Biking Badger

Been far too long since my last update. I guess 2020 has been a crazy year for most people and for me it was no different. I had been aiming for the Holyland Challenge (HLC), a bikepacking race across Israel but due to the lockdown and having kids at home I pulled out at the last minute even though the race has gone ahead. I just didn't feel that it was the right thing to do personally but that is my own opinion and I have been following the race live with great interest and I may say a bit of envy. But things are the way they are and we can only look ahead.

I've had to pull myself out of the little slump I was in having worked towards the HLC as my main goal for the year. It kicks off the bikepacking season although I must say this was the first summer I've put together rides in this heat we get in the doldrums of July and August in Israel. The heat is oppressive due to the humidity that wraps you like a blanket and I find myself wet with perspiration after 10 minutes on the bike. I was able to ride through the day but also discovered the pleasure of riding at night. Your senses really pick up as your only have the light ahead to focus on and shadows flick in and out. So there is a definite plan brewing in my head to put together a ride around Jerusalem next summer doing it mainly at night and then finding a spring with fresh water to spend at during the day.

This winter I'm again doing the Twenty Peaks which is doing 20 peaks chosen in a 6 month period. I only managed 18 last year due to a bit of confusion of thinking I should only do graded climbs, my two trips to South Africa and then the Covid hit the last month of rides which they then postponed and I never got around to it. That trifecta is just an excuse as I was also trying to get up to the top results. My weight (85kg) and build (184cm) don't fit the climbing mold means pulling up my hulking frame up a mountain at speed a difficult task in the best of times, trying to beat 70kg lightweights is just a step too far. So I've decided to change tack this year and try and push for as many as possible dis-regarding time and rather doing them while bikepacking. Meaning that I'll be doing between 6-8 per trip doing overnighters or maybe pushing to 3 day trips and just going up and down picking up as many climbs as possible. The aim is for 50 climbs but in all honesty if I manage 40 I'll be chuffed. I might pick off a few on single day rides too.

My second target is getting the Galilee Gallop finalized and start putting together the race details along with some extra information of the highlights you pass along the way. This is a route I've been working on for over a year and really hoping to put it out there in a way that will help people enjoy some interesting single track in the north of Israel and include a few historical stops along the way.

So this is what I have planned for winter in my bikepacking trips and I'll share the routes here and the trip reports. I plan on stepping up my blogging and sharing more this upcoming year just to get the word out there on the bikepacking scene here in Israel and different routes from the HLC which is the main event that people think about.