The ride out to Yagul has become something of a favourite city escape. It’s mellow enough not to demand an early start. It barely touches pavement. The dirt roads are tacky and textured. And the skies are open and uplifting. It also passes by eateries/picnickeries a plenty, promises a splash of chaos in Tlacolula, and culminates in a discreet, ledge-top camping area with startling and sweeping and glorious views. In the interesting of transparency, I should also mention the soundtrack of firecrackers/brass band practice/mariachi music that inevitably ricochets across the valley at the weekend, at unexpected (yet now expected) times of the morning or night… but that’s synonymous with Mexico, so as long as you pack your ear plugs, no big deal!
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Besides, on this occasion we were also serenaded with the yipping of coyotes come sundown. By then we were cosied up in the tent and Huesos was tired enough to do little more than prick up his ears, appraise the situation, cast me a glance for confirmation, and then fall soundly back to sleep…
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And, this time we also were graced with the finest of company, sharing the spot with three long-distance bike tourers… though fortune shone less favourably on their tyres, which, being equipped with ye olde inner tubes, were quickly riddled with dozens of wounds once we veered of more conventional dirt roads. I guess it must be goathead season, and if that’s not enough, claw-length thorns lurk in the post-rainy season undergrowth, ready to cause yet more mayhem. A leisurely morning was thus usurped with the twin pleasures of pumping up voluminous tyres and imbibing extra coffee, which did at least afford us the satisfaction of honing our patching skills and working finger and thumb muscles to the full (which, to be honest, are useful muscles to have in your bikepacking toolbox for those situations where you need to convince especially stubborn tyres onto rims).
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Oh, and did you clock the wildflowers?! Woah!
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All the best Pascal and Ann, on your journey south, and Alain on your ride north!

Here’s a map of the route as we rode it. Ignore RWGPS when it comes to terrain – it’s mostly unpaved.

Camera: Sony A74/85mm 1.8/28-75mm 2.8. Processed in LR with a Provia 400 custom preset.