The Holyland Challenge

• Israel is extremely safe. Aside from what you read in the newspapers, areas travelled by the HLC route showcase a happy, healthy country and a place that is productive and a great source of pride for many people. Entering the country by land or air requires a rigorous screening at immigration, whereafter you will enjoy the same liberties as other Israelis. On the ground you will learn a lot more about the issues which challenge the region, both inside the borders of Israel and abroad. An open mind and occasional restraint in conversation are essential.
• Jewish Israelis are confident, proud, and knowing. Expect low level arguments along with incredible kindness and hospitality. You will be told how to board the train with your bike, that you can’t take your bike on the bus (you can), that you can’t cover certain distances on the bike in a day (you can), that you won’t survive the chill of the night (you will), that you shouldn’t go to Egypt or Jordan (you should). You will argue, make friends, and figure it out. They are not being rude to you. That’s how they interact with one another.
• It is possible to travel to Egypt and Jordan. At this time, none of the land borders to Syria and Lebanon are open. There is one crossing to Egypt at Eilat/Taba and three border crossings to Jordan. The southernmost crossing at Eilat/Aqaba provides free entrance to Jordan as part of a program to incentivize tourism in the less populous southern part of the country. Wadi Rum and Petra, the two most famous destinations in Jordan, are easy to access from Aqaba by bike within a few days.
• There are many military training sites in Israel, especially in the Negev Desert. Respect the signs which prohibit entrance to certain areas. However, the concrete blocks painted with “No Entrance” signage are sometimes present in areas which you are allowed to pass, either during certain days of the week or during daylight hours. Ask locally for more info.

• Camping is essentially legal anywhere. Public forests feature copious picnic areas and fire pits, all of which are suitable for camping. Ask in small communities for a place to put a tent. Many small communities are gated, with one or two main vehicular entrances. Camping is officially restricted in the nature reserves. Entering or remaining in these reserves is officially prohibited past dark.
• There are many options for impromptu shelter along the route if needed. In several months along the HLC, we camped in a cave outside Jerusalem, in an abandoned farm structure next to the Sea of Galilee, in an abandoned miltary bunker outside Be’er Ora, on the beach in Tel Aviv, in an abandoned bus on the Jordanian border and even in a large tent intended as shelter for hikers on the Israel National Trail at Shaharut.

• In small communities, where well stocked stores are well priced to serve the community. At gas stations, which are marked as waypoints on the route to aid HLC racers who rely on 24-hour businesses. Be sure to stock up on delicacies only found in Arab towns in the north, such as Majdal al-Shams, Jish, and Daliyat al-Karmel. The crowded market in Jerusalem is also a great place to feed.
• Most stores are closed on shabbat, Saturday. Good luck finding bread and beer during Pesach, or Passover. Bread can always be found in Arab communities.
• Water is found often enough that only 3-5 liters is required as a maximum capacity, and less is adequate in cooler months. During the race on a hot day, some riders will carry more, but a touring pace allows diversions for more frequent resupply. The two longest sections without water are from Ein Tamar at the south Dead Sea to Sde Boker (divert to the Oron or Zim plant for water at the halfway point), and from Shaharut to services in Timna National Park.
• There is a small cafe in Ne’ot Semadar in the south, but no store, which came as a surprise to us despite the size of the community. Yahel has a small store in the outlet mall, open during the day. Be’er Menuha has a store open 24 hours, just off route. Ein Tamar at the Dead Sea is a mile off route but is worth a visit for the great store and public camping adjacent to the large pavilion. Bathrooms and fresh water are available. In the northern half of the route resupply is uncomplicated.
• Download and print cue sheets from the HLC 2015 for a convenient big-picture resupply guide. Also, be sure to download the POIs which accompany the GPX track, coded to indicate (F)ood, (W)ater (S)helter, and (B)icycle shops.

Touring the HLC

The HLC manages to create a remote off-pavement experience despite Israel’s small size and booming population, which is growing beyond 8 million people in an area only a little larger than New Jersey. The southern half of the country, comprised of the Judaean and Negev Deserts, only accounts for about 8% of the population. The populous northern part of Israel is loosely divided into “the center” and “the north”. Jerusalem is the historical cultural capital of the region to people of the three Abrahamic religions, and is the most religious Jewish city in Israel. Tel Aviv is the bustling, modern, secular city by the sea, with abundant public beaches, modern eateries, and urban planning rivaled only by the usual northern European countries. In between Mt. Hermon and Eilat are hundreds of smaller communities, a few deeply rooted in history, yet most a part of the repopulation of Israel by Zionist Jews in the last century. Many small communities were founded on the socialist ideals of the early and middle part of the century, and feature the social remnants of communal living structures. Even as modern life moves away from socialized structures, families and communities remain very strong.

In the style of most off-pavement touring in Europe, the HLC is a diverse resource. The route, which can only be followed via GPS, is comprised of new singletrack comprising local mountain bike trail systems developed by the JNF-KKL, well-used farm roads, marked hiking trails such as the Israel National Trail and the Golan Trail, and backcountry 4×4 routes in the Negev Desert. There are many creative connections along the way which make such a well-informed track a pleasure to follow, and a peerless tool to a first-time visitor in a foreign land. Some hike a bike is necessary, but none are especially long or arduous. Much of Israel is defined by fragmented limestone trails, which require constant attention, although many smoother sections provide relief. In all, there is a lot or real mountain biking and a lot of pleasant dirt road touring.

A hardtail bike with a suspension fork is recommended, although many riders prefer full-suspension bikes in Israel. Tubeless tires are essential, and more durable casings such as Maxxis EXO or LUST, Schwalbe Snakeskin, and Specialized Grid are recommended. There are several good bike shops along the route, and many more if you are willing to travel off route. Check out the supportive shops right on the HLC track at the Alon HaGalil All-Terrain Center, Haitham Cycling in Daliyat al-Karmel, and the Geofun Desert Cycling Center in Midreshet Ben Gurian (Sde Boker).

It is possible to travel extremely light on the HLC as food and water are never far away, and a series of useful waypoints indicates where services can be found along the route. A few longer sections without water require some advance planning in the desert, but even the longest section between Ein Tamar and Sde Boker is cut in half while touring by taking a several mile paved detour. Weather is typically warm and dry, and bothersome insects such as mosquitoes are limited, although scorpions and snakes are present in the warmer months. Reintroduced ibex and wild ass, as well as domesticated camels are sometimes spotted in the Negev. Sheep are herded widely across the Middle East, although sheep dogs are rarely an issue in Israel.

In almost any small community, it is appropriate to ask for a place to sleep, and to be rewarded with a pleasant campsite or even indoor accommodations, if desired. A bivy and a summer weight sleeping bag (or less) is appropriate for the HLC, although a lightweight tent may be best for a more casual touring pace. A lightweight bikepacking set-up is highly recommended. Be prepared to lift your bike to shoulder height on a few occasions.

Related Links

• The Official Holyland Challenge Website
• Download and print cue sheets from the HLC 2015
• Trip reports at Gypsy By Trade
• Lael’s experience racing the HLC