April 26th, 2016
Cycling in the shadow of a giant, smoking volcano (and another non-smoking one) first on the busy auto-pista, and then on quiet rural routes.
Cycling Stats
Start Point: Wild Camp near San Francisco Mitepec, Tlaxcala, Mexico
Destination: San Andrés Cholula, Puebla, Mexico
56.11 km trip, 4:18 time, 50.3 km/h maximum speed, 13 km/h average speed
Route Description
We started on the quota highway after our wild camp. You do a few climbs up and down, each time no more than 100 meters. Over the whole day you certainly do more descents than ascents. We went through two quota payment stations with no problems. The quota has a big shoulder the whole time and is very safe even though it has a lot of traffic.The guys just let us through with a wave and no questions. After just under 30 kilometres there is an Oxxo and gas station that we pulled into for snacks. It was here that we started taking back country farm roads. The roads vary from dirt, to gravel, to sand and while they slow you down; they are all rideable. It was a nice change from the pista highway. There are many stores you can stop at along the way to buy food and drinks.
Accommodations:
We are unaware of hotels in the area although it is a big city on the edge of Puebla so there must be some. We were staying at a hosts home.
What happened…
Amanda writes: Today was one of those days where as Andrew puts it ‘I can’t do anything right’. I’ll admit I was easily annoyed and I’m sure the things he was doing weren’t actually that annoying, but it sure felt like it. Originally I was going to blog about each thing individually but we’ve talked about them all before and there’s nothing to be gained so I’m going to try a different route; compassion. I’m trying to see things from Andrew’s perspective. After thinking about it on the bike for 4 hours I’m wondering if Andrew is still as excited about this trip as he normally is. Before we started our back country journey with DOHA (Days of High Adventure) we were both thinking we have had enough with Mexico. Fortunately (at least for me) the back country beauty rejuvenated my enthusiasm for this amazing country. I wonder how Andrew is still feeling about it.
He used to take great pride in his photography and wasn’t afraid to stop and take a shot of a unique situation and take a couple of shots to make sure the composition was right. And he would find people, situations, landscapes and homes unique and beautiful enough to take a photo. It’s less often that I see him really noticing the beauty that is unique to this amazing country. Just today while traveling on back country farm roads we were passed by a horse drawn trailer with wooden wheels and piles of grass with two men sitting on the grass. I’m not sure he saw it, or thought of it as unique. In addition to his less enthusiastic presence to photography, he hasn’t blogged with as much passion since his blogging was questioned and under the microscope. I won’t say much more than I love reading his wit, humour and transparency and I know I’m not alone based on the many comments and followers we have. I simply hope he regains his love for writing soon. By the end of my day of thinking I just hope there is something I can do to energize his love for travel and people and if that means riding faster toward the next great country; I’ll do it! I want my positive partner back, not the cynic that has crept into him of late.
As for the ride it had amazing views of snow capped mountains on our right near Mexico City. One of them is the volcano (Popocatepetl) that is still blowing ash everywhere. I’ve taken to riding with my buff on my face and my eyes are constantly sore, along with my throat. I must say I can’t wait to leave this area because the volcanic ash is causing me some grief. And now we’re back on the trail south and are in a place that is further south than we have ever been before by bicycle. It was great to arrive at our hosts home and have fresh squeezed lime juice from their tree and practice Spanish. We’re so lucky to have met Pepe and Manina at Santiago’s place in Mexico City. I just love speaking with Manina because she is so patient with my Spanish and encouraging. I am reminded that meeting new people along the way who we get to spend time with is such an enjoyment for me.
Andrew writes: Ugh. Just as I suspected, the camping spot last night was less than ideal for sleeping. Loud truck traffic; all…night…long. Thank goodness we have a place to stay tonight, hopefully not near a rooster or dog farm.
The ride today started with an uphill, and then we coasted along to San Martin. I found myself hungry pretty early on today, and so when I spotted a restaurant attached to a gas station I made a bee-line for it. Amanda wasn’t hungry and so I felt a little silly sitting at my fancy cloth-covered table all by myself, with Amanda straddling her bicycle outside. We ended up compromising, sharing some yogurt cups on the curb outside of the restaurant, and munching some peanuts.
Then, rather than continue on the pista as we approached Puebla, we turned back on to the ‘ruta sin trafico’ I had created when we left Pachuca. It paralleled the pista somewhat, but ended up being a dirt-track through farmland, and the only other traffic we encountered was either a tractor, or horse-drawn wagon. There were lots of farmers out farming, and the area is quite beautiful, especially with the volcanoes serving as a backdrop.
Amanda mentions the “tiredness” that I/we feel about Mexico. I definitely think that cycling with Gareth and Jean for the last few weeks has helped revive my interest in the country. On the flip side, it feels like we “don’t have enough time” now to see and do the things that I want to do now. Mexico has gone from being a country that I figured we would cycle through in 3 months, to one that I want to spend another 6 months or a year exploring. Sadly though, we need to be in Panama/Brazil in 3 months, so that just won’t happen. I definitely find myself taking less pictures, since I don’t want to bore *you guys/gals* with pictures of the same-old, same-old, boring beautiful views that frankly, I’ve just become accustomed to while cycling through this beautiful land. At some point doesn’t it get boring for you, the readers? Let me know what you think by commenting below, or on Facebook, or sending a message/e-mail. Then stay tuned for a few weeks from now to determine whether you will see more or less…Thank you!