Category: GPS

If you plan to ride anywhere in the Tlacolula valley it is hard to avoid going through Santa Maria el Tule – the charming village just east of Oaxaca famous for the very old, gargantuan tree in the church yard. Today’s Sunday ride set out from central Oaxaca to reach Tule by way of the rocky jeep road that runs from Rosario over a ridge of hills and into the Tlacolula valley. Just four riders turned out for this moderate excursion, but they had the enthusiasm to match a larger group. Once again the weather was perfect for such an outing, with bright skies and mild temperatures. The only negative was finding part of the route under water about halfway to Tule. While the jeep road over the hills is never affected by rain, the lower sections of trail which runs parallel to Hwy 190 can flood after heavy thunderstorms. When the water and mud got as high as the brake rotors, the group decided to turn back and find a different route to Tule. From there it was easy pedaling to Santo Domingo Tomaltepec and then back through Tlalixtac and Huayapam to Oaxaca. All told, riders traveled 44.0 kilometers (27.4 miles) and gained and lost a bit over 431 meters (1400 feet) in elevation on the excursion, which lasted a total of about four hours, counting a stop for lunch along the way.

Nine people showed up for this ride in the country on the first Sunday of August in 2021. It was a perfect blue-sky morning with a pleasant temperature and a slight breeze. Two riders were newcomers to the group, one visiting from Atlanta, GA and the other from Salt Lake City, UT. Another came aboard his Brompton folding bike, which has seen extensive use traveling through several Mexican states.

Pedaling along city streets and then highway, the group covered the distance to Cuilapam in about half an hour. After a brief stop to view the ruins of the never-completed monastery there, the band proceeded out into the country, riding various dirt roads and at times cutting across meadows planted in tall grass. There was no particular destination for the day’s outing – we were just looking to enjoy some time in the saddle, content to explore the network of farm roads criss-crossing the hills. All told, the group covered 41.7 kms (25.9 miles), with an elevation gain and loss of about 462 meters (1516 feet). Total time on the ride came to just a bit over four hours.

This week’s Sunday ride saw our gringo group retrace the route of one of our best loop rides. After taking the paved bike path to Tule, we rode on through Rojas de Cuauhtemoc, Santa Rosa Buenavista and San Sebastian Teitipac before beginning the climb up and over the ridge of hills separating the Tlocolula and Zimatlan valleys. Up to this point the route was on relatively level ground and so the pedaling was easy. The trail over the hill, though, was gnarly and much steeper, making even the strongest riders dismount for some hike-a-biking. Once over the crest, though, it was a fun and fast descent into San Bartolo Coytepec and then an quick and easy ride back to Oaxaca. Ride participants covered 49.5 kms (30.9 miles) and gained and lost a total of 392 meters (1287 feet) in elevation on the circuit, which took just over four hours to complete. We encountered a dozen or more cyclists riding the loop in the opposite direction. It is a toss-up as to which direction is the easiest or best way to go.