It was hard, getting back on trail this morning. I had to wait for Uri and Tal to get to Tel-Aviv, from Tel-Baruch Beach. Yaara went home for the holiday.
They got here at about 10:30, so I had time to get ready in the morning. I met them back at the Yarkon Park, and started walking east towards Afek Park.
This annoying dude gave us all kinds of useless advice for the day, after doing the same route himself a week ago, or something. It was kinda nice of him at the beginning, but he just never stopped giving us more and more advice, and we just wanted to get going...
When we reached the infamous Yarkon bridge near the Ayalon mall we went over to buy white gas for my gas stove. Tal stayed with the backpacks on the trail, and when we got back she told us she is taking the rest of the day off, and be back tomorrow.
Uri and I kept on walking along the stream. The trail was completely flat, and had plenty of shade along the way.
I managed to get off the trail after the bit where the trail just goes through a stream, without a way to avoid getting wet. Uri got on the right trail, and I cought up with him shortly afterwards.
The plan was to get all the way to the train station in Rosh Haayin, but the day was getting late, and we wanted to be done early enough so we can get home for the new year's dinner. After some thinking we decided we will stop about 2Km before the train station, and head out to a gas station on route 40.
יום שלישי, 30 בספטמבר 2008
יום שני, 29 בספטמבר 2008
יום 17: מחוף השרון לדרך נמיר
A very short day indeed.
It all started with a nice ride with Uri's Dad to Hasharon Beach in Herzliya. After getting our gear on our backs, at the shore, we headed out. Uri, Tal and Yaara were going only to Tel Baruch Beach, but I was heading all the way into Tel-Aviv, so I just started trucking it.
The walk was quite easy on the beach. Not many sandy bits. I really got into a good pace, and hit the Tel Baruch Beach quite early. I managed to miss the trail again, as it took east just before the beach, but quickly found it again.
While walking on Tsvi Propes street in Tel-Aviv I met an older lady who was also walking along. She was quite surprised to hear I came all the way from Kibbutz Dan, and I told her about the trail. Maybe she will do the trail herself some day...
It was very nice to have finally reached the Yarkon Park. After so many times I've walked in it in "real life", seeing the Israel Trail passing through (With an occasional hiker on it), I was walking on the trail in it. I bet everyone who saw me walking there was wondering what this idiot is doing there with his funny backpack and silly smile.
I reached Namir road at 11:30, just over 2 hours after I started walking in the morning. Quite fast, if I can say so myself. Easy trail, admittedly. Got myself off the trail and into Orna's parents' house, which is empty since they are all abroad at the moment (Coming home tomorrow...), and had a very nice shower, a complete laundry round, and a generally good and relaxing time. It'll be hard to get back on the trail tomorrow.
It all started with a nice ride with Uri's Dad to Hasharon Beach in Herzliya. After getting our gear on our backs, at the shore, we headed out. Uri, Tal and Yaara were going only to Tel Baruch Beach, but I was heading all the way into Tel-Aviv, so I just started trucking it.
The walk was quite easy on the beach. Not many sandy bits. I really got into a good pace, and hit the Tel Baruch Beach quite early. I managed to miss the trail again, as it took east just before the beach, but quickly found it again.
While walking on Tsvi Propes street in Tel-Aviv I met an older lady who was also walking along. She was quite surprised to hear I came all the way from Kibbutz Dan, and I told her about the trail. Maybe she will do the trail herself some day...
It was very nice to have finally reached the Yarkon Park. After so many times I've walked in it in "real life", seeing the Israel Trail passing through (With an occasional hiker on it), I was walking on the trail in it. I bet everyone who saw me walking there was wondering what this idiot is doing there with his funny backpack and silly smile.
I reached Namir road at 11:30, just over 2 hours after I started walking in the morning. Quite fast, if I can say so myself. Easy trail, admittedly. Got myself off the trail and into Orna's parents' house, which is empty since they are all abroad at the moment (Coming home tomorrow...), and had a very nice shower, a complete laundry round, and a generally good and relaxing time. It'll be hard to get back on the trail tomorrow.
יום ראשון, 28 בספטמבר 2008
יום 16: מחוף בית ינאי לחוף השרון
What a night... I remember waking up with wind full of sand blowing inside my tent, and Uri, Yaara and Tal awake worried outside. Several seconds later the rain started dropping, and what seemed to be a nice roof between the containers turned out to be a hole-filled excuse for a shade. Quickly I got everyone's gear inside my tent and went back to sleep while hearing the rain drop on it. The others went running to the little hut we saw earlier on the bitch, which was also completely flooded, and ended up sleeping inside the handicapped toilets on the beach.
In the morning the sun was out again, and we managed to get going quite early. The walk along the shore was nice, seeing a lot of people just walking or jogging up and down the shore, but Tal and I missed the bit where the trail gets off the shore and into Netanya. We didn't know it at first, and sat waiting for Uri and Yaara for a long while on the beach, before finally catching them on the phone and finding out.
We then had a very expensive breakfest (salad, eggs, some bread) at a coffee shop above the beach, and just as we were heading out the rain started pouring. The coffee shop had no room to hide from the rain, so I made a run for it, got a bit drenched, and hid at the entrance to a hotel. The rain stopped after about 15 minutes, and everyone else came walking up the road and joined me. We kept on walking inside Netanya and along the beach, circling around Beit Goldmints, and finally through Irus Argaman Reserve and back down to the shore.
From there the trail was just along the waterline, under the cliffs. I got caught in a bit of a rain just as the trail took another turn east and up the cliff, but it also stopped after about 10 minutes. The trail kept on on top of the clifs until I reached Ga'ash, and went down to the beach. I sat there waiting for everyone else - the plan was to get to Rishpon Beach, but the life saver at Ga'ash told me there is nothing there, and here was the best place with running water and something that might be called a toilet.
I went in the water while waiting for everyone, and even got dry by the time they reached me. Since it was still way too early, we decided we'd push on to Apollonia Beach. I kept on walking, and finally got myself to the next orginized beach, and again sat waiting for the rest. We decided to push on once again, and kept on walking to Hasharon Beach, finally stopping for the day there.
The plan here was to meet up with Uri's Mom and get fed properly, and tomorrow mozy along to Tel-Baruch Beach for the big cook out Uri was planning the whole time. I gracefully avoided that, and told everyone I'd push all the way to Tel-Aviv the next day, and then meet up with them on the day after that.
The plan changed, though, when an offer was made for us to sleep in Uri's home. Nobody resisted the offer, so after we had had a wonderful pasta with vegetables and chicken made by Uri's Mom at the beach, we squeezed in two cars (His dad was also called in to help pick us up), and we spent the night inside a decent house, after a decent shower.
In the morning the sun was out again, and we managed to get going quite early. The walk along the shore was nice, seeing a lot of people just walking or jogging up and down the shore, but Tal and I missed the bit where the trail gets off the shore and into Netanya. We didn't know it at first, and sat waiting for Uri and Yaara for a long while on the beach, before finally catching them on the phone and finding out.
We then had a very expensive breakfest (salad, eggs, some bread) at a coffee shop above the beach, and just as we were heading out the rain started pouring. The coffee shop had no room to hide from the rain, so I made a run for it, got a bit drenched, and hid at the entrance to a hotel. The rain stopped after about 15 minutes, and everyone else came walking up the road and joined me. We kept on walking inside Netanya and along the beach, circling around Beit Goldmints, and finally through Irus Argaman Reserve and back down to the shore.
From there the trail was just along the waterline, under the cliffs. I got caught in a bit of a rain just as the trail took another turn east and up the cliff, but it also stopped after about 10 minutes. The trail kept on on top of the clifs until I reached Ga'ash, and went down to the beach. I sat there waiting for everyone else - the plan was to get to Rishpon Beach, but the life saver at Ga'ash told me there is nothing there, and here was the best place with running water and something that might be called a toilet.
I went in the water while waiting for everyone, and even got dry by the time they reached me. Since it was still way too early, we decided we'd push on to Apollonia Beach. I kept on walking, and finally got myself to the next orginized beach, and again sat waiting for the rest. We decided to push on once again, and kept on walking to Hasharon Beach, finally stopping for the day there.
The plan here was to meet up with Uri's Mom and get fed properly, and tomorrow mozy along to Tel-Baruch Beach for the big cook out Uri was planning the whole time. I gracefully avoided that, and told everyone I'd push all the way to Tel-Aviv the next day, and then meet up with them on the day after that.
The plan changed, though, when an offer was made for us to sleep in Uri's home. Nobody resisted the offer, so after we had had a wonderful pasta with vegetables and chicken made by Uri's Mom at the beach, we squeezed in two cars (His dad was also called in to help pick us up), and we spent the night inside a decent house, after a decent shower.
יום שבת, 27 בספטמבר 2008
יום 15: מבית חנניה לחוף בית ינאי
The day started out nice enough in Beit-Hananya. We even managed to buy some breakfast at the grocery store (Some more cottage cheese), and then we headed out towards Jisr al Zarqa and the Mediterranean sea. Going through Jisr was a bit of a concern, after hearing about incidents other INT hikers had in there. Nir told us that only half a year ago they had some stones thrown at them, and generally felt it was no picnic walking down the main street. Happily, we ourselves didn't feel anything wrong in there, and the walk towards the beach was uneventful and quiet.
Walking along the sea was very nice, at first, even though the actual sandy bits are a bit harder to walk upon. We got closer to Ceasarea, and stopped just near the aqueduct beach (and the aqueduct itself...). From there the trail climbed a bit on the cliffs along the water, and then later it reached the road around the Ceasarea National Park, and we had a little bit of a road walk along Hippodrome and near the Theater. The trail then circled around Sdot Yam, and we walked through another short bit of road before we stopped for breakfast near a little junction.
We were trying to avoid the sun in the constantly moving shade, just passing some time in the hot hours. As usual I got my ass going before the rest of the gang did, as I always prefer getting to the end of the day early.
The walk from there consisted of circling around the power station, into the Nahal Hadera Park, and back towards the sea, and another way-too-long road walk towards Giv'at Olga. Then I crossed Road #2, and headed towards the railway station, where I filled up my water, and waited for the rest at the nearby picnic tables.
I was waiting for around an hour until Uri, Tal and Yaara came along. Sadly, Nir got off the trail for now at Road #2, heading home. We had a nice lunch there, and rested some more. With about 8 more Km until the Beit-Yanai beach, I headed out at around 16:00. The trail went around the Hadera forest, and later under the rail lines in a very claustrophobic tunnel. The bit from there to Nahal Alexander Park was the worst - it consisted of a sandy trail (like a beach), with small up and down bumps of about half a meter in height, for about 2-2.5Km. It just never ended... And when it finally did, with a turn to the left along the banks of the Alexander stream, it was a bliss.
Along the Alexander the trail was very nice, and there were plenty of people around there camping for the night. I thought about stopping there and waiting for the rest, but we needed to get to Beit-Yanai to buy food for the evening at the mall there, so I pressed on.
The bit from the end of the stream to Beit-Yanai beach was really sandy once again, but rather short. I got to the beach just before sunset, and the wind was really crazy over there. I just sat there on a boulder near the parking lot, and talked to some guy who got there from Tel-Aviv. Apparently he works for the SeeV high-tech recruitment company, so I told him I just found a new job.
After about an hour, Uri, Tal and Yaara came along. They managed to walk in the dark a bit, and phoned me several times for directions. They were quite beat from the long day, and so was I, and we were all very happy to go to the restaurant on the beach, and have some good burgers and beers. It all really made the day seem not as bad.
The winds kept on going, and we were tying to find a place for us for the night, and then all of a sudden Uri was talking to his dad, who happens to know the owמer of the place we were eating at. After a quick chat the owner told us where we can put our sleeping bags, and be more protected from the wind for the night - Just a little place between two containers, with something someone might call a roof over it.
Walking along the sea was very nice, at first, even though the actual sandy bits are a bit harder to walk upon. We got closer to Ceasarea, and stopped just near the aqueduct beach (and the aqueduct itself...). From there the trail climbed a bit on the cliffs along the water, and then later it reached the road around the Ceasarea National Park, and we had a little bit of a road walk along Hippodrome and near the Theater. The trail then circled around Sdot Yam, and we walked through another short bit of road before we stopped for breakfast near a little junction.
We were trying to avoid the sun in the constantly moving shade, just passing some time in the hot hours. As usual I got my ass going before the rest of the gang did, as I always prefer getting to the end of the day early.
The walk from there consisted of circling around the power station, into the Nahal Hadera Park, and back towards the sea, and another way-too-long road walk towards Giv'at Olga. Then I crossed Road #2, and headed towards the railway station, where I filled up my water, and waited for the rest at the nearby picnic tables.
I was waiting for around an hour until Uri, Tal and Yaara came along. Sadly, Nir got off the trail for now at Road #2, heading home. We had a nice lunch there, and rested some more. With about 8 more Km until the Beit-Yanai beach, I headed out at around 16:00. The trail went around the Hadera forest, and later under the rail lines in a very claustrophobic tunnel. The bit from there to Nahal Alexander Park was the worst - it consisted of a sandy trail (like a beach), with small up and down bumps of about half a meter in height, for about 2-2.5Km. It just never ended... And when it finally did, with a turn to the left along the banks of the Alexander stream, it was a bliss.
Along the Alexander the trail was very nice, and there were plenty of people around there camping for the night. I thought about stopping there and waiting for the rest, but we needed to get to Beit-Yanai to buy food for the evening at the mall there, so I pressed on.
The bit from the end of the stream to Beit-Yanai beach was really sandy once again, but rather short. I got to the beach just before sunset, and the wind was really crazy over there. I just sat there on a boulder near the parking lot, and talked to some guy who got there from Tel-Aviv. Apparently he works for the SeeV high-tech recruitment company, so I told him I just found a new job.
After about an hour, Uri, Tal and Yaara came along. They managed to walk in the dark a bit, and phoned me several times for directions. They were quite beat from the long day, and so was I, and we were all very happy to go to the restaurant on the beach, and have some good burgers and beers. It all really made the day seem not as bad.
The winds kept on going, and we were tying to find a place for us for the night, and then all of a sudden Uri was talking to his dad, who happens to know the owמer of the place we were eating at. After a quick chat the owner told us where we can put our sleeping bags, and be more protected from the wind for the night - Just a little place between two containers, with something someone might call a roof over it.
יום שישי, 26 בספטמבר 2008
יום 14: ממצפה עופר לבית חנניה
Another interesting day on the Israel Trail.
We started the day by finally getting on to the Ofer Lookout. Apparently it does have taps with running water on it, we weren't sure about it on the day before.
From there the trail went through several other camping sites, and I kept on trucking until I got to the road leading up to Meir Shfeyah. We were planning on buying some stuff to eat up there, so I hitched a ride into it, and apparently it is only a boarding school, with no shop. I filled up 3 2 litre bottles at the gate, and headed back down waiting for everyone to get there.
We had some lunch there, cooking a meal, since we were planning on getting to Beit-Hananya today anyway, and had a short nap on a dirt road. That is always fun, yeah. We also called Beit-Hananya secretariat, and they told us we can sleep on their lawn, and buy stuff at their grocery store.
I told them I'd meet up with them at the top of the Ramat Ha-Nadiv Nature Park, and went out again. Passing along the way a big supermarket I thought about stopping for food, but I figured it'll be much easier buying stuff in Beit-Hananya, and not carrying them around.
I continued up the mountain/hill thingie, and crashed on a bench just near Horvat Akev. I probably slept there for about an hour, before calling Uri - apparently they did stop at the supermarket, to buy food for tonight.
I kept on waiting until 17:00, but then I headed out for the final 2Km down the Carmel and into Beit-Hananya. The climb down was fun, but the bit along the railway was annoying, mainly because of all the gravel I had to walk on.
From there there was also the small bit of crossing route 4, which was hard. the cars kept on coming form both sides, driving fast, and for a while I was just looking for an oppertunity to run across. I then stopped, and figured I will not get myself killed over a stupid thing such as crossing a road, and just waited until the road was really clear, and crossed safely. There's an overpass being built there for the road over the rail lines, I hope they move the trail under the road as well.
Getting into Beit Hananya, two men over there told me where's the grocery store. I went there and treated myself to a tomato, cucamber, cottege cheese and a Snickers bar. It was one hell of a dinner for me.
I kept on sitting there, waiting for the rest to come over, when a car pulled over in front of me, and a lady just asked me if I want to get a shower - just like that. At first I was a bit shocked and just asked "what?", but then she asked if I was on the trail, and saying "yes" she just said "well, you probably didn't shower for several days now, don't you want a shower?". This time I did not lose my tongue, and immediatly said "yes!, I'd love a shower!". Her car was packed with her daughter-in-law and grand kids, so she just told me to follow her to her nearby house.
I went after the car (After buying some ciggarettes for Uri, Yaara and Tal), and was shown into the house. I had a wonderful shower, and Sarah told me I should call my friends to come on over to take showers as well.
When everyone else came over to the grocery store, I went over and picked them up, and they all had showers. The family living over there was wonderful. Sarah and her daughter just came today form Turkey, and her sisters and other daughters and sons were there, as well as her husband. After a while they also offered to make us laundry, and after we've noticed we have a lot of laundry to do, Sarah's sister took some to her house as well. Later we also used their kitchen to make dinner (Yaara made a mean Bolognse...), and slept on the lawn near their house.
It was a really great experience meeting such wonderful people on the trail, taking us into their home and treating us so nicely. This was one of the best places we've spent the night in, on the trail so far.
We started the day by finally getting on to the Ofer Lookout. Apparently it does have taps with running water on it, we weren't sure about it on the day before.
From there the trail went through several other camping sites, and I kept on trucking until I got to the road leading up to Meir Shfeyah. We were planning on buying some stuff to eat up there, so I hitched a ride into it, and apparently it is only a boarding school, with no shop. I filled up 3 2 litre bottles at the gate, and headed back down waiting for everyone to get there.
We had some lunch there, cooking a meal, since we were planning on getting to Beit-Hananya today anyway, and had a short nap on a dirt road. That is always fun, yeah. We also called Beit-Hananya secretariat, and they told us we can sleep on their lawn, and buy stuff at their grocery store.
I told them I'd meet up with them at the top of the Ramat Ha-Nadiv Nature Park, and went out again. Passing along the way a big supermarket I thought about stopping for food, but I figured it'll be much easier buying stuff in Beit-Hananya, and not carrying them around.
I continued up the mountain/hill thingie, and crashed on a bench just near Horvat Akev. I probably slept there for about an hour, before calling Uri - apparently they did stop at the supermarket, to buy food for tonight.
I kept on waiting until 17:00, but then I headed out for the final 2Km down the Carmel and into Beit-Hananya. The climb down was fun, but the bit along the railway was annoying, mainly because of all the gravel I had to walk on.
From there there was also the small bit of crossing route 4, which was hard. the cars kept on coming form both sides, driving fast, and for a while I was just looking for an oppertunity to run across. I then stopped, and figured I will not get myself killed over a stupid thing such as crossing a road, and just waited until the road was really clear, and crossed safely. There's an overpass being built there for the road over the rail lines, I hope they move the trail under the road as well.
Getting into Beit Hananya, two men over there told me where's the grocery store. I went there and treated myself to a tomato, cucamber, cottege cheese and a Snickers bar. It was one hell of a dinner for me.
I kept on sitting there, waiting for the rest to come over, when a car pulled over in front of me, and a lady just asked me if I want to get a shower - just like that. At first I was a bit shocked and just asked "what?", but then she asked if I was on the trail, and saying "yes" she just said "well, you probably didn't shower for several days now, don't you want a shower?". This time I did not lose my tongue, and immediatly said "yes!, I'd love a shower!". Her car was packed with her daughter-in-law and grand kids, so she just told me to follow her to her nearby house.
I went after the car (After buying some ciggarettes for Uri, Yaara and Tal), and was shown into the house. I had a wonderful shower, and Sarah told me I should call my friends to come on over to take showers as well.
When everyone else came over to the grocery store, I went over and picked them up, and they all had showers. The family living over there was wonderful. Sarah and her daughter just came today form Turkey, and her sisters and other daughters and sons were there, as well as her husband. After a while they also offered to make us laundry, and after we've noticed we have a lot of laundry to do, Sarah's sister took some to her house as well. Later we also used their kitchen to make dinner (Yaara made a mean Bolognse...), and slept on the lawn near their house.
It was a really great experience meeting such wonderful people on the trail, taking us into their home and treating us so nicely. This was one of the best places we've spent the night in, on the trail so far.
יום חמישי, 25 בספטמבר 2008
יום 13: מעוספיה למצפה עופר
A long long day...
We started off early, like Zammy recommended, and got out of Isfiya. The trail goes down Nahal Hek, which was very nice. Some rock scrumbling on our way down.
We had a nice breakfest over there, with tehini, halva, peanut butter - the lots!
further down the trail crosses Nahal Oren, and starts climbing up to Horvat Rakit. Up on the mountain side we got our first glimpse of the mediterreanen sea.
From there the trail went down the Carmel towards Oren Junction. Some bits were quite hand-over-heals down the rocks. It was a nice change.
I managed to lose the trail while going down to the Oren Junction camping site, and I had to scramble straight down someplace in order to get there. It was annoying.
I did get myself a 12 shekel Magnum bar over there. Vanilla, if I recall correctly. Damn gazlanim. I then waited for the rest down on the bench there, while tons of school kids were flooding the camping site. I got worried for a sec that the others went past me while I was walking off trail, but eventually they came and had some Magnums themselves.
From there we went to Ein Hod, but decided not to go into the famous restaurant, so we just had some lunch at the bus stop.
Further down the trail we hiked across a bit of an annoying bit - the trail just goes up and down towards Nahal Me'arot camping site. We filled up our water there, and went towards Ofer Lookout.
It was starting to get dark, and we had a long day, so we gave up just before climbing to the lookout, and went to a camping site just under it, near the road. Luckily we had plenty of water with us for the night and the beginning of the day tomorrow.
We started off early, like Zammy recommended, and got out of Isfiya. The trail goes down Nahal Hek, which was very nice. Some rock scrumbling on our way down.
We had a nice breakfest over there, with tehini, halva, peanut butter - the lots!
further down the trail crosses Nahal Oren, and starts climbing up to Horvat Rakit. Up on the mountain side we got our first glimpse of the mediterreanen sea.
From there the trail went down the Carmel towards Oren Junction. Some bits were quite hand-over-heals down the rocks. It was a nice change.
I managed to lose the trail while going down to the Oren Junction camping site, and I had to scramble straight down someplace in order to get there. It was annoying.
I did get myself a 12 shekel Magnum bar over there. Vanilla, if I recall correctly. Damn gazlanim. I then waited for the rest down on the bench there, while tons of school kids were flooding the camping site. I got worried for a sec that the others went past me while I was walking off trail, but eventually they came and had some Magnums themselves.
From there we went to Ein Hod, but decided not to go into the famous restaurant, so we just had some lunch at the bus stop.
Further down the trail we hiked across a bit of an annoying bit - the trail just goes up and down towards Nahal Me'arot camping site. We filled up our water there, and went towards Ofer Lookout.
It was starting to get dark, and we had a long day, so we gave up just before climbing to the lookout, and went to a camping site just under it, near the road. Luckily we had plenty of water with us for the night and the beginning of the day tomorrow.
יום רביעי, 24 בספטמבר 2008
יום 12: מעין אום חמיד לעוספיה
Some of us had a good time this morning, when Uri went to respond to the call of nature and said something like "Guys, there's a swamp here". We all just ignored it, until he got back covered in mud all all the way up to his waist. Needless to say, we got plenty of photos of the sight.
We got back on the trail and headed over to Nahal Tsipori, stopping at Ein Yivka for breakfast. A Very nice place. Later we reached the Monk's Mill, and filled up on water there. I managed to lose the silicone thingie at the end of my right earphone over there. Damnit. I hate those earphones. Now I have an excuse for getting a new pair.
I borrowed Yaara's earphones for the way, and headed out while listening to the Starship Titanic. Really quite a crummy book, but it was somewhat amusing listening to a book while walking. The trail just follows the stream, and around Nofit, and I made another break just after crossing the road.
When Tal, Uri, Yaara and Nir came along we walked on a bit, and made another break under a nice tree before the climb up to Shaar Ha-Amakim Reserve.
I headed out towards the shop in Kfar Hassidim, hoping to get myself a Magnum/Nok-out. When I got there I couldn't find any, even though it was a big supermarket. Everything was glat-kosher.
I waited near there, talking with two guys doing the trail at a faster pace - they are only carrying water and some snacks for the day, and sleep every night in a room someplace. They got this far in 7 days.
I tried to find Zammy's number in Usafia. After calling some friends to search for it on the forum, Ori finally found it and gave it to me. I called Zammy and told him we might be coming over this evening, and he said that he doesn't have room for 5, but he will make some arrangements for us. Later he called me and gave me Rinat's phone, and she told me we can sleep on their lawn.
When everyone else came, Nir and I went to buy some food for later and for tonight, and Uri talked to a friend of his to come and meet us at Yagur. We bought "Tilonim", and carried them with us to Yagur (about 1 Km), and met up with Uri's friend.
The "Tilonim" were quite runny when we ate them, but it didn't stop me from drinking two of them. Uri's friend brought some fruit and drinks (Coca-Cola, as a always), but later he felt bad and went to a big supermarket and got us all some chicken and potatoes, which were all very good.
We crashed on the lawn down in Yagur for a while, before deciding to go up the Carmel. Two guys from Yagur told us we can stay there in the kibbutz, and even get plenty of left overs from the event that was on for the evening, but we headed out.
The climb was very nice, and it reminded me of bits of the Appalachian Trail. The views were good (Apart from the over-industrious Haifa bay), and the trail winded its way up the mountain. I met up with the "other team" (which were also less than 7 by now) at the camping spot half way up the mountain. They were skeptic about us making it all the way up in daylight, but I reached David Eisen Lookout Point at around 18:30, and the rest got there a short while later. We talked to Rinat about how to get to their lawn (They were just going out), and started wondering around Isfiya.
Zammy walked down the street and picked us up to show us the way to Rinat's place. We arranged our stuff on their lawn, and I showed Zammy my Rainbow tent and Mariposa Plus backpack. Show off. He then went home, and we went to his place a short while after for a shower, which was very nice.
Then Zammy took us our for dinner. It was kinda late already, and all the places he wanted to go to were closed, but we managed to find an open resturant in Dalyat el Carmel. Some hummus with meat, and we were all full.
We got back on the trail and headed over to Nahal Tsipori, stopping at Ein Yivka for breakfast. A Very nice place. Later we reached the Monk's Mill, and filled up on water there. I managed to lose the silicone thingie at the end of my right earphone over there. Damnit. I hate those earphones. Now I have an excuse for getting a new pair.
I borrowed Yaara's earphones for the way, and headed out while listening to the Starship Titanic. Really quite a crummy book, but it was somewhat amusing listening to a book while walking. The trail just follows the stream, and around Nofit, and I made another break just after crossing the road.
When Tal, Uri, Yaara and Nir came along we walked on a bit, and made another break under a nice tree before the climb up to Shaar Ha-Amakim Reserve.
I headed out towards the shop in Kfar Hassidim, hoping to get myself a Magnum/Nok-out. When I got there I couldn't find any, even though it was a big supermarket. Everything was glat-kosher.
I waited near there, talking with two guys doing the trail at a faster pace - they are only carrying water and some snacks for the day, and sleep every night in a room someplace. They got this far in 7 days.
I tried to find Zammy's number in Usafia. After calling some friends to search for it on the forum, Ori finally found it and gave it to me. I called Zammy and told him we might be coming over this evening, and he said that he doesn't have room for 5, but he will make some arrangements for us. Later he called me and gave me Rinat's phone, and she told me we can sleep on their lawn.
When everyone else came, Nir and I went to buy some food for later and for tonight, and Uri talked to a friend of his to come and meet us at Yagur. We bought "Tilonim", and carried them with us to Yagur (about 1 Km), and met up with Uri's friend.
The "Tilonim" were quite runny when we ate them, but it didn't stop me from drinking two of them. Uri's friend brought some fruit and drinks (Coca-Cola, as a always), but later he felt bad and went to a big supermarket and got us all some chicken and potatoes, which were all very good.
We crashed on the lawn down in Yagur for a while, before deciding to go up the Carmel. Two guys from Yagur told us we can stay there in the kibbutz, and even get plenty of left overs from the event that was on for the evening, but we headed out.
The climb was very nice, and it reminded me of bits of the Appalachian Trail. The views were good (Apart from the over-industrious Haifa bay), and the trail winded its way up the mountain. I met up with the "other team" (which were also less than 7 by now) at the camping spot half way up the mountain. They were skeptic about us making it all the way up in daylight, but I reached David Eisen Lookout Point at around 18:30, and the rest got there a short while later. We talked to Rinat about how to get to their lawn (They were just going out), and started wondering around Isfiya.
Zammy walked down the street and picked us up to show us the way to Rinat's place. We arranged our stuff on their lawn, and I showed Zammy my Rainbow tent and Mariposa Plus backpack. Show off. He then went home, and we went to his place a short while after for a shower, which was very nice.
Then Zammy took us our for dinner. It was kinda late already, and all the places he wanted to go to were closed, but we managed to find an open resturant in Dalyat el Carmel. Some hummus with meat, and we were all full.
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