When your hike begins like this you know it will be a great day! And it definitely was. I took a lot of video footage, and I'll try to get something together to post. These are just some of the stills that I took.
What did I take on a 40 km round trip hike? Almost not enough water, that is for sure. I took some fresh fruit and dried fruit, two hard-boiled eggs, a block of hard cheese, some almonds that I shelled, and six liters of water. I also took along a walking stick, some rope, and a blanket. I'm really glad that I brought everything that I did because by the time I got back I had only some dried fruit and almonds left. And bread, but it didn't travel so well, and most of it turned to crumbs.
There were old munitions everywhere. This part of the desert used to be used heavily for training the IDF. They didn't clean up after themselves. I took footage of a gas mask that I found. When I was in the army if you lost your gas mask you were in a lot of trouble; that was slightly below loosing your weapon. But there was a bunch of army stuff out here, ammo cans, ammo, gas cans. There was just a lot of refuse.
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| The mountains that I was aiming for. |
The views that I got changed one right after the other with every step that I took. Going up or down a ravine or having the sunlight shift because of the clouds changed what I saw, constantly.
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The peak is still off in the distance.
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This is the highest peak, and look
how close I'm getting. |
Of course I wanted to go to the highest peak in the mountain range. I wanted to look into the Sinai Peninsula, where Africa starts. There were a few options about getting to the peak, and, as you may imagine, I chose the most difficult. I went straight into the mountains and had to wind and weave, go up and down just to get to the peak. I promised myself that once I got to the halfway point with my water I'd turn around. I was so close to the peak, though, that I just pushed through. That decision, like many that I'd make that day including the one to make the 25 mile hike into the desert mountains alone, was just stupid. Nothing happened, but in retrospect I could be sitting out there with a broken leg waiting for rescue.
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| And yeah, I made it to the top! |
But since I'm writing this you know that everything is fine. Well, except for blistered feet. And the bruised ribs from carrying all of the weight. And the windburned face. And the absolute drain on my body.
As much as I want you to see my no-manscaping, it is really the shoulders that you should look at. They were tore up after the hike. Not only was I carrying a bit of weight, but that weight was always being jostled. So as thickly padded as the backpack is, and it really is, I still got roughed up. I've not felt like this since my time in the army, where we were encouraged highly to march for long distances carrying loads of crap.
The day ended with a call to Val to let her know that I was safe and sound, if not a bit weary. And then I got me some doggy lovin'. This is the cute little monster who cleans up after patrons leave Cafe Ezuz.
When your hike begins like this you know it will be a great day! And it definitely was. I took a lot of video footage, and I'll try to get something together to post. These are just some of the stills that I took.
What did I take on a 40 km round trip hike? Almost not enough water, that is for sure. I took some fresh fruit and dried fruit, two hard-boiled eggs, a block of hard cheese, some almonds that I shelled, and six liters of water. I also took along a walking stick, some rope, and a blanket. I'm really glad that I brought everything that I did because by the time I got back I had only some dried fruit and almonds left. And bread, but it didn't travel so well, and most of it turned to crumbs.
Of course I wanted to go to the highest peak in the mountain range. I wanted to look into the Sinai Peninsula, where Africa starts. There were a few options about getting to the peak, and, as you may imagine, I chose the most difficult. I went straight into the mountains and had to wind and weave, go up and down just to get to the peak. I promised myself that once I got to the halfway point with my water I'd turn around. I was so close to the peak, though, that I just pushed through. That decision, like many that I'd make that day including the one to make the 25 mile hike into the desert mountains alone, was just stupid. Nothing happened, but in retrospect I could be sitting out there with a broken leg waiting for rescue.
As much as I want you to see my no-manscaping, it is really the shoulders that you should look at. They were tore up after the hike. Not only was I carrying a bit of weight, but that weight was always being jostled. So as thickly padded as the backpack is, and it really is, I still got roughed up. I've not felt like this since my time in the army, where we were encouraged highly to march for long distances carrying loads of crap.
The day ended with a call to Val to let her know that I was safe and sound, if not a bit weary. And then I got me some doggy lovin'. This is the cute little monster who cleans up after patrons leave Cafe Ezuz.
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