# Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido - Day 4 (long)



## tigerdog (Mar 16, 2004)

Continued from https://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=117407



















Well, the last day and thankfully the shortest. This would be 30km altogether, 15 on the jeep trail and 15 on the road into Puerto Escondido. The rain had stopped and by 9:30 it was already hot out. We took the bikes across a footbridge, while Jose Luis forded the river in the Jeep.










Brooke was determined to ride the last leg, and the first half of the ride was very scenic.










We'd gone from the cloud forests and coffee plants of the previous day to the tropical coastal climate of palms and fruit trees. Apparently the hills we'd come down are also home to a lot of marijuana plantations, but they must be pretty well hidden.










One of the less pleasant sights (and smells) you'll find riding in Mexico is a huge pile of burning trash. It's a great shame that as packaged goods increase the government won't provide any refuse programs or facilities in such a beautiful area.

When we reached the halfway point and the junction to the road to Puerto, it was incredibly hot. Brooke, still recuperating, made the wise choice to ride the rest of the way in the Jeep. She was really disappointed to not be riding to the finish.










The scorching road to Puerto was pretty miserable. There were a couple of big climbs, which thankfully were rewarded with a view of the Pacific in the distance. By the final descent through town to the beach I was tired, aching, bruised and dehydrated. We stopped at a cafe on the main surf beach and found a hotel for the next few days.

After loading the bikes back on the Jeep, we said our farewells to Pedro and Jose Luis. They were going to drive the 6 1/2 hours back to Oaxaca that afternoon. It's a hard drive over the mountains on tight twisting roads. Craig would return by bus to Oaxaca a few days later to take the bikes back to Mexico City.










The reward at the end of the ride was 2 for 1 margaritas while we watched the surfers and boogie boarders.

The next day I would develop a bacterial infection and spend the next four days very close to the bathroom.










I honestly don't know how this huge Iguana didn't break that tiny branch.










A few days later we moved down the coast to the beautiful quiet beach at Mazunte. Grilled snapper, snorkeling and siestas. Heaven.

We'd planned to do a loop of Oaxaca, Chiapas and Quintana Roo over our 2 month summer vacation. Unfortunately this would be cut short in the beautiful colonial hill town of San Cristobal de las Casas. Walking back to my hotel in the rain I slipped on the ice-like stone paving of a driveway cut into the sidewalk. Apparently this happens a lot in San Cristobal but Lonely Planet mustn't have come here in July. I knew immediately that I'd broken my right leg below the knee. The x-rays would confirm this and I'm now blinged out with a titanium plate and six screws through my tibia. 3 months off the bike so I've nothing better to do than write long posts on mtbr.

Matt


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## Warp (May 24, 2004)

Dude, all this makes me wanna ride!!

Maybe someday I'll make this very same trip.

I also feel sorry not having a camera. I've ridden some places in Mexico, each with a different kind of beauty... but no pics!! buuuahaaah!!!!


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## logbiter (Dec 30, 2003)

Thanks for awesome pics & story!
hope that leg heals up quick.
hasta,
Sergio


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## sstaurus (Jan 18, 2004)

Awesome story. You've done alot of work to put it up here, cheers!

How did you find out about these trails in Peru? (Obviously your guide, but how about him?)


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## tigerdog (Mar 16, 2004)

sstaurus said:


> Awesome story. You've done alot of work to put it up here, cheers!
> 
> How did you find out about these trails in Peru? (Obviously your guide, but how about him?)


Thanks, glad you liked it. Actually this is Oaxaca State, Mexico. Our guide heard about this logging truck route from people in Puerto Escondido, he rode the last 3 days of it backwards (mostly uphill) in 18 hours. That would be hell.


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