Introduction

 


¡Hola amigos! Para esta excursión mi nombre es Manivela Oxidado.

This tour came about because I needed to stay in top form for my 2022 spring and summer tours. I was looking for somewhere south of the border to ride over winter break. I heard from fellow cyclist
Jeff, whom I had met last summer at a gas station on the ACA Western Express route in Colorado. He had been riding the ACA Great Divide Mountain Biking Route and we had stayed in touch. He told me about the Trans-Mexico Bikepacking Route (Norte) featured on Bikepacking.com and contributed by Mark Watson and Hana Black. I was immediately infatuated with the route and had hoped to do it together with Jeff. Unfortunately our schedules didn’t align. Jeff would be starting a week ahead of me and would hopefully provide valuable reconnaissance. The route was 1,469 miles miles long with 173,049 feet of climbing. It was suggested to do in 40 days. Because of my teaching break I was only giving it 26 days, and there was a good chance that I wouldn't be able to do all of it. In preparation I’d been training extra hard. I had a daily regimen of unicycling and yoga. I was taking long rides every weekend that involved challenging distances, climbs, and chunky single track. To be honest, it was a little daunting to be crossing this rugged remote Mexican region all by myself. That said, it was certain to be an adventure of a lifetime.

The route started in Mazatlán, Sinaloa on the Sea of Cortez, just slightly below the Tropic of Cancer. I would immediately begin climbing from sea-level collectively some 20,000' of elevation gain to cross the Western Sierra Madre range on treacherous Route 666, 'El Espinazo del Diablo' (The Devil's Backbone). I'd supply for the next leg in Durango, a charming colonial mining town. From there I'd head south across the arid altiplano on dirt backroads, quiet pavement, and horse trails towards the splendid silver mining town of Zacatecas. Further south I'd pass through the beguiling, culturally rich, city of Guanajuato, and then through the beautiful expatriate town of San Miguel Allende. From there I'd pedal south through mountain country, skirting west of Mexico City. I'd ride through the Monarch butterfly reserve in high season and then climb the 14,000' Volcan Toluca, the highest elevation I'd ever pedaled. From there it was rugged indigenous mountain country all the way to Oaxaca. There was a good chance I'd have to bus from Toluca to Oaxaca. 

I'd ostensibly be cycling across twelve Mexican States; Sinaloa, Durango, Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, Jalisco, Guanajuato, Michoachan, Mexico, Puebla, Guerrero, Morelos, and Oaxaca. I want to recognize the indigenous people whose land I'd be traversing; Guachichil, Xi'iuy, Nahuas, Otomi, Tepehuán, and Zacatecos.

I created itineraries in both imperial and metric, but the blog stats are in metric. I've included many altitude and temperature descriptions in imperial. After a hectic fall semester I was looking forward to being OUTCHEA!
Location: Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico

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