Carhartt BMX Team in Israel
2010-03-18 13:48:31
Back in September Joe Fox, Richy Goff, George Marshall and Jon Gorrigan all travelled to the middle east, to spend a week riding and tanning in Tel Aviv, Israel. Whilst there, George shot photos for an article in the new issue of Ride UK BMX magazine. Here’s a gallery of the additional shots that didn’t make the cut.
Day Seven
Sep 20, 2009
Having only arrived what feels like 2 hours ago, we packed off Richie on a train at 6am this morning, surrounded by teenage soldiers on their way to work carrying their lunch and M16 machine guns. Richie stayed in Tel Aviv for about 40 hours, that’s £8.25 an hour after his £331 flight. Big spender.
Today we dashed out to grab some of the last photos we needed, and grab some postcards for our mums. We managed to shoot 4 photos and all was going well, until Itamer tried a feeble down a curved ledged with a pillar at the bottom, which sent him over the bars and into hospital. We had to evict a gang of old dears from their favourite bench at sunset, and hold up a 3 lane road at rush hour for Joe to gap over. Stress.
We headed back for our last night street drinking, and to say farewell to the Tel Aviv locals who’d looked after us for the week, before heading to the airport for the journey home.
Big thanks to Itamer for showing us around and hope you get well soon, Tal his wife and son, Tal (younger), Davidos, Bamba, Gil and a big thank you to Ey Al for giving us a place to crash.
Day Six
Sep 19, 2009
Today is Richy’s second and last day in Tel Aviv. 5 hours sleeping on the beach the day before left John and myself nursing sun stroke and sun burn, covering ourselves in Aloe Vera, and watching National Geographic documentaries on Komodo dragons and the Amazon.
That night we headed out to ride some stuff and rode the skatepark. We rode a concrete transition outside only to be kicked off by armed security. At the end of night we went swimming in the sea and short sighted Davidos mistook a tractor combing the beach for a ship.
Tomorrow is our last day, and we’ve got loads to do.
Day Five
Sep 18, 2009
Richy Goff arrived at 6am so we headed out to the train station to meet him. The train station is full of soldiers, carrying their M16s and hand guns. Security is tight even at the train station. Richy only has 2 days in Isreal, he was suposed to come for the whole week, but he messed up his days off with his day job.
Having gone to bed at 3am after street drinking till late, we only had 2 hours sleep until we met Richy. We slept it off on the beach and got scorched to shit.
With the sun down, and sun burn kicking in, we head out to ride a pyramid monument on top of a hill that over looks the city. We rode street till late then got drunk and listened to Joe Fox bore everyone with his many tales of english and french fine dining.
Day Four
Sep 17, 2009
Today we're going to Jerusalem, the worlds more holiest and most fought over place. Local rider Bamba, picks us up in his truck, when he said he had a truck he could drive there in, he meant a lorry. We drive for an hour from Tel Aviv, straight up and out of the pollution to Jerusalem in 36c heat. Thank god for air con. On the way the locals take us to a perfect 6-7ft transition concrete berm, just sat in the middle of some waste land in between houses on the outskirts of the city. We rode for a good hour or two.
After we were finished riding, and saw another group of raving Orthodox jews in the middle nowhere, we headed into the old city of Jerusalem. The place is surrounded with armed police and army. By armed I mean M16s, bats and hand guns. The city is a maze of ancient tunnels, roof tops and paths. On the way to the west wall we witness a fist fight between the an arab and a jew. The city has air of tension split between Christians, Jews and Muslims.
After x-ray, and metal detector gates and more guns than your favorite western, we leave Jerusalem and head back to Tel Aviv.
That night a crack head addict takes a disliking to Joe and threatens to pull his eyes out, and told me he's going to slice my stomach. Safe.
Day Three
Sep 16, 2009
Today we managed to ride the skate park in Tel Aviv. The skater who threw his board out of the pram when we tried to ride last time wasn't there tonight!
Benny's bike turned up. Benny is a local hero and motor bike enthusiast and would talk about English army bikes with us till the cows would come home if we let him!
That night we headed out to meet a rider with some new distinctive bars. He had a choice of getting a pair of Slams or some 4 piece, but instead of going to his bike shop he went down the crap heap and got a old truck steering wheel - why not eh? waste not want not. Joe Fox is asking 4down for a pair when he gets back, with a nice leather trim.
Day Two
Sep 15, 2009
Today the local bike shop owner, Tal, invited us to his son's Jewish version of a christening. Tal had to perform a ceremony where he buys his son from the local rabbi with 5 gold ceremonial coins, surrounded by his friends, family and 3 sun burnt Londoners.
That evening we head out again to ride the street spots and street drink. Most of the locals with us are ex-army. Tal used to be a tank gunner, and remains a reservist. We ride the museum and we get a see a gang of dancing orthodox jews celebrating their religion by turning up at the corner of the street and dancing to techno. Praise the lord!
Later on we head to the one and only skatepark in Israel. We arrive there and it looks great, its a big concrete park with big bowls, big street stuff and a massive cock for a local skate boarder who refused to let us ride. If you go to Tel Aviv skatepark and see a semi bald skinny angry arab, stay way clear, as he'll throw his board at you if you try to ride, as Jon found out. He then phoned the police, who quickly turned up with blue flashing lights. We legged but plan to return tomorrow.
Day One
Sep 14, 2009
Shalom (hello in hebrew). We arrived in Tel Aviv, Israel, at 5am having had the treatment and shake down from customs. This was to be the first day of an 8 day trip in Tel Aviv, Israel with Joe Fox, Richy Goff, Jon Corrigan and myself.
Bike shop owner and dad of 4 weeks, Tal, picks us up with a trailer at dawn and drops us off at another local's apartment. Having messed up his days off Richy can't come for the full week and will meet later in the week.
Its 30c and the sun is barely up. Riding in the daylight is sweaty as the Falafel man at the end of the street, the only option is get in the sea, which sea is warmer than a bath. We spend a day on the beach surrounded by Tel Aviv's 80's tower blocks, reserve soldiers in speedos and some topless sunbathers. At first impressions the city looks very European, but you can tell from the heat and religious outfits we're definitely in the Israel and the middle east.
At night the 2 locals show us around the spots. We meet at the local bike shop, Night Riders, and then head out to see some spots. Local Jesus look a like, Itamar, shows us the spots then takes us to the Champagne spot, where everyone sits outside and gets hammered on champagne and cheap local beer. On the way home 2 stunning, sexy, big boobed, curvy, voluptuous etc etc....blokes. (Tel Aviv is the gay capitol of the middle east).