(So, picking up where we left off in Primera Parte, at our scorpion-encircled and wolf spider-patrolled campout…)

From our camping spot overlooking Yagul, we dived down into the preserve’s trail network (I spotted a fox running amongst the crops of agave) before hitting Via Ordaz for breakfast. Special should out to the handmade-in-bucket, macchiato-style atole at the Comedor Campestre Mi Ranchito!!

Finally, it could be delayed no longer. Time to ascend from the hot comal of the Mitla Valley (too hot for Huesos’ paws, anyway!) into the Sierra Norte, where we planned to pick up a variation of the Pueblos Mancomunados bikepacking route, a personal favourite. On a side note, I was especially pleased to secure permission from the Zapotec community in San Miguel del Valle to camp in the high llanos, which is something we’ve always wanted to do (I’ll be adding the nuts and bolts details to do this on the actual page soon). As it was market day, we stopped in town to top up our liquid levels with agua de coco and crema de coco, too.

As per usual, the climb into the Sierra Norte from this side of the hill proved to be an especially hard nut to crack (macadamia, maybe?), especially with the intense heat right now. Shade and a cool breeze are rare commodities; only our lunchtime picnic provided a bit of both.

Still, we made it by the end of the day to our chosen camp spot at 3000m+, tucking ourselves in for the night amongst a neighbourhood of agaves, near a spring, and at the foot of some mossy oaks. A loungy morning making coffee, listening to music, and chasing squirrel tales followed (we all did a bit of each), before our route continued past a number of high forest glades, lakes, wildflowers, and rock formations, connecting with what we have now dubbed the “Old Crystal Highway” From there, it as but a geode’s throw to Cuajimaloyas, a mountain settlement that straddles a ridgetop at 3200m, and is often lost whimsically in swirls of mist. I love this place’s vibes: there are potted plants lining every windowsill, corrugated rooves of all colours, old chunks of rusting trucks parked up in gardens, and all sizes of washing hanging out to dry in fleeting moments of sun.

A quick traverse across the hillside and through an alleyway of clipped, giant blue agaves, led us onwards to Benito Juarez, where a bout of food poisoning sent Sadie down hard, off into a cabana for the night with a jug full of paleo, the tummy-calming Sierra Norte staple. So, Emma, Huesos and I went off to camp, and dine on marshmallows and kibble.

Thankfully, colour had returned to Sadie’s cheeks by morning and she was ready to ride once more: the final, brake pad-glazing descent to Teotitlan, shedding layers as we zig-zagged down, until we were back in the land of the giant comal. Toasting life with celebratory cortados, only the victory lap home – on dusty dirt, past bougainvillaeas and flowering jacarandas – lay between us and some mango paletas in the city. High vibes!

Agua de Coco and frothy atole. The most Oaxacan of ways to rehydrate before a big climb.

Up and up and up (and up). For a semblance of how hot it was, go roast some potatoes and continue this by the oven.

Huesos knows all the best shady spots.

Come lunchtime, we worked out way through the giant bag of cactus fruit we bought in San Migel del Valle, between dozes.

Pointy!

Almost at the very tippy top. Phew. That was a tough one, no doubt.

Always botanical odd bods to marvel at…

Sunrise o ‘clock, time for Huesos to scout the perimeters of the llano, and find himself a sliver of sun.

A sublime morning of music appreciation, note making, and coffee drinking…

… the elixir of bright eyes, fiery thoughts, and deep conversation.

Sharing a moment…

As if yesterday’s epic wasn’t enough (30+km of running), Huesos tired himself out further by chasing a squirrel tale.

No one wanted to leave this magical place… ( I hear there are other bikepackers still camped in these same woods, who could never leave either).

But… there were chores to do and bikes to pack!

My favourite kind of road: the ones you can sit right in the middle of.

In places, this route traces an old cycling path through the forest, passing a succession of llanos and lakes, all at 3000m.

If my eyes don’t deceive me, those are happy people and that’s a happy dog.

The Old Crystal Highway, as we dubbed it. Further research is required to delve deeper into the geological history of this area.

Hot chocolate and fresh trout in Cuajimaloyas. This Pueblo Mancomunado is home to its own centro ecoturistico and a number of fabulous hikes. You can also hire local guides here and learn about the medicinal properties of plants, or discover the Sierra Norte’s variety of mushrooms in the rainy season.

Thank you. It was!

The Zapotec communities here have a very real connection to their forest – physical and spiritual – and do a fantastic job at preserving it.

Huesos helped his mama find good kindling and marshmallow sticks, but then decided they were better to chew on.

Behold, the Bon Bon!

The correct word is malvavisco, but I can never remember it, and everyone knows what you mean when you say Bon Bon with a smile!

Why is it Little Boy gets all the covers? And the pillow!!!

Happy Place.

My toe is pretty happy too right now.

And all the way back down again, a finger-working 1500m in elevation loss… It could almost be autumn if it wasn’t so damn hot!

Coffee Cheers. Here’s to a super fun trip!

Odds and Ends

• I’ll add a route map soon. But in the meantime, you can find all the info for this ride at bikepacking.com. I’ll add details on camping in the llanos too, as that’s a real highlight.
• The ride ranges from 1500m to almost 3200m; sizzling hot and sweaty to cool and deliciously fresh.
• Top tip: if you’re headed into the Sierra Norte in the dry season, guzzle water as soon as your eyelids open, and pack a couple of litres more than you’re pretty sure you’re gonna need…
• This was my first non-e-assisted ride in quite a while. Even if no 5 is still no match for its right-sided buddy in a game of toes-sies, it’s definitely on the road to recovery now!
• Camera: Sony a74 with Tamron 27-75mm lens.

Note clever placement of extra 1.9L of water… Huesos gets thirsty too!

Bikes Bikes Bikes

For this trip, Sadie borrowed Emma’s Hayduke and fell in love with Tailfin gear. So easy to set up, and so quiet! I rode the Jones Spaceframe with Tailfin bags on the truss (thanks to a neat 3D printed ‘truss strut’) and my all-crushing 29 x 3.25in tires. Emma grabbed her XL muscles from the gear cabinet and did the heavy hauling, pulling Huesos in the trailer and a couple of big Revelate bags on the fork!

The Hayduke Advocate with Tailfin Aeropack and oh-so-quiet panniers.

The Jones LWB Spaceframe with Tailfin rack, panniers, and custom truss mounts. This is the bike I’ll be riding as the world crumbles around me.

The SWB Spaceframe with two plump Revelate/Jones truss bags and the Francis Cycles Farfarer. A strong engine is required for this setup!

Moving Pictures

How you guys doin’! High Vibes at the end of the ride.

That’s it for now… thanks for reading!