i'm okay, but it hurts...

well, nothing's broken, as the good doctor said, but i'm out for a while... no riding for me. or moving fast, for that matter. i hope to be back on a road bike soon enough.

meanwhile we are working on the wedding plans, as i try not to breath too much. breathing hurts.

so... no israeli championship for me. the next big race, as far as i'm concerned, is the 400 km, un-assisted desert race in november. i will have to log alot of road hours, so messing up my chest bones was not that bad, afterall...

another long weekend.

no pictures yet, but if i did have my USB cable, you would see me sitting on the sofa, breathing slowly, as one of left ribs is a little cracked. a long story, which has nothing to do with bikes.
i went go carting. someone bumped into me. hard.
i won, though...
was it worth it? hmm... i was sure of it last night. but now? not so much.

sorry...

sorry for not updating that much these days. its just that i'm rather busy. AND my camera USB cable went M.I.A... anyway, i've been around. i even got to ride in the desert a yesterday, riding the climb from the bottom of the Ramon crater to the city of Mitzpe ramon. three times. hmm...

on saturday morning i'm racing again. XC, sweat and gears.

a happy family...

the summer is here, in all its glory, and tantan spends most of his days outside, sleeping in the sun. then he comes in, eats, sleeps a little in the house, and goes out again to sleep outside. moran says he's a nocturnal animal, but he and I both know he sleeps through the night, too. nonstop. bastard.

its a big bottle. really. and moran was thirsty. really.

anyway, i'm tired after the hard weekend, having ridden not only the race on friday, but a hard off-road 4 hour ride on my single speed on saturday morning. rigid. my body aches.

but i'm happy.

another weekend...

racing is hard !!! the race went well, considering... i finished sixth, but actually felt quite slow. i had fun being back in the game, though...anyway, this one is in the books. next.

next weekend there's another XC race, while all our israeli racing heroes are abroad for the european championship. the shap will be there, too, and this is the place to wish him good luck- kick some euro butts.

this blog is reaching 5000 readers world wide, and counting. check out the map on the upper right screen (click on it...), and you'll see what i mean.

i wish i spoke more languages other than hebrew and english. deutsch would be cool. and yaman.

anyway...

tomorrow will see me getting up early, heading for the race, and race on the wicked championship cours... it's not the real thing just yet, but it will be in two weeks time. this is the last chance to have a go on the fast lap, and see how i feel about the coming race.

meanwhile, moran and i went to the food festival, and i ate like there is no tomorrow... indian, french, italian, anything goes. mmm...

well. yes.

getting closer...

i think my fitness is gradually climbing back to where i want it to be. i mean, i'm not about to win the championship, but i think i might be pretty fast. meanwhile, kermit (my green beauty) was at the shop again. they finally fixed my a\c so i can close the windows and enjoy the cool air from the vents.

yeah, right.

ofcourse...

road racing? surely not...

moran got my bottles ready for the race, by making the H that was written on them, into an H&M with little hearts...

since i almost never race on the road, i only got my '09 number plates this morning. well, the race was interesting, and i felt pretty good, but having no experience in road racing got me caught up in the back of the field towards the end of the race. also, i was fricking scared of all the movement within the peloton. its like a giant beast that moves all over the road. i was holding my heandlebars like it was glued to my hands.

and here he is- your '09 U23 israeli national champion- the Shap.

good job, kid.

finding the drive...

i find it very hard to have the inner drive to go out and train hard. its a thing i used to do each and every morning for years, but now it seems so hard just to get out of bed. i mean, i do ride, but i train other people, and let myself cut the corners...

this weekend is the israeli road national championship, and i'm participating in order to help the team, and as a part of my training plan for the mountainbike championship, which is 3 weeks away. i will race every weekend 'till then. i hope it works.

deja vu...

ah... there's nothing like training hard in the confines of your living room. the air-conditioning is on, a fan is circulating the room's sweaty air. your legs burn from lactic-acid, and your jaw hurts from pushing yourself to the limit. i've been here many times before, but have not done it in a long while. i'm not sure i've missed it, though...

updating again...

sorry for not updating that much lately... you see, i'm a working man. and when your work is biking all the time, that means you are also rather tired most of the time, which i am. but hey, i'm here, and your'e here- just keep on reading. BTW, this is me during last week's rigid-downhill-race eexperience. wicked.

anyway, in order to take care of my dwindeling racing fitness, i actually asked for a 4 week training program. it's meant to make a whole lot faster, comes championship day, in (drum roll...............)- 4 weeks. so- its training season. this means powermeter training, uphill intervals, early morning feasts and a sore bum. bring-it-on.

look 'ma, its a jelly-fish-chasing-yeti.

its okay, its a catch and release fishing site. huh!

dream theater !!!

the best show on earth... these guys are amazing. each and every one of them is a master of his profession, and together they create the ultimate progressive rock super group.

fuck yeah!!

it was the day everyone pulled out their black T-shirts. i've never seen that so many black T's...

i think the band was surprised by the amount of people showing up. i think there were like gazilionkajilion people. rock.

and then...

on friday afternoon, as the alcohol defused out of my body, and my knees stopped aching from dancing in the wedding, i had an XC race in horshim forest. i rode so slowly!!! i was pretty fast in the first two laps, but the heat killed me. i finished 2nd. needless to say- there were only two of us...

i felt so tired after the race, but because i wanted to race the downhill race on saturday, i had to live like a real downhiller, and went out to party in tel aviv 'till 3 AM. i even ate at 2 in the morning. party, downhill style...

and then i woke up and raced my 29 inch, single speed rigid bike on the downhill course. it was w-i-c-k-e-d. i didn't finish last! i'll find some pictures from the race and will post them later on.

MAZAL TOV!!!

Ofri and Dror are married... its the first wedding in a summer full of weddings. i think we'll handle them all...

dror was excited as i had never seen before. good.

i love weddings.

wer'e getting ready for our own...

a busy weekend...

after kermit has amazingly passed its annual test, we can start the crazy weekend. its Dror and Ofri's wedding tonight, and we formed a wedding band for the occasion. it'll be funny as hell...
so tonight wer'e going to dance like the drunk people we will probably be.

tomorrow i'm racing an xc race in Horshim forest. its my first geared race in a long while, and i'll be riding it with a hangover. it'll be interesting.

and on saturday there's a mini DH race, again, in Horshim. i'm going to race that one, too, but with a little twist. i'm racing my 29 inch, rigid singlespeed.

'nuff said.

the heat is on...

i have to admit it- i'm a sweater. i sweat all the time, and when i ride, drops of sweat pour down from the top of my head into my eyes. when i put some pressure on the helmet, buckets of sweat leave my head and fall straight on the ground. i s-w-e-a-t.

so, its no surprise that this heat and humidity wave are killing me. biking clothes are wet to the core, and riding gloves are washed after every ride.
i need to live in colorado. moran would approve.

a new week.

so, another week has passed, with lots of riding, on and off road. i even put in three (!!) hard workouts of my own, so maybe i'll get in shape sometime soon. i do ride very fast on technical downhills...

'took Moran, my sister Keren and her friend, Hen, on a singletrack ride. it was hot as hell, but they really seemed to enjoy the trails. it was Hen's first ride in the singletracks, and i quote: "i think i'm inlove"...

anyway, 'been thinking alot about the 400 km race i'm about to do in november. i'm sooo excited to do it. i'm considering building a light 29 singlespeed for the event. maybe a "superfly" gary fisher. maybe.

training time. or not.

this weekend, the israeli single speed gang is climbing mt.hermon for the third time... (or is it the fourth?). i can't really ride with them, 'cause i don't want to overload my knee...

so i'm riding a little more on my road bike. a few days ago i went on a ride with Asaf, moran's brother in law. the guy used to be on the israeli national team, about 14 years ago. his bike is from the same era. i love it.

so i'm actually finding the time to train a little, in between coaching. good. the israeli national championships (road and off road) are approaching, and i don't want to ride like a snale. which i do at the moment.

bachelor party #1

this weekend was spent upnorth, chillin' on a river bank with some good friends, celebrating dror's bachelor party. it was a happy happy party, with lots of drinks, and a freezing cold water stream.

being that we have quite a few weddings this summer, this will be the first bachelor party post. there will be others,you can be rest assured...

tal is showing off some lifting techniqes he learned, living in be'er sheva. 65 kilograms of biking bones, fat and muscles were lifted easily. the guy is seriously buffed.

so...

my knee is a little out of order, but its not that bad. i can even ride the yeti 575 i got for a month's test for the magazine. i won't race this weekend, though...

the weather has been pretty nice, and riding in the mornings or in the afternoons feels great. the winds are a little high, and under a tree's shade it might feel like an autumn day.

got my ear pierced. yes.

biking's in the blood.

riding your bike has no age. people who love biking will ride whatever, where ever... just give them a road, provide them the right bike- and they're off.

thats why so many riders came to the wheels of hope ride on saturday. they share a passion, a simple one.

and that's why Efraim, the coolest 82 year old person i've ever met, was there. he rides non stop. 6 years ago he rode the "cross israel road ride"- a three day, north to south event. awesome. ofcourse, he was so young back then...

mmm, mmm, mmm....

on friday afternoon i got a new angle of my girl, watching her working as a rock climbing guide...
hot, hot, hot.

and then she showed me how to climb... i love this girl.

and saturday morning saw us riding with another 10,000 (!!!) riders, on the wheels of hope ride. i've never ridden with so many people, and the waves of riders were truly and utterly amazing.

another weekend is in the books. or blog...

weekend warriors...

it's been another weekend of cycling, but with a twist. it started out on friday morning, with a single speed ride of the wicked singletracks of the area.

all the usual suspects of the israeli single speed community were there in full strength. the vibe was as good as the singletracks. good.

tantan likes it fresh.

out and about...

i've been working non stop, coaching, training and such... but i managed to find the time and put some workouts for my self.

i even think i'm about to get in shape...

eat that, cute, fat cow!!

wheels of hope.

this saturday wer'e attending a benefit ride called "wheels of hope", which raises money for a non profit organization called "challanges".

"challenges" aim is to help children and people with special needs, take a part in extreme sports, such as diving, riding, rock climbing etc. and be an active part of society.

my father has been volunteering for "challenges" in the past few years, and moran works there for a few years now. so, this saturday my brother and his kid, my sister and her kid, my father, nephew, and moran and i are joining the ride.

i'm getting my 9800 ready and clean for the occasion...

spirit of ecstasy...

this heat wave is killing me, and having no gas in my car's (kermit) aircon makes me sweat like a pig. i had to do somthing about it.

so i went to fill some gas in the thing, and i happened to park aside a rare 57' silver shadow rolls royce. the contrast between my green ugly kermit and this beauty was staggering, to say the least. it had no aircon, though.... ha ha.

meanwhile, i've been working on making my muscles look bigger. this is not my leg, because its not working for me... also, my leg is mighty hairy these days, so i'll spare you the picture.

mmmmmm..... falafel.

style.

my favourite band is coming to israel in a month, and i'm soooo excited. on june 16th, i'll wear some kind of a black shirt (maybe my "one is all you need" singlespeed shirt), and go loose my voice.

meanwhile, wedding season is officially here, and our friends are starting to get married one by one (or two by two, for that matter). its also a good opportunity for us to pick and choose some wedding looks of our own.

mawhawk style is back, people. sid vicious would no doubt approve.

path finding...

i've been trying to find the balance between riding as a trainer\coach and as a pro rider. it's proving to be harder than i thought... i'm tired from spending alot of hours in the saddle as a trainer, and its hard to push my own hard workouts in between. damn.

i reckon two\three short and intense workouts a week will do, but its a challenge finding the time to squeeze it in.

anyway, we are starting to get the hang of preparing a wedding, and this is the time to thank all the blog commenters for their kind words. thank you all...

out and about.

sorry for not updating that much, i'm rather busy, you see... i'm riding alot. 2 hours of riding in the morning (training people) and another two in the evening... talk about hours in the saddle.

anyway, i've started doing some hard workouts and

a. i'm out of shape.

b. its fricking hard.

c. it hurts.

d. i'm out of shape.

give me three weeks of this, and i'll race ya'.

maybe i'm inlove or somthing, but things that come in pairs look like they were meant to be together...

party time.

today we had loads of friends in our back yard, celebrating our new house and our engagement. i woke up early in the morning, and went riding in the hills.

special occasions call for special means, so i took out my vintage 9800 beauty for a ride. it was the first time i rode it in the singletracks. a-w-e-s-o-m-e !!! i don't really like the fact that it gets dirty, though...

last week i had lots of riding hours, but no hard workouts. next week i have to put in some intense intervals, otherwise, i think i'll watch my physical fitness going down the hill, literally...

LOVE IS ALL U NEED.

it's been exactly 6 months to the day, since i met moran. this is the first ever picture i've taken of her. i knew right away...

alot has happened since. we have been abroad, we have moved in together, we became best friends. we're inlove...

and this is us now. a couple. tell you what- i'm the happiest man alive.

tell you somthing else- we're getting married !!!

woooooohooooooo!!

more than 3000 readers- bring on the comments...

how time flies...

this weekend, a year ago, i was riding in moab, utah. how things have changed since then. i mean, the riding continues, but i have to admit- the scenery isn't quite the same...

i know i'll ride there again some day soon, but meanwhile, i will have to settle for some israeli singletracks. i do miss the "porcupine rim" trail, though.

the shity weather (sand storms, heat wave and gusty winds) makes me miss the muddy winter days. anyway- i've been riding more and more, and there are some more races coming. i'm way out of shape, but i'm not in a hurry. time is on my hand. or leg...

singlespeed race sum.

http://http://www.sport5.co.il/articles.aspx?FolderID=966&docID=58239&lang=HE
the guys from channel 5 were there, making a short video of the race. check it out :)

hmmm...

to the victor go the spoils...

as good as it gets.

the race was awesome, and the start line was filled with hungry (and half drunk) singlespeeders. the race course was brutal, with lots of climbs, and loads of singletracks. just as it should be. 88 riders raced, and the vibe was somthing that only singlespeeders can create.

the meat was served at 8 in the morning, and beer was passed around at 7 am. time and time again these people show me how love for biking can create a community. how the search for a new challange attracts even more people. biking at its essence.

the shap and i won the race by an "acceptable" margin, and splashed beer all over the place.

the fricking sports channel was there !! comes to show you where the real interest lives...

bike's ready.

it took some work, but the 9.9 is ready. i love this bike. anyway, my whole body is sore from playing frisbee on the beach with moran yesterday. flying discs are awesome. its like magic, i'm telling you.

the shap is having some problems with the army, and i hope he'll get it sorted before the race, otherwise i won't be able to race.

on saturday i have some more recordigs with the band in tel aviv. i'll try to squeeze a few hour's ride before playing the drums.

race time. or not.

moving around.

i've been driving alot in the last few days, so its a good thing my car has been running trouble free. well, except for the air conditioning. its dead.

i've also been running around, trying to gather some stuff in order to get my 9.9 singlespeed ready in time for friday's "dead cow challange". a new set of tires, a new chain tensioner and such. it'll be ready.

and oogie just finished building his dream house. a spacious one bedroom house in the suburbs, with a big front yard and some flowers. the dog's living the dream...

life is all around us.

my week has been trouble free, knee wise, and i've been logging on the hours. i think i even ride fairly fast. not shap fast, but fast nontheless. a few more weeks of some long hours, and i'm back, baby!

meanwhile, moran and i are enjoying life, working around the house, and going really late to bed. thank god for afternoon power naps.

and this beautiful belly gave birth to my new niece three days ago. congrats to tami, chen and the kids for their newest edition to the family. we love you, and wish you the very best.

full speed ahead...

my knee is totally fine, and i'm back on track. next weekend- the dead cow challange in horshim forest. a couple's singlespeed race. the course is awesome and technical...

and it makes me very happy indeed. the shap will be my racing partner. hope he's up to it. ha!

and moran and i stumbled upon this little guy. nature is so weird.

riding time.

so... i rode my road bike for the first time in a long while. climbed the beit oren climb, and what do you know, i feel great. i even ride pretty fast.

after 2 hours of road riding i thought, "enough is enough", and hopped on my mountain bike for some real riding. it was awesome. there is nothing like mountain biking. its the real thing.

tantan is all over the place these days, sleeping in every conceivable area of the hose. 16 hours a day. like a pro athlete...

i'm still here...

got on my bike for the first time today. what a joy ! after my butt stopped aching, i could actually enjoy the scenery. in just a few days, everything turned from bright green into bright yellow.

riding the service roads around here, you can see the fields almost ready to be reaped. its a wonderful thing... it also signals that the summer is really here. shit.

and our house feels like home. every little corner has somthing hanging off of it, every wall has a different color to it and we enjoy sitting in the afternoons, watching tantan ignoring all the cats in the neighborhood.

tomorrow- a road ride. 3 hours will do.

where i've been...

being that i can't really ride these days, i went watching the haifa international race. it was a beautiful day today, and alot of riders attended the event. it wasn't the shap's greatest race though...

he was up there in third, 'till a stupid crash took him down and made him eat some dirt... still- i'd rather race and crash, than not racing at all.

well, i'll go write somthing. i can't ride anyway.

rrrrrrrrr.....

deja vu...

fuck.
i managed to bump my right knee into the stem screws. exactly at the same place my last injury was... its ice intervals all over again. no race, of course...
now i have time to translate for the magazine.
fuck.

trip.

wer'e going out for an over night trip, with all the camp fire, guitar, dirt and camping. havn't done that in a while, so i'm a little excited.

of course i know it will make me tired, with the coming race and all, but my race abilities are a little low anyway these days... i'll wing it.

holiday time...

i've spent the last few days eating meat. really. i think i ate like 3 kilograms...

the weather is getting hotter and hotter, and riding time has to be in the early morning or late afternoon. but who am i to complain, huh? i am thankful for being able to ride at all.

tantan likes tomatoes. nuff' said.

anyway, i have an xc race this weekend- the first Haifa international mtb race. it will take place on the course of next year's european mtb championship. i'm going to take it easy, as i'm getting back into shape, so i do not have any high expectations.

here comes the pain... (#435)

and....... i'm spent.

maybe riding the whole week on my mountain bike was a mistake. i am soooooo tired. it doesn't help that yesterday i fell hard on my ass's left cheek, and my body is all stiff like a corps.

AND i broke my right side egg beater 4ti pedal(on an uphill !!). it has a rider's weight limit of 85 kilograms. i weigh 65 on a heavy day... conclusion- i am way too strong.

today our families were here in our house, for a house warming, BBQ and some beer. the weather was awesome, and the meat was juicy. the yard was a great playground for the kids... here's amit, taking spiderman aviv for a ride.

riding the wave...

okay, so i'm back on the bike, and riding every day. my road bike has no use, as i ride my mountainbikes all the time. i'm still taking it easy- single speed wise- so i ride my geared bike.

come to think of it, i do not have enough geared bikes. my vintage 9800 does not like dust, so my 8500 is ridden daily. anyway, the passover eve was great, and we ate like pigs. kosher pigs.

the gate to carbon heaven...

tomorrow- a 4 hours ride. wooohooo...

honey... i'm home!!

i'm back from the training camp, and happy to say that my knee is back in the game!! so now, i'm racking up the hours again. some hard training will do wonders for my soul...

this is Elmo's friend, whom i caught reading an EVO car magazine, while one hand was not to be seen... i think his face says it all.

its passover tomorrow eve, and this is the place to wish everybody a happy and kosher (?!) holiday. happy trails...

chasing time...

after moran and i spent the weekend up north (which was awesome...), i'm packing my stuff and heading down south, for a team training camp. this time- as a coach. its a kids training camp, and its great for me, as i need alot of easy hours on the bike. next post- kids on bikes.

baby steps...

well, i'm back. after three weeks of deteriorating fitness, i took my bike for a first ride. it did not hurt at all, and i'm starting to put some hours on. next week- 20 hours, the week after- a little more...

i missed riding so much... my legs felt a little slow, and my heart rate was through the roof, but hey- who am i to complain?

by the way, the only continent in which i don't have any readers is africa. so if someone you know is going over there for a visit, give him my blog adress- then i will have world domination.

use the force.

this is my knee over there, hiding under some wired electrodes. i actually think it helps.

and all the while, my readers count is growing and growing. 1796 readers in a little under 2 months. its amazing in my eyes, as i don't really promote it out of israel. how you guys reach my blog, is beyond me.

feeling heavy...

being in top form, and then not riding for three weeks feels like a full bath, drained of its water: unusable, sad and empty. it will take a while to get back to form, but then again, time is all i have.

its a shame, as i really wanted to race some upcoming events. meanwhile, i'm trying to get my knee better, by cooling it, heating it, electrocuting it and talking to it.

it doesn't efect my drumming abilities, so the show went great, without any big misshaps... it was even pretty crowded.

full stop.

that's it. i am taking a whole week off the bike. this damn knee thing does not want to go away, so i'm planning on locking the bikes garage door, and giving moran the keys. otherwise, i'm afraid i won't be able to control my bike craving...

cry baby...

i know i sound like a cry baby, but my knee is doing pretty bad, thank you. trying to ride doesn't seem to work, so i rest. i don't like resting.

went to my friend's dan back yard, for an awesome jam. it was like dreadlock heaven over there... this is dreadlock mountain. its just outside hippie town.

and to finish off our house's look, moran and i went to ikea. its jenius, but somehow it bugs me that every living room or kitchen, look like there is someone really living there, and every part of their house has a price ticket on it... capitalism at its worst.

back in the saddle?

moran and i went for an easy ride today, as the sun came out from behind those nasty rain clouds. i wanted to show moran the shortest way to the beach, 'cause, you know, the summer is coming...

my knee felt a little better, i guess, but i need to push a little harder in order to see if there's real progress. tomorrow, maybe.

my show will take place on sunday, the 29th, in a place called "sublime", on salame st. (number 53) in tel aviv. the show starts at 20:30.

be there, or be... somwhere else, i guess.

if you can't ride...

at least look like your'e able to. these are pictures for next month's magazine, and the bike i'm riding is a ventana el ray 29. being that i have not ridden in the past 10 days, i think i look rather fit...

it is killing me, not riding.

anyway, i have a show with my band, this sunday eve, in tel aviv. at least i can do SOMTHING right now. i've also been working around the house, fabricating some stairs and putting some shelves on the walls.

i want to ride my bicycle.

damn knee!!!

that damn right knee. it hurts. it sneaks up on me... it doesn't hurt for the first 25 minutes, and then it hurts all of a sudden. thats it, i'm taking some pills. not riding for a week makes me anxious... riding my bike is like breathing. its like eating, and going to the toilet. its a necessity. you all know what i mean, right? c'mon, say it with me...
biking is natural... there is nothing to be ashamed of.

animal planet...

while taking some time off the bike, i'm getting familiar with some wild life. this parrot acts like a cat!! he likes it when you pet him on his head, and poops all over the place...

meanwhile, Tantan is finding out that life in the country can be very tiring. i mean, cats are just ridiculous, sleeping 16 hours a day. well, i'm jealous.

and this is Tantan's arch rival- moosi the mouse.

anyway, i'm off for a ride, maybe my knee is back in the game... fingers crossed.

rest days...

this is my leg over there, hiding under a bag of frozen green beans. 15 minutes intervals of cold weather for my knee. i think i'll start taking some medicine on sunday. i have no time for this crap!

found this elmo in a kids shop. he sure looks like my Elmo. might be his rebel younger brother. rock on.

and Tantan is showing off his flexability. makes me envy.

too much spare time on my hand, i know. i'll be back in the saddle soon, and then it'll be all bikes again. good.

standing still...

my knee is still out of order. i went for a longer ride today, and on top of breaking one of my egg beater pedals, my knee started hurting again. i think i'll take another day off. damn!

oh... my kingdom for a chipotle wrap. mmmmmm....

the journey continues...

i am back on the bike. went for an easy 1 hour spin, to see if my knees still hurt. they do, but in a sufferable way. so i ride... anyway, i got these new shoes from my sponsor- bontrager RXL. this thing is written within the shoe!!

you know you have to go fast when your shoe tells you to. and its white. roadies style. hmmm...

i've also started testing this GIANT Anthem X1 for the magazine. it works great. i think i like it.

me, me, me...

you know i do not tend to be shown that much on my blog, but these pictures, taken at last week's international race in misgav are really good.

they were taken by nadav rotem, a pro photographer, and they represent the nature of a cross country race...

btw, my knee is getting better. fingers crossed, i'll be riding my bike in a few days time.

how it unfolded...

it started out with the biggest pasta feast ever conceived by man. then it was bed time. well, i could not sleep. i was too excited. we started at 04:15 in the morning, with light systems. it was beautiful. 2 minutes into the race i went for it, and never looked back... almost. i had a flat 10 minutes after the start.

i installed an inner tube, and went catching the guys that passed me. after that, i was on my own for the next 11 and a half hours. i opened an hour and a half by the 130 km mark, and finished almost three hours infront of the pair riding behind me. i was the only one to finish in day light. i was also the only rider to ride the whole race by himself...

it was not all roses though... i harmed my right knee pretty badly, and i think i will need some serious recovery time. i hope to be back in the saddle as soon as possible.

the riders who finished this race are true pioneers, taking a part in the longest race to ever be conducted in israel. they lead the new wave of ultra endurance bike races.

these guys (and girl) are my heroes.

active recovery...

i'm back. the race was a true adventure, and, strangely, it was easier than i thought it would be. i will put some pictures in the next post. some stats: 226 km, 11:55 total time, 20.5 average speed.
one gear, first place- one happy soul.

wish me luck...

Tantan, our cat, is much like the french animated character- an explorer. he's finding his way around the new house, looking for new hiding places, trying to find his favorite spot of the house.

meanwhile, i got my 9.9 singlespeed ready for action. i went for bi-color on my sid worldcup.

and i fabricated a new chain guard, to prevent the chain from slipping, out of an old XTR 44 chainring. its ugly, but it works. anyway, i'm off to the desert. wish me luck.

here comes the pain.

getting ready..

the "fact sale" race- a desert, unassisted, 230 km race is 3 days away, and i have loads of stuff to take care of. so, in order to get familiar with the course, i sleep and stretch over the maps. notice the fact that it takes 4 (!!) maps to cover the whole course...

meanwhile, oogie is a little sick, so i had to take him to the doctor. other than the fact that he really has somthing wrong with his leg, the doc told us we had to do somthing about his weight...

i mean, 50 kg is not fat!! he could be a world class road bike climber.

Race Face.

the misgav international race went great, and i performed better than i thought i would. i mean, i did not know what to expect, so i kept my aspirations pretty low. i aimed for top ten, and finished 7th overall, 5th among the israelis. good.

it was sure strange to wait on the line with all those racers, oh so serious... everybody's looking for that extra edge that will make them faster. well, i found mine: having fun. i enjoyed and suffered every minute of it.

i even won 50 euros! anyway, this race is in the books, and i'm back on the single speed this weekend. an epic point to point, 230 km (145 miles or so), unassisted desert race. i'm the only one who chose a single speed for the mission. maybe the other guys know somthing i don't?
hmmm.

its a jungle out there.

this is the logo of a new initiative by a couple of guys, who like bikes. they have this moving bike shop, and they go around the Carmel best biking spots, and provide information, food, bike fixes and shuttle services. it seems like a great idea... i hope it works. look it up: www.wildwheels.co.il

meanwhile, moran and i are trying to find our way through the mess in the house. it is sort of, well, sorted, but the bedroom is full of boxes, still. its hard work, this moving thing.

and all the while, back in my parents' house, oogie is sound asleep. the bastard !!

getting ready.

the Misgav international race will be my first geared race since last year's Sea Otter Classic...

so i have no expectations what so ever, and i'm free of pressure. it feels awesome. the bike's almost ready. i don't have the will to put new cables and housings... i'll wing it!

the race course is wicked, with lots of technical singletracks, and hard uphills. just like the doctor ordered... this is the Shap's ass your looking at.

SORRY...

i'm sorry for not updating the blog... it's been a few hectic days, with Moran moving in and all... 

meanwhile i'm getting ready for saturday's international mtb race in misgav, this time with a geared bike. i'll put some pics of the wicked course today. stay tuned for scenes from our next episode...

range extended...

living in a new place is such an adventure... every ride becomes an exploration. i took my rigid bike and went searching for new roads.

we live smack in the middle of the stretch that runs from the carmel mountains to the sea. its a few minutes' ride to the beach, where the huge waves of the last storm still hit the shoreline with a vicious roar.

and its a few minutes' ride to the best singletracks that israel has to offer. its awesome!

i stopped by the house and ate somthing, before changing the scenery from ocean drive, to single track heaven.

we couldn't pick a better place to live in. perfect.

even the mud is tasty. mmmm..... mud.

flavours of life...

this weekend was about getting the bike garage (or "hall of bikes") relocated to our new house. my father came and helped building the whole construction once again. they were all there:

the 9.9 singlespeed and the 8500 race bike.

the madone road bike and the gary fisher rig singlespeed.

and the vintage 9800, do not forget. Moran's 4500 wsd and my redline monocog 29 singlespeed also attended... i think i almost got it all covered. almost. there is yet another 29er on the horizon. a carbon one... yummm.

off the grid...

the little episode i had on tuesday reminded me of how fragile our body is. somtimes its hard for me, as an athlete, to listen to my body, and just let go. you know, the training plan, the racing calendar and such...

so i decided to let go a little, and listen to my body... i will lay low for a while. a few easy days will just do good for my body and mind.

we'll work on the house this weekend, and enjoy the wintery (is that a word?) weather.

next week- back with vengeance!

meanwhile...

yesterday, after a hard workout (2x25 minutes climbs), i felt bad. real bad. my head was aching like never before. i felt like i was about to faint or somthing... i had to lay down and let it go away. my babe came to the rescue. i feel great now, but it was frighetning, really.

Elmo moved to the new house, too. this is him laughing, as we busted our asses carrying stuff into the house. bastard.

and of course- big kudos to Itay, for finally popping the question. Adi said yes. wooohooo.

Adi, by the way, is not in the picture. Itay is the guy with the NOSE, obviously...

sun's out again.

its that in between time. you know what i'm talking about- the rain has stopped, the sun's out, and the trails are just dry enough to be ridden again. perfect.

so the kids i train were out there, climbing the dry rocks with their moisty and muddy tires. slippery stuff.

and after days of cloudy skies, you can actually see the sunset at 17:40 or so...

i hear its about to rain again this weekend. racing in the rain is always a treat. a dog's treat.

road mud.

on friday, the Shap and i went on an epic 5 hour road ride, climbing to the highest part of the carmel mountains, from 3 different roads. the weather was great, but some early morning rain left the roads in muddy conditions.

it was awesome, going on a road ride like this, starting right at the doorstep of our new house...

meanwhile, this week will be mostly house organizing, and on friday- the first cross country race of the season- single speed style!! woohooo.

dust to dust?

yesterday was the most polluted day ever! a wall of dust came from the african deserts, and filled the israeli air with dust particles from hell. there is nothing like a hard workout, while breathing sand into your lungs. phew...

everything about last night was symbolic. the village in which i've lived since the day i was born, was left behind. the house in which i've lived. my family. my parents. oogie, the fat bastard.

its a new chapter in my life. into the future i go. and i must say- it looks bright and shiney.

Have you seen this bike?

# its sentimental value is very high.
# it was stolen in a despicable and insulting manner.

# the decent finder will be rewarded.

if you've seen this bike- please contact:

00-512-2368820

ask for lance...

keep on moving...

went for an easy spin, after yesterday's 3X20 minutes of hard workout. the legs are a little spent, but the wet double tracks, and the beatiful skies make up for the sore muscles.

today i'm moving some stuff out of this house, and it is the end of a (short) era. i moved here exactly 6 months ago, and i've loved every minute of this house. it will truly be missed.

meanwhile, the reader radar is getting filled. sorry for posting about it so much, but knowing that people from all over read what i write, and look at my pictures is very exciting and fulfilling.

i want to be big in japan!

a key element.

this is a key. it seems like an ordinary key, and it works like one, too... but it is not just any ol' key. its the key to our new house. its a key to the future, and it is so exciting...
tomorrow i will start moving some stuff from my house to our new one.
meanwhile i went for neither of my aforementioned proposals, and i'm going to train on my own today. hmm.

in wine we trust!

i think my alcohol absorbency has sky rocketed or somthing of that sort, otherwise i can't explain how drinking alot does not effect me one bit. or maybe i'm too wasted to see just how drunk i am..?

its raining again, and i ponder the possibility of going down south for tomorrow's training session. be'eri seems like a great idea...

although i did promise the Shap i would train with him tomorrow... oh, the choices i have to make are killing me!

the daily grind..?

riding bikes and writing about bike related issues never really feel like a JOB, so the fact that every day of the week feels like the weekend, is a virtue i need to appreciate and savour...

the racing season is about to start, and i need to pick and choose my races. there will be some very long single speed races, some short xc races i will race with my ss, and a few geared xc races. if i'm fast enough, i might even make it to the national team again...

meanwhile, my readers from around the globe are emerging. this counter counts different IP's, so each and every reader is a new one. good. we'll see how far the things i write here actually reach. it made it all the way to thailand !!

out and about.

Moran and I went to a good friend's wedding last night. it was like a fricking reunion, with loads of people whom i hadn't seen in years. i ate so much meat...

so today, in order to burn all those nasty calories, we went riding in Horshim. the weather is great, and the trees are in bloom. in this case they grew a couple of trek bikes. an 8500 and a new 4500 WomenSpesificDesign bike...

It was just the right size for my baby ! so we picked it right from the tree, and went riding.

new bike. a great start for the weekend.

nature rules !

we can all be sarcastic and laugh at those toyota prius smug drivers, but truth is, its getting harder and harder to find true, open, natural spaces. the little we have is replaced by buildings and noisy roads...

the places we ride in, are the last open spaces in israel, and riding is by far the best way to explore each and every remote area of the country.

this flower (i'm really really bad with flower names, please help) grows in our new house's front yard. nice, eh?

election day.

somthing is definitely wrong with the israeli election process. i mean, how many parties does a country need? there is no way a government can actually rule and navigate when it needs to satisfy so many small groups.

so i voted. it was hard choosing the right card, and i got really confused. so i took all of them, and stuffed everything in the envelope. someone won.

and this is what my friend, Ben, thinks of the election process. yeah, i know he's hairy, but i forgot my camera at his place, and this was on it when i got it back. hairy bastard.

mud fest 09'

the weather in israel right now is not far off the political climate... its changing constantly. the heat and dust storms of the past few days, have been replaced by a nasty hail storm and very high winds.

time to go ride, then! it was awesome. the hail hit so hard, i had to hide under a tree, and the mud was so deep, that i actually waited for the sky to start pouring the rain.

i was singing out-loud between the drops. really. huh!

whats this?

i got my trek 8500 racing bike out of its winter sleep, and worked on it so it'll be ready for some racing. i love this bike's geometry and quick handling, and the color scheme is so "working class hero"...

but wait !! what are these little thingys hanging on the handlebars? they're so ugly looking... what are they for?

and there seem to be an awful lot of cogs in the back !! do you really need that many?

i only use one all the time... technology will kill us all some day, i tell ya'.

feel the heat.

i think its the hottest winter we have ever had in israel. the deserts are expanding, and the little green we have left, is about to be gone. the rain days are scattered, and water is running out. its like a bad action movie, without a good ending.
global warming sucks.

different views...

i finally got a visitor counter for my weblog. i've wanted one since day one, but my computer skills are extremely basic. so from now on you can all look at the right side of the blog, and see where my readers are from... there is at least one from hungary (!!?) how cool is that?

this week was all about mountain bikes. almost no road bikes in sight. it is very tiring, but its so much more rewarding than road biking, plus, it never feels like "training". its just riding really hard on your mt.bike.

my Hbar cow has the best seat in the house, no doubt, but its not honking as it used to, 'cause i crashed on it... cows, go figure...

trip retrospect.

i've been dreaming of my trips through the states, and there are a few things i miss the most. first of all- my moving house. its a state of the art "feel good" home. i must have spent more than a year of my life living in it.

second, the people i met, especially Ann and Jeff. some people just make you feel right at home. i met so many wonderful people throughout these trips, its amazing.

and the views... from the blistering heat of the deserts in nevada and utah, to the frezzing cold mountains of colorado and canada. i've loved them all.

bikes for all...

yesterday i went out and helped building BMX bikes for kids with special needs. its a great initiative by the israeli bicycle union, and building bikes is somthing i love doing...

i am not really sure about the small BMX's, though... it seems that the smaller and simpler the bike is, the harder it is to build it. and the back pain from crouching all the time is still there. at least its for a good cause.

door to door.

took my road bike yesterday, and rode to sign the lease for our new house in Zrufa. as you see, this is a bike's view of the enterance to Zrufa. very royal... or maybe very LA?

its not even that far from where i live today!! i thought it would be a 3 hour ride, but it turned out to be a 2 hour easy spin... 62 kilometers door to door.

they always seem to be working on route 4, and the road is narrow and scarified. its sort of a nice feeling, this scarified road thingy... its like a thai massage to your hands, legs and balls. yep, i like that alot.

four hundred and one...

this is post number 401, and i am a little excited. i never thought that this blog would really mean that much to me, but scrolling back through those 400 posts, i actually see my life in retrospect...

knowing that alot of people share this life with me, is a little overwhelming, but strangely makes me want to write another post every day. this is a THANK YOU post to all of you...

meanwhile, the rain has come and gone again, and left me with muddy bikes, and wet shoes. this is the best use for our newspapers, and they work like a charm.

401 and counting...

strange days...

one never knows what might happen to him while riding his bike. mostly he can fall hard on his face, riding a singletrack, or get hit by a passing car. he might even hug a tree...

well, an airplane crashed on me yesterday... true story. i was riding my bike, when an aerobatic plane hit the ground just 5 meters away from me. it was surreal. i pulled the pilot out of the wreckage...

he's OK, thank god (he was religious...hmmm). i was a little shaken, but it was the weirdest thing ever. whats next? an alien story? any thoughts?

single speed video...

http://www.flix.co.il/tapuz/showVideo.asp?m=3056548

this is the ss race video from last weekend.
cheers!!

house hunting...

its an easy riding week, and i am using my time to find a house for moran and i to move in to. wer'e thinking the carmel mountains area, as its close to moran's studies, and its smack in the middle of the best singletracks in the country....

also, i have my favourite road climb in israel- beit oren - just a few kilometers away.

i can't wait to live with moran in the same house. at last she'll discover that i bite me toe nails. hmm...

a freak of nature...

sometimes i forget where i am. i just grab my bike and go ride, not paying attention to the surroundings. i forget that i spend a few hours each day, outside, in the wilderness... i should be so thankful for being able to do what i do....

and for being able to see the madones in their blossom. its the peak of the madone season, and you can litteraly pick them fresh, straight from the tree.

yeah! the compost is back, didn't you know? your'e sssssso last year...

euro trip...

our euro stint looks like a world away from where we are at the moment. moran is all into working and studying, and i am exhausted from a wicked desert training camp.
oh, the 24 hour race has been totally cancelled. bummer. i'll have to make do with a 230 km race in march. singlespeed style. oh the humanity!

i said- "god damn!!"

this one will leave a mark... it was the hardest training camp i had ever been through. too many kilometers, too many climbs. i hope the mark it leaves will make me, indeed, faster.

the shap takes a wiz while a big cat is walking around. i think its a cat, i did not have my glasses with me...

it seems to be the favorite sport with the desert people of Sde Boker, this shoe throwing thing. i couldn't understand the rules, but hey, whatever makes them happy, right?

off i go again...

its another CCC team training camp... this time a rolling camp, starting in megido (a.k.a- armegaddon), riding through the jordan valley, and into the desert.

which is alot different than where moran and i were just a week ago.

i will be back on saturday, hungry as hell, and with a new tan pattern on my forehead.

600 kilometers, and i'm back. see ya'...

more singlespeed pics...

this one was taken mid race, by adi ma'ayan, a gifted photographer, no doubt.

the forests are full of flowers these days, and it so nice to ride outside every day. we should be so thankful for the awesome weather we have in Israel, and for the riding options it gives us...

this one was taken by morani- the bikes await us whilst we gulp the beers down our throats. the beer buzz came by the end of the second lap. yuk!

we'll always have Prague...

you know, i have been drinking beer for a while now, and it is really growing on me. not my beer belly, thank god, but the taste. i can even drink it very fast indeed... hey, it even helped me to win a bike race on saturday!!

prague has all kinds of architectural styles, but my favourite has to be the gothic theme. it is truly overwhelming in its darkness and attention to details. it gives me the kajivers just standing next to it.

this is a picture of whats left of the north pole. yah, its scary, i know.

i hate global warming.

Prague after thought.

spending a whole week away from my bikes made me miss riding alot more than i thought it would. i just love this sport. i like the wind in my hair (note to my self- you have no hair), the feeling of freedom, and the adrenalin of singletracking.

ofcourse, some things are not missed one bit...

ahh, the czech food. i honestly think i have gained 2 kilograms this week. no riding, fatning food, and cold weather might do that to you... never mind, i have another training camp this weekend. wednesday to saturday of hard riding will take that fat away. fingers crossed.

single speed race!

its that time of the year again, when every single speeder in israel feels the urge to get out of his comfort zone, and go kick some ass. so he gets out to a great course, drinks half a liter of disgusting beer, and rides as fast as he can for an hour...

the result? loads of drunk singlespeed riders roaming the hills and singletracks, looking all smug and cross eyed. it was funny as hell. and hard...

the atmosphere was awesome, and these people show me time and again that they are THE scene makers of the israeli biking world. i won the race, and got a boot filled with coins, making this 900 shekel win a bit of a burden...

thanx for a great race.

Prague...

the medival times are still with us, or so it seems, as you walk the freezing streets of this beutiful old city. the prague experience was only enhanced by the exterme weather condithion, and besides, it was empty of enoying tourists.

the most beautiful thing i saw in Prague.

layers. its the only thing that separates between living normally and dying of exposure. we survived- and enjoyed every minute of Prague.

wer'e back!!

no pictures yet... i will update a bunch tomorrow. it was awesome, and frrrricking cold.
tomorrow morning i am racing the infamous "drink vodka as you ride" singlespeed race. i intend to win. or puke... whatever comes first!

going abroad...

in a few minutes i'll be 28 years old... and what's better to do than celebrate it by hopping on a plane with the girl i love, and travel to europe?
so, wer'e off to Prague. we'll take it easy, and be off the grid for a few days, so i won't update the blog 'till friday. bring on the cold :)

meanwhile...

i try to hone my kids bike riding skills. its working alright, and i can take my training wheels off already. please notice that i do not have my helmet on... its ruining my low center of gravity.

ahh... surfing. drinking sea water, waiting in the freezing cold water, the shrinkage factor, the sharks, the salt in your eyes. i love surfing. the net.

we will miss these cold days so much, comes summer time, with all its heat waves and sweat fests. i love these cold clear days. keep 'em coming.

4 days to go...

4 days for our vacation in prague. i already started to look for warm clothing, as it is minus 5 degrees over there. maybe i'll eat some more junkfood in order to coat myself with another layer of fat. bring on the pizza.

hippie kids = happy kids?

it comes and goes...

the war got to Timna. all i have to do is wait. another month, then. hmm...

24 hours of this?

i'll take it. the race course is awesome! it has just the right amount of singletracks, double tracks, uphills and downhills. its in the middle of the fricking desert, right across from the Moab mountains of Jordan. 24 hours of moab? ha! 24 hours of Timna.

good. there's nothing good to watch on the TV anyway...

getting ready.

today i'm going down to the 24 hours race course, for a pre-run of the thing. it may be a 4 hour drive each way, for a 1 hour ride, but its worth it, 'cause i need to choose the right ratio for my singlespeed beast.

meanwhile, i try to eat as much as i can, and rest. i will have a week's worth of riding hours, cramped into one long day this weekend. i think i'll be fat by the time the race starts...

5 days to go...

its 5 days to d-day. 24 hours of pure pain, or pure pleasure. depends on how you look at it.

so, i took the time, and recorded with my band, right here in my house. it was easy to transform my room into a recording studio... just put some foamy acustic shit on the walls. voila'.

its a mutant. what can i say?

Peace, please.

the ongoing war in Gaza forces me to re-use some old pictures i took. War makes me sick.

a friend of mine got sent to that damn war zone. people on both sides get hurt for nothing, and it has been going on for thousands of years. fuck that.

YES- FUCK THAT.

Oops!

a CREMBO crash. if there's such a thing as a good crash- this must be it. period.

Bling!!

a few days of cold and rain are not enough to tempt me out of riding. and it is cold, considering this is Israel... i spent the last few days at Moran's, and we went out for the silvester. it was damn funny...

we found ourselves in a party where the average age was 40ish... these guys kick ass, dancing like its no one's business.

and i managed to squeeze a cold and wet ride in the Carmel mountains, on my recently renovated singlespeed. it works like a cold and wet dream.

Happy New Year

the years do go by fast... i am not even used to write 08', and its already 09'. i wish all of you a very good year, filled with joys, self fulfillment and hope. i know this year will be a big one for me, no doubt. oh, and peace- literally.
BTW- Shap, i wish you the best for your birthday. happy 20th.

winter is really here.

when you have to stop a ride, cause your'e too cold and wet- its winter.
when your bike looks like a dog's poo- its winter.
when your shoes need newspapers shoved up their ass to dry out- its winter.
when you think twice whether to go on a ride- its winter.
when your ass crack is filled with mud- its winter.
when every single track you ride has 2 "almost lost it there..."- its winter.
when your girlfriend calls you to tell you to wear warm clothing for your ride- its winter.
when your'e happy crossing deep puddles of water, just to clean your bike- its winter.

winter is awesome. i hate it. and love it. hmm.

WAR

the last day of the camp was in the shadow of the war in the Gaza strip. only in israel can one ride his bike in a war zone, and act like everything is alright. well- its not. the fighter jets flew over our heads, and dropped bombs on the city of Gaza. we had to turn back, and literally run away from the area.
wars are a sad sad thing.

just do it.

one might find himself doing strange things whilst riding 6 hours a day... for me it was a trike racing mode...

and the Shap found this cow\horse\whatever rather atractive. thats how he rolls...

it was Hanuka, and the candles were lit every evening. happy holidays.

team camp!

700 km in 5 days could be rather boring. thankfully, those 700 passed swiftly and without any problems what so ever. my team mates are fricking strong. here is Eliad, showing some team spirit.

i ate so much, its not even funny. burning 5000 calories a day does that, you know...

and, ofcourse, our resident team giant- Noam, was there, too. if you want a wind blocker- this is your guy.

update....

i am back. it was quite an experience... details will be coming tonight.
stay tuned for scenes from our next episode...

lost and found...

i lost my camera yesterday. it was found today, in my sister's freezer. you read it right. freezer. its working alright, but the stories it must have from a night of freezing temperatures... its a good preperation for Prague. oh, did i mention that moran and i are going to Prague? 2 days after the 24 hour race, on my birthday, we are off for a few days... vacation style! freezing vacation, i must add...

well, i am off for a few days- i'll be back on saturday. its training camp time, 25 hours in five days. or as i should call it- "those gaza arabs are aiming straight at us- ride faster!!"

i will try to update from there. peace.

a natural...

pro riders, wherever you are- BEWARE!! moran is in the house... what can i say, the girl kicks ass.

i am about to start a 30 hour week. six days, 30+ hours... you do the math. so i took a day off, to get ready for the adventure.

and went to a photo session for the magazine. the trails, the air, the sun, the atmosphere- were all spot on. anyone wants to sign me for a modeling deal? huh!

the party continues...

moran is here for the weekend, and wer'e spending some quality time before i am off to boot camp, or as i also call it- "why does it always rain on me?".

make what you want of this picture, i think its brilliant.

ahh, the base period- thousends of empty calories getting used, and thousends more eaten. i will miss this time of year in months to come. enjoy life.

past perfect...

you know, i miss the 20th century... not that long ago, when we had regular shows on the T.V, and you did not have to vote whether ALF eats the neighbor's cat or not. he just ate it, and we laughed. those were the days...

it was the producer's and writer's job, to find an ending to their show. so what you got, was a great show, with a surprise ending, which you had nothing to do with.

the Big Brother show ended two days ago, and already they are casting for the next show. i could last 100 days in a closed environment, but why would i ? did you see how beautiful it is outside? GO RIDE YOUR BIKE!

eat this!

i've lost some weight. its strange because i eat like fat bastard from "austin powers"... i am not as hairy as that scotish bastard, thank god.

next week i am off to a CCC team, 5 day training camp, or as i call it- "my butt is numb, is my seat still there?". never ending flats, high winds and farting team mates. on road bikes. ita a mountain biker's hell.

so....

i joined GreenPeace. kill me.

took the Shap out for some singletracks in Ma'anit. the traction is unbelievable, and the Shap rides pretty fast these days- so i kicked his butt. this is him, doing some cross-training swimming.

small riders cast big shadows. (depending on the time of day, ofcourse...).

sky high...

i don't feel that well. 'been like that for the past few days. its depressing.

my cow, adina, seems to like it atop my rigid singlespeed's handlebar. the views from there must be awesome. it also must be very bumpy.

the rain has come and gone, again, and wer'e left with trails in great condition, but with a country needing water. i try to conserve as much as i can. do you?

all aboard.

i love using the train. its spacious, clean and relaxing... plus, they work according to a time table, and god knows i love being on time.

time is on our side. but which way are you headed?

people watching on the train. its New York all over again...

i am going out to ride my singlespeed in the rain. is there anything better to do? nope. go out and ride your bikes- the air smells fresh and clean. see ya' later.

not too fast...

(sorry for re-using a picture, but i don't get to see that many turtles...)
this season, so it seems, will be long and full of adventures. i try to take it slowly, but i just can't stop riding my bike. or bikes...

'havn't ridden the 9.9 in a while. in the states i used to ride it every day, but in israel i only use it once a month... i love this bike. its perfect.

another CCC team event. bring on the calories, i say...

winter?

my father is all into winter mode these days. too bad its sunny and 20 degrees outside... our fire place is working every evening, and food (!!) is getting in and out of it. cool, huh?

i ride my road bike all the time, as my hand is not fully recovered yet. a few more days, and another few hundred kilometers, and i'm back to my regular hunting ground. road is for the weak...

take that, israeli drivers!!

I stop for no one... well, almost.

forgetting my driver's licence and credit card at Moran's place, was an awful excuse to make a round trip to Haifa on my road bike. riding all the way there to kiss my girl- now that's an excuse.

riding your bike, regardless of weather conditions really makes you feel like a pro. i rode regardless, and spent more than 5 hours in the pouring rain. at least it wasn't cold...

i truly feel strong these days. this 5 hour ride felt like a walk in the park, and that's good, considering i am training for a 24 hour race. average BPM was 140. my heart works fine, i guess.

bodies in motion.

its easy to forget how much our body is a tool. its almost transparent to us, as we live day by day without paying any attention to it. we need our body to work perfectly...

its only when somthing goes wrong, that we start giving it the attention it deserves. that sucks. we need to take care of it. it is the ONLY thing we really own in this world. that's it.

well, today i fell pretty hard on my right palm, while riding some singletracks. it brought up some old issues i had with that part of the palm, and i think i won't be able to ride off road for a week or so. now that sucks.

there is life around me...

and since i got back from the states, i've been enjoying it. Dror (not the one from last post...) went to the reserves for a few weeks, and Ofri went visiting him yesterday. the army sucks!

just a few nice pictures i took, going around, visiting friends...

this tuesday i intend to join a long desert trip (93 km). it sounds like a true epic, with cool guys. here's for adventures.

here again!

sorry for not posting this weekend. i have been busy. i am riding all the time, in different places, and with different people. i am going back and forth to haifa, and i am trying to sleep in between.

last week i went with Tom, Idan and Dror for a long (80 km) off road ride. the weather, again, was perfect.

meanwhile, i have started riding to haifa and back, and it is much closer than i thought it was. today it took me only 2 hours 45 minutes from Morani's home to mine... i need to find a longer way if i want to ride longer hours.

on the roads again...

so, i've been logging some more road hours, and i have to say- i like it. its quiet. its relaxing. you can keep your heart rate in check. but there is nothing like single tracking through the woods. now, that's REAL biking.

my shadow and i went climbing a little bit, up "beit oren" climb. it is so beautiful there, and the grade of the climb is perfest for taking it easy...

getting to the the top, and looking north, will give you the scenery of the Haifa bay. i am going according to plan, and will finish this week with 22 hours or so. good. next week- 25\27.

living frugal...

i know it seems like its all just mumbo jumbo, but the pollution we release to the earth and to the air is killing us. it also kills the planet. its true, but we all cover our eyes and ears and go on with our lives...

this bike, hanging in the air, is a good reminder of this issue, as it is stationed at the top of a garbage muntain not so far from my house. its a pretty big garbage pile- and its all us.

riding your bike as a commuter bike, and driving as little as possible is a good start. do it.

i drive long distances, but at least my Kermit is frugal! yes, that is 785.6 km, on a little more than half a tank. respect.

night out.

so... i've been going out alot lately. i drink beer. i have a girlfriend. i ride alot, and i'm in shape.
can life be better than this? i doubt it.

adi and itay posing for the camera. i think adi is much better than itay doing so.

moran is definitely better than i am at this. i always look like a deer stuck in the headlights. she always looks like a million dolar model. i ride my bike faster, though...

its only natural...

this time of the year is the most beautiful thing. leaves fall off the trees, and the sunsets are long and colourful. the only downside is that the days are extremely short. i hate that. i have less hours to ride my bike.

this week i will put on some more hours, taking it up a notch- 20 to 23 hours. i spend too much time in tights...

same shit, different path.

i love riding my bike.

life.

riding every day, and writing for a living, is a dream come true. life somehow finds its way...
it happens while you are busy trying to get it together. don't miss it.

i got myself an H bar. it seemed right, because people call me H in the states. it's awesome. a little weird at first, after so many years of riding conventionally, but it is super comfortable and does not slow me one bit in the singletracks. good.

pubs. beer nuts. pretzels. french fries. pickels. smoke. music. beer.

life.

go long...

the mountain bike season is freakishly long with only two weeks of off season. ofcourse i couldn't stop my self from riding non stop. now i'm tired. it feels goooood.

as i told you, it rains for two days, and then its all sunshine for the next week or so. mother nature loves cyclists, but does she like the farmers? not so much, i guess.

mmmmmm. deep. and it works, too. really.

keep 'em coming...

the weather these days is so beautiful, i almost don't feel bad that its not raining. tom and I went for a ride that led us to my favourite spot on the cliff, high above the sea. the fresh air over there is somthing else, i tell ya'.

my breakfest doesn't seem to fill me enough these days. i ride and eat like crazy. i love it.

the sunsets are so red, even those ugly cars and stoplights can't ruin the beauty of the thing.

i say, bring on the rain. and then stop it, so we'll have some more of this mid winter summer.

i like it hot.

i forgot how long hours in the saddle make you hungry. i also forgot just how much food one can consume, especially if that person is an avid bike rider. well, i eat non-stop.

today, on my ride, i thought of new york city, and of the time i spent there riding into on coming traffic. i miss that alot. doing that in israel somehow just feels wrong. it also feels mighty deadly.

kick off !

road hours. can't live with them, can't live without them. its a pain in the ass, but it has to be done. so here's for not getting killed by crazy israeli drivers.

converting one of my mountain bikes into a road bike keeps me in my regular attack position. good. roadies hate me for that. they ride slower, mind you, so i think they are angry with me for a good reason...