The End of An Era

The rider is fine. His bike...Not so much.

Back to Basics

Now that the Americans were beaten in the World Cup, can we all stop pretending we care about soccer and go back to stuff that's far less boring?

Harbor Ride

Bike New York started running a Long Island Ride three or four years ago. I did the first one with Zev (where he bonked after about 70 miles. That was a long time ago; he now rides a couple of times a week in the hottest, hilliest place imaginable. Bonking is no longer an option).

Registration opened at 7 and I was actually the first one on line. However, they refused to give out cue sheets until 7:20 and only the 100 mile ride. Realizing that even my considerable charm was not going to persuade the volunteer to change her mind, I left on my own at 7:10 sans cue sheet. (The ride started a block off Exit 53 of the Long Island Expressway. With my GPS, I figured that, worse comes to worse and I get lost, even I can find my way back).

The withholding of the cue sheets was stupid. It was brutally hot and people wanted to get on the road as early as possible. Also, like me, other people like to get their rides over so they can do things like chase a 5 year old around the block on her new bike).

The ride was generally fine, mostly rolling hills with the highest gradient I remember seeing at 12% (I haven't downloaded the data yet so I'm not sure). I did the 52 miler and added 9 miles of my own. In total I burned about 3,000 calories and climbed about 2700 feet.

I had planned to do the 78 miler but it was just too hot and I knew that the extra 18 miles in the soup would have wrecked the rest of my day. I had to take care of Meira for a while, take my mom out for a bit and do a few other things.

Impressions: The street marking were inadequate. You could go for miles without seeing a sign. As well, you could pass two or even three intersections (including large ones) without seeing an arrow. Also, the rest stops (I only stopped once but heard from others that they were more or less the same), were very poor. Very little real food (almost nothing at the end). Thank goodness for Hammer Nutrition products, without which I would not have made it.

All-in-all, I think I would have had as much fun, and as good a workout, if I had just done my usual Sunday morning ride (plus I would have been on the road by 6:45, avoiding the heat that much more).

The Ramat Raziel Circuit

This morning Zev and I left at 6:45 up Route 38 to Ramat Raziel, one of the hardest climbs in the country. I've done it numerous times, including once on my second Alyn Ride and most recently in January. It doesn't get easier.

Since I had all the time in the world today, I decided to do a complete circuit. After climbing the 8 kilometers to the top of Ramat Raziel, I was rewarded with a fabulous, miles-long descent into the Jerusalm Forest valley where I reached some very high speeds but never felt uncomfortable. I reached Haddasah Hospital and then began a long, steady climb up to the top of Nes Harim (from the other side).

I got to Bar B'Har after two hours and eleven minutes of riding. I felt very strong and not too hot. Starting early has its advantages, especially on Ramat Raziel where we rode almost entirely in the shade. After a Coke and a short break, I completed my ride down the Nes Harim hill again and back down to Ramat Beit Shemesh. On the way out of Bar B'Har, I took some video on my iPod Nano. As soon as I figure out how to do so, I will post it here. It's pretty cool.
I was finished in 2:55, burning 1500 calories and hitting an average heart beat of 156. (I did 1100 on Friday with a similar average heart beat (but hitting a max of 179 as opposed to 174 today)

It's been a great two days of riding. I'm feeling pretty good about my prospects of keeping on the back of the Challenge Riders four months from now on the Alyn Ride.

Boy, It's Hot Out Here

This morning I landed in Israel after a 4 1/2 hour flight from London. I slept fitfully most of the way. My trip did not start off particularly well. I lost my Blackberry at the airport. I'm hoping it will turn up at the lost and found when I return to New York on Sunday night but I'm not particularly hopeful.

But, I digress.

After dropping off my bags, Zev and I started out for Nes Harim at 8 a.m. He graciously let me use his new carbon fiber Giant while he rode his old (and my old) aluminum Trek 1500. Not that it mattered. He still makes me look like I'm going in slow motion.

This was the first ride since last summer that I've done in the heat. And it WAS hot. (They don't call it Beit Shemesh (House of the Sun) for nothing.

I made it up to Bar B'Har (The Bar on the Mountain) in pretty decent shape. Zev's bike is not only lighter than my Lightspeed, it also has a triple crank so I could put the bike in some pretty low gears. The heat was brutal and there is absolutely no shade.

At Bar B'Har I ran into Saul Singer, who is a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, co-author of the bestseller "Start Up Nation" and, more importantly, a veteran of four Alyn Challenge Rides. He, like I, missed last year's ride but will be doing this year's ride. I had a Coke, got back on the bike and started back for home.

Feeling strong, I decided to go down and up the road to the Stalactite Caves. It is not as long nor as steep as the climb up Nes Harim but it isn't Feeks Lane either. (I recall it being at least a mile and a half but I could be wrong. I will look it up later).

I then flew down the Nes Harim climb, always a hair-raising event. The ride back to Ramat Shiloh was uneventful but I was completely cooked by the time I got back. Now, 5 hours later, my face is still burning.

A small reminder of what five days in the Negev are like.