Trail Desert Riding, The Negev, Israel
Today was a great day
. First real taste of desert riding! I rode a Mongoose with a shorter stem than my stumpjumper and I preferred it as it gave more cornering control. It actually a cool bike that is loads of fun. I might do a seperate write up on it.
We did about a 3 hour trail in the southern Negev in Israel. The terrain is not usuprisingly loose rock and a lot of sand. I found sand a real challenge and the best way to deal with it is to hit it at speed and don't turn.
The guide Eyal was good and pushed us all www.eilatbike.com/. He owns the only mtb shop in Eilat which would translate funny enough to "Chain Reaction". I rode his brothers bike who came 4th in the recent Israel downhill championships and was hoping some of the skills would pass by osmosis. Oh well! 
His dad also rode with us so clearly it is in the genes.
The other riders were a great and mixed bunch and I'm considering a Friday ride in the Northern Negev later in the week with one of them called Amnon.
Wierd thing about rising in the desert which is also obvious is there is hardly any life nor noise except for the wind which was intense. The only tree to survice here is the Acacia which has roots that go 30 metres down and createsit's own canopy of shade for the roots through it's spread out cloud arrangement of branches.
Tubeless tyres in trail riding across Israel seem to be the norm as thorns are common place.
T'is seriously dusty. Scenery is awesome to the extent you you think you are in a movie scene.. few more photo's in the gallery.
Final thought is that Europeans lack a reasonably close by winter sun biking destination. Alps and North America is knee deep in snow (and lets hope it continues that way). There is a great opportunity for one of the middle eastern countries where so many of them have amazing terrain to take a lead in creating a swathe of mtb parks.
Lots of fun.
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