As my little toe is still figuring how best to reconnect with the rest of my body, an e-biking overnighter felt like as much as I could handle right now. The perfect case study, right?
The plan was to keep the vibes really chill, and not overdo the workload for that little lost toe. I mean, he keeps telling me he’s raring to go, but I whisper back:
No, Numero Cinco, tiene paciencia, ya llegará tu momento.
(No, no 5, be patient, your time will come).
The plan was simple: ride out to the Mongolian Yurt Adventure, a mere cricket ball throw away, and camp for the night. There, Swiss Owner Michael/Miguel lives off-grid in an idyllic spot between two alfalfa fields. It’s just a few kilometres just outside tongue-twisting Tlacochayuaya (52 in Scrabble, if you land on a double!) along the old Camino Real, a favourite dirt road we often trace to Mitla. Don’t expect a formal sign, mind. Rather, look out for an especially tall and spindly organ cactus (that’s abundant with sunset-orange pitayas at this time of year), then scour the land for a small collection of low-adobe, dwellings and a Mongolian ger a la Mexicana. If you have a dog with you, be sure to give Gigantor Guapo a wide berth; he’s one of nine hounds that live on-site and is known for his feisty temperament and occasional anger at the world.
Plus, Michael recently chopped up an e-bike and grafted it to a horse trailer, then wired up with solar panels, for hauling duties around his property. Of course, I wanted to take it for a test ride!
All in all, this is a very nice little loop out of the city, a perfect little overnighter for recovering toes, or even as a family ride, as it’s mostly low on traffic – especially if you cruise out on a Sunday along the bike path, when the city’s bike culture is at its most visual, complete with three-wheel cargo machines, shoals of mountain bikers, and kids wobbling this way and that. Our itinerary:
- Cruise the bike path out of town to Tule.
- Wave hi to Big Tree, and maybe guzzle a nieve or two.
- Cruise on over for brunchtime memelas in Tlacochayuaya.
- Explore some new farm roads that wend into the hills.
- Scoot across the highway and grab a coffee and paleta in Teotitlan.
- Ride over to Michael’s and pitch the tent.
- Take the Sun-Powered Contraption for a spin to stock up on some sun-dried treats.
- Head over to Santo Domingo Tomaltepec and Tlalixtac for another paleta.
- Pedal home.
It’s not my first time at Miguel’s. Sage, Huesos, and I camped there a while back, and we really enjoyed the relaxed vibes and off-the-land living.
One thing about Oaxaca is for sure. Even if it’s as hot as Hades right present, the light may be washed out, and the dust catches in your throat, the countryside and pueblocitos always pop with colour. It’s such a joy to cycle tour through this land.
Enough chit-chat. Some photos and videos!
It’s the time of year when tongues dangle…
This is a short loop, so we had plenty of time to explore some new-to-us surrounding farm tracks.
Yes! Mango season!
What a palette of patterns and colours on this mototaxi.
Memela brunch.
Mezcal, panteón, and sleepy dog vibes.
Happy to be back out there.
As good as the paletas are in Teotitlan del Valle, I’m not sure I’d trade place with that poor walking ice cream, given the sweltering heat. But if you’re up for it, ask to be paid in Queso y Zarzamora flavour.
Huesos channelling his inner street dog.
I believe it’s icy-cortado-o-clcok! But woah there Huesos, no chasing that dog.
Jones SWB bedecked with Tailfin gear.
Turn left at this organ cacti to get to the Mongolian Yurt Adventure and La Sazón del Sol.
“That corner stake might need a little more tension.” (Huesos mansplaining to Emma the art of pitching the Hyperlite Ultamid)
Morning yawns.
(Oh yes, whilst we were corraled by dogs that night, Huesos boxed me in the eye and gave me a proper shiner!)
Miguel and The Sun-Powered Contraption.
The trailer was originally welded up locally for his horse to pull… but it turns out his horse wasn’t really into that idea. So Michael bought an old folding e-bike from a farm volunteer, separated it in two, and bolted it on. Don’t worry, he has plans for the rear end of the bike too…
There are three solar panels to power the 36V motor on the move, though generally they will be left on a rooftop to charge this magical machine when it’s parked.
Solar panels everywhere…
Vicky and a clutch of freshly plucked nopales, destined to be popped into the solar oven and turned into tasty crisps.
Other sun-dried treats and various vials of kombucha and probiotic ginger beer and vinegar…
So, there’s:
- Cristobal
- Chia
- Chino
- Rumi
- Negra
- Nala
- Tigre
- Chici
- And Guapo
Micheal harvested some consuelda (comfrey/knitbone) from the garden, which he and Vicky recommended be ground into a paste and applied to my toe to help the bone heal.
A sweet, delicious melt-in-your-mouth guava, fresh off the tree.
Heading home once more. I love the way bicycles are used for work, transportation, and leisure in the Mitla Valley.
And I also love this dirt road between Santo Domingo Tomaltepec and Tlalixtac.
THE ROUTE
LINKS + RESOURCES
You can find out more about Vicky and her tasty treats at La Sazón del Sol – Solar SuperFoods – here. They can also be purchased in Oaxaca
- Las Chiquihuitas, Matamoros 404
- 10-6, Monday to Saturday
And you can book yourself a night’s camping (100 peso per tent) or even enjoy the Mongolian/Mexican ger here. Be sure to do so in advance, and don’t just turn up!
An account of the time Sage, Huesos and I rode out to the Mongolian Yurt Adventure can be found here.
E-BIKE POSTSCRIPT
Although I’d have preferred to be on my acoustic bike, given the circumstances, I was grateful to be aboard the Jones WLB HD/e. Simply put, I couldn’t have done the trip with it. The range is great, it’s really capable on bumpy dirt roads, and there’s enough power to haul both my gear and Huesos too.
The Jones LWB HD/e with Bafang BBSHD, seen here with Jones mudguards, an OMM Divide rack, Mountain Laurel Design Ultra Poco panniers, a BXB Goldback, a Tailfin flip top stem bag, and or course, the Francis Cycles Farfarer trailer. That monster front tyre is a Duro Crux 29 x 3.25.
The tent, a spacious Hyperlite Ultamid, was strapped to the Farfarer, courtesy of some matching Austere straps!
I’d planned to top up the battery at Michael’s, using the power of the sun, but in the end, I realised I could make it home on one charge. In the event, I pulled in with a little more than 10% in the tank, and that was even after cranking up the power at times to get up all the hills, to make sure I didn’t hurt my toe.
