TUESDAY 19TH MARCH 2013
An early start to collect my hired bike and left the hotel early enough but eventually left the bike shop at 10am after negotiating and getting a hard won better deal for 100 NIS. The lender needed proof of ID but a passport wasn’t sufficient. He needed the credit card but no way was Kevin going to leave that with him but eventually he settled for details of the hotel we’re staying at and that he enter his shop’s contact number in my mobile and give me the mobile number, no problems with that - but an hour of convincing and consoling him!
Biked west from Jerusalem to Ein Kerem, down Mount Herzl at 830 metres along Arthur HaNtke, the main road that led to Hadassah Ein Kerem above the village. From there took a left on the roundabout in front of the building and down to a roundabout at the junction of major road number 396 that I was on that merged with 385 shortly before the I roundabout and road 395 at the lowest point, 520 metres. On road 395, took the second right on the roundabout then up a minor road to the left up to Ein Bikura at 660 metres and mountain tracks and met with loads of mountain goats up there, rode a few tracks thinking this was the way to Bar Giyorra. How wrong! Back down then left again and along road 395 passing a water purification site on the right then took a right tum shortly after the right turn indicating Zora. The turn led shortly to the mountain. village of Giv’at Ye’arim, back to the main road then the next right turn to Eitanim and the red mast at 780 metres that can be seen from down in the valley, this marks the highest point off road 395 before the descent to Beth Shemesh at 200 metres and return so wish to claim as a BIG. From here back down to the roundabout below Ein Kerem again. I would return back here again later. From the roundabout the road is level for 8km and passes over the Jerusalem to Tel Aviv single track railway line an indication for a railway station here in the valley. The remaining 9km to Bar Giyorra is a climb, especially the final 6km. There is one hairpin where the road swings to the right then 1km further there is an indication for Bar Giyorra at 720 metres, the top of the road and my second BIG claim. Bar Giyyora is an enclosed village of holiday flats or semi-permanent houses and a fenced off community of small houses around a play-park and little else except for a shop but this was closed at the time, pity as I might have bought a drink. I turned tail and went back down to the roundabout. Before the descent there is red sign on the left indicating the steepness of the road and for traffic to engage low gear. Back down to the roundabout again that is the lowest point for the climbs I made then took the first right for Ein Kerem. Stopped for chocolate and lager 19NIS then up to Mount Herzl at 830 metres — glad to be there — tired out and at my third and last BIG ofthe day.
WEDNESDAY 20TH MARCH 2013
Up early, had a quick breakfast and wheeled the mountain bike out of the room and squeezed it into the lift of Jerusalem Gardens Hotel and away at 7.30am. Today I cycled out to the east of Jerusalem along Jaffa Road, Miere Sharim, Ammunition Hill then a steep climb to Mount Scopus at 820 metres and the viewpoint behind the university entrance then past the Hebrew University to the west side of the hill overlooking the Old City where there’s another viewpoint where Jews were praying on the open ground. I claim this as my fourth BIG and my first today. From there back down to the main road and along to the Church of All Nations at 600 metres and very steeply up to the Mount of Olives on the quieter narrow road past Dominus Flevit and the Russian Church to reach the Paternoster church at the road junction at 800 metres and my fifth BIG claim then slightly down to the Mount of Olives viewpoint where there were plenty of tourists already at 9.00am and the usual Arab bartering with the American tourists to perch on his camel for an exorbitant fee. Back down to the Church of All Nations then passing in front of it to the Palestinian village at the top of the rise then a steep rise up to the left passing under and to the right of the Mount of Olives Ascension Church then very steeply down through the ram-shackled Palestinian area to reach the barrier wall where I could have gone off to the right through to Bethlehem but carried on to the left of the wall, the road skirts round to the right to emerge on the main Jerusalem to Jericho road at the checkpoint. I freewheeled down after the checkpoint for 4km to the Ma’ale Adumim junction as it is called, being the lowest point at 300 metres between Jerusalem and the steep climb for 6km to Ma’ale Adumim to the right or straight on for l2km to Wadi Qelt and the Good Samaritan Inn. I rode to this point first before the sun was its strongest as it was still morning. It’s a stiff climb from Ma’ale Adumim Junction of approx 250 metres. At the top is a clearing where Ruth and I jumped out of the Jericho Egged bus some years ago and walked from Wadi Qelt along the gorge passing St George’s Monastery and on to Jericho. It was a wonderful walk and very hot especially as we approached the lower ground towards Jericho, feeling slightly uneasy as we were followed by two Arab men. They were just walking like us though. When I reached the top of Wadi Qelt again today the memories came back as at the clearing at the road summit Arabs were bartering with tourists for camel rides or photo posing as before and rides to the Good Samaritan Inn orr along the Wadi Qelt gorge for a short distance. It’s a goldmine up here, so many tourist shops and even a petrol station — didn’t need that today. BIG number six claimed and my third today. From here I freewheeled back down Road one to Ma’ale Adumim junction at 300 metres again and took the road to Ma’ale Adumim centre at 520 metres. There are three roads up to the new mountain town. On my last visit I remember looking across from the Jericho road in the bus and seeing this area under construction. At the time the roads were being made and only some foundations to the buildings were visible, now it was completed. The whole area was strongly opposed by the Palestinians at the time and probably still is as the area is well to the east of Jerusalem and in the West Bank. On the way up on the climb from Ma’ale Adumim junction there are water irrigated flowers in abundance and there is a fountain at the roundabout marks the top, however a steep hill up to it! BIG number seven was reached. I continued along to the end of the town where there’s a check point for traffic coming in. I could have taken the quarter turn to the left (a warning to Jewish citizens here as the road passes through a Palestinian village) as I could have taken the ridge then across to Jerusalem but instead went back down on the Al and re-entered through a check point before the Mount Scopus tunnel. Hot ride up, seemed a long way but wasn’t. A road to the right just after the checkpoint has a notice board indicating that it is dangerous for Jewish citizens to enter as this was another Palestinian village, Silgan. I passed through Mount Scopus tunnel but walked the bike through as there is only a narrow footway, then back to Ammunition Hill, then Damascus Gate, — short rest and text Ruth, past Herod’s Gate and Lion Gate and to Kidron Valley then on up Mount Zion, for the last short climb and my last claim of the day, 5th and final BIG. I was glad I had left it to the end so I could take some time to explore. I took a look at the room of the Last Supper, then back down to Jaffa Road and returned the bike at 2pm.