OaxacaMTB.org

The first Sunday of March 2023 promised to be another pretty hot day in Oaxaca, with the thermometer registering a high of 30.5ºC (87ºF). It has been unusually warm for early spring, with temperatures just shy of the hottest days of the year in April and May. A group of five riders set out at 9 am for a ride through the Grande Valley to the town of Zimatlan and back – a round trip of 57.7 kms (35.9 mi). The gang was back in Oaxaca before 2 pm – a ride of under five hours, including time for lunch at the mercado gastronomico in Zaachila on the last leg of the journey home. The ride was rated “easy”, despite the significant distance, because of the level terrain throughout.

It would seem a lot of folks made New Year’s resolutions to spend more time on their bicycles because on this first weekend of 2023 there were dozens and dozens of bikers on the trail. While some were riding solo, the vast majority were pedaling in groups of two, four or more. The bike path to Tule was especially crowded, but even dirt roads out in the countryside saw a lot of two-wheel traffic. There were just four riders in our regular Sunday group because several people were still enjoying the holiday. And because some in our group were recovering from bouts with dengue fever or covid, today’s outing was an easy one, consisting of a ride out and back to Rojas de Cuauhtemoc. It was cool when we set out at 9 am, but the day warmed nicely, with vibrant blue sky and lots of sunshine.

There was a memorial ride today – 28 December 2022 – to remember Gabriela Soto Garcia, who was killed two years ago on this date when she was struck by a city bus while riding her bicycle. Thirty-five friends of Gabi and people from various Oaxaca bike clubs took part in the ride, which went from el centro to the spot in Xoxocotlan where the accident happened. A white ghost bike hangs from a nearby lampost, decorated today with a flower wreath. There is also a small monument at the curb to commemorate this young woman who touched so many lives in the Oaxaca community. After a short service of remembrance, the assembly disbanded, with six riders from our Sunday bike group continuing on through the countryside to Zaachila and from there pedaling dirt roads back to Oaxaca.

One could not watch the sunrise in Oaxaca today because of heavy overcast, but the clouds burned off by the time we began our weekly ride at 9 am. Ours was a small group of just seven riders for this excursion to Zimatlan and back. The paucity of bikers did nothing to detract from the enjoyment of the day, though. Our route outbound was a mix of paved and dirt roads, staying in the countryside away from traffic as much as possible. The return leg was on pavement all the way. No one brought a camera on the outing, so there are no photos to display below. Total distance amounted to 54 kilometers (33.6 miles), with a very mild elevation gain and loss of just 141 meters (464 feet) on the round trip, which was completed in almost exactly four hours.