Long road rides...

Impressive. And around the country in a day (I assume that's what you mean) - even more impressive. Looks like some challenging terrain. I'd be lucky just to ride across my state in a day, one way, let alone get back home. It took me a week to ride north to south, and I didn't even cover the whole state! Anyway, I envy you, and anyone else that can ride in this wonderful weather. I'm not even allowed to touch my bike for another 2+ months.

friedmikey said:

Impressive. And around the country in a day (I assume that's what you mean) - even more impressive. Looks like some challenging terrain. I'd be lucky just to ride across my state in a day, one way, let alone get back home. It took me a week to ride north to south, and I didn't even cover the whole state! Anyway, I envy you, and anyone else that can ride in this wonderful weather. I'm not even allowed to touch my bike for another 2+ months.

Why aren't you allowed???

The one-day cross-country ride is considered to be the ultimate road challenge in Israel. There are a few alternate routes, I prefer the so-called harder one, 550km, which involves some moderate climbs (The shortest is 470km). It is not a formal event, in fact it is usually kept a secret because police is unfavorable🙁 . We hope to set a new time record, informal of course.

Meh... busted up my shoulder six weeks ago. Surgery five weeks ago (severe clavicle fix, Mumford, and CC ligament repair... Fun!). I just started physical therapy last week and oh how not pleasant that is. Anyway, back to your thread. What's it like riding out there? Any hairy moments? You mention the police presence, so I'm guessing yes.

friedmikey said:

Meh... busted up my shoulder six weeks ago. Surgery five weeks ago (severe clavicle fix, Mumford, and CC ligament repair... Fun!). I just started physical therapy last week and oh how not pleasant that is. Anyway, back to your thread. What's it like riding out there? Any hairy moments? You mention the police presence, so I'm guessing yes.

The police is a mith actually:o , never heard of them picking on a single or small group of cyclers. 2 years ago I joined a wonderful group of eco-cyclers and the police did stop us then. It was fun though, they couldn't stop any single cycler, so it took them 300km to realize that all they had to do is stop the escort car... night cycling in the desert without a car is definitely dangerous, as I soon found out. Next month I tried it alone and got into trouble - I fell asleep while cycling! after more than 20 hours cycling, in the desert with only one cycler with me. We found shelter eventually, and a month later I did it all the way through, this time with an escort car and 3 more cyclers for the last 250 kms. Last year I have done it again with a dear cycler who had a terrible accident since and is still in coma.
Soooo, keep the good spirit and get back to cycling ASAP! I also had a little fall myself a few months ago - nothing broken - and cycled with the bandages on, makes you feel heroic🙄 (I'd rather not actually).

550 is a tough one! You should see the ultracycling website. Lots of useful info there

(Metulat - Metula-Eilat, northest to southest points in Israel).
I chose the best partner I could for that purpose - a good friend and one of the leading cyclers in the country. The route goes through the Galil (with a few small hilly climbs), the coastal plain, Beer Sheva an the Negev hills (climbs up to 900 m). I had 3 flats :eek: , still completed in 18:30, while Mor Mizrahi completed in 17:18😎 , both times totally unpresenedted - the unofficial record was 22 hours, reached many years ago.

The estimated length is 560km. Mor measured 570 but I suspect he included the 10km approach to the start point - yes, we climbed 10km before starting just to reach Metula😄.
Mor Mizrahi - 17:40.
Myself - 18:28.

Measured by Shalom Dvir, coach of Vello Club Holon, the leading cycling club in Israel.

Pictures will follow...

The only "good" picture (you should have seen the others). Taken after approx. 9 cycling hours, while I was pushing to get back to schedule.

You're living it. I'm happy for you. I did long rides as a younger man but with a family, comittments and the like, long rides are out of the question for now. Some day I will go to Germany with my son and we will ride until we wear the bikes out. 🙂

ohiobiker said:

You're living it. I'm happy for you. I did long rides as a younger man but with a family, comittments and the like, long rides are out of the question for now. Some day I will go to Germany with my son and we will ride until we wear the bikes out. 🙂

Having had such problems myself (you are fortunate to have thems😄), I recommend that you keep on cycling on a regular basis and, whenever possible, take a longer ride. That's how I got back into shape relatively easily, and I have seen it work for others as well.