Category: Photos

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Countryside, GPS, MTBing, Photos

Tooling To Teitipac

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Andy B. planned this outing for our weekly Sunday bike ride. He laid out a long loop to take riders deep into the Tlacolula valley and back. Cyclists would take the bike path to Tule, then ride backcountry roads through Rojas de Cuauhtémoc, Santa Rosa Buena Vista and San Sebastian Teitipac before arriving at San Juan Teitipac, our destination and turnaround point. The group rested and purchased food and beverages at the Sunday market behind the old Dominican monastery in the center of town. Following a slightly different route home, the group pedaled through Santa Cruz Papalutla, San Sebastian Abasolo and Santa Maria Guelacé before once again passing through Santa Maria el Tule on the last leg of the journey. There were eleven riders in the group, which consisted of seven men and four women. Three of the cyclists were newcomers to the band and handled the ride quite well. Moving at a leisurely pace, the riders covered a total of 61.5 kilometers (38.2 miles), with a modest 286.5 meters (940 feet) of elevation gain and loss on the circuit. With several stops along the way for refreshments, it took 6.5 hours to complete the ride. The weather was perfect for such an excursion through the countryside, with overcast skies that kept the temperature below the 26º C (80º F) mark.


  • The group gathers for the Sunday morning ride.
  • A beautiful day to be out on a bike.
  • Obligatory group photo in Tule.
  • Andy leads the pack.
  • A tangle of bikes at a rest stop.
  • Lots of good food on display in San Juan Teitipac.
  • Tacos made to order.
  • A happy bunch of bikers chow down.
  • Cheers!
  • A local musician on his way to . . . what? . . . probably a wedding or funeral.
  • Heading for home.
  • Passing through another village in the valley.
  • Every time Dave washes his bike it shrinks a bit more.
  • Lots of smiles on today’s road trip.
  • Back in Tule, it is time for an ice cold nieve. Pick your flavor . . . .
  • Biking buddies.

Countryside, Foothills, GPS, MTBing, Photos, Uncategorized

Mil Rios Redux

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As noted previously, the Mil Rios trail a few miles from Tlalixtac is a popular destination for Oaxaca cyclists. Getting from the city to the trailhead is an easy ride on mostly level dirt roads and takes about 90 minutes. There is a toll station at the trailhead where riders have to pay 20 pesos each. Once past the graded dirt road that serves the several dams built along the stream, the trail becomes a single track that winds through the woods and crosses the creek multiple times. Since the Mil Rios trail begins in the high Sierra Norte mountains not far from La Neveria, riders can go as far up the valley as they want or can manage. The further you go, though, the steeper the trail gets. And when cycling uphill you have to keep a careful watch for bikers screaming down the trail. On today’s ride – Sunday / 10 July 2022 – ten bikers set out from Santo Domingo at 9 am. Two had to turn around before leaving the city, and another two turned back at the trailhead, leaving just six to complete the ride. It was a lovely day, and everyone enjoyed the outing.


Countryside, MTBing, Photos, Uncategorized

Dodging Raindrops

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The summer rainy season has begun in earnest in Oaxaca, and so the weatherman plays a deciding role in planning and executing rides. On this Sunday ride (19 June 2022) the goal was to pedal to Teotitlan and back. Three riders set out from Santo Domingo at 9 am, with the goal of passing through Tule, Tlacochahuaya, Dainzu and Macuilxochitl before reaching the turn-around point in Teotitlan. However, clouds building above the Sierra Norte suggested it would be wise to stop the ride at the ruins of Dainzu and head for home before things got wet. That turned out to be a good decision, as raindrops began to fall as our group wrapped up the ride. Of special note was the number and variety of bike riders on the trail today. We encountered nearly two hundred cyclists on our 4.5 hour outing, including a large group of sixty or so riders of all ages clustered in the zocalo in Tule. Upon inquiry, we learned the riders where from seven different clubs in Oaxaca. It was gratifying to see so many riders again after the hiatus in group rides caused by the pandemic.

  • Cyclists from seven different clubs in Oaxaca join forces for a large group ride.
  • Riders gather in the zocalo in Tule.

Countryside, Foothills, GPS, MTBing, Photos, Uncategorized

Ride on the Lower Mil Rios Trail

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The lower part of the Mil Rios trail runs from Tlalixtac some two or more miles up into a mountain valley. Its close proximity to the city makes it a fine place for a Sunday excursion, whether aboard a mountain bike, on horseback or simply hiking. The stream coming down the mountain feeds a series of small reservoirs behind four dams that divert water into an aqueduct providing irrigation to farm fields in the valley. The trail crosses the stream in several places, but there was not a drop of water in the creek at this late date in the dry season. Our group of riders racked up 37 kilometers (23 miles) on this out & back ride, climbing and descending a total of 335 meters (1099 feet) along the way. Ride time was 3.5 hours.

  • Ours was a small group of cyclists for today’s ride.
  • Dhruba chose to ride the pedestrian bridge over the Panamerican highway.
  • An agent from the community was collecting a toll of 20 pesos to ride the trail.
  • It was easy pedaling on the well maintained service road,
  • Today was Rafa’s first time riding the Mil Rios trail.

Countryside, GPS, MTBing, Photos, Uncategorized

Sun Ceremony At Mogote

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At noon on May 8 the sun is directly overhead in Oaxaca so objects cast no shadow to the side. In ancient times this was considered a propitious day to begin construction of a home or temple. Our Sunday bike group just happened to be at the old temple ruins in San Jose el Mogote on this very day and witnessed a ceremony marking the occasion. A small assembly of young people re-enacted a ritual of purification celebrating the event. Prayers and invocations were recited and the group – including our bikers – danced around the sacred circle. This was a wonderful and totally unexpected addition to an otherwise pleasant but ordinary ride.

  • A sacred circle was laid out atop the temple pyramid in Mogote on 8 May.
  • The circle was adorned with flowers, fruit, grain and sea shells.
  • Participants in the ritual were purified using incense, chants and the blowing of a conch.
  • Elaborate rattles were worn on the legs.
  • A giant conch sounded repeatedly.
  • Bikers in our group joined in the dancing around the sacred circle . . .
  • . . . to the beat of a drum . . .
  • . . . and the sound of rattles.
  • Meanwhile riders in two other Oaxaca clubs passed by the Mogote site.
    which is a popular destination for Sunday outings.
  • Eventually it was time to get back in the saddle and pedal home.
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