Trans-Mexico Part 2 Day #5 above Papalutla to Nuevo Paraíso

Trans-Mexico Part 2 - Day #5

January 6, 2023

above Papalutla to Nuevo Paraíso - 69 Km

Start 7:47am Finish 6:31pm

Total Duration 10:44

Moving Time 6:40

Stopped Time 4:04

Ascent 2,208m

Descent 1,429m

Tour Total 440km

Details at: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/110629550

I slept well up on the ridge above Papalutla. Last evening while setting up my tent I had a fantastic view of the sunset across the mountains. The moon was coming up from the east and was almost full. The site was level, and it was quiet and cool. No cars were on the road. I was in the middle of nowhere and doubted anyone would be using the road at night. I couldn’t hear anything aside from the wind rustling my tent.

I woke up with the light and my body was trashed, and it was a slow pack up. My phone was at 64% and my power pack was at 34%. As I was getting ready to depart my Wahoo refused to power on. I began to panic and contemplate alternate solutions. My phone used so much more power to navigate, and I had very little charge. Several times last night I had double checked that the Wahoo was recharging. At one point I could see the fully charged icon. I kept fussing with the gadget and it finally started. Did I need to carry an extra Wahoo for redundancy? I continued climbing up the ridge. I was wearing my jacket in addition to the usual kit, with no socks.

It was amazing to be near the top of this mountain, having started at the bottom and earned it. The 4,000' climb was one of the largest, longest ascents I’d ever accomplished. I continued around a curve, and thought that I could finally see the peak. This behemoth had tricked me so many times before. Once again I was wrong. It wasn’t the crest. I kept ascending. I reached a segment where I could see down into the next valley on the other side of the ridge, and I kept climbing.

At 8:24am and after another eleven kilometers of pedaling, I finally reached the top of the pass. To celebrate I sat down on a retaining wall and drank some water. There was a small hacienda across the road. A bull was eating out of a feed bag, and a man was chopping wood. I had a nice decent, and then started climbing again, following the ridgeline. A guy on a motorcycle passed me. At 9am I pulled over to eat the canned peaches I had purchased in Mexico City. I sat on a boulder on the side of the road. After my break I continued uphill.

The thing about hills is, no matter how endless they may sometimes seem, they eventually come to an end. And they're usually followed by a downhill. I went around a bend and could see a few radio towers on a hilltop ahead. My Wahoo indicated that Xixila was directly in front of me. It was 9:25am. I stopped at a depósito for a Boing! Néctar de Mango and Galletas chocolate Emperador (chocolate cookies). In addition I purchased water to refill my bottles. I plugged in a Duane Train episode and then continued forward, hoping for a descent.

I rode along the ridge and at 10am I hit the downhill into the next valley. I stopped to zip up my jacket. Towards the bottom of the hill I rode through the tiny pueblito of Tomatepec. A store was open, but I didn’t stop. Then I started climbing again. By 11am it was sunny and getting hot. It was another full-on climb. I pulled over in the shade to drink some water. Then I laid down for a moment and later donned my arm protectors.

I kept ascending. I stopped to take a photo of a construction sign, and a truck pulled up beside me. I was told that my compańero was a good distance behind me. I came to a T and took a right on the highway towards Olinalá. There was a watermelon stand and I stopped. The owner's name was Paulie and, as it turned out, he had worked in my hometown of Cincinnati. We talked about the Bengals and he said that he had met one of their players. He used to watch their games at Hooters.

Afterwards I rode down the valley and into Olinalá. There was a large market in the center of town and I went across the street to El Asador del Maestro. They had a large chicken rotisserie, and their logo resembled Los Pollos Hermanos from 'Breaking Bad'. I ordered a chicken breast and drumstick, rice, beans, and salad. Once again there was an outlet at my table so I could recharge my devices. I checked my messages and heard from Patrick who was also being battered by the brutal climbing and heat. He was planning to stay here tonight in Olinalá. I let Michele know that I was falling further behind schedule, and I also heard from fellow bike-packer Jeff who was kicking back down in Columbia. He wondered why I hadn't been posting on my blog, and I tried to explain how difficult it was. Jeff did the first half of the TransMexico last year and was riding just a few weeks ahead of me. He also inspired me to do the Great Divide northbound. He did the American section in 2020. It was 1:30pm and I needed to push on, even though I knew the next climb was going to be tough. I was still hungry so I ordered a second lunch. When I left my phone was at 84% and my power-pack was at 43%.

I went next-door to a grocery store to purchase water. After filling my water bottles I got an ice cream cone from a street vendor. While I was standing there, Patrick rolled in and we had a nice chat. His pump had broke and he had bought a new one, but it only worked with Schrader valves. He needed a Schrader to Presta converter, or a Presta pump. I let him use my pump to top off his tires. A Schrader to Presta converter is essential gear. He was carrying only one CO2 canister. Like me, Patrick was also wearing sandals, although he had socks. He complained about the poor nutrition and a lack of energy as a result. He had also been taking breaks and laying down on the side of the road.

The sun was full blast and it was hot. On my way out of town I stopped at a PemEx for a Gatorade. I began a long climb that didn’t seem any worse than yesterday, except for one extremely steep section where I had to walk. Right before La Liberdad two military vehicles passed me going the other direction. There were guys standing in the back holding semi-automatic rifles.

A rider had posted on Bikepacking.com that the climb out of Olinala was a bitch. The road did crazy squiggle switchbacks to ascend the enormous mountain. It took me two hours to go thirteen kilometers and the elevation gain was 2750'. The sun slowly began to descend and I enjoyed the shade and cooler temperature.

Right before the tiny village of Nuevo Paraíso I passed a guy pulled over on the side of the road with a giant plastic container in the back of his pick-up truck. He was pumping water into the tank from a source on the side of the road. He later passed me going into town.

I finally reached the top of the pass, and could see a large full moon in the distance. I pulled into Nuevo Paraíso and kept my fingers crossed that I could get some beer. A Miscelania was open and I purchased four cans of Victoria and a bag of tostadas.

It was starting to get dark and a big full moon was rising in the east. It didn’t take me long to find a wild camping spot outside of town. I found a dirt track that led down into some trees and I set up my tent in a stealthy spot where I enjoyed cold beer and tostadas. My Wahoo ended the day at 58%. After I charged it my battery pack was down to 36%. I was at 7100’ elevation.