The rural village of Santa Cruz Papalutla, situated near the center of the Tlacolula Valley, often sees mountain bikers pass through but rarely stop there. Today was an exception, as the townspeople held a festival celebrating the weaving of hats, baskets and other items from straw and carrizo (a form of bamboo which looks like sugar cane). The main street was cordoned off and covered with tents, beneath which artisans displayed their wares and ladies served fresh-made local foods. The eight cyclists on today’s ride stopped there for a tasty brunch before pedaling on to San Juan Teitipac and then circling back to Oaxaca city. The map below shows the route followed, which entailed pedaling 59.5 kilometers (37.0 miles) with an elevation gain and loss of 303.6 meters (996 feet) on the circuit. <\/p>\n\n\n