Author: Larry

Someone checking out this web site for the first time might well think we only go for rides on Sundays, given the information posted. That would be a false impression. When possible, local expat mountain bikers get together for rides two or three times each week. Weekday rides are rarely written up and posted at OaxacaMTB.org, however. Why? Well, it may be we are pressed for time due to other commitments on weekdays. It may be out of laziness – we often do not bother with GPS units and cameras on weekday outings. In any case, weekday rides generally do not explore new territory, so we are simply riding again on routes that have been mapped and described previously. Such was the situation this Tuesday morning in mid-August. Most of the trails in the Etla Valley to the west and north of Monte Alban have been ridden and mapped any number of times before. But this is a scenic and popular area, well worth revisiting again and again. One of the attractions of the region is that it has an extensive network of unpaved roads, most of which interconnect so that cyclists can follow slightly different routes each time they ride here. In any event, a lovely day is always an invitation to spend some time in the saddle. A bright blue sky was a welcome change from the cloud cover that had persisted over Oaxaca for several weeks running. Our riders covered a distance of 29.1 miles (46.8 kms) and climbed and descended 1675 feet (510 meters) in completing the circuit. Ride time amounted to about four hours.

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      Five amigos set out this Sunday morning from central Oaxaca for a ride through the countryside to Lobera and back. This was in no way a groudbreaking ride, as it is a favorite route for people wanting to pedal into the Zimatlan valley south of Oaxaca. It was, however, the first time two members of the pack had ridden this way. The group spent nearly an hour pedaling to Zaachila, where they stopped at the mercado gastronomico for refreshing glasses of fresh-squeezed fruit juices. Then it was on to Lobera, following the paved road that leads through Lobera, on up to Santa Ines de Monte and eventually to San Miguel Peras deep in a secluded mountain valley. There were lots of other cyclists cruising this same road. The ride would have been uneventful but for the fact one member crashed hard while streaking downhill on a curve just after departing Lobera. Fortunately, he escaped with few scrapes and bruises, but suffered a moderate concussion that left him with no recollection of the accident. Hey, some things are best forgotten anyway! The round-trip distance traveled amounted to 31.2 miles (50.2 km), with an elevation gain and loss of 1088 feet (332 meters). Elapsed time in the saddle amounted to a bit over four hours.

Over time certain mountain bike rides occur again and again, eventually earning status as favorite outings. So it is with this loop ride through the rolling hill country to the west of Monte Alban. The loop can be ridden just as well clockwise or in the opposite direction.  Going clockwise, it is an 8.5 mile (13.7 km) ride on paved roads from central Oaxaca to Cuilapam, then an excursion on farm roads 8.35 miles (13.4 km) through the countryside until reaching the highway running between the archeological ruins of Monte Alban and Atzompa. From there the route is paved for the ride back to the capital. Though covering a distance of 23.3 miles (37.5 km), this outing is rated moderate, as there are no technical sections and just a couple of short, steep uphill climbs to challenge the cyclist. Overall, it is a nice mix of urban and country scenery.

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     It is Sunday, the twelfth day of July – midway through the summer of 2020. Mexico is still in the grip of the coronavirus crisis, with thousands of new cases of Covid-19 being reported every day. But it has been four full months since restrictive measures were put in place to slow the spread of the pandemic, and people are weary of staying home and desperate to get back to work. So now many stores and restaurants are reopening and lots of street vendors have once again set up stands to sell their merchandise. People are walking a tightrope, torn between social distancing and getting the economy back in gear. Through these past several precarious months the ability to go mountain biking each week has been a lifeline, a welcome antidote to pandemic funk.

     Four bikers showed up for today’s group ride. Two of them are new to the area and had never ridden to Santo Domingo Tomaltepec and the two presas not far up a nearby mountain valley. So that was voted the day’s destination. Ours was not the only group pedaling around the countryside on this bright, sunny morning. We encountered lots of other cyclists along the way, some riding alone but most in groups of from four to eight bikers. There were also several family groups hiking along country roads. We moved at a leisurely pace, taking almost six hours to cover the round-trip distance of almost 24 miles (38.6 kms), counting a lunch stop at the market in Tlalixtac on the way back to Oaxaca.