Should I book a trip to Oaxaca?

Only if you want to step out of your comfort zone, love raw loamy trails, shredding downhill for 5,000 feet, sunshine, mole, and grasshoppers in your mezcal!

We all fall into habit patterns. We ride the same loop at the same time of day at the same speed. We walk the same features, interact with the same people, set the same goals and tell ourselves, “next week I’ll get it.” At least, most of us do. Habit patterns are not inherently bad, in fact, they can be tremendously beneficial when you’ve set up heatlhy habit patterns such as starting each day with a large glass of water or going for a ride every Tuesday and Saturday. These patterns keep us healthy, allow our brains to make fewer overall decisions and focus energy on big ticket items. But occasionally it’s important to shake things up, step away from your normal daily flow (or lack there of) and do everything differently. Travel, is a natural habit disruptor and my recent trip to Oaxaca was the perfect blend of challenge, habit disruption, cultural immersion, and pure MTB fun!

I was first tipped off about riding in Oaxaca by my good friend Colin Meagher - the primary photographer behind most of the jaw dropping images I display. I read several trip reports, chatted with a few friends, and all signs pointed towards a must-do shoulder season trip to the tropics! The majority of my big ride and race trips have been solo or with friends, but never with Michelle, my wife. For our first big international trip, it was important we both enjoy the experience. Which meant a balance of riding, culture, and down time. We reached out to friends and put together a group of 9 who were all stoked to escape the November PNW gloom.

A solid crew of friends is key for a fun trip!

The Riding. The riding in Oaxaca had a bit of everything. The city sits at 5,500’ and the mountains rise to just over 10,000’. The primary zone we rode in, Ixtepeji, has an extensive trail network with many short trails that can easily be lapped with a shuttle van. The upper trails are all hand cut and have the feel of top quality PNW loamers. A combination of flow, tech, and interesting twists and turns keep the upper trails fun and accessible for most intermediate to advanced trails. Wooden ramps are scattered throughout the trail system and provide a taste of free ride for those looking to increase their air time. But for the most part, the trails encourage you to keep your tires on the ground and eyes looking forwards!

After having our loam fill, we’d prepare for an epic 4,000’+ descent! This is where things got real. When I say “real” I mean really rocky, steep, rooty, and loose! Not for the faint of heart, the long descents had it all from exposure to some of the steepest rockiest shoots I’ve encountered. Descending for upwards of 40 minutes, left many in our group shaking their hands from “arm pump,” the sensation that you can no longer hold onto your brakes or bars as a result of hand and forearm muscle fatigue.

We booked our trip with Oaxaca Bike Expeditions and they provide everything from the shuttle rides (always stocked with snacks!) 2 guides, a professional photographer, and expert trail side mechanical assistance. One of our guides, Alberto, was responsible for designing most of the trails in the Ixtepeji zone and it was cool to get insider knowledge. The trail systems are managed and maintained by the local people who live on the land surrounding the trails. There is a fee to ride the trails, which is included as part of the tour, and the fee goes directly back to the community to help provide jobs as well as build and maintain the trail system. Each night we dined at top tier restaurants and our accommodations were roomy, comfortable, and came with AC! If you’re looking for a trip where you can “turn your brain off” from the logistics, food planning, route scoping, or bike maintenance, this is the trip for you!

Post ride it was time for food! We would feast each day with a late lunch at a road side bodega with typical Oaxacan fare. Every dining experience was an adventure in itself as we were greeted with mounds of fresh tortillas, avocado, meats, and salsas. After lunch the crew had time to relax by the pool, walk downtown, and read books. Just kidding, everyone immediately retreated to their room to update their Instagram:)

Dinner was always an exciting experience of menu deciphering and culinary exploration. Oaxaca is known for its Mole, Tlayudas, and Mezcal. While I am not much of a drinker, I did enjoy a daily cocktail with Mezcal, I mean, when in Rome…The food was always very fresh, made of simple ingredients, and absolutely delicious. A few food and drink highlights were tamales wrapped in banana leaf with mole negro, whole crispy tortillas served with salsa instead of chips, pitchers of fresh juice and delicious horchata. Also, the use of grasshoppers as a crispy salty snack had me over the moon with delight. If you like bacon bits, you’ll love these tasty little arthropod morsels. You could easily make a trip to Oaxaca and just eat your way through the city.

We booked our trip with Oaxaca Bike Expeditions but there are several other MTB tour groups including: TransierraNorte and CoyoteAventuras.

The city of Oaxaca blew me away with beautiful murals lining the streets, flags and remnants of Día de los Muertos celebrations. The city felt vibrant. We witnessed several bike parades that involved someone at the front carrying a boombox blasting music and a huge posse of folks riding all manner of bikes through the streets. Street performers, musicians, markets, and museums are just a small taste of what the city had to offer.

Habit Disruption. As a mountain bike coach, I joke that Post Canyon (the trail system where I coach) is my office. The neural groove I have etched in my brain says, “If I am on my bike, I am on trails I have ridden hundreds of times.” The downside for me, of riding familiar trails over and over, is I have developed fear around riding unfamiliar trails. A point especially painstaking as I used to pride myself on “blind racing” (racing down trails never before seen). The trail system in Oaxaca was the perfect opportunity for our entire group, to etch new neural pathways. I found restored confidence in riding unfamiliar trails. The more intermediate riders in our group rode down the steepest, rockiest, and gnarliest trails they’ve ever laid eyes on, and the more advanced crew were endlessly challenged to keep up with our guide, Wuicho Garcia, to find smooth speed in chunky corners. As a coach, few things bring me more joy than watching other progress. To watch Michelle ride confidently down rock faces she’d previously balk at, brought me endless joy.

If you’re looking to step out of your comfort zone, eat the best salsas and moles of your life, and change your own neural pathways, book a trip to Oaxaca! Overall the experience was excellent and I can’t wait to return.

Oaxaca MTB Recap

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