As fun as it was to spend our days wandering the markets and our nights at drunken karaoke with locals, this vacation needed just a bit more physical activity. With the Sierra Norte tantalizingly close, an overnight trip to Cuajimoloyas seemed like the way to go.

Trail in the Sierra Norte

Until we heard the price, that is...$111. We'd decided just the previous night to go up to the mountains, and by Bicicletas Pedro Martinez's opening hour of 9AM, it was a little late to scramble for a cheaper option using local transport and our own hotels.

If we tried taking public transportation we also might have needed to wait until the following day, when we were already planning to head to the beach. We questioned the need for a guide (further cost-cutting measures) but Pedro insisted, and later we had to agree he was right.

Jasmine and the $5 poncho

Pedro, a former professional mountain-biking champion, offered us another option: $60 for a day trip including transportation, a guided hike, lunch, and a stopover in the weaving town Tlacolula. Despite the terrible injury he sustained after a motorcycle accident, leaving him limping with a cane and perhaps never riding again, Pedro asked with a hopeful smile if we wanted to ride bikes. I'm terrified of bicycles for rather irrational reasons, so I insisted on hiking only.

After breakfast in 20 de Noviembre mercado and buying $5 rain ponchos in Benito Juarez Mercado, we headed off in Pedro's jeep. The ride up was incredibly bumpy and foggy, making me grateful we weren't taking the bus. After about an hour of steady uphill climbing, we arrived in the tiny town of Cuajimoloyas.

At 3200 meters the damp mist was extra chilly. Here we signed in at the tourist office and met our Spanish-speaking guide, Octavio. According to Moon Guide to Oaxaca, Cuajimoloyas is the closest thing to a major metropolis this mountainous region offers. I noted 2 restaurants, so it must be true. The sign proclaiming a precise population of "1003" provided tremendous amusement.

We climbed this very sharp rock for great views. Probably should have taken the photo from ground level...looks less impressive here.

Humble houses in the mountains

Jasmine put on her cone-shaped poncho immediately, much to our merriment. I decided I'd wait until it rained for real.

We set off into the forest with our guide who essentially didn't speak to us unless telling us where to go...reminding me of the horse "guide" I had in Tupiza who was more of a handler with no information to impart. We trudged on a dirt path passing mountainside homes, saw some sweet puppies and chatted with a few locals also out for a walk.

But we wouldn't visit the Sierra Norte just to stroll on a path. We scrambled up slippery slopes covered in lava rocks, squeezed through trees, climbed into the mouth of a small cave, and perched on a giant rough boulder with amazing views of the valley. In some spots we had to remove our ponchos despite the rain, because the extra fabric flapping loose would have been dangerous.

Mountain resident with adorable puppy

Yummy simple meal of chocolate and salsa-eggs

Eventually the rain started in earnest, and the final rock climb was too slippery for me; I was amazed that Rubina and Jasmine made it up (with some help) in sneakers while I never felt comfortable with the grip my hiking boots had on the rock. After climbing up a few levels I was ready to come down.

We wound back down to the road, where Pedro and another man drove up and met us to make sure we were doing well. It was only a 45-minute walk back on the dirt path to Cuajimoloyas, but with a sudden urgent need to use the restroom, I opted for the 10-minute ride.

Despite the rustic appearance of the town, the visitor's center restroom is modern and well-maintained. Hey, some people like to know.

Back together in town, we visited Comedor Montaña for a late lunch. According to Pedro, their best dish was salsa and cheese, but they were out of cheese that day. We ate salsa and eggs instead, which was delicious and quite filling with the provided tortillas and crumbly pan dulce. A big bowl of piping hot chocolate con agua took the edge off the mountain air. After that satisfying meal, we were happy to head back to the pretty, bustling town of Oaxaca for a well-deserved night out.

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