28 of us gathered to ride into the blue yonder - no clouds, no wind - a perfect summer day. Christine (from Switzerland) joined us - good for her as she cycled to Raanana from Jaffa! And back again after our stop at Arcaffe. We hope you will join us again before going off to wheel around Ethiopia. Since Succhoth is a day away, there is the feeling of holiday all about - people enjoying the last of summer before (hopefully) winter sets in.
We went as far as the beach near to Udim (no swimming today) where we stopped for a break to see the sea and shmooze a bit. We covered around 36 km - well done to Yoavi (our youngest member by a looooong shot) for keeping up and doing so well in the sand.
Some rode home and others went to Arcaffe to refuel.
So, lets sing along with Cliff Richards and his Summer Holiday:
We're going on a summer cycle ride
No more working for an hour or two
Fun an laughter on our ride away
No more worries for me and you
For an hour or two.
We're going where the sun shines brightly
We're going where the sea is blue
We've been there before
And it's good for me and you
A ride in Ben Shemen does different things for different people
In some (like Tracy and Talia) it stimulates their excellent poetic talents!
So here’s in rhyme, how we spent the time - to share with one and all ...
This is a tale of a trail
With Cyclenixers galore
And the Ben Shemen forest
For them to explore
Up hill and down dale
Olives and hay by the bale
A view from a lookout
A mouthful of dust
What a thrill, such fun
Nothing better than the morning sun
A beautiful day for a ride
Until, woe betide
A wheel went poof
And the tube leaked jiffa and air
That was the proof
"A puncture" they shouted in dispare
To work they went
Half a hour was spent
A new tube was inserted
(Although at this point I deserted)
I am sure that with tenacity refined
Back on the bike they climbed.
-Tracy L. Amrani
Indeed, puncture repairedAnd now for a touch of reality:
Our numbers pared
And off we did pedal, continuing on yet another hill
And down the other side, what a thrill...
A final look out view,
Back to the parking lot we flew
Time for home made brew
And farewell till next week Cyclenix crew!
-Talia Feigenbaum
Participants: 13 where the ladies (represented only by Shosh and Ingride) were hopelessly outnumbered on this occasion, some being abroad, while at least one "couldn't get out of bed"!!
Route: See my GPS data on the following link: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/2978917897
Riding Conditions: Weather hot but not oppressive and lots of cloud cover - mostly sand free and flat (except for the climb up to Bnei Zion at the end of the ride where we shed a few calories)
Bottom Line: A pleasant ride, good company (as always), at a nice pace (enabled with fewer riders than our usual 20+) covering about 31 km.
I suggested that I'll write the report of the local ride for the next week however I was told not to be cheeky as they knew I won't be attending it. I'll be riding at Loire Valley in France.
We did only 25km with 16 participants riding on our usual route ups and downs with a lot of sand but not further than Telmond to survive the summer heat. Luckily the sun was mainly hiding behind clouds so it was bearable. For some of us it was more walking than riding. I must confess since I have the new bike and thanks to Michal's advice I managed to ride through most of the sand patches. I still have much to learn, but I have plenty of time to catch up. Only 10 of us ended up at Landwer's for refreshment /breakfast.
To sum it up, it was a pleasant ride with the usual good company.
Note: Images have been added to last weeks ride report, so click the > arrow to go back and see them.
This morning saw a nice turnout of nineteen people, which was impressive considering the high temperatures and humidity that had been forecasted. We decided to keep the ride short, cycling to Herzliya Pituach as we had done the week before, so that we could be back and in a coffee shop before it got too hot.
We took a break on a grassy ledge overlooking the coast, where Meryl extracted from her bag a delicious homemade banana and nut cake, in celebration of Michal’s birthday last week (mazal tov, Michal!). We sang happy birthday, and then joked about how so many of Michal's belongings had Giant on them that prospective suiters must find it quite daunting (or something to that effect). Three female riders took a dip in the sea with riding apparel intact, which meant that unlike the rest of us they had a cool ride home.
There were a couple of unpleasant incidents. Leo suddenly discovered he had more puncture than wheel, so despite various inner-tube donations, he eventually told us to leave him by the beach, where hopefully his wife came to pick him up. Another rider was knocked off his bike by a car door opening, a harsh reminder of how careful we must be when cycling in urban areas, and the reason that we prefer the dust and dirt of the countryside.
Luckily, he was not hurt. We ended the ride at Arcaffe, where Chagit and Yossi taught us some words in Israeli sign language, with a couple of them evoking a myriad of giggles. I also learned about the beautiful annual Cape Argus bike ride in South Africa where, at a certain point, participants are 'greeted' by a troop of baboons looking for tasty treats.
All in all, it was a pleasant ride of 25kms in the usual August furnace, with good company and lots of laughs. And now, I'm ready for winter!
Not much to report. We'd traversed all the paths on previous rides. 24 riders. Very hot and humid. 31 kms.
One observation: I and three others "got lost" because the rule of when one gets to a fork in the route the someone should always wait to see that the rider behind knows which route to take. Breakfast at ArcCafe.
'Twas a warm and sunny start
Not a cloud in the sky
And off the Cyclenix did dart
Over 20 or so feeling spry
Heading off at good speed
A route leader decreed
Despite David going through a red
No traffic was ahead
And safely all did cross
And we continued to follow the boss
The routing was via Bazra
Through the fields with some hurrah
Passing Bnei Zion and Tel Itzhak
With plenty time for a hak and snack
As we lost one of the crew
And had to mount a rescue
Soon we were back in the saddle
Onwards we did traddle
A short stretch of single track
By Udim on our way back
And heading into Lev HaPark
Planning that for coffee we would disembark
Sadly plans went awry
As there was no coffee guy!
Thankfully Arcaffe had space
And put a smile on this cyclist’s face.
So till next week, it’s a cheers!
Cycle safe and be good to your gears :)
Participants: 21 which included Ada who (as far as I can recall) joined us for the first time. Welcome and we look forward to your riding with us again soon
Route: From the Four Seasons Park (Hod Hasharon) car park up Har Zevel, then down to the River, along its banks, on to Park Afek and back. For details of the route see to my GPS data on the following link: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/2868555280
Ride Conditions: A 7.00 am start with a fair amount of early morning cloud cover and much of the ride on the shady banks of the Yarkon, resulted in relatively cool and comfortable riding on a firm track surface.
Of Special Mention: On reaching the northern end of Park Afek gate-keeper Moshe succumbed to Merrill's persistent pleas and "charm" to allow us to enter and take a breather some 50 meters inside the Park to relax and enjoy the beauty of the mini-lake and its surrounds (see photos). Well done Merrill!
Bottom Line: Another of Merrill's enjoyable routes in the Yarkon area, a good way to escape the worst of the heat, ideal riding conditions and great company.
coming soon
Local Ride Sat. Sept. 29, 2018
Next ride: Home Patch
All home patch rides start at 7:00am
:
Local Rides will meet at 7:00am at the usual place in the car park opposite Yad L'Banim on Ahuza Street Ra'anana.
Please note 7:00am start time.
To All Cyclenix Members Friday April 13, 2018
An Important Message:
To all Cyclenix members
Throughout the years that Cyclenix has been riding together, the group has always been organized by the same members. W...
CLICK HERE for the whole story
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August 6th 1983, just 38 years after the bombing of Hiroshima I made my grand entrance into the world! The youngest of three, I enjoyed a typical 80's Jewish South African childhood. I had a lovely protected childhood without any worries about reality? in 1992 my world crashed! We were told that we would be making Aliyah!! So, on Erev Pesach 1992 we arrived in Israel at my grandmother's house in Afula Ilit. I cried for about two weeks straight. According to my mother I refused to say a word in Hebrew for three months till I could speak fluently and I have never stopped talking since. It was quite a culture shock coming from a private Jewish school where there was about one black child to a public school in Afula Ilit where we were only three white kids in the class. Questions like "did you live in a jungle?" or "do you know Michael Jackson?" were a regular routine. We lived in Afula for two years and I went to a religious school at that time. We then moved to Pardesiya, closer to Netanya where my father worked. At this stage I gave my mother an ultimatum: "Either you send me to a secular school or I am not going to school anymore!" My mother knowing that I was always a strong willed person, and, also having shared the experience of being In a religious school against your will, sent me to a secular school. From leaving South Africa till now I was lost and in the wrong surroundings and this is where it all changed. I had great friends, whom I am still friends with till this day (borderline family) and at this stage I could also understand that my parent's decision to make Aliyah, was the best thing they could have done for me. From here it was all pretty much "by the book" finish middle school and high school and off to the army. I guess that the structures of school and the army are what kept me going by any book? whoever knows me, knows that I am anything but "by the book". I worked in a nursery school, and then moved on to working in a glasses shop (optician) where I started to find my path. In 2005 my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and being the only child living at home I took it upon myself to go with her to doctors and treatments. It made my relationship with her flourish and become stronger than ever. She survived to hear the words cancer free but she was never really a healthy person, so we had many other doctor appointments to go to for the next few years. While my mother lived through pain and different problems I started doing my bachelor's degree in optometry. In 2010 I bought myself a? sticker? bike and started riding around Pardesiya. Once to twice a week about 4-8 kilometers was my routine. It gave me a release from studying and all the doctors' appointments at that time. In 2012, once again, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. This time it had spread. Though the doctors made us feel optimistic the cancer had other plans and within about three months from the diagnosis, my mother passed away. In Tel Mond where I now lived on my own I couldn?t find a routine. At that point, Yvette who was my customer then, insisted I join Cyclenix for a ride. At a time when I was most in need, I found a family! Then and now I am constantly asked why I don?t ride with people my age. While I always give answers that one's brain can comprehend, it is mainly because Cyclenix for me is my "cheers". Cheers theme song lyrics: "Making your way in the world today takes everything you've got. |
If you have any questions or want to get in touch for any reason, feel free to get in touch with David or John:
Email: jcandy@inter.net.il
David: 054-474-1424
John: 050-942-2788
New riders always welcome to join us.
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