Bicycle Touring in Northern Mexico
Cycling across the Tropic of Cancer, the exact northern boundary of Earth’s Tropical Zone.
We started our bikepacking journey in Ushuaia and have traveled across South and Central America. Coming into Mexico, the third last country of the trip, we have some serious decisions to make…
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After more than a year on the road, we have arrived at the final chapter of our journey: North America!
Hola, Mexico!
While cycling trips across Mexico are mostly positive and unforgettable experiences, it does require some planning and preparation on the cyclist’s side, as safety can be a concern. Best is to consult official travel advisories, follow up on the local news, and ask fellow cyclists in WhatsApp groups, bikepacking.com and other forums which routes are recommended… and which ones you better stay away from.
Cycling out of Oaxaca City…
… we faced a massive climb in the hottest temperatures yet on this trip. The scenery, however, was mesmerising, with wooded foothills slightly cooling off the air. But what goes up, must come down. Descending down the endlessly winding road gave our tired brakes a serious workout!
What we saw around us, was nothing short of a desert dream kingdom. Flying vultures above our heads, roadrunners crossing the street right in front of our wheels, and towering cactus by our side. We later identified these giants as Pachycereus weberi, one of the largest cactus in the world!
← My futile attempt to imitate these desert behemoths.
Oaxaca’s Peaceful Camp Spots
Far away from the crowds, we sang songs with the waxing moon and witnessed the desert come alive at night. With mostly dispersed communities and towns, we enjoyed camping in remote natural areas of rock, forest and desert.
But however small the communities may be, in Mexico you don’t go hungry for very long. We always looked for roadside fondas or taquerias, where we had some of the best meals of the trip. No reason to make our own peanut butter and jelly wraps, when we could gorge on fresh food for a very reasonable price!
Our personal favourites are tlayudas, mole and huevos rancheros. But more commonly, we would order the typical menú del día, including soup and a drink.
Puebla’s Fast-paced Environment
Entering Puebla, our third state by bike, we noticed a change in the rhythm of life. Things got busier, as cities were strung together closely like beads on a bracelet, ensuring that we rode faster and harder. We continued to eat well, but finding a place to camp was difficult. More often than not, we were forced to find a cheap motel or ask people for help.
Here, we were camped beneath the local police office. →
Planning our way around Mexico City
Looking at the map, we felt discouraged by the clusters of large cities and suburbs, especially around El DF— short for Mexico City.
Feeling the time pressure to finish our journey this year still, we decided to take a bus in Puebla and skirt around the capital city.
The greater metropolitan area of Mexico City holds about 22 million people, so you can only imagine the time — and energy — it would take to cycle across the chaos. If we had more time, we would have loved spending a couple weeks there to explore architectural and historical sites, but you can’t have it all, even on a bike trip. We boarded a bus up north, dropping us off in San Luis Potosí, where we recommenced our journey by bike.
The Altiplano of San Luis Potosí
What we found in the state of San Luis Potosí was the solitude and safety we had been looking for. The beauty of the high desert was just what we needed. We followed train tracks across the plateau for the longest time, where a lone freight train would pass a few times a day. An odd sight to behold in the desert, faraway from towns and settlements.
Real de Catorce: a Sanctuary for Shamans and Swiss Entrepreneurs
A Magical Town…
We were weaving our way through the mountains for a very special visit. Many Mexicans recommended us to go see Real de Catorce, a famous “pueblo magico” with great spiritual significance.
It’s always a good idea to follow suggestions from locals, so we veered off the beaten path, struggling to climb the cobble stones. But what awaited us on top of the mountain, was worth every bead of sweat…
Once a thriving mining town turned ghost town, has now become a safe haven for pilgrims, tourists and a handful of locals.
Famously known for its presence of peyote cactus and sacred sites, Real de Catorce is popular with Catholic pilgrims and Huichol shamanists for spiritual purposes. Peyote contains mescaline, a psychoactive ingredient that causes vivid hallucinations.
As we finally reached the town’s plaza, we felt elevated. It had been a hard day cycling and pushing our bikes uphill, and it was exciting to arrive in this extraordinary village, following a trail of cobblestone streets, crumbling roofs, and colorful walls.
Mere minutes into our arrival, we got talking to one of the residents. That someone was Thomas, a Swiss hotel-owner and cycling enthusiast who lives in Real de Catorce together with his Mexican spouse Petra. He offered us a place to stay and invited us over for dinner. We couldn’t believe our luck!
We rolled out our sleeping pads in the house he showed us, enjoyed dinner in the hotel, and had a lovely evening getting to know the village. Especially meeting Thomas and his friends deeply impressed us. He seems to be doing a thousand things at once: cyclist, husband, hotelier, event organiser, trail blazer, … You name it, and he’s involved.
The next morning , Thomas was so kind to offer us a ride down the mountain, an offer we couldn’t refuse. After all, we’d had enough cobble stones for a while! Driving down the mountain, we looked in the rearview mirror with a deep sense of peace and gratitude. Such a special place, with special plants, and special people…
And for those who are curious: No, we didn’t participate in any peyote ceremonies. :)
Across the Desert Plains of Coahuila
Our last few weeks in Mexico were more or less uneventful and simple:
Get up at the ‘crack of dawn.
Ride.
Drink water with salt and/or electrolytes. Repeat.
Escape the midday heat underneath a large cactus.
Ride until the sun sets.
Camp.
Do it again.
Small towns, lonely highways, deserts filled with Joshua trees, and old chapels. Those were our accomplices in our rather rushed ride across Northern Mexico. The terrain in the state of Coahuila was rather flat, and we were making many miles before nightfall. Thanks to its remoteness and lack of large towns, we got treated to some of the best dark night skies of the entire trip.
“A Brave New World” — The United States
And before long, a new horizon emerged before our eyes: The border with the United States…
But that’s a story for another day.
Thanks for reading along!
