(Photos by Logan Watts)
In Oaxaca I rode my custom Rob English steel break apart rigid single speed 2-9. It packs in an S&S coupler suitcase, so travel was a cinch. I guess it’s headed toward vintage now, dating from 2010. It was geared 32 x 19, with a 2.3 Teravail Ehline in back and a 2.6 Schwalbe Nobby Nic in front.
The San José del Pacífico tour is not exactly single speed friendly, which I knew in advance, but I kinda cornered myself into it. I put the beloved English up on social media mildly suggesting that I was considering riding it in Mexico. Everyone—Cass, Logan, Jess, random strangers, my wife, probably Cass’s dog Huesos—pounced to tell me I was doomed and to definitely not do that. Of course I replied with bravado and shit talk about being a single speeder for decades and how people need to shut the hell up. That kinda committed me. Which was glorious and great but also colossally stupid because I’m old. Obviously, it was the perfect bike for the job and I enjoyed the challenge. It was also fun to do some rugged day rides (including a shuttle day at Ixtepedi Enduro Park) on the English.
I traveled with minimal gear: A Six Moon Designs Ultralight Serenity NetTent, a pad, a 40 degree quilt, and an emergency bivvy in case it rained, plus some spare clothes in the front roll and tools and essentials in the frame bag. I had additional room in the frame bag for day snacks and two Modelo Especials, and I had a tiny packable backpack for carrying dinner to camp.
I figured it would be dry and warm enough to want to sleep under the stars, but with enough crawling critters so that I’d want to be behind some netting. The NetTent was mostly a great choice, though dew on my quilt at 3am a couple of nights had me concerned. The sun dried things out pretty quickly. If I had to pick out one thing that was perfect, it would be the Search and State short sleeved field shirt. The puckered cotton fabric kept me airy and cool all day every day, and the buttons and collar felt respectable while off the bike in the many pueblitos.
My full lightweight (but not ultralight or racing) packing list is here. Gear-wise, I’m pretty pleased with the fact that I used just about everything I brought and didn’t find myself wanting for much. The emergency bivy only came out once because I thought it would be cold at 9000 feet, but that night turned out to be balmy.
I do wish I had brought my set of Snowpeak titanium sake cups. They would have be clutch for drinking mezcal. (And the ti mug I brought—and didn’t dangle—went mostly neglected.)