Category: Ride Routes

Information on places to ride your bike with route information (typically GPS and map), towns passed through, points of interest along the way, and maybe even photos

Countryside, GPS, MTBing, Ride Routes

Love Those Loop Rides!

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     A sunny Sunday morning in late February beckoned three expat gringos to don their bike gear and go for a pleasant ride through the countryside in the rolling hills in the western part of the Etla valley. Pedaling up the highway that runs between the archeological sites of Monte Alban and Atzompa, they skirted around San Pedro Ixtlahuaca and then rode through San Andres Ixtlahuaca. From there the trio set off to the north on an unpaved road which looped up and over a ridge of hills and then descended into San Felipe Tejalápam. After stopping for a treat of ice cream bars, they then proceeded through San Lorenzo Cacaotepec and picked up the trail running along the abandoned railway tracks back into Oaxaca near the Central de Abastos market.

     Our intrepid riders rode a total of 30.3 miles (48.8 kms) on their four-hour-long outing, managing to gain and then lose 1713 vertical feet (522 meters) of elevation along the way. Here is a satellite view of their route:

Countryside, GPS, Mountains, MTBing, Ride Routes, Trail Info

Monster Rides

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     The members of the Pedalazos bike club have embarked on a couple of monster rides on recent Saturday mornings. These epic excursions took most of the day and entailed huge climbs and descents, challenging even the toughest of riders.

     The first of these was a grand loop covering 48.5 miles (78.0 kms) from Oaxaca city through the small mountain hamlet of Arroyo Guacamaya, then continuing up and through the Sierra Norte mountains on logging roads to the ecotourism camp at La Cumbre Ixtepeji and then down the La Reina trail into Huayapam, concluding in Oaxaca about nine hours later. The outing began near downtown Oaxaca at an elevation of 5124 feet and topped out at a high point of 10,398 feet (3169 meters). Those who survived the ride managed to pedal uphill 7008 vertical feet (2136 meters), to be rewarded with 7073 feet 2156 meters) of vertical drop coming down off the mountain. Talk about an endurance contest! Kudos to all those stout – or foolish – enough to take on the challenge!  Here is a map of the day’s route:

     Several weeks later stalwart riders in the club set out on a similar epic ride, this time pedaling east of the city to the famed weaving town of Teotitlan del Valle, then tackling the unpaved road that winds eleven miles steeply uphill to the village of Benito Juárez. From there the group proceeded 10 kilometers to La Neveria and then dropped down the loose and steep Mil Rios trail, which comes off the mountain near the town of Tlalixtac. Start to finish, the circuit ride covered 45.3 miles (72.9 kms), with over 6250 feet (1905 meters) of vertical gain and loss. The excursion took 9 hours and 40 minutes to complete. Again, congratulations to those who persevered to the end, despite some serious crashes on the treacherous downhill Mil Rios trail!  Below is a map showing the route taken:

Countryside, GPS, MTBing, Photos, Ride Routes

Atzompa Hill Country

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Another lovely Sunday morning; another Nitos ride into the countryside around Oaxaca – this time an exploration of the many farm access roads and single track trails in the hills north and west of Atzompa. It is truly amazing how many bikeable paths there are concentrated in a rather small area so close to the bustle of the capital city. It is also surprising what a challenge it can be to ride them! Today’s group of fifteen mountain bikers set out from the plaza in front of the church of Santo Domingo at 8 am, eager for a good ride. They were not disappointed! The loop trail first took the bikers up to the archeological ruins situated atop the hill overlooking Atzompa. From there the group descended into the village and then pedaled up, down and all around various hills in the area. From start to finish, the group rode 27.6 miles (44.4 kilometers), climbing and descending a total of 3202 feet (976 meters) along the way. Part of the up and down was on rather steep trails, some of which had gradients ranging from 20% to 29%. Everyone’s legs and lungs got a good workout!

Foothills, GPS, MTBing, Photos, Racing, Ride Routes

Enduro MTB Race

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The third round of the 2018 National Intense Enduro series took place in the mountains not far from Oaxaca city on Saturday, 5 May 2018. The race was held in three stages, using some of the nearby trails popular with local riders. The first stage utilized the Veredita trail, which begins at the summit of a logging road 3.2 miles (5.1 kms) above the village of Guacamaya 23 miles (37 kms) north of Oaxaca city in the Sierra Norte range. With the starting gate at an altitude of 9051 feet (2758 meters), this was the highest point of the race circuit. This trail runs downhill 8.6 miles (13.8 kms), ending near the town of San Miguel Etla, a descent of 4998 feet (1523 meters). From that point, race contestants had to either shuttle or pedal back up the mountain to the ecotourism camp of Cieneguillas, where they then rode the single track Cieneguillas trail 3.9 miles (5.2 kms) down to San Agustin Etla, losing 2240 feet (683 meters) along the way. Then it was back up the mountainside to catch a short portion of the Carroñera race course trail, which drops 2.0 miles (3.2 kms) back to San Agustin, generally following the aqueduct that carries water into the village. This last section was the mildest, dropping just 863 feet (263 meters). The race concluded at the Casa de las Artes in San Agustin, a very impressive structure that once housed a large textile mill, now converted into a center which displays traveling exhibits of art from Mexico and other countries of Central America. 

Map of the Veredita trail:

Map of the Cieneguillas trail:

Map of San Agustin Etla Aqueduct trail:

Countryside, Foothills, MTBing, Photos, Ride Routes

Bike & swim day

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The Biciosos club (https://www.facebook.com/Biciosos-99855150398/timeline/) sponsored a Sunday ride in keeping with the hot weather we’ve had in Oaxaca in recent weeks. First of all, the ride was scheduled for just after sunrise to take advantage of cooler temperatures. And the outing included a stop at a local balneario (swimming pool) in the early afternoon.

The loop ride began and ended at the Plaza Bella shopping mall near the village of Atzompa. The 17 riders in the group pedaled west to San Pedro Ixtlahuaca, then turned south and rode through rolling hill country to Cuilapam. From there the route continued south on dirt roads through farm country, with a brief stop at a small reservoir before winding up in Zaachila, where we stopped for a late breakfast and then spent a couple of enjoyable hours splashing around at the balneario. Afterwards the group returned to Plaza Bella to conclude the day’s outing.

The route covered 31.2 miles (50.2 kms), with an elevation gain and loss of 2030 feet (618.7 meters) through the rolling countryside. The high point was 5482 feet (1671 meters) in the hills south of San Pedro Ixtlahuaca; the low point was 4980 feet (1518 meters) in Zaachila.

 

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