¡El Tour  offered

no-frills

NO-FRILLS We discovered the beauty of cycle touring in México while travelling on a budget, solo and in small groups, and shared this kind of adventure for two decades. We taught novices the nuts and bolts of independent touring — we never used support wagons — and offered challenging routes and side trips for experienced cyclists; itineraries could be modified en route to suit the group.

guided, self-supported bike tours of the Pacific coast, the western Sierra Madre mountains, the Yucatán peninsula, and the southern states of Chiapas, Tabasco and Oaxaca.

Eating and sleeping

EATING AND SLEEPINGAlong the way we slept and ate where the locals do — simple, inexpensive yet charming rooms. As a rule of thumb, less expensive places almost always have more authentic taste and charm, and the locals were always warm and pleasantly surprised by the uncommon sight of travellers on bicycles.

where the locals do, we went inn-to-inn and ate at local markets and eateries. Our small group tours were limited to 8 to 10 cyclists, plus your 2 friendly, fun and knowledgeable tour guides.

Tours lasted 1, 2, 3 weeks or longer, ran between October and March (and sometimes July too), and ranged in difficulty from light to regular to challenge. Here's a typical day of touring with us:

One Fine Day…

ONE FINE DAY…Have an early morning snack and pack up your panniers. You can hear the surf crashing onto the beach as you emerge from your room. The rest of the group is already gathering in the hotel courtyard.

Together you set off into a chorus of sound and colour as Mexico awakens. On the road you snack on fresh tropical fruit, stop to enjoy a breathtaking view, dive into a crystal-clear cenote pool, or explore an abandoned hacienda.

Soon you take a breakfast stop at a pristine beach or a small village restaurant. Farm-fresh eggs a la Mexicana with handmade tortillas and homemade salsa fuel you until lunch. Cycling on, you come to some Mayan ruins, or a cave, or maybe just stop to gaze at the endless ocean from atop hundred-metre-high cliffs.

In the early afternoon you arrive at today's destination and head straight to the colourful market for lunch. After a plate of Mexican stuffed peppers, or fresh Veracruz-style fish, you explore the market and marvel at the amazing array of offerings.

You go to your hotel, wash up and settle in. Joel fixes that annoying squeak on your bike while Basil goes to get a 20L jug of purified water for everyone. After a refreshing shower you head out to explore the town.

Your wanderings bring you back to the group for dinner. Tacos, quesadillas and guacamole sate your hunger, washed down with a refreshing beer or a margarita.

Later, you head for the town square, buzzing with activity — this is where the locals visit with each other. Before calling it a night, remember to shop for your morning snack…

Every minute was a highlight! Jungles and emerald rainforests echo with the sounds of exotic birds. Majestic mountains plunge into the Pacific ocean and offer great challenge and breathtaking views. You could surf, laze on lustrous white-sand beaches or dive in azure waters teeming with sea life and coral gardens.

Colonial cities boast delightful architecture and art. Carnaval explodes onto the scene with fireworks, animated parades and energetic music. Stand in awe before the many ancient Mayan and Olmec cities.

Mexican culture and people

THE PEOPLE OF MEXICOThere is an incredible mix of cultures in Mexico. About 50 indigenous languages are spoken as a mother tongue by more than 7 million people, of whom about 15% don't speak Spanish. The people we met varied from pure Spanish to pure indigenous descent, and everything in between; in some places African culture is also evident. Among the indigenous peoples we encountered are Nahua (descendants of the Aztecs), Maya, Zapotec, Mixtec, Purépecha, Huichol, Tzotzil and Tzeltal, though most Mexicans are Mestizo. With all this diversity, one common aspect: people were always warm and friendly, and genuinely curious about the bicycle-mounted traveller.

will warm your heart and astound you with their incredible diversity. The enormous variety of food and drink will tantalize your taste buds and satisfy your well-earned hunger.