Cuauhnahuac Museum, Cuernavaca (Morelos), 11.03.07

Map Navigation: This dynamic Trackmap shows the GPS track (red line) and some geo-referenced photos (red dots) of the cycling tour. Wheel up and wheel down your mouse to zoom in or zoom out the map. Click on any point in the map to center it on that point. Or just drag the map with your mouse. To see the photos, hoover the mouse over the red dots. Click on the photo to go to the picture page.

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

GPS Cycling Data:






Distance: 82 Km. Climb: 1064 m. Time: 3:06 hr, Average Speed: 26.2 Km/hr, Energy expended: 15.52 MJ, Cycling Power: 347 W

Travel Report:

This ride started at 10:30. I took the free highway to Cuernavaca and reached the Cuauhnáhuac Museum, in the center of Cuernavaca (Morelos state capital) at 13:10. Once there I proceeded to enjoy a detailed (and photographic) visit to this incredible Museum.

The Cuauhnáhuac Museum is housed in the oldest civil building in the whole country, with more than 450 years of existence. Another peculiarity is that there are three buildings built on the same site, one atop the other. First the Tlatlocayacalli temple, built by the indigenous Tlahuica people. Then came the Aztec conquest, which built the Cuauhnáhuac temple, over the Tlahuica building. Finally came the spanish conquest, which built the Cortés Palace (spanish conqueror Cortés residence), over the Aztec temple.

In the first room of this museum there are exhibited the bones of some prehistoric animals and also some obsidian prehistoric tools. In the following rooms are displayed a lot of pottery artifacts and ceremonial figures.

In the exhibitions are also presented stone buildings, as a Ball Game, religious statues, stellas, petroglyphs, sculptures, sacrificial offerings, paintings and even some Codex strips.

In the upper floor the murals painted by the famed muralist painter Diego Rivera can be appreciated. They are beautiful :-)

I think that all the Cuauhnáhuac museum riches can be best seen than talked, so I would kindly invite you to see them in the photos (and associated descriptions) lovely taken this time, at the following:

Photoset

On my way back to Mexico City, when I was reaching the Zapata Monument in order to take the free highway to Mexico, I decided that it was too late to attempt to return by bike, as it was almost 17:00 (I had taken a lot of time to visit the Museum !), so I aborted my cycling ride at that position and instead took a bus to Mexico :-(

(If you would be interested in a round Mexico City - Cuernavaca Center - Mexico City cycling ride, please have a look at my last week ride)

Thank you for reading :-)

Cuernavaca Center (Morelos), 04.03.07

Map Navigation: This dynamic Trackmap shows the GPS track (red line) and some geo-referenced photos (red dots) of the cycling tour. Wheel up and wheel down your mouse to zoom in or zoom out the map. Click on any point in the map to center it on that point. Or just drag the map with your mouse. To see the photos, hoover the mouse over the red dots. Click on the photo to go to the picture page.


Images

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

GPS Cycling Data:






Distance: 153 Km. Climb: 2600 m. Time: 6:14 hr, Average Speed: 24.57 Km/hr, Energy expended: 32.84 MJ, Cycling Power: 366 W

Travel Report:

This ride started at 10:30 (really late). The special feature about this experimental ride is that I was carrying no more than the cycling essentials (a new tube, the pump and tools to extract a tube), as I was trying to take the time required to make this ride to Cuernavaca, both ways on bike (going to the center of Cuernavaca (Cortes Palace) and _returning_ to Mexico City on the bike).

So this time I left back at home: my digital camera, my trusted Garmin 60 CSx GPS receiver, 6 AA batteries (2 of backup), my camera tripod, the hiking bag where I use to carry my electronics, a triple-sensored watch, the jacket and alternate shoes (for places where I can not walk with my carbon SPD cycling shoes), the handle-bars bag where I carry the jacket and shoes ... Ufff, a lot of stuff !

As you can see, I was riding really light :-) And this arrangement really paid off: I required only a little more than six hours to make the whole route ! From the center of Mexico City to the center of Cuernavaca, cycling return included ! As you can see: this route is 153 Km long, with a climbing of 2700 m. Nothing bad :-) But I had several problems with this experimental ensemble:

1. I couldn't take photos (as I wasn't carrying a decent digital camera)
2. My GPS track altimetry is not as precise as I am accustomed (as I was carrying only the wrist-watch Garmin Forerunner 205 GPS receiver, and not the de facto outdoor standard Garmin GPSMAP 60 CSx [Garmin dixit])
3. I couldn't visit the upper floor of the Cuauhnahuac Museum in the center of Cuernavaca (as my carbon sole and plaques of my SPD shoes were too hard to the recently re-newed wooden floor, or at least that was stated by the museum security) in order to admire the murals of Diego Rivera.
   

Of course, once I had re-made this route, these nuisances will be no more of concern, but now, I have to address these problems. How ? Re-making the route with at least the digital camera, the Garmin 60 CSx GPS receiver, required batteries, tripod, and some sort of disposable ultra-light shoes for the wooden floor of the museum, i.e. a couple of plastic bags :-)

So, here are the partial times of this experimental ride:

• Mexico City Center - Cuernavaca Center: 2:38 hr
  
• Cuernavaca Center - Zapata Monument: 0:23 hr
  
• Zapata Monument - Tres Marias: 1:32 hr
  
• Tres Marías - Parres: 0:37 hr
  
• Parres - Mexico City Center: 1:03 hr
  

Of course, I won't be able to replicate those times once I am again fully loaded with the electronic equipment, but anyway, it was fun taking those times. Farewell to them :-)

Now, let's go back to the Cuauhnáhuac Museum (target of the travel), located in the center of Cuernavaca. This museum is housed in the oldest civil building in all Mexico, with more than 450 years in existence ! This building was constructed over an even older Aztec temple (the Cuauhnahuac), which in turn, was also built over an even older Tlahuica temple: the Tlatlocayacalli !

I mean: this place has three buildings, one built over the other: first the Tlahuica temple (Tlatlocayacalli, erected by the original natives), the came the Aztec conquest of this territory and built the second (Cuauhnahuac) temple, over the Tlahuica one. Then came the Spanish conquest, which built the Cortés Palace, over the Aztec Temple, as we can see it nowdays. A hell of conquests, isn't it ?

This building is also known as the Cortes Palace, because it was the selected place of residence of Hernán Cortés (spanish conqueror of the Aztec empire), after he moved from Mexico City, in order to take hands on his then newly given (by the spanish crown) Marquesado (little kingdom).

The Cuauhnahuac Museum houses an impressive collection of archaeological findings, from pre-historical times, recovered from the whole Tlahuica culture (Morelos native people), as stone monuments, paintings, pottery artifacts, even mammoth bones ! On the second floor I was told there are exhibited the murals of Diego Rivera, but as I can not step on the wooden surface of the floor, I am unable to talk about them :-(

I will soon (hopefully next week) remake this route, taking into account my previous problems, so I will be able to give you a detailed (and photographic) account of the Cuauhnahuac Museum riches. Stay tuned :-)

Images (of the Garmin Forerunner 205 GPS track) ? In the link above. Thank you for reading.

Coatetelco Archaeological Site (Morelos). February 18th, 2007

Map Navigation: This dynamic Trackmap shows the GPS track (red line) and some geo-referenced photos (red dots) of the cycling tour. Wheel up and wheel down your mouse to zoom in or zoom out the map. Click on any point in the map to center it on that point. Or just drag the map with your mouse. To see the photos, hoover the mouse over the red dots. Click on the photo to go to the picture page.


Photoset Map

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

GPS Cycling Data:






Distance: 160 Km. Climb: 1816 m. Time: 6:28 hr, Average Speed: 24.74 Km/hr, Energy expended: 28.2 MJ, Cycling Power: 302 W

Travel Report:

This ride started early, before 09:00 ! Took the free highway to Cuernavaca, and after crossing it I headed to Alpuyeca, where I could see a Chinelos (carnival) dancing. Headed towards Miacatlán, where two beautiful lakes could be admired (El Rodeo and Coatetelco). Once in town, I proceed to visit the archaeological site and Museum in Coatetelco. The return was for a different route, this one shorter to Alpuyeca. From here I ran the last ascent from the tour, heading again to Cuernavaca (this time uphills).

Thank you for reading. Till the next travel.

Mexico City - Cuernavaca (Morelos) - Mexico City, 21.01.07

Map Navigation: This dynamic Trackmap shows the GPS track (red line) and some geo-referenced photos (red dots) of the cycling tour. Wheel up and wheel down your mouse to zoom in or zoom out the map. Click on any point in the map to center it on that point. Or just drag the map with your mouse. To see the photos, hoover the mouse over the red dots. Click on the photo to go to the picture page.

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

GPS Cycling Data:






Distance: 147 Km. Ascent: 2360 m. Time: 6:37 hr, Average Speed: 22.1 Km/hr, Energy expended: 29.3 MJ, Cycling Power: 308 W, Specific Power: 4.1 W/Kg.

Travel Report:

This ride started a little bit late (at about 11:00). Unfortunately, I couldn't take my digital camera with me this time, so I was unable to record some photographs of this tour. This was in part due to the nature of the ride, intended as a training ride, and not considered as a touristic one, owed to the fact that this route was not new to me (having done this route a number of times before). And taking photographs only of the Zapata (in the entrance of Cuernavaca) starts to appear a litte boring :-)

There was no traffic in the first leg of our journey. The route taken was the free highway to Cuernavaca. At 13:30 I reached the town of Tres Marías, and after that, it was all descent to Cuernavaca, arriving there half hour later. After resting another half hour there, I started the ascent to Tres Marías, arriving at this point at 16:15. After refuelling there my isotonic drink, I continued the remaining ascent to La Cima. After this point, the road is only descent to Mexico City, albeit a little bit dangerous for the high speeds attainable on the turns of this free highway. At the entrance of the city (full of traffic, by the way), I missed somehow the turn to take Tlalpan, so I had to make a big turn to Insurgentes and Periferico :-(

Thank you for reading. Till the next journey.

Xochicalco Archaeological Site + Cuernavaca (Morelos), 14.01.07

Map Navigation: This dynamic Trackmap shows the GPS track (red line) and some geo-referenced photos (red dots) of the cycling tour. Wheel up and wheel down your mouse to zoom in or zoom out the map. Click on any point in the map to center it on that point. Or just drag the map with your mouse. To see the photos, hoover the mouse over the red dots. Click on the photo to go to the picture page.

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

GPS Cycling Data:






Distance: 160 Km, Ascent: 1827 m, Time: 6:48 hr, Average Speed: 23.5 Km/hr, Energy: 26.95 MJ, Cycling Power: 275 W, Specific Power: 3.66 W/Kg.

Travel Report:

The road to the Archaeological Site of Xochicalco (House of the Flowers), in the neighboring state of Morelos, was our usual road to Cuernavaca: the free highway. After arriving at the equestrian statue of Zapata at the entrance of the city, I took the Libramiento in order to turn around the city (avoiding its traffic jam). Once surrounded, I retook the free highway to Acapulco, passing Temixco and Acatlipa, arriving at Alpuyeca. In Alpuyeca I turned to the right in order to arrive at the town of Xochicalco. The entrance of the archaeological site is located just a few kilometers after this town, but after a step ascent of ca. 15 % !

This archaeological site is really fabulous. For starters, its size is overwhelming. The visit to the site starts with a corridor that sides with a big pyramid. There is a small palm hut where a label with the name of the site can bee seen, along with a beautiful vista of the Lake El Rodeo. Raising the stairway appears the astonishing view of the Plaza of the Two Glyphs Stela. The two glyphs depicted in the stela erected in the middle of the Plaza (10 Acatl and 9 Reptile Eye) are related with the cult of the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl. The Plaza is an imposing ritual and ceremonial center, which is surrounded by the four sides by impressive religious and civic temples. The stela is located in the middle of the plaza, on the top of a square basement.

Continuing our tour on the left side of the Plaza, we arrived at another enormous stair cased pyramid, which will enable us to arrive at the following upper level of the site. It is a pity that I did not get the name of this last pyramid. After finishing climbing up, I arrived at the following level, where is located (among other buildings) the magnificent Pyramid of Quetzalcoatl (the Feathered Serpent). It features frizies (on all lateral slopes of the pyramid) depicting the Plummed Serpents (eight of the in total) colling around the sizes. There are even representations of Mayan peoples in the frizies of this pyramid ! I think this shows the clear influences (or even its creation) of the Mayan cultures (Olmecs-Xicallancas) in the building of this city. There is a recurrent glyph represented on the pyramid's slope: the 9 Reptile Eye, which is related to the New Fire. The New Fire was a ceremony performed every 52 years here, that symbolized the cyclic nature of the Universe, and its re-starting every 52 years, in the Aztec cosmogony.

Going to the end of the site, I arrived at the Acropolis, its highest area. This place was the residence of the rulers of the city. The Acropolis is clearly divided in two areas, one residential (where rooms and beds can be appreciated) and another ceremonial area (with four large areas and a central courtyard). After this points, I started walking back my steps in order to gain access to the exit of this beautiful and enormous archaeological site.

At about 17:00 I left the archaeological site, cycling now towards Xochicalco, Alpuyeca, Acatlipa, and Temixco, arriving finally at the city of Cuernavaca (Morelos state capital) at about 19:00, after an interesting ascent of more than 600 m, my last leg from Alpuyeca. I took the bus back home (at the Pullman Centro bus station, 63 pesos) at 20:00, after sightseeing some of the city, arriving safely 2 hours later in Mexico City.

Thank you for reading. Till the next journey !

Xochicalco Archaeological Site + Cuernavaca (Morelos), 08.10.06

Map Navigation: This dynamic Trackmap shows the GPS track (red line) and some geo-referenced photos (red dots) of the cycling tour. Drag the map with your mouse. To see the photos, click your mouse over the little red dots. Click on the photos to go to the picture page.

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

GPS Cycling Data:






Distance: 150 Km, Ascent: 1760 m, Time: 6:29 hr, Avg. Speed: 23.2 Km/hr, Max. Speed: 62.7 Km/hr.

Travel Report:

This journey was started by the author in Mexico City (2,240 m alt) at 12:20, a relatively late hour. But anyway, it is always a pain in the neck getting up early on Sundays ... The route we took was Tlalpan to the south, and later, the Free Highway to Cuernavaca. The plain terrain lasts about 15 Km (it was a little boring), but once the ascent starts, things got funny. The initial part of the ascent is the most demanding: But the traffic on the highway was smooth. The landscapes in this time of the year are beautiful, since the rain season has made all the hills greener and the tree foliage denser.

At 2,700 m elevation, we arrived at the Restaurant El MIrador, a place with a beautiful vista of the Mexico City Valley. Unfortunately, this vista was obstructed by a dense smog layer that impeded us from having a clear view of our valley, sorry. After taking some pictures, we continued the ascent to the summit, named La Cima (for a weather station in the surroundings), reaching it at 3,025 m, after 2 hours of cycling. This summit is nearly unimposing, because there is no clear indication where the peak is, so lets say that the Km 44 would mark the summit.

Descent starts and nothing could stop us before reaching the Zapata, in the entrance of Cuernavaca. This Zapata is an equestrian statue of the Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata, who fought (among others) Porfirio Díaz, the perennial president of the Mexican republic between 1876 and 1911. Zapata's motto was: "Land and Freedom". He is also quoted as stating: "The land belongs to those who work it". After taking some picture of his statue, i took the Toll Highway in order to avoid the bulk of Cuernavaca, preferring giving a big bypass to this city.

We took the road to Temixco, and Villa de las Flores, because I have planned the route to the archaeological site at Xochicalco going through the way to the airport and Tematla, preferring this route to the classical route to Alpuyeca first and then to Xochicalco. Now, I am not sure if this was the best approach. After a town named Acatlipa, we took the road to the airport, and then to Tetlama. This way was really hilly. Just ups and downs between hills and rivers. But heck, what else could i do but continue cycling ? At the end i arrived at Tetlama, a curious town in the middle of nowhere and at the top of a mountain. The cattle (big cebus) roamed here freely on the highway! I have never had to pass so near from a big cebu (1 m, and in a bike) so it was frightening to me, but somehow i managed to declare myself harmless to the big cebu that was standing in the middle of the road, so I could pass with no problem at all :-). At the end of Tetlama there is a road that took me straight to the archaeological site of Xochicalco.

I visited the museum and the entrance to the pyramids, but i could not continue further because i had arrived 20 minutes later than the last entry allowed hour. So, again, i took some photos of the place and decided to continue ahead the return tour to Cuernavaca. Taking now another path, this time I decided to go back to Cuernavaca using the road to Xochicalco and Alpuyeca. This one is a beautiful descent (300 m descent) with a highway in previous conditions. In the exit of Alpuyeca we stopped for some food (as i was starting to feel hungry). Alpuyeca has an elevation of 1,050 m, so we need some calories before we made the following ascent to Cuernavaca (at 1,550 m). The good news were that for this 500 m ascent we needed to ride 20 Km, so the slope would be only of 2.5 %. Certainly, something needed after 125 km and more than 1,500 m of gain ascent. Bad news was that again, we were losing solar light. The night loomed and it would be dark before we could arrive at Cuernavaca. But, what the heck, this wouldn't be our first (or last) ride in the night: alone and with no lights ...

This last leg of our journey was a little tricky, because there was a lot of traffic in Temixco, so i needed to bypass the cars using the middle "lane" (between both directions), but after Temixco, there was no more car jam. Our arrival at Cuernavaca was at 21:00 hrs, just in time to take some nocturnal photos of the Cuauhnahuac Museum in the center of the city. I proceed later to the Pullman Bus Terminal in order to take my bus back to Mexico City, arriving at 23:30. I could even manage to take the subway in order to be comfortably at home at 00:00 :-)

Thank you for reading. Till the next journey.

Ocotepec + Cuernavaca (Morelos), 14.05.06

GPS Track Video


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

GPS Cycling Data:







Distance: 160 Km, Ascent: 2130 m, Time: 7:45 hr, Avg Speed: 20.6 Km/hr, Max Speed: 59.4 Km/hr

Travel Report:

This ride was mainly a round trip Mexico City - Cuernavaca - Mexico City, with a visit to the town of Ocotepec, very near Cuernavaca. I went to Cuernavaca from Mexico City by the paid highway, and returned using the free highway :-) Since then I do prefer using the free highway, as I had a close encounter with a double truck on the paid highway (it touched my hand over the handle bars with its rear part. Thank God this gentle touch was harmless).

The town of Ocotepec, near the entrance of Cuernavaca is a beautiful one, with an ancient and beautiful convent. As I had to cycle my way back to the DF, as soon as I eat something, I went to the Zapata monument in the entrance of Cuernavaca in order to take the free highway to Mexico City to return.

I passed on my way back: the road to Huitzilac, Tres Marías, and Parres before arriving safe at home :-)

Thank you for reading. Till the next journey.

Cuernavaca (Morelos), 24.07.05

Photoset Show

Travel Report:

This was my first inter-urban, solo cycling ride in the highways ! It wasn't mean to have been rode solo, but as when I wake up that Sunday the cycling group I used to ride with had already departed, I had to make the route alone.

I decided to take the free highway to Cuernavaca, although the group has used the toll highway. I choosed the free highway because it is shorter, with only 70 Km between Mexico City and Cuernavaca.

When I arrived at the Cuauhnahuac Museum, in the center of Cuernavaca, it was a surprise to me meeting there the cycling group ! I had been able to make up a 3 hours delay and meet the group in Cuernavaca ! Not bad for a beginner, huh ?

After that, the group return to Mexico City via bus. I remained a little more in the city in order to eat and have a look at the city. I also returned to Mexico City via bus.

Thank you for reading. Till the next travel.