Bicycle tour through Africa

I am still planning a 4 - 5 months amassing bicycle tour throught Africa through Egypt, Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Tansania, Mosambique and South Africa. A tour of around 12.000km (8.000 miles) and around 100 -120 km per day.

All Politics

The problem here in Israel when you are trying to organize bicycle tours is that the neighbors easily can affect the area. Like now that Hamas and the Fatah are fighting in Gaza. The news are that Fatah have asked Israel for help to kick Hamas out of the West Bank and Hamas are promising suicide bombs inside the area, if Fatah is getting some help.

Politic and bicycling

The situation here in Israel is still affected by the situation in Gaza and the West Bank, with the problems between Hamas and Fatah. Some months ago 2 school teachers on a 1-year contact from Canada and the USA, were in Gaza and in the week-ends would come to Jaffa Old Hostel for staying in TLV. The would leave Gaza City on a Friday, escorted by 24 soldiers to the border to Israel other wise it would not be save for them to get out. As soon there were in Israel it was safe and they could take the bus to Jaffa/TLV. When they were going home it was just the opposite, taking the bus from Jaffa to the border, meeting up with the 24 soldiers waiting for them at the border and escorting them back to Gaza City, so that the would teach again Sunday morning.

bicycle race North Tel Aviv

On by way to the beach at Gaash around 20 km North of Tel Aviv last week -end, a really organized bicycle race was taking place, mainly for road bikes. Streets was closed off to make it secure for the riders and police were out at each traffic light to make sure that cars would stop for the bikes. I pased the road at a traffic light to make a left turn and nearly crashed with a rider due to I didn't see him from from my left behind some trees. Unfortunately I do not have any info about the race itself or who won.

Beach culture in Tel Aviv

If you come to Israel and to Tel Aviv than the Shabbath is the big beach days, from Friday to Saturday. Today I bicycled to my beach north of Tel Aviv 20 km from Jaffa to a really laid back beach with nearly no people. The beaches in Tel Aviv are so full that it can be difficult to find a place to lay down. There are people every where,

Beach culture in Tel Aviv

If you come to Israel and to Tel Aviv than the Shabbath is the big beach days, from Friday to Saturday. Today I bicycled to my beach north of Tel Aviv 20 km from Jaffa to a really laid back beach with nearly no people. The beaches in Tel Aviv are so full that it can be difficult to find a place to lay down. There are people every where,

Bicycle culture is growing in Israel not doubt about it. I was there 5-years ago and it was nearly none, except in the Kibbutzim . Today you see riders fully dressed in matching clothing brand name bicycles and racks for the cars. I is also a dangerous sport and you see often somebody getting hurt. Some weeks ago there was and incident with a bicycle with a motor, scooter which got hit by a car and driven over by a truck in an junction and nobody stop to help him. Cars were just going around and it took a long time before help arrived. The was a camera recording the whole thing and it went to the media and people were very upset afterwards that nobody help him. It even went abroad to the USA. Today it is a big problem here in Israel it has become Americanised were everybody have enough in themselves. Before Israel was founden from the Kibbutzim and a socialistic upbringing, but today the Kibbutz are falling apart and people have changed.

Bicycle event in Tel Aviv

The bicycle culture is quite new to Israel and have been growing over the last 5 -years. Last Saturday the Tel Aviv counsel was holding an bicycle event where they offered bicyle free off charge for a day to around 700 kids, men and women, including a free map of the city and water.

People could choose different routes of 5 km or 10 km around the Yaakon river of North TLV.
It look like a big succes.

Maps of Israel

Bicycling in Israel can be quite fun and relaxing but there is a big difference from the North to the South and from West to East, so it is a really good idea to have good maps. Also due to the political situation in the region, West bank and the terriotories, which suddenly due to the situation can close down. Maps are avalible in Hebrew in general but also more and more in English. In TLV some outdoor shops sells quite detailed bicycle maps, for different regions from the North to the South catagorised by numbers. At the Dizengroff Center in TLV is the know shop Lamatayelet wich provide bicycle maps

The Israel Bike Trail are getting more and more updated with maps and is 850 km (531 Miles)
from the North at Hermon mountain to the South in Eilat.

Hi touring in Israel is great