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Danza de la Pluma

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Sunday, 12 December 2021 Today is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patroness of Mexico. Well before first light Oaxaca was shaken by the explosion of innumerable cohotes – skyrockets shot into the pre-dawn darkness – as church bells pealed throughout the city. In Teotitlan del Valle preparations were under way for the annual performance of the Danza de la Pluma – the elaborate dance pageant reenacting the Spanish conquest of Mexico in the 1500’s. In a far less elaborate ritual, ten mountain bikers set out to pedal 29 kilometers (18 miles) from central Oaxaca to the imposing statue of a feather dancer that stands atop a hill near the town of Zimatlan in the valley of the same name. Though involving a significant round-trip distance, the ride was rated easy because the terrain covered is remarkably flat – save for the short but steep climb up the hill to the base of the statue. Pedaling at a leisurely pace, the ride took a bit over five hours to complete. The six men and four women riders declared the outing a worthwhile endeavor.

  • How would you like to ride a bike with a helmet like this big fella’s?

Countryside, Foothills, GPS, MTBing, Photos, Uncategorized

Once More Around The Loop

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The Sundays of December 2021 are turning out to be warmer than usual, with daytime highs consistently near 85º Fahrenheit / 29º Celsius. Most of our cyclists are fine with that, as the morning chill burns off quickly and the temperature is ideal when we start pedaling at 9 am. Today’s excursion was a repeat of a favorite – though challenging – loop that took the group through Tule and San Sebastian Teitipac before crossing a ridge of hills and descending into San Bartolo Coyotepec and then back to Oaxaca. There were several new riders among the nine participants who showed up, and they were apprehensive about the length of the ride and the challenge of riding the rough and steep trail over the ridgeline. To their credit, all stuck to the task and succeeded in finishing the ride, which covered 50 kilometers (31 miles), with an elevation gain and loss of about 396 meters (1300 feet).

  • In the Tlacolula valley.
  • At the high point of the ride.
  • Starting the long descent.

Countryside, GPS, MTBing, Photos

Presas of Tomaltepec

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The two presas in the mountain valley above Santo Domingo Tomaltepec are a frequent and much-loved destination for scenic bike rides from Oaxaca. The nearest, Presa Rosita, is not as pretty or accessible as the second, Presa Mina. The latter was the end point for both our small group of eight bikers and quite a number of other cyclists out enjoying a Sunday ride on a lovely day at the end of November. Quite a few fishermen were also gathered at the lake, testing their luck with a variety of lures. Two of our party went for a swim in the lake. The day’s gentle loop ride covered 39 kilometers (24.2 miles), with 265 meters (870 feet) of elevation gain and loss on the circuit. Moving at a leisurely pace, with a stop along the way to sample tamales from a street vendor in Tlalixtac, the group spent four hours in the saddle.

MTBing, Photos, Uncategorized

Commemorative Ride

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Today – Sunday, 21 November 2021 – our ride was in memory of Gabi Soto and other bicyclists killed in traffic accidents in the past year. A total of 52 bikers took part in the commemorative ride, including 11 of our gringo riders. After gathering at the Oaxaca Convention Center on Calle Lazaro Cardenas, the group pedaled north through the Reforma neighborhood, using the new bike path slong Amapolas street which was opened just a few days ago. Once at the Seven Regions fountain the group dropped down Calzado Porfirio Diaz into el centro and continued out to Xoxocotlan, where they stopped at the small memorial erected at the spot where Gabi was struck and killed by a Zaachila city bus in December of last year. From there the band pedaled back into Oaxaca and ended the ride at the park on Abasolo street between Cinco de Mayo and the Macedonia Alcala pedestrian mall. The distance covered amounted to 18 kilometers (11 miles). It was an easy but somewhat somber ride

  • Banner carried on the ride
    in honor of Gabi Soto.
  • Pedaling through Jalatlaco.
  • Riding the new bike path on
    Amapolas street in Reforma.
  • Coasting down Porfirio Diaz into town.
  • Two lovebirds: Rafa & Eli.
    This was Eli’s first group ride.
  • Pennants on Garcia Vigil catch the sun.
  • On the highway to Xoxocotlan.
  • The roadside memorial
    marking where Gabi was killed.
  • The ride concluded back in Oaxaca.
  • Seven members of the police
    bike patrol were our escorts.

Countryside, GPS, MTBing

In Praise Of Tubeless Tires

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I have been mountain biking around Oaxaca for eleven years and have never had a flat tire, despite the abundance of thorns in the area, thanks to running my tires tubeless with Stan’s sealant. Today, though, I came close to getting a flat. Six friends joined me for this 51.5 kilometer (32 mile) Sunday ride on what I call the West Etla Valley Loop – see map below. Somewhere in the hills west of Monte Alban my front tire picked up two thorns. One, a bit more than one centimeter (1/2 inch) long, embedded itself in the sidewall just above the side knobbies where it still resides. The other penetrated the center of the tire tread. Neither were a problem while they remained in place. But the second thorn pulled loose while riding at speed on a paved road. Suddenly I could hear air streaming out of the tire and a geyser of Stan’s sealant spouted from the hole left by the thorn. In theory the sealant should have plugged the hole. But to be on the safe side, a riding buddy broke a small thorn from an acacia tree and inserted it. That did the trick! I aired up the tire and rode home without further incident. Some years back I amazed my biking buddies by using a needle-nosed pliers to pull 72 thorns out of the carcass of an old tire I was replacing with a new one. Most were very tiny, but at least two were about a centimeter long. Any of them might well have caused a flat tire if I were using inner tubes. But thanks to running tubeless I had worn out the tire without it ever going flat. So, yes, count me among those who are believers in going tubeless.

  • The gateway to San Agustin de las Juntas
  • At the boundary of Zaachila
  • The Zimatlan valley is a wide open space
  • Along the road to Cuilapam
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