The events of the first ever temp-trip to Israel’s Negev.
Roster
Jeep #1:
* XKnives – Expedition Overlord and J1 Pilot
* Digital – Navigation and Balance Officer
* Paraboss (Nir #2) – Field Operative and Payload Specialist
Jeep #2:
* Raistlin – Temp Commander and J2 Pilot
* Paradoxx – Hate Accountant
* ShockWave – Anti Medic and Wind Generator
Bike #1:
* ssj2rich – Geospatial and Mobility expert
Bike #2:
* Avalanchee – Pointman and Gravity Inspector
Day 1
In a very non typical manner, and against expectations – everyone manage to arrive at the initial deploy coordinates on time.
We all arrive at XKnives’s house at 0700 hours and start to pack the jeeps with equipment.
The menu for breakfast is Shoko & Lachmaniya, which will soon be discovered as the culprit of numerous stomach aches and schedule sabotage.
ssj2rich and Avalanchee load the bikes onto the private, and all advance towards the starting point of the trip – Mitzpe Ramon.
(Not before Raistlin falls first for the Shoko enemy and goes for a quick #2)
7:40am, we are Oscar Mike, on route and on schedule.
9:00am near Be’er Sheva, Paradoxx falls prey to the Shoko gods and is forced to violate a poor bathroom stall in some god forsaken gas station.
The rest of us wait outside for long minutes until order is set.
10:00am, arriving at first way point and last asphalt road for the trip – Mitzpe Ramon.
Bikes are unloaded from the car, Avalanchee and ssj2rich gear up, fuel up, and warm their engines.
Everyone seems to be ready, and the temp-trip is about to begin.
Gentlemen, start your engines!
Initiate countdown, t-5, 4, 3, 2, ABORT, ABORT COUNTDOWN.
Shoko strikes again, ShockWave has to poo.
Turn your engines off and take a seat, this gonna be a long one.
After all possible delays, we are finally entering offroad.
Great weather, great mood.
Bikes take point as they’re equipped with a GPS.
Jeeps have their own GPS, as well as a wireless comms device between them.
Pace is good, and we’re staying on route.
That means it’s time to make a first stop and setup a group photo!
OK, everyone take your position and smile at the camera.
Say cheeee-omg-ShockWave-you-moved-before-the-time-eese.
You idiot!
Fooling around with the camera, Raistlin gets caught in a matrix glitch
Onward we go, using easily traversable Kakal paths.
The kilometers accumulate.
The desert is beautiful, but outside the jeep A/C it’s really hot.
The riders are both in particular low physical shape, and the trip takes a toll.
ssj2rich’s muscles begin to betray him.
An emergency stop is made, outcries of pain shatter the desert silence.
At one point the pain is so sharp, as one would imagine how does delivering a baby feel like.
“Ani yoled!”
Jeeps carry on, to keep the pace going.
Both riders rest for a while and hastily join them.
High noon, it is time for a coffee break.
BoonA (pah) is let out of the vehicle to breath some air.
Afternoon, approaching one of the hardest challenges this trip has to offer.
A relatively steep slope with some low traction rocks.
Jeeps go down like it aint no thing, while the bikes take their time.
The slope claims its bounty on ssj2rich.
A few more challenges towards the end of the day.
So fucking hot!
5:00pm, finally reached home for the night, Nahal Barak night parking area.
Setting tents up, and preparing everything for the grand Poyke feast.
What do you know, a memorial for Barak (an Israeli young traveler who died in South America) was held there on that day.
Night falls, we’re all well fed and tired.
The night is dark in the desert, pitch black.
Good opportunity to go take some pictures of the stars.
Day 2
Good morning everyone!
BoonA, how did you sleep?
Shakshuka and Poyke remains make for breakfast.
The eggs survived the trip, and even stayed cold!
They did not, however, survive the human factor of trying to pick up a completely wet cardboard egg container :p
8:30am, packing up our shit and preparing for the trip back.
After a good night’s rest we’re on our way back.
The path is beautiful and we’re even seeing some wildlife.
Alert! A random creature encounter.
A level 1 Wild Snake critter appears.
Stats: 2 HP, 1 Atk, 0 Armor.
Wild Snake suffers critical 762 elemental damage.
Wild Snake dies.
11:00am, reaching a very nice observation point.
Some more group photos are taken.
As well as some personal portraits.
A nice location for lunch is found.
A kings’ feast is about to be served – Beans and Hotdogs :d
The desert is dry and windy this day.
ShockWave suffers from dry eyes, and we’re all very glad to help (waterboard) him.
Final stretch, before reaching Mitzpe Ramon again and finishing the trip.
One of the best trips ever idd.
A video montage of some of the trip highlights: