We got up at sunrise and left Puerto Escondido without breakfast, since the local restaurant opened only at 9 am. As usual, we made a quick stop at Pemex to fill up the tanks and check the tire pressure; gas stations are few and far between on the road to Oaxaca.
The climb through Sierra Madre del Sur was slow, at an average speed of no more than 25 mph (40 km/h), but beautiful. The road was very curvy, some stretches with potholes, but all rock and mud slides from the recent rains had been cleared. Slow moving trucks, hundreds of “topes” and occasional donkeys, cows and dogs on the road just added to the overall excitement.
The road passed through a number of villages, as we ascended to 7,000 ft (2,100 m). We stopped for lunch at a small family restaurant in San Pedro Juchatengo and filled our stomachs with juicy carne asada (grilled meat) and fresh coconut juice. At another quick stop in Villa Sola de Vega, we were immediately surrounded by a group of curious local people and took part in a quick photo shoot session.
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Vadim Surrounded by Supporters at a Quick Stop in Villa Sola de Vega
We reached Oaxaca just in time, since it started raining soon after we parked our motorbikes in the inner courtyard of the hotel. This is the first rain in more than three weeks on our journey! For dinner, we both had “mole negro”, one of the seven “moles” that Oaxaca is so famous for. It had a rich chocolate taste. Yum!
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Molle Negro de Fandango at La Olla Restaurant in Oaxaca
Routes taken: local roads from Puerto Escondido to Oaxaca
Miles ridden: 159 miles (256 km)
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