Cortes Pass + Amecameca (Mexico), 20.11.05

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GPS Cycling Data: Distance: 64.1 Km, Ascent: 1715 m, Time: 5:01 hr, Avg Speed: 15.1 Km/hr, Max Speed: 51 Km/hr

Travel Report:

This ride started in La Paz eastern sub-urban train terminal station. I took the paid highway to Puebla. Before the Huixtoco toll collect station I took the Amecameca deviation. After I short stop in Amecameca, I continued my road to the 3700 meter high Cortes Pass.

I don't remember at what time did I leave my house that day, but it was certainly late. So I arrived late at Amecameca. On my way to the Cortes Pass I rode first to the nearby town of Nexapa. After this last town in the route, only pure ascent on my way to the summit awaited for me.

I don't remember at what time did I arrived at the Cortes Pass summit, but it was really late. There was no much solar light then :-(

I could take some photographs of the incredible vistas on that mythical summit. You can have a look of the Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl volcanoes as seen from the Cortes Pass summit at the following photoset.

Later I descended to Amecameca, from where I could take some pictures of this beautiful city. Some buildings that are worth paying a visit are its Cathedral, Municipal Palace and Central Park (kiosk inluded). Later I started my return trip to Mexico City.

Meanwhile, my wife, who had arrived to Amecameca independently (not by bicycle), had been very active photographing some beautiful pictures of Amecameca, and particularly, from the beautiful and not so known Park of Sacromonte, up ahead over a hill surrounding Amecameca. These pictures show one of the most intriguing church I had ever seen in my life ... The church in the upper part of the Sacromonte looks like a very ancient and abandoned church in Transylvania, if you allow me the comparison. Please have a look at this mystic church at the following photoset.

Thank you for reading. Till the next journey.

Actopan (Hidalgo), 06.11.05

Map Navigation: This dynamic Trackmap shows the GPS track (red line) of the cycling tour. Wheel up and wheel down to zoom in or zoom out. Click on any point in the map to center it on that point. Or just drag the map with your mouse.

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GPS Track: GPX (MapSource, et al.) or KMZ (Google Earth)

GPS Cycling Data: Distance: 111.6 Km, Ascent: 445 m, Time: 4:15 Hr, Avg. Speed: 26.2 Km/hr, Max. Speed: 60.1 Km/hr.

Travel Report:

I made this ride cycling along the paid highway to Pachuca, capital of the northern state of Hidalgo. After arriving to Pachuca I took the western deviation to Actopan. Although the road conditions along the sideway of the highway to Pachuca had been in general acceptable, after Pachuca and in Actopan direction the road becomes worst, with a lot of holes on the pavement. This is particularly critic as one nears Actopan.

Along the route impressive vistas could be appreciated. For example, the view of the train in Tecamac, or the hills near the San Pedro summit, or the small lakes lost in the middle of that desert. A vivid image I do remember is the mountains view at the Arenal, called Los Frailes. Pure desert and wind, but miraculously, beautiful diminutive flowers also :-)

Once I arrived at Actopan, I headed towards it center, where the beautiful Augustine convent of San Nicolas de Tolentino is located. An impressive stone cross stands before the entrance of the convent. And when the convent lights went on, a magnificent view of the entrance corridor along its interior park could be appreciated. You can have a look at the photos in the following photoset.

Thank you for reading. Till the next journey.