Trans-Mexico Day #15 La Cuevita to Zitacuaro

Trans-Mexico Day #15

January 12, 2022

La Cuevita, GU to Zitacuaro, MC 134Km

Start 8:18am Finish 6:15pm

Ride Time: 7:56

Ascent: 1396m

Descent: 1498m

Tour Total Km: 1632

Details at: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/81386606

I slept well last night underneath a tree in a pasture outside of La Cuevita. I had set up my tent on grass in a nice spot that cupped my body like a large hand. The murmur of the highway was far enough away to not be a bother. I could see a distant gas station light through my rear mesh tent opening. I woke up at 7am with the first light and went out to water a cactus. The sun was rising and I returned to my tent to begin packing. My rear tire was flat and the fix went smoothly. I had a harder time getting the tire off today, than putting it back on again.

Last evening I had noticed numerous bottles and garbage under the tree, which I had cleared. After my tent was set up I found another bottle underneath my tarp. It was right under where I would be sleeping, and I had to scoot it out of the way through the tent floor and footprint. I always pack out my garbage, and yet here in Mexico I wonder what was the point.

My tent had been covered in condensation and thick fog rolled in as I was departing. I pedaled out through the grass and alongside the stacked rock walls back out towards the highway. After a few kilometers I reached the pueblo of La Cuevita. The air was brisk and I was wearing my rain jacket, sweater, jersey cycling shorts, leg warmers, and socks. I had both my front and rear lights blinking because of the low sun and fog. Cuevita was active. The hardware stores, stationary shops, building material depots, tiendas, and restaurants were all humming.

My fingers were freezing as I rode down out of Cuevita and into the valley. The road was perfectly straight as I pedaled atop the white line. There were six inches of shoulder to the right with grass on the other side. Harvested cornfields were on both sides of the highway. I was on the Routa de Los Conventos.

I was on a long straight uphill and could feel my rear tire going soft so I pulled over to inflate it. This morning I had suspected a wire filament coming through the tire but couldn’t find the problem. This tour set the record for flat tires by a long shot. The next town was San Ignacio. There was an automotive shop, a hardware store, and a building materials depot.

My rear tire was going flat so I pulled over at the San Pablo bus stop to put in a new inner tube. My inspection was thorough and I wiped everything clean with my bandanna. I couldn’t find a single culprit, and was now one down to one innertube. While stopped a bus gently honked to see if I needed a ride. I removed my leg warmers, rain jacket, and socks. I lathered myself with sunscreen and was soon headed down the road.

The highway went around a small town and there was a taco stand out on the highway. My aim was get to Jerecuaro for breakfast. I soon passed the welcome sign boasting 8000 inhabitants. There were tons of businesses and I was hungry. I doubled back around near the bus station and found a taco stand where I ordered three beef tacos and a Fanta. I left town on a narrow one-lane bridge. There was an official stationed in the middle of the bridge to see that motor vehicles wouldn't simultaneously approach from opposite ends.

I noticed numerous surveillance cameras in the center of town and out on the highway. I was still on La Routa de Los Conventos. I decided to be unfaithful to the route and stay on the highway to avoid the steep chunky off road climb to Maravatio. It was a nice two-lane highway with some motor traffic and an occasional shoulder. I came to a crossroad and took a left on Mexico Highway 61 towards Maravatio. By noon I had ridden 50km.

I entered Michoacan, the tour’s seventh state. The fields to both sides of the road were filled with expansive white plastic canopies that ostensibly kept condensation off of whatever was growing beneath. I stopped to remove my sweater and add my arm covers. There was an open gate and I entered to investigate. To my delight the fields were filled with strawberries. I sampled a few and they were delicious. I noticed that a screw had come loose from my front left pannier which was now hanging precariously.

There were strawberry stands set up alongside the highway and I stopped. The baskets for sale were huge and they wouldn’t sell me a smaller amount. I went to a G500 gas station and bought myself two Valle de nectar mango juices. I fixed my front left pannier by swapping out a screw from a less critical connection. I came to a police check point. They were giving all the motor vehicles a close inspection but let me through with a wave.

I’ve noticed numerous trucks overburdened with entire household furniture sets wrapped in plastic. The trucks were the size of a standard pick-up, and the ungainly stacked furniture was surreal. I enjoyed a nice long downhill towards Maravatio and crossed over the freeway that went to Mexico City. I passed kilometers of strawberry fields. The fruit was littered along the shoulder. All I could think about was a strawberry liquado.

In Maravatio I noticed a bike shop and stopped to see if they had any inner tubes. I learned that Mexicans call Presta 'French valves' and Schrader 'American valves'. They didn’t have my size with a French valve. Soon I was back on the route passing through the other side of town. Thanks Jeff for the suggestion. It definitely saved several hours. On my way out of town I passed the Paradise 69 auto motel. Earlier in the tour I had seen a Viagra auto motel. They’re not subtle here.

Down the road, I passed a large agave field to the right and an even larger one to the left. I noticed a heavy police presence in Michoacán. A pick up truck came down the road with police officers standing in the back with rifles. I was in a wide valley headed south. There were large mountain ranges to both the east and the west. I came to another police checkpoint and waved as I cycled through.

I ran into a local cyclist who was walking with a tire around his neck. I offered him help, and he explained that in addition to the tire, his rim was shot. He had had an incident and was walking to his family’s house. He appreciated my stopping. I passed through the pueblo of La Frontera and afterwords passed numerous brick yards that were selling bricks, tiles, and terracotta. I stopped at a PEMEX for a coke and also got myself a slice of homemade cheesecake.

I was beginning to notice numerous signs advertising the monarch butterfly reserve. The hills were covered with pine trees. I then officially entered monarch country or País de la Monarca. I rode through the town of Aporo which ostensibly sees a lot of butterfly tourism. There were tiendas, shops, and cocinas.

It was a beautiful section. By 4pm I had ridden 98 km. The route took me off of the highway and down a dirt track. It was a nice stretch and I found myself in a small pueblo with green pastures. The area was surrounded by green peaks, and locals were out tending their horses. It was a delightful area with green grass and pine trees. And then the asphalt began again.

The next town I came to was Ocampo, which was a nice full-service town. I rode up over the next ridge and my descent down into the next valley was a fantastic downhill. The valley had jagged peaks to the far side, and I could see Zitacuaro in the distance.

The busy town of San Felipe de los Alzati was full of businesses and cocinas. I was looking forward to a good meal and some cerveza in Zitacuaro. Then I pedaled through Urungueo, another busy town with hardware stores, auto mechanics, farm good stores, and comedores. Finally I came to the Zitacuaro welcome sign.

I rode around the town looking for a hotel and settled on the Hotel María Fernanda Inn. My room was on the ground level which made it easy to wheel the bike inside. I hung my tent and camping gear to dry, and began charging all of my devices. I had a fantastic shower and then walked over to Eva Mia Trattoria for dinner. They were fumigating everyone who entered for COVID. I ordered bread with tomatoes and cheese and the spaghetti carbonara, along with margaritas with mezcal and Victorias. I was still hungry and ordered a pizza with more Victorias. I returned to the hotel and began the process of report editing, and uploading photos, stats, and maps.