out the tire without it ever going flat. So, yes, count me among those who are believers in going tubeless.
The gateway to San Agustin de las Juntas 
At the boundary of Zaachila 
The Zimatlan valley is a wide open space 
Along the road to Cuilapam
Countryside, GPS, MTBing, Uncategorized
Another Ride to San Jose el Mogote
by Larry • • 0 Comments
The ride from Oaxaca to the archeological ruins of San Jose el Mogote is always a popular one. Traversing a dozen miles (19 kilometers) over flat terrain, the preferred route is along the old railroad line that once linked Oaxaca with Mexico City and the coast. This route avoids major traffic and runs through farmland a good part of the way. A group of eleven riders – four women and seven men – turned out for today’s Sunday excursion. The weather was predictably perfect, with fluffy clouds dotting the sky, an afternoon high temperature of 24º C (76º F) and a pleasant breeze. After reaching the ancient temple mound at Mogote, some of the group headed off to San Agustin Etla for pizza and beer. The remainder of the band headed back to Oaxaca, with most retracing the outbound route but two fellows opting to ride the Libramiento Norte up and over the ridge from Viguera to San Felipe del Agua instead.
Countryside, GPS, MTBing, Photos
Dia de los Muertos Ride
by Larry • • 0 Comments
31 October 2021 — last day of the month; last Sunday of October; first day of return to Central Standard time; Halloween & first day of Dia de los Muertos all wrapped into one! Adding yet another dimension to this Sunday ride was the presence of five snowbirds newly arrived from the U.S. for the winter, eager to get back in the saddle. A dozen riders assembled in front of Santo Domingo to take part in this excursion to San Juan Teitipac and back, a distance of 56.3 kilometers (35.1 miles) through the open countryside of the Tlacolula valley. Despite the significant distance the ride was rated “easy” because of flat terrain all the way. A special treat was a visit to the cemetery in San Juan where locals were busy decorating graves with flowers in anticipation of spending the night in vigil, welcoming the spirits of departed loved ones returning for the Day of the Dead.
Waiting for the ride to begin. 
On the bike path to Tule. 
In the open country. 
Taking a bladder break. 
A great day to ride! 
The steepest climb
of the day.
A profusion of yellow flowers
along the way.
In San Juan Teitipac. 
A grave adorned with flowers. 
Another ancestor remembered. 
Two locals in Day of the Dead make-up.
Countryside, GPS, MTBing, Photos, Uncategorized
Knocking About Ixtlahuaca
by Larry • • 0 Comments
Ron was the ride leader for today’s outing and suggested we begin by riding the paved road up to the archeological ruins at Atzompa. As expected, the ruins themselves were closed because of the pandemic, but we had not planned to explore them, anyway. From the top of the mountain we followed some single track trails down into the valley which is home to several towns that share the Ixtlahuaca name. Somewhere around the ex-hacienda San Jose Alee took over as our guide and led the group on a merry excursion over and around many of the rolling hills in the area. We variously pedaled along gravel roads, single track trails and along or through several creekbeds. It was a great day to be out on a bike, as we enjoyed clear blue skies and a gentle breeze. Our group of six cyclists covered a distance of 40.7 kilometers (25.3 miles), with an elevation gain and loss of 577 meters (1893 feet) in the course of the day. As has become our custom, there was a stop at a roadside eatery near the end of the ride where riders feasted on memelas, tlayudas and other treats, washed down with beer and soft drinks. Total time on the trip amounted to about 5.5 hours, including the lunch break.
Looking out over the Ixtlahuaca valley from near the Atzompa ruins. 
Reducing tire pressure for the steep downhill single track. 
Chad takes the plunge. 
Flowers ready to be harvested for the Day of the Dead. 
Hungry bikers chow down near the end of the ride.