This Sunday ride took cyclists to the Casa de las Artes in San Agustin Etla, roughly 24 kms (15 miles) north-northwest of Oaxaca’s city center. Bright blue skies provided lots of sunshine in place of the low-hanging clouds which are the norm in the rainy season. Riders consisted of two women and two men, all of roughly equal ability. There were no surprises – flat tires or mechanical problems – so the ride went smoothly and the day was most enjoyable. Cyclists covered 47.8 kms (29.7 miles) on today’s outing and accumulated an elevation gain and loss of 376 meters (1236 feet) on the journey.
“Barbie pink” is the color de rigueur for the women on today’s outing. Pedaling along a country lane. One of several small stream crossings. Blue skies accentuate the mountain backdrop. Group photo at a church in San Agustin Etla. In the garden at the Casa de las Artes. Our lunch stop was at a rustic Sunday market in San Agustin.There is a lovely waterfall adjacent to the market.Heading home to Oaxaca.
The village of San Marcos Tlapazola is situated 8.8 kms (5.5 miles) south-southwest of Tlacolula de Matamoros where it is nestled up against the mountains which form the southern rim of that part of the Valles Centrales of Oaxaca. It is the destination for one of the longer and more arduous weekly bike rides in our repetoire. Four bikers formed the small group which pedaled this way on 12 August 2023. Their route was essentially the same as shown on the map below, recorded in May of 2022. What distinguished this outing was the fact that torrential rain a day or two earlier had pushed the Rio Salado well above flood stage, necessitating detours around two places where our path crossed the stream. The water was muddy, making it impossible to gauge its depth, and extensive mud on the exposed riverbank discouraged any attempt to continue that way. Not surprisingly, there were a lot of mud puddles to be avoided everywhere beyond Tlacochahuaya. Water and muck notwithstanding, the group soldiered on, completing the circuit in just short of six hours. Then it was time to give our two-wheeled chariots thorough baths.
Time and again the ride from Oaxaca to San Juan Teitipac is a favorite for the weekly Sunday morning outing. Yes, we have gone this route before – multiple times. But it is just so very pleasant no one ever tires of it, and there are sufficient combinations of country roads to get there and back to keep the scenery interesting. It helps that every Sunday the ladies of San Juan set up an outdoor comedor behind the monastery where hungry cyclists can get their fill of delicious, fresh-made tacos, tlayudas and other treats. Today’s crew consisted of three men and three women, varying in age from the mid 20’s to late 70’s, all evenly matched in biking ability. It was – as usual – a beautiful day to be in the saddle. The group pedaled a total of 59 kilometers (36.9 miles), gaining and losing a modest 231 meters (760 feet) in elevation on the circuit. A good time was had by all.
The ecotourism camp and bike park at La Cumbre Ixtepeji is just 24 kilometers (15 miles) from Oaxaca, making it a favorite destination for both hikers and mountain bikers, given its close proximity to the city. Enduro riders usually shuttle to the park and then enjoy swooping along the many downhill-specific trails built there in recent years. But La Cumbre is a worthy destination in itself for anyone wanting to test their stamina making the 1161 meter (3808 foot) climb from Oaxaca. That is exactly what this ride was about. Using a combination of back roads and Hwy 175, going by way of El Studiante and Tierra Colrado on the climb up, it took 110 minutes to get from the Candiani neighborhood on the south side of town to the office at the entrance to La Cumbre. The exhilarating downhill ride back – all on the highway – took a mere 60 minutes. The display on my Trek “Rail” e-bike showed five bars at the outset, indicating a fully charged battery. Using the pedal-assist motor to help on the climb dropped the indicator three bars. That left two bars for the return journey – more than enough power, as the motor was shut off for the screamer descent to the floor of the Oaxaca valley. That downhill run pushed the speedometer to 67 kms (42 miles) per hour in some places before brakes were applied to make the next curve. Yee-haw! Total distance covered amounted to 53 kilometers (32.9 miles) on the round trip, which took 3.5 hours – counting a couple of rest stops and time for a cup of hot chocolate at La Cumbre.
Welcome to the La Cumbre mountain bike park!The office at the entrance to La Cumbre where visitors register and pay an admission fee. Some downhill riders get ready to unload their bikes.
When riding the foothills trail from San Felipe del Aqua to Huayapam a few weeks ago, one member of the group pointed out a forest road going higher into the mountains, which he said made for a nice ride. I decided to go that way today. Glad I did. It was a pleasant, if rather short, ride. There were great views looking out over the Oaxaca valley. And where the road ended there was a spider web of hiking trails, some continuing up the mountain, and others dropping down and (probably) ending at the entry gate to the Benito Juarez National park. We will have to plan an exploratory hike here one day to map the hiking trails and find out where they lead.
Today’s ride followed a logging road at a back entrance to the parklands above Donaji.Beautiful mountain vista close to Oaxaca city. A hiking trail continuing uphill where the logging road ends. These roads and trails are in Benito Juarez National Park. A great view of the Oaxaca valley from high on the hillside. There is an abandoned mine high up the hill.A substantial tunnel burrows into the mountain.Lots of small bats make their home at the end of the tunnel.Watch for the sign on the left side of the trail going uphill or you may pass by the mine without seeing it.
