I can’t tell you how much I ponder and deliberate different kinds of bike setups (and permutations of said setups, and variations of permutations). Or at least I probably shouldn’t, as it might make your head hurt as much as it does mine sometimes…

Sadly, my trip to the US to see Sage has been delayed due to frustrating visa complications, so I’m hankering to get up to the high country to escape the valley heat, ride trails for a couple of days, and get away from it all. Desafortunamente, our favourite trailer-free route to Ixtepeji, where the majority of the best trails are to be found, is via San Pablo Etla – whose community forest is currently closed to bicycle access, due to the heightened risk of fires this year.

It’s looking like the fabled ‘La Reina’, un unpaved road that ascends into the celestial Sierra Norte above San Andrés Huayapam, is the next best option. I’ve documented the climb before… Yes, it’s the one that’s so very long and so very steep (and hot and exposed) that it’s precariously close to being soul destroying, albeit to a stunning and joyous backdrop (if you can only make out through sweaty brows and stinging eyes).

This time, however, we’re going to try something new, in the form of a Spaceframe/e-Jones combo! We’ve front loading both bikes, so either one can tow Huesos’ trailer (whether he’s inside, tongue dangling, or trotting along, tail wagging like a finger). Both bikes are a size medium, which means we can even do the ol’ bike switcharoo if we feel like it. Think of all the combinations and permutations!

Beeep. Beeeep. Beeeeeep! Long vehicle approaching.

These are just a few of the dozen bur cacti that we extricated from Huesos’s fur during this shake down loop…

The judges awarded this dismount a perfect 10.0. They unanimously agreed that it showed precision, grace, and unusual poise. Way to go, Huesos!

Emma will be piloting the e-Jones and thus will be tasked with the duty of hauling the lion’s share of gear and food, including the likes of homemade banana bread and suitcase of Bobo bars. As mentioned, the climb is a colossus, and it’s eye-wateringly steep in places. It will be interesting to see how the e-Jones’ battery copes with such brutish conditions. It goes without saying that we’ll bring the charger with us; thankfully, there are outlets in the centro ecoturistico where we’ll camp, which we should be able to use to charge it overnight.

Once there, we’re envisaging riding up to the Mirador at sunrise for coffee outside at the lookout tower. Then, I’ll hit the trails on the Spaceframe, while Emma spends some time painting plants and other minuscule microbes… We may even bring the Tow-whee, for e-bike shuttling with a twist!!

Caveats? As you can perhaps imagine, the e-bike is incredibly heavy, making it hard to wrestle up steep and loose climbs. Plus, there’s the inevitable battery angst to consider.

Still, having the e-bike means we can bring:

• Full coffee-making apparatus
• Emma’s paint kit
• Extra warm layers, as the weather is finally cooling down a little, and there’s been rain up there
• Lots of homemade goodies, like granola and a moist, heavy brick of banana bread (with maple syrup), and homeroasted peanut butter, plus plenty of other food as the restaurant is closed during the week
• A humungous bag of kibble for Huesos

The photos above and below were taken on fully laden, shakedown loop in our ‘backyard’. Lula kept Huesos company, but neither she, nor her bruiser of a brother Sparky, could be coaxed into the trailer… Huesos, on the other hand, is a dab hand at jumping in and dismounting, much to their bemusement.

Riding-wise, the e-Jones is actually remarkably stable when it’s front loaded like this. Just don’t try and lift it, or you’ll pop a blood vessel.

The nose-heavy setup includes big Tailfin panniers up front and an Old Man Mountain Divide rack. That’s a BXB Goldback (M) on the handlebars, with an expandable lid. Bringing up the rear is a MLD roll bag, housing our Hyperlite Ultamid (room for 2 + dog), attach to the cargo accessory on the Frances Cycles Farfarer trailer.

In addition to testing out the setup in the hills behind us, we also rode a day loop, fully laden, to Estudiantes. This settlement lies on the highway to Ixtepeji, a staging post for the enduro riders who shuttle up to the park. In our wisdom, however, we chose to sample a new bike path, el Camino de Juarez, which commemorates a 12 year old Benito Juarez’ journey from San Pablo Guelatao, where he was born, to the city. Due to be opened early this year, the bike path is still a few months away from being finished, thus proving to be even more of a shakedown given all the unexpected, shoulder-popping, calf-burning hike a bikes along the way…

Btw. In theory, this bike path, which wends its way through the forest for some 47km, sounds awesome. But in practise, a concrete swathe will soon replace the beautiful, historic, shady, riverside singletrack that predates it. The new bike path has also been built with such steep pitches that it’s hard to imagine anyone but the most hardened cyclist being able to ride it. A good one for e-bikes, maybe? With a climb of some 1800m+, I could imagine e-biking up to the Centro Ecoturistico in the late afternoon, overnighting in one of the cabañas, charging your bike’s battery and riding trails the next day, then dropping down on one of the more challenging singletrack descents back into the city…

Still, it does completely avoid the main highway and will be traffic free, so there’s that!

Here we are, riding and snoozing our way on a hot day along the Camino Juarez. Give it a few months, and it may well be finished!

That’s it for now. Thanks for reading!