Trip 2 - Bet Guvrin to Tel Lachish, 9 km, 10 for us...

Succot 5759 September 2018:

Bet Guvrin to Tel Lachish, 9 km  (10 for us!)

Today, the first day of Chol-hamoed, Succot, Elli, Bruria, Cheftzi-va and Netanel added another 10 km to our goal of completing the Israel National Trail, Shvil Israel.  As you can see, from our second section, although we did begin at the very Northern point of the trail, we have decided not to follow the route in order.  Rather, we will choose parts in a sequence that fits our circumstances, the season, and our personal preference.  Each segment that is done is marked and highlighted on a map displayed in our living room, so we can chart our progress and plot our next adventures.  This is how we keep track of which segments we have completed.

A full-length personalized map of the country with the "shvil" mapped out, by hand, by cartographer   "Avigdor Or-Gad"  (no such map exists for purchase at this stage... but many who have seen it on our wall, wish to purchase their own.)

It was a mild day and they decided to stay close to home and travel to Bet Guvrin, walking the 9 km, South, to Tel Lachish.  They started at a gas station just outside of Bet Guvrin.  They spotted the trail marker, immediately, which seemed to set Southward and followed it for about 1 km, only to learn that it veered North, and they were, in fact, heading in the wrong direction.  Hence, they had to backtrack another km, before embarking upon the 9 km trip Southward to Tel Lachish.  Hence they walked more than the 8.9 km intended.

Later we learned a valuable lesson from our cousins The Rosenfelder's.  The trail marker for the INT is 3 lines: orange, white blue, symbolizing: sand, snow, water.  Apparently, when the white is on top, it means you are headed North, when the orange is on top, you are headed south!  This valuable lesson will prevent further confusion on future trips.

The flat, dry landscape... some of the trail was on an asphalt path

The trip took about 4 hours and it was mainly flat and mainly in nature, as opposed to some sections of the trail which are urban.  There were stretches which were nicely shaded and others where there was semi-shade.  About 1/3 of the way had no shade, which, even though it was a mild September day, was hard at times, as the sun in Israel is very intense in the mid-day.  There were no water refilling stations along the way, so each person had 3 liters of water plus one extra liter for emergencies between the 4 of them.  They carried less than last time, so other than the water, they had only snacks such as nuts, fruit, and canned corn.  

Cows on the way-side

Netanel was enthralled by an entire cow skeleton, of which he brought home one impressive piece, which we think is the pelvis!   He saw a hawk, resisting the wind, large and looming above and found the thickest, longest porcupine quill ever to be seen.

After finishing the walk, we spent some time in Bet Guvrin Amphitheatre - It was our starting point, and in order to get back to it, Elli had planned to hitchhike the few km on Road 30, and then return to the kids with the car.  However, a kind mini-bus driver who had a lot of time to kill, waiting for his tour group to return to Tel Lachish, saw Elli and the kids waiting and offered to take them!  So they all got into the mini-bus for the 10-minute trip.  They were grateful to the driver and tried to pay him.  However, he refused and suggested that Elli use the money to buy the kids an ice-cream!  Judging by the man's accent and the large picture of his family in front of the Al Aksa mosque hung inside the bus, the man was an Arab.
   מי יתן וניפגש בעוד אנשים כמוהו

Seeking shade in a beautiful vineyard, fallen grapes and raisins abound