2009- a retrospect...

2009 was, no doubt, the most important year of my adult life. these are four pictures that represent it the most, in my eyes.
a krembo crash- having met moran two months prior to this picture (that was taken on the very first day of the year), and finding out she really likes krembo !! i bought her this one, and it fell straight on the floor in her old appartment.

march- a 230 km race, with a knee problem that dominated the next few months after it. it was totally worth it, though...

summer 09'- moran and i have moved in together around march, and spent the spring, summer and fall living in the same house. in May i popped the question, and from there on, we were planning our wedding...

october 09'- the wedding day... it was an awesome wedding. an exciting day. a day we'll remember forever.

2009 was the year i became an adult. the year i started WORKING in the biking industry. the year i started my own family. the most important year of my life...

bring on 2010- i'm READY.

WE are ready...

the desert and i...

riding into the desert in total darkness is always a good start for an epic ride. the pace was rather fast, so my partner told me he would not ride with me, and that i should continue on my own. and so i did. seeing the desert waking up, the mountain tops take shape out of the darkness, and meeting my new friend for the day, courtesy of the sun- my shadow...

after barak told me to go on my own, i decided i should try and break last year's finishing time. the only way to do it (considering that this year's edition was actually longer...) was to stick to the plan: never stop, never stop pedalling, and when off the bike- run. thats what i did. its a meditative state, pedalling non stop, and it worked.

the desert was in a beautiful state, with water in the streams, and the weather was spot on. i rode like there was no tomorrow, and finished 1st, breaking last year's time by about 15 minutes. could have kept riding for another 100 km or so...

i wish to say thanx to all the epic riders taking part in these long loooong races. you all have mtbikers souls.

and- a last thank you to all my blog's readers. the numbers have just passed 10,000. spread the word, give some links to friends.

love you all, H.

out and about...

the awesome weather calls for some long rides. so that's what i do... took the superfly single speed and went stretching its legs. this bike rocks.

by no means is it forgiving or comfortable. its harsh and unyielding. its a true race bike.

nature at its best.

by the way- you all HAVE to go watch the movie Avatar. its unbelievable. james cameron has created one of the best movies of all times. its not all about the effects (which are beautifuly made), its also about the story, and the rythem in which it unfolds. amazing.

this friday its the "100 mile race"- take two. the bike is most definitely ready... the rider?

stay tuned...

sorry... maybe next week.

due to the foul (and frankly, shity) weather, the 100 miler will have to wait 'till next weekend. i think this is the worst racing year i've ever had, bike events being cancelled right and left.

over and out.

a hundred miler... single speed.

so, getting ready for another 100 miles in the desert... it seems easier with time, and i find myself doing all the arrangments without any added pressure. two 29 inch tubes- check, multi tool- check, enough food- check... and so on.

i know the course by heart, so i'm not taking any GPS or maps. i'll wing it.

my fitness is on a down curve, since i stopped "training" after the 400 km race, so i'm not in the greatest shape, but i think i'll do just fine.

at least the bike is all ready for the job at hand. its a beautiful machine, the superfly, and being a single-speed only makes it look sexier...

see ya' on the other side. here comes the pain !!!

weekend's here...

every friday morning i have a women's team that i coach. every friday in a different place, different weather, different scenery. today we went riding around yokne'am, and the trails over there are so beatiful now. the girls kick ass, riding up and down the hills like pro's.

anyway, this was a slow week, riding wise, as the rain did not stop... but family wise it was great, because moran's sister- gilat, had her first baby born !!! her name is Amit, and she's healthy and beatiful.

tomorrow its a road ride with the CCC squad. its been a long time since i rode with the team. sure missed everybody.

next weekend- a century race (160 km) on my singlespeed superfly. i'll have to convert it into a siglespeed on sunday, i guess. i think i'll put an 18 cog in the back. or maybe 17? we'll see...

back from the dead.......................sea.

well... the Veolia Desert Challenge was one of the best bike events i've ever attended, and i've been around. the vibe, the scene, the people, the biking. i actually feel proud of the israeli biking scene, and of the people who create it. i'm also proud of the fact that i've been around long enough to see it grow and blossom, and being there when it all happened.

Geva alon is an israeli folk-rock artist, and he performed the night before the race... the guy can sing, and write. you have to check him out. (he sings in english...).

my parents are on their way to new-zealand for a month. lucky them. love you mom and dad, and have a good trip.

i'm drooling here...!

this is my dream car. oh my god, its a beauty... the combination of the most beautiful car ever built, the citroen ds, and an off-road monster. the thing does it all...

anyway, i'm heading to the dead sea in order to participate in the couple's race over there, and write about it for the magazine. see you on sunday.

out and about...

a 69er kind of shade.
i went to my parents house yesterday, and used the opprrtunity for a 2 hour ride on my old home turf- Horshim. the place is in the best shape now, and the ride is technical and agressive, just the way i like it. i miss that place...

in the past few weeks Erez and i were thinking of taking a serious commitment. somthing of the epic kind. a race with lots of miles and lots of climbing. as the 400 km came to a halt, we had to find somthing longer...

having no other choice (...) we had to sign up for the TransAlp stage race. this july wer'e heading for the ride of our lives, crossing the german, austrian and italian alps, in an 8 day blast through the mountains. yes, life is hard.

meanwhile, i'm getting ready for a few weekends of biking, with a mini DH race next saturday (a 29er? maybe...), and a 160 km off road race in 3 weeks time. singlespeed style...