The Freewheelin Jon
Wednesday 9 November 2016
Riding the Valley Train Again
The archival picture shows a Haifa cycling group (Macaabi Club) taken at Afula Station (circa 1927), their front wheels lined up along the narrow gauge rail-line of the original Jezreel Valley Railway. We tried to emulate our predecessors with a picture of our group taken on arrival at Beit Shean Station. We could not pose next to the rail track itself due to modern safety and security regulations!
The point of origin of the service to Beit Shean is Atlit. Most of our riders alighted the train at Hof HaCarmel,Haifa, but others joined at Haifa Center- HaShemona, Yokneam-Kfar Yehoshua, and Migdal HaEmek-Kfar Baruch. The journey from from Hof HaCarmel to Beit Shean took an hour.
The bike group took an early morning train which at this hour was running wagons of the oldest rolling stock, single- decker Alstom carriages.On these, no designated carriages for bicycles were available, consequently we had to cram the bikes in the isles and the doorway entrances. Luckily there weren't many other passengers travelling, so there was minimum disruption, Our return from Beit Shean was on Bombardier double-decker carriages, with the bike designated carriage. It was a pleasure to use this facility, although there were plenty of other cyclists too, so it was quite crammed with up to 20 bikes. It will doubtless prove to be a popular service for cyclists.
The experience of riding the re-born valley railway evoked the atmosphere of a previous era, with many of the vistas remaining much the same - the wide expanses of fields boarded by hills to the north and south - although there were very few sightings of the original structures connected with the Valley Railway. On arrival at the Beit Shean station entrance, we found a nice touch, a poster with the historical overview and information on the original railway.
I am sure Beit Shean station, as well as the other stops on the Valley Railway, will prove to be excellent starting points for bike rides. We chose to do a route in the valley, through the Beit Shean Nature Reserve, following the Harod Stream with its 'green' waterfall, to Kibbutzim Ein Harod/Tel Yosef. There is a convenient underpass at this point, under the railway line, for the use of pedestrians and cyclists. Then climbing into the hills we had a great view of the valley below and of course saw the impressive rail line dissecting the valley and the train plying its new journey.
Riding the Valley Train Again
The archival picture shows a Haifa cycling group (Macaabi Club) taken at Afula Station (circa 1927), their front wheels lined up along the narrow gauge rail-line of the original Jezreel Valley Railway. We tried to emulate our predecessors with a picture of our group taken on arrival at Beit Shean Station. We could not pose next to the rail track itself due to modern safety and security regulations!
The point of origin of the service to Beit Shean is Atlit. Most of our riders alighted the train at Hof HaCarmel,Haifa, but others joined at Haifa Center- HaShemona, Yokneam-Kfar Yehoshua, and Migdal HaEmek-Kfar Baruch. The journey from from Hof HaCarmel to Beit Shean took an hour.
The bike group took an early morning train which at this hour was running wagons of the oldest rolling stock, single- decker Alstom carriages.On these, no designated carriages for bicycles were available, consequently we had to had to cram the bikes in the isles and the doorway entrances. Luckily there weren't many other passengers travelling, so there was minimum disruption, Our return from Beit Shean was on Bombardier double-decker carriages, with the bike designated carriage. It was a pleasure to use this facility, although there were plenty of other cyclists too, so it was quite crammed with up to 20 bikes. It will doubtless prove to be a popular service for cyclists.
The experience of riding the re-born valley railway evoked the atmosphere of a previous era, with many of the vistas remaining much the same - the wide expanses of fields boarded by hills to the north and south - although there were very few sightings of the original structures connected with the Valley Railway. On arrival at the Beit Shean station entrance, we found a nice touch, a poster with the historical overview and information on the original railway.
I am sure Beit Shean station, as well as the other stops on the Valley Railway, will prove to be excellent starting points for bike rides. We chose to do a route in the valley, through the Beit Shean Nature Reserve, following the Harod Stream with its 'green' waterfall, to Kibbutzim Ein Harod/Tel Yosef. There is a convenient underpass at this point, under the railway line, for the use of pedestrians and cyclists. Then climbing into the hills we had a great view of the valley below and of course saw the impressive rail line dissecting the valley and the train plying its new journey.
Friday 15 November 2013
Israel Bike Trail Redux in the Golan
Nearly four years ago, on a chilly, rainy, morning, I pedalled off into the mist from Neve Ativ, on the start of my ambition to ride the length of Israel, end to end. Four years on, I decided that it was high time to revisit the Israel Bike Trail, at its very start. Maybe now there was some indication that the IBT was actually becoming a reality in the area. If not, perhaps I could construct an improved route across the Golan when compared with my 2009 version.
So last week, I took two days out, and I found myself again on the bus to Kiryat Shemona. On arrival at the bus station I transferred to the local GolanBus (golanbus.co.il) service to Neve Ativ. This is a welcome development since my last journey here, when I had to rely on a taxi to take me up the mountain with the bike stuffed dangerously into the trunk. The GolanBus was comfortable, with plenty of room for bikes in the hold, and the ride up to Neve Ativ took around 30 minutes - all for 20sheks!. This will be a very useful service for anybody planning to ride the IBT in the future.
As I suspected, on arrival in Neve Ativ, there was no indication that this is the start of the IBT. No sign or map for the end to end cyclist to have a photo taken next to, just the same sad fake snowman with a map of the village. Surely it would be a good idea, for the Israel Bike Trail Committee to at least erect a sign indicating that this will be the planned start of the end to end in the future. It would show ambition, be encouraging for the cycle-tourist, and complement the sign already erected in Eilat, indicating the end of the trail.
So it was clear that the IBT still does not exist in this area (the only completed sections are in the Negev, from Mitspe Ramon southwards), however, I discovered the next best thing - The Golan Trail ( http://www.golan.org.il/shvil/ ). This is a north south trail bisecting the Golan Heights designed for walkers and cyclists, which is well signposted, with regular information points. I am certain it can be the basis for the future end to end trail.
I connected with the Trail at the settlement of Nimrod and rode it, more or less, with only a few detours, to Ein Zivan, where I left to head in a more westerly direction towards the Jordan Valley. It's a rewarding experience, consisting of a variety of riding surfaces from asphalt to some rocky single-track, and everything in between. However, the real treat, is that you are unlikely to go hungry riding on this trail. On the narrow lanes above the Birkat Ram lake are fruit orchards, and at this time of the year, lovely juicy apples were in season. I grabbed one and pedalled on.
Plenty of other surprises lie in store for end to end riders. There are a couple extinct volcanos to climb, one Har Odem, has a quarry of multicoloured rocks, and The Hermonit, has a very tricky descent to negotiate (there will have to be a warning sign here for cyclists to dismount!). Then I found myself almost on the Syrian border at the memorial for fallen soldiers. Here was a good place to take a reflective break and think what happened 40 years ago during the Yom Kippur War, and stare out over the border to Kuneitra, and look for any signs of the the conflict there. All seemed quiet. I was not alone, as quite a few tourist buses stop here, and a local Druze farmer sells fruit, pitta, and lebene - so I could reload with good natural energy supplies!
The ride continued between old minefields, where there were reassuring warning signs to stick to the marked paths, which of course, I did! Amongst the natural beauty there are plenty other reminders of the military and conflict, which all adds to the 'excitement' of the experience, and further on near Ortal , there were tanks gathering for an exercise and helicopters hovering overhead.
At sunset I descended to the Jordan Valley using the trails above Nahal Gilabon which twist and turn and drop down to the river at an alarming degree, but all very rideable, if care is taken. The view is stupendous! I finished at Kibbutz Gadot, where I had booked a room for the night.
I think, overall, I had found a viable routing for the IBT, and certainly better than my 2009 version, and I hope it's not too long before we see that ride-start sign at Neve Ativ.
Sunday 12 June 2011
Segmented Orange in Scotland
This is a very short Blog from Scotland for the reason it was very short tour.
The instant I heard the crack, then the tyre rubbing against the frame, I instinctively knew my tour was over, on the very first day. The sinking response of the bike was soon duplicated in the pit of my stomach and as I got off to inspect the cause, it was apparent I had suffered a major structural failure. The lower stay of the rear suspension triangle was split as if some malevelent creature had sawn right through it.
As I don't usually carry a blow-torch for welding as part of my repair kit, nor do I have spare frame in my backpack, there was no choice but to abandon my trip, and get the bike back to the manufacturer, Orange, in Halifax, England.
It has since been repaired , with a new improved rear end, but too late for me to resume my coast to coast route in Scotland. The company gave me excellent service, as might be expected, when such a design fault has the potential to cause serious injury or worse. If Orange were Toyota, the bike would have been called back long ago !
As regards riding the Scottish Borders , what I saw for the few hours I was there, will ensure I get back in the near future, this time, with an unsegmented Orange !
Saturday 21 May 2011
Haifa to Tel Aviv
So maybe it was in that spirit one evening last week on the spur of the moment, I decided that the next day, I would get up early, pack a few sandwiches, fill up the water bottles, and ride my bike to Tel Aviv.
I concluded that my route would have to be as off-road as possible, and definitely avoiding any major highways. That was the challenge, I always need a challenge ! My revolutions would not be motorized, only I would allow myself the indulgence of getting down to the starting point by car, and after coming back by bus from TA, using the car again to climb Mount Carmel to my home. I calculated that after pedaling for around 100k, I wouldn't feel guilty about doing that familiar ascent home with the aid of fossil fuel.
The next day dawned grey. The weather, as forecast, was to be dry, dusty and overcast; that could be regarded as optimum conditions for the task ahead and as I pushed off from Hof HaCarmel, at around 06.15, the express train to Tel Aviv was also pulling out of the station on its 50 minute commute. I wondered how long my parallel journey would take. The train apparently averages 85kph to achieve this. I set myself the target of averaging 15kph to be able to complete the comparatively longer cycling route, in time to catch a bus back north at 14.45
The route I chose worked out pretty well. The riding was a mixture of trails, paths, side-roads, beach promenades, and urban thoroughfares. There were a few places that required a little bike carrying , such as a drainage ditch in the Ma'agan Michael fish ponds, the Nahal Hadera stream, or the sand dunes around Or Akiva, but no major obstacles to speak of. A detour was necessary when my front wheel became stuck in a swamp of raw sewage in a field next to the main coastal highway at Jisr El Zarka. This all added to the unique atmosphere of my journey
Travelling this alternative way along a major axis of communication in the country, enables one to feel, see, touch, (and smell !) much that is lost in the blur of speed when travelling by road or rail. The slower pace generates encounters with people and places normally pushed to the fringes of one's reality: Thai workers singing in the banana plantations, fishermen in deep and silent contemlpation of the Poleg Lake, tourists sun-catching on the Netanya promenade, Phillapina maids in Kfar Shmariyahu pushing babies while talking on their cell-phones (probably very long distance).
And yes, there were a few other cyclists to wave to and even have a word with; some incredulous at the scope of my journey, many just going about life on errands, carrying fishing rods, building materials, or even collecting waste tin cans. The wonderful ubiquitous uses for a bike, sometimes as beast of burden.
Seven hours after leaving the Hof HaCarmel promenade I was rolling on to the Tel Aviv promenade at Reading Power Station. My GPS gave me a distance of 104kms completed, which included the sewage and other diversions, around 10% more than I had calculated.
I managed to catch that bus back with enough time to have had a self-congratulatory beer at Tel Aviv port, I called it my '100k 1/2 litre', never had Goldstar tasted better ! The bus was crowded, standing room only, and after pushing my bike into the baggage hold, I managed to squeeze on before the driver closed the door behind my back. A girl soldier proffered me her seat, I wasn't quite sure if the gesture was for a senior citizen (ok, I admit it) or for a senior citizen cyclist who has just broken 100k (which she couldn't have known). Either way, it was a hard reality check !
The bus journey on the coastal highway, took 70 minutes, it was like playing a film in reverse at double speed
Sunday 3 April 2011
Israel Bike Trail Inaugural Ride
Saturday 6 November 2010
Cycling in the Time of Climate Change
You don't have to be a meteorologist or scientist to notice there is a change in the seasonal weather patterns. You only need to be a mere outdoor enthusiast who marks and notes the conditions each time when venturing out for an activity under the open sky. Something is definitely happening up there in the vast blue yonder
I have been noting temperatures for twenty years now whilst logging the rides of the Carmel Mountain Bike Club. The ride last Shabbat had unusually high temperatures for the season, as indeed had two of the three previous rides - tyre melting mid 30's ! Riding up mountains (struggling in my case!) towards the middle of November with a sun beating down at 37C is definitely cause for concern. This is a new experience for us all in the club, and affects the performance of the riders and the planning of the routes.
For those of you who take an interest in the burning issue of cycling in the time of climate change here are the temperatures over the last 5 years taken on approximately the same date of a club ride (early November, in Israel):
2005 20C
2006 22C
2007 29C
2008 28C
2009 32C
2010 36C
One doesn't have to have a degree in statistics or climatology, to take note of the pattern above.
And so it was , on the ride, last Shabbat, when the club met at Rama in the Lower Galillee in Northern Israel.
The early morning climb through the olive groves to Deir el Assad was pleasant enough. The olive picking season is underway (perhaps a little earlier this year - the climate, again!) and we had to bypass the local villagers in their beat-up pick-ups scrambling up the slopes to start the tree beating. We continued up the road to the sound of music from the fields at Parod, a more commercial festival of the Olive Season.
We went on up to Shefer, by way of a very over-grown, un-rideable, jungle of a trail, but at least we were pleased on the shade it afforded. By the time we reached Amirim we were ready for a breakfast-break, admiring the fantastic view over the Galillee Mountains.
Afterwards, the temperatures were climbing, but we didn't really care, as we were descending, down the dusty 500 metres drop to Nahal Amud. This is one of one of the best mountain biking descents in the country, and we made the most of it. Broad smiles all round.
The atmosphere changed in the mid-day sun, as we climbed up from Nahal Amud to Ein Livnim. My energy levels were draining away in the heat, and others were suffering too, especially the local wild-life. We saw little mammals (hyraxes ?) stampeding to the cool shelter of a tunnel under nearby road #65.
The push up Nahal Livnim was slow and labourious, and the punctures were beginning too. This is no coincidence either, as I am sure the temperature levels affect the preformance of the anti-puncture inner tubes . Also, the continuing dry conditions have made the terrain very sharp and thorny.
By the time we reached the foot of Har Hazon, the mood in the group was to cut the ride short and leave the ascent of this peak for another time, perhaps in cooler conditions. We had already climbed over 900 metres in just 30kms, so that was quite sufficient for the majority of the riders.
I await with concerned interest to see the conditions that await us on our next monthly Shabbat ride in December in the Judean Desert. Mud, flash floods, snow ?? Stranger things have happened and will happen, while cycling in the Time of Climate Change !
GPS Track of the ride for GoogleEarth
Slideshow of the ride
Freewheelin Jon 2010