Oaxacan Dreamland—A Tasty Sampling of Flavor and Flora in Mainland Mexico
A Tasty Sampling of Flavor and Flora in Mainland Mexico
Words and Photos by Bruno Long
As a seasoned mountain bike traveler, many of these trips are spent trying to find the best riding and shooting locations, picking apart the landscape and gleaning information from the locals who spend most of their time riding their home trails. Having mainly focused on unique or remote visual locations such as Madagascar, Iceland and countless hike-a-bike missions in British Columbia, often it was more about the adventure and less about the biking. As long as we got the shots and told a riveting story, I wasn’t always as concerned if the mountain biking was all that good. At some point, it just became work first and riding second. So when I got invited to Oaxaca, Mexico on a whim a few years ago, I thought it would be just another work trip. Yet as I gleaned information from locals and rode their trails, something about this place lit a fire inside me that flares up each time I think about Oaxaca.
Oaxaca City, nestled in the picturesque valleys of the Sierra Madre mountain range in southern Mexico, boasts a rich and diverse history that spans thousands of years. Originally inhabited by indigenous peoples such as the Zapotecs and Mixtecs, the region witnessed the rise of ancient civilizations dating back to 1500 BCE. Monte Albán, an archaeological marvel just outside the city, served as the political and ceremonial center of the Zapotec culture, reaching its zenith around 500 CE. The Mixtecs, contemporaries of the Zapotecs, also left their architectural imprint on the landscape with the creation of Mitla, a sacred site known for its intricate stone mosaics.
Photo: Bruno Long
Respect The Cyclist
Photo: Bruno Long
Riding amongst giant agave plants is a surreal experience, especially when trying to get close to these sharp and dangerous plants. Here, Geoff Gulevich navigates around one of the bigger trailside plants.
Photo: Bruno Long
The colorful walkways of Oaxaca’s cobblestone street are a welcoming sight.
Photo: Bruno Long
This dreamy spot is the epitome of Oaxacan riding.
Photo: Bruno Long
The landscape and forest-types had us in awe the entire trip, including this incredible canopy and maze of branches at the bottom of a steep, loamy trail.
Photo: Bruno Long
The many murals of Oaxaca were around almost every corner, showcasing the local artistic talent.
Photo: Bruno Long
Javier Salazar and Geoff Gulevich rip through a beautiful forest in Oaxaca.
Photo: Bruno Long
Gully coasts through one of the lush forests that has become a signature look for Oaxaca.
Photo: Bruno Long
Stacked layers of meat, vegetable and bread will fuel your afternoon riding adventure.
Photo: Bruno Long
The forest is wildly lush in most areas, with moss, vines and ferns covering much of the ground.
Photo: Bruno Long
At times, Gully would compare the riding in Oaxaca to snowboarding back home in B.C. By the looks of the terrain and trail design, he wasn’t far off.
Photo: Bruno Long
Lunch time after a massive descent into one of the local towns. Fresh local cuisine made-to-order.
Photo: Bruno Long
Heading into the heart of the city for yet another incredible meal, most likely at an open-concept rooftop patio.
Photo: Bruno Long
Gulevich made this steep, rocky section look easy. Most of the group took the easier line around this technical line.
Photo: Bruno Long
The boss man himself, Javier Salazar, showing us how to avoid getting stabbed by the giant agave plants.
The Spanish conquest in the 16th century dramatically altered the cultural landscape of Oaxaca. The conquistadors, led by Hernán Cortés, arrived in 1521, subjugating the indigenous populations and introducing European customs and architecture. The city became a colonial hub with Spanish-style churches, government buildings, and grand plazas. Over the centuries, Oaxaca developed a unique blend of indigenous and Spanish influences, evident in its vibrant art, cuisine, and traditions.
Today, Oaxaca City stands as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, celebrated for its well-preserved colonial architecture, indigenous heritage, and as a center for traditional arts and crafts. The city's history is a tapestry woven with threads of ancient civilizations, colonial conquest, and the resilience of its diverse cultural identity.
The rich cultural history of the area, coupled with its high-elevation tropical climate and a reputation as a world-class gastronomic centre, has elevated Oaxaca into the capital of tourism in the state. Yet for mountain bikers around the world, the real factor is whether or not the riding is good. For that, we went to one of the main drivers of mountain bike tourism in the area, Javier Salazar, owner and guide of Oaxaca Bike Expeditions.
While previous work trips always lacked in either food, cultural experience or riding quality, Oaxaca has it all and Salazar knows it. He understood early on that while mountain bikers wanted the entire experience, the riding was what would keep them coming back again and again. Working alongside the locals who oversee the protection of the forests in the area, he partnered with them to hire local builders who maintain the trails while also minimizing the impact by hand-building all the trails. The trails weave through widely-spaced pine forests with incredible dirt, rugged rocky zones that will have you gripping your bars a little tighter around every corner, as well as lush jungle landscapes and massive agave plants that try to distract you from keeping your tires rubber side down.
Getting shuttled up the steep mountain roads to ride lap after lap of fast, flowy trails, getting to know every turn like your local guides, often the lunch or end-of-day ride spits you down into another local town where cold drinks and authentic cuisine await. The promise of culinary delights at the end of a trail is often what motivates riders to power through the long descents that take you through the entire gamut of trail conditions and terrain features. Spilling into a backyard homestead that serves the best local food at the end of a memorable descent, then spending your evenings walking the cobblestone streets of the city, enjoying the rich and vibrant cultural scene before indulging in another superb meal at a restaurant you would never find without the help of a local, that is what makes Oaxaca my favourite riding destination.
This place is the whole package: riding, culture, friendly locals and world-class food. If you want or need more out of a mountain bike destination than this, I don’t know if I can help you. I’m not sure that place exists. But I do know that Oaxaca has stolen a piece of my heart and I’m ok with never giving it back. It just means that I have to return to visit that piece of me that lives down there forever.
