Day 28/29 (7th October 2020): Mitzpe Chen (Hirbat Regev) to Shoham industrial park

 I followed the same procedure as the previous day: I left my bike at Mitzpe Modiin in the Ben Shemen forest, and walked back to Mitzpe Chen (Hirbat Regev) where I finished the previous day.

The path was through the Ben Shemen forest, some of it with a lot of trees, other areas with less.

This photo includes the moon (which always looks much bigger in person)

I walked back to Mitzpe Modiin. Just before arriving, I passed a pagoda given by Thailand to Israel. Unfortunately locked behind a fence.

At Mitzpe Modiin there is a manned fire lookout tower - it was hot and dry, so good fire conditions (but thankfully no fires while I was there)

There was also information stands about the next segment

After crossing under the road and walking some more, I reached Tel Hadid, with similar view to Mitzpe Chen. From the signs, I saw that my university (Tel Aviv University) is involved in the ongoing dig.

The airport is close by, although I did not see any planes landing or taking off (due to the COVID-19 lockdown there are very few flights)

From here, the path followed the #6 road, eventually going under the raod

After a short while, the path led to the Shoham industrial park, with enormous factories.

and a statue of the Bamba baby (Bamba is most Israeli children's favourite snack - peanut flavoured) 

After a break for an icypole (never tasted so good!) and to buy some cold water, I headed back for my bike.

I realized I went the wrong way through the Shoham forest (looking at the wrong map on my phone), but on the way back went the right way,  including past beautiful mosiacs in a church. that was recently excavated

I sweated my way back to my bike and rode home, making just in time for sunset. Hopefully the next stretch won't require walking each segment twice!

Day 28 (part) (5th October, 2020) - Latrun to Mitzpe Chen

 I did this day's walk during the 2nd COVID-19 lockdown. According to the regulations, exercise by yourself is permitted, so being (relatively) near to Rehovot, I rode my bike (~18 km) to approximately the mid-point of the day's hiking, walked back to the start, and at the end of the hike walked back to my bike (i.e. I walked each part twice),  then rode back home. Despite the lockdown, there were quite a lot of people around.

I parked my bike near Mishmar Ayalon and walked towards Latrun (through some fields, mostly not on the trail)

Near Latrun I passed this forest for unborn (i.e., aborted) children. Not sure what I think about this.

I arrived back at the Laturn junction where I finished last time, with a nice view of hte monastery. 

The start of the path goes past the Latrun tank museum (closed at the moment because of the lockdown)

There was also a route map close to the museum

I headed towards the #1 road (Tel Aviv-Jersualem), past a water reservoir 

After following the highway for a while, the path went under the road

The path ran near the railway to Jerusalem, with some nice train bridges

There was a nice lookout in memory of Moshe Saya, including water, a large swinging chair, and a place to cook. 

After passing my bike, there were warning signs telling you to be careful of holes (admittedly there are a lot of holes in this area)

The path went close (eventually right next to) the Patei Modiin industrial area

Up on the hill, there are lots of archeological remains (Hirbat Rehes), such as this burial site (empty)

While I ate lunch, this dragonfly kept me company (hard to catch in a photo)

More remains at Hirbat Rehes

I finished my walking at a site with a great view all the way to Rehovot and Tel Aviv (Mitzpe Chen)

I turned around and headed back mostly the way I came, got some strange looks on the way from a cow

and made it back to my bike, which was thankfully still there!