Trans-Mexico Day #16 Zitacuaro to Valle de Bravo

Trans-Mexico Day #16

January 13, 2022

Zitacuaro, MC to Valle de Bravo, MX 88Km

Start 9:02am Finish 4:38pm

Ride Time: 6:48

Ascent: 1630m

Descent: 1796m

Tour Total Km: 1720

Details at: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/81439101

I slept well last night in my comfy bed in room number one of the Hotel María Fernanda Inn in Zitacuaro. I woke up before 7am as the first light appeared through my window. I had spread my belongings all over the suite, and it took awhile to pack and organize. In addition, I had to repair two inner tubes. I was down to one original patch from home. I went to the hotel restaurant and ordered huevos rancheros with cappuccino and orange juice.

The ride out of town was uninspiring. It wasn’t a remarkable town, but the surrounding landscape was amazing. Tall green covered jagged mountains surrounded the valley. I passed two day cyclists headed back into town and they waved to me. I was climbing up from the valley and was wearing my cycling shorts, short-sleeve jersey, short-sleeve sweater, leg warmers, and socks. The sky was hazy but there wasn’t a single cloud. It seemed like it would get hot later.

It was the stunning climb out of the valley. Houses were clustered around the meandering road. Kids were waiting for the school bus and people were enjoying breakfast at outdoor cocinas. I passed a spring where people were collecting water. The views of the surrounding steep hills were breathtaking.

I took a left on a smaller road that led up towards the biosphere. Then I took a left on dirt. The sun was still low and I was being shaded by a canopy of trees above me. The air was cool and it was dark with my sunglasses as I tried to avoid potholes and rocks. Views of the surrounding hilltops were astounding. It was a magical place and I could feel the energy.

The dirt eventually turned to concrete and there were cast impressions of the monarch reserve. I soon left the concrete for chunky rutted dirt and hike-a-bike. A pick-up truck passed me coming the other way on the chunky hike-a-bike climb. The track eventually leveled out and it was a nice ride. The forest was pleasant and I noticed buckets that was collected sap from the pine trees.

Concrete pavement eventually returned. I passed a collection of houses and small pastures in a clearing. I entered the town of Macheros and went to the biosphere entrance. It was closed and there was nothing, so I went to the JM Butterfly B&B to ask about guides. The woman told me that there weren’t any butterflies up on top of the mountain right now. It was mid January and this area depended on eco-tourism from the annual Monarch Butterfly migration. All I could say was, I got rid of my car in 2008. I did all my errands by bicycle. I took my kid to school by bicycle. I got to work by bicycle. Climate change was real people, and we needed to ride bicycles instead of supporting Exxon, BP, and Shell. No butterflies. That bothered me.

I stopped at a tienda and got two Del Valle nectar de Manzanas. From there I went screaming down the hill from Macheros through several small pueblos. One of them had a gravel operation. Macheros was located in Mexico state so I was now in my eighth state.

I finally made it to a highway with yet another downhill. I was speeding under the pine trees. It was a wonderful twisty road down into a narrow valley. The views of hilltops and bluffs were gorgeous. Down in the valley I came to the town of San Miguel Ixtapan del Oro where I passed locals gathering firewood.

A lot of the trees bases had been painted white with lime to repel insects. I later found myself climbing up the other side of the valley. I rode around a corner and it was as if I was in a different climate zone. It felt like the golden hills of California. I was surrounded by dry grass and scraggly trees. It was hot and sunny, and I pulled over to remove my leg warmers, sweater, and socks. I lathered myself with sunscreen and put on my arm protectors.

The next little town was Tutuapan. It had all sorts a little stores and tiendas offering clothing, fingernail accessories, eggs, tortillas, and you name it. I didn’t stop. Today’s scenery was some of the most dramatic of the tour. Gorgeous twisting roads wound through beautifully sculpted mountains. Music rose up out of the valley and roosters crowed from up above. I climbed up to the ridge and then sped down into the next valley. These mountains were incredible!

There were many loose goats along the road today. There was barbed wire to both sides of the road so the goats couldn’t wander too far. They would meander along the shoulder eating grass and shrubs. There were areas where people had dumped vast amounts of household garbage, and it was a blemish and a shame.

There was rushing water in the ditches alongside the road. Down in the valley I could see canals and aqueducts funneling this precious resource. At one point I came to a man-made cascade on the side of the road. I saw someone stopped with a pick-up truck filling a large tank from a hose.

As I got closer to Valle de Bravo I began to see local taxis with the locale emblazoned on the vehicle. I’d been warned that the traffic would be bad getting in and out of town. My original plan had been to shoot through to the other side, and get a start on the volcano. But it was getting late, and a night on the town sounded fun. I passed a welcome sign, “Welcome to Valle de Bravo 57,375 inhabitants”.

The route took the long way around through small communities and steep grades. Guys were driving around on motorcycles selling tortillas and honking their loud horns. Further down the road I enjoyed so many beautiful flowers in bloom

I rode down and then climbed up over a ridge. The climbing was steep, and I was hot. I stopped at a tienda for a Coke. I came around a curve and saw the large Lago Avándaro in front of me. I figured that I had made it to my destination, but no. I had to ride a dirt road around the lake. It was 3:30pm. I had ridden 80km and the sky was now cloudy. Finally I came to an asphalt highway and I crossed a dam. The lake water level was low.

There was a lot of motor traffic on the curvy road going around the lake, but I’m a New Yorker and I’m used to dealing with motor traffic. Mexico City’s wealthy spend their weekends here, and there were many resorts and gated communities. Fortunately I was arriving on a Thursday and leaving on a Friday.

I googled hotels when I got to centro and rode over to the Hotel Rincon Soñado. I did laundry and plugged in my devices. I walked around the center of town and had a few Tecates at Alma Edith along with guacamole and tostadas.

I walked over to Soleado Valley. The rooftop was filled with Americans. I had a hamburger along with a few Dos Equis and margaritas with mezcal. I returned to my hotel and finished this report.