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Scooterer Stories, Part Ten – Route 6 to Elvis

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Scooterer Stories
By Louis the Scooterer

The travels of Louis the Scooterer, a retired former South African who has found an unusual way of getting to know Israel.

Part Ten – Not Route 66, just Route 6, but at least there’s an Elvis.

Driving thru major cities and heavily populated areas do have some interesting places, but I reckon boredom could set in…so a quick discussion with myself, it is decided we will bypass those places and head toward Jerusalem and bypass to road 90 at the north end of The Dead Sea…and then will head NORTH ON 90. Then to much more exciting places. So now, I take the shortest route and get to Highway 6 (Kvish 6) to experience a short portion of that excellent highway.

I wrote a story elsewhere about that experience and its worth repeating here while we stop for a while at Herzl Forest and a quick visit to Engineering Forces Monument ( the highway story is told to you now while we take a coffee break…on the lawns at the monument.

Kvish 6 = Highway 6

Once, way back in the past – when I was still new to scootering – I remember vaguely having read something about an “Across Israel” (Highway 6) that was being built to be called Kvish 6. Then sometime later I read a sentence somewhere that the first 18 kilometers were ready and would be opened on some date or other. So, one day while scootering around, I came upon a road that was freshly tarred and was newly painted with pure white lines (being a new onramp >>> onto a new road).

So I asked a man in a van, “what is happening here?” He told me that Road 6 would be opening — in about 10 minutes, and IF I hung around I would be the first person to drive on it! About 10 minutes later, he told me to go!

The FIRST motor vehicle on the new highway was “me on my scooter”, going south…. no fanfare, no fuss, no cutting ribbons (this onramp was near Eyal Kibbutz. I rode those 18 kms on this beautiful, clean, smooth, well-built road with absolutely NO TRAFFIC. Later, one car went past me, and also an official “Road 6” patrol van.

So, all too soon I rode that 18 kms and went off at the new off ramp pointing to Rosh Ha’ayin, and rode to a coffee shop at a petrol station to drink a cup of coffee.

Then, about 30 minutes later, I decided to do the 18 kms going north….

NOW, this gets interesting… coz the new onramp is at the Head Offices of Kvish 6, and here was a big media event, TV people with cameras, newspaper people with cameras, many people with cameras… (except me, I never had a camera). There was a big party going on at the offices.

Many important dignitaries attended the “official opening”, and the “first drive,” which is from the office block going north — to the Eyal off ramp ~~> 18 kms.

I scooted in to the parking area and a woman ran up to me telling me “to get on the bus quickly, it’s waiting for me” (she thought I was a reporter from a newspaper). I soon sorted that out. So, I went into the lobby at the offices, a very posh affair with many people wearing suits.

I was given an orange juice and a cookie and a couple of maps, then someone told me I must leave… So a few minutes later I scootered on to the new 6 going ~~> north.

I noticed a few buses, many cars and vans and other vehicles were following me… as though I was the escort. After a short distance, all those vehicles overtook me and I guess I was at “the right-place at the right moment.”

I have since traveled several times on this beautiful, well planned, well built, well looked after, Kvish 6 highway, and also recently completed, now has two new twin filling-station-rest-rooms-shopping-complex on BOTH sides of the highway…. one way down south and the other up north. IT IS A DRIVING PLEASURE.

So I say…”Well done” and keep on adding new sections, and every time a new section was completed, I took a scoot to ride on it. The costs for a scooter are very little and I always feel safe riding on clean, litter-free roads. And all my trips have been in daylight hours.

A couple of times there were queries about the account that I received, but they were always solved by very pleasant personnel. I learned that much of the processes are automatically done to completion by computers, and the bill is clear and straightforward.

We need to squeeze a couple of hours visit to MINI ISRAEL…worth every minute and much more…all the model buildings and buses and trucks and soccer stadium and ports and cable-cars…and everything in Israel that is major importance is there in miniature….no problem with parking at the entrance, and obtaining a small electric golf cart to travel around in…Mini Israel is open on Saturdays, and is usually crowded so if you can manage during the week…better still.

Another couple of hours minimum is a must visit to the Armoured Brigade Military Museum at LATRUN where all sorts of armoured vehicles and tanks and many assorted vehicles of war that were captured from the enemies..during several wars. Pay an entrance fee and get some brochures, a movie in English explains and knowledgeable guides take you around and explain many things. (CLOSED ON SATURDAYS)… altho many captured vehicles can be seen if you drive a few hundred meters on the side road to the end of the fence. As usual, walking shoes and cameras always.

A short visit to the Monastery close by and a visit inside if you like climbing many steps…some days there are open air markets and food kiosks in the carpark.

Of course plan your day to visit NEWE SHALOM, close to Latrun, a neighbourhood where Israeli and Arab live side by side. A quick stop at the hotel lobby for some good brochures and then take a slow drive (or even a walk) through the streets and see what can be achieved.

Then we kadimah (move forward) coz our new journey has only just begun.

We pick-up route #1 and head toward Jerusalem..and at junction at Abu Ghosh we make a detour and head for ELVIS INN…this delightful restaurant that remains furnished in Elvis Presley times and hundreds of photos on the walls are a reminder as we sit at a table with Elvis Presley, and his music is always in the background. Excellent service from a small snack to a full meal, and if you drink a coffee, you get to take the mug as a souvenir.

I must mention the incredible toilets that cater for many tour buses that stop there. Outside in the carpark are many Elvis reminders including a magnificent “gold” statue of “The King Of Rock n Roll)..this is a “must” visit.

As we may start our day very early and finish very late, I’m not suggesting sleeping time but for the record I have slept over several times at Yitzchak Rabin Youth hostel…which is nicely placed for restaurants and for leaving the city without being snarled in traffic.

So, after Elvis Inn we stay on #1 and travel east til we get to #90…with a few short stops on the way to take pictures. 6 stops for 5 minutes each should be enough….you will decide what pics you want,
and at the end of #1 we coffeesnack at the same place we were at on an earlier time. We look at our mapatlas and plan our trip north on #90.

(Very much more exciting than driving thru built-up areas surrounded by highrise buildings and shopping malls).

Louis the Scooterer is 69 years old and it sounds like he’s just getting started.

Scooterer Stories – Part Seven – Dead Sea, The Back of Masada, and Arad.

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Scooterer Stories
By Louis the Scooterer

The travels of Louis the Scooterer, a retired former South African who has found an unusual way of getting to know Israel.

Part Seven – Dead Sea, The Back of Masada, and Arad.

We’re almost at the point where we take route 31, and we can just stop on the bridge and take pictures of Ein Bokek and the Dead Sea and the mountains in Jordan… and more important pictures of the mountains and stark environment right in front of us.

Then we start the scenic route uphill, finished with route 90 now on 31, and have your cameras ready for casual shots while driving… then after a couple of kilometers we stop at this viewsite with magnificent views of the Dead Sea and highway below us, and way in the horizons in 3 directions… once an Air Force transport plane passed by at eye level a few hundred meters from my nose ( I never possessed a camera at that time), and for a few seconds that plane gave me an unbelievable command performance ! and please don’t add to the mess already here you—yes you ! Place your garbage in to the garbage cans PLEASE.

Okay we travel a few hundred meters up to the next observation point for more pics of more magnificent views, and perhaps you will notice that many drivers will drive as quickly as possible and maybe will see nothing… now we climb again, and again have your cameras ready coz I may not be able to stop at the place where several motor bikes are placed as memorials to the drivers who got killed on that dangerous curve, and again we climb.

I will make a U turn and stop at a spot where only very few people will have seen this memorial on the other side of the “fence” — that has a “toy petrol tanker inside a round wheel” and the real truck at the bottom in the ravine…a couple of hundred meters down, rusting away over the years…..and then into Arad.

Digressing for a while, While sitting drinking coffee with some “friends” in Netanya… I mentioned I’m planning a trip to stay at Youth hostel in ARAD… Those ”friends” could tell me nothing about the place — but one of them said it is an “arid desert place”??

SO, when I rode in and came to the hostel, I was very lucky to get a [very simple] map at the hostel office… and off I went to explore. (Before the town was established it may surely have been “arid desert”, but this lovely town that came about, and still “grows” is built in an area where the climate is superb all round),

So I found a few viewsites and monuments and interesting looking buildings.. (the simple) map gave no details or explanations, and when I saw a sign “MASADA” I decided to ride there… NOW this is a quiet desert road with nothing to be seen and after a while I came across an oasis with lots of high palm trees, surrounded by a sturdy high wooden fence, and when I rode up to the gate I heard many dogs barking and when no one came.
I continued on the deserted desert road and eventually arrived at Masada, this is the back of Masada, and I saw 1 car at the tiny “office”— the ranger welcomed me with ice water and coffee and explained the place to me, and since I do NOT climb mountain paths… I didnt stay long.

I did learn that a “light and sound” show happens at that place at night with lights and music and explosions and smoke and is explained in your language with headfones…(That happens only Tuesday nights).

I left after a while and back at the high fenced oasis, the dogs were still barking, so I rode back into Arad, to a petrol station, then bought some supper at the supermarket, and back to the dormitory bed, in a tiny room with 2 beds, the other chap kindly pointed that he will sleep on the top bunk, and as he spoke not even one word of English and neither a word of Hebrew… and I knew nothing in Italian, we didnt speak, but the communication was excellent.

After a good nite sleep and I was up and out very early to find an unbelievable sunrise, standing on top of a cliff at this very large monument, awe inspiring… then back to hostel for breakfast.

A little later I found the town hall, who directed me to the Visitors Centre, a lovely series of offices and rooms as a museum and then MY BIG SURPRISE. The pretty young lady in charge led me into the auditorium, and on the floor had a very large model of all the mountain ranges in the entire Dead Sea area.While watching a video on many screens describing the area, and the geography and where animals roam — lights from the ceiling shine on the mountains that are being shown on the screen, then when the areas rainfall was ON the screen, then drops of water (from hosepipes on the ceiling” fell on the model, and the lights showed the “rain falling”. That simple feature I will always remember ARAD.

Another of the many places that I visited, was Tel Arad, a few kms away, which has this large fort and takes plenty of walking. Later while enjoying a coffee at the Bedouin tent cafetaria, I learned a little about the place from the pretty red-head ranger, and when I mentioned my painful knee, I was given permission to ride my scooter right up INTO the 5000 year old Canaanite City.

And now we will fill-er-up at the gas station, and drink a coffee…. and continue… into the following chapter.

Louis the Scooterer is 69 years old and it sounds like he’s just getting started.

Scooterer Stories – Part Six – Dead Sea and Beyond

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Scooterer Stories
By Louis the Scooterer

The travels of Louis the Scooterer, a retired former South African who has found an unusual way of getting to know Israel.

Part Six – Dead Sea and Beyond. Still aiming North, but with a backtrack Southward.

OKAY, we finally have to leave Masada, but lets quickly go to the cableway complex for a final look, and a fruit juice drink at the open air fruit juice stall on this large terrace outside.. (have cameras ready..) great juices and great views.

So, when you leave one place, before you blink your eyes many times, you are at the next place, this time the Kibbutz Mitzpe Shalem, also with these magnificent views and also the home of ARAVA beauty products, and has a lovely large cafetaria and shop. Inside the shop we were shown a video about the area and the products, and every day (exept Saturday) you can watch the factory machinery and workers through glass windows. As always the people are so friendly, and a continuous flow of buses and cars bring the visitors.

Metsukey Dragot, Hooray, finally, Oh well, on yet another follow-up visit on a beaut day (a Saturday morning) the weather fantastic, and travelling in a rent car, with a young man who comes from India, to work for short periods in hi-tec in Netanya. We drove into this magic place on top of the mountain, and immediately saw a group of young people sitting on a terrace, drinking cool drinks and drinking in the scenery of the Dead Sea, and the mountains.

We found the reception/entrance into to a lovely big coffeeshop, a big room with a big counter with stools and the other walls have low chairs with cushions and the tv set, and a door to the terrace. Here, Leah welcomed us and explained that this is a “hosting village”, that is always full to capacity on a Friday night, and also many religious people come to enjoy and relax…the full Saturday. Others come to climb and hike and do rappeling and mountain stuff, others come just to meditate, and walk on the mountain paths and climb rocks and also has a lovely play area for children. Then a couple of hours after sunset [on Saturday] the place almost empties and the weekenders travel away, relaxed, to their homes, (could be anywhere in Israel).

Anyway the 1 young lady and 3 fellows on the terrace gave us much info about their lifestyles and homes and jobs and their travels and their plans and hopes, and 1 single ibex perched on a high rock was “performing” for us. A large round low building is for “getting together”, also on the “other side” a bedouin tent, looks exactly as you may imagine from a bible story, where you sit on rugs and cushions and sip tiny cups of tea.


Certainly I will be back to sleep-over and have breakfast, in this magic place where you can see the sunrise and the sunset from the same spot. A couple of hours flew by and it was time to leave.

A few kms up the road at a sign “Ovnat” is this “out of this world” restaurant, made from a large container, with some colourful signs, and here I had my “best freshly made sandwich” and sat in the “middle-of-nowhere” eating and drinking, and seeing the scenery. After a visit to the most unbelievable toilet/building, then we need to carry on.

A few more scenic kms with sea on our right we see a high nondescript fence that you dont give a second glance ?
At the end of this fence is a sign pointing to the sea, and we turn in to Einot Tzukim (Ein Fashkha) for a visit and a walking lesson never to be forgotten.

We have a swim in a man made pool that is fed with fresh water from stream from the mountain. No filtration plant here, fresh water flows in from a stream, then flows out the other side to make its way into the dead sea. The place caters for picnickers and campers and hikers and outdoor types who love “roughing it”…nothing unusual about that, and some days during summer holidays, and Jewish festival days there will be thousands of people around this “open area”, loving the heat and what comes with that. (of course much garbage at the end of the day.)

The closed area [not open for the public] is called “The Hidden Reserve” and small groups are taken on a tour through this absolute paradise, which has many types of trees and shrubs and flowers and much of interest, also a large pond that is fed with fresh water from underground, that pond also has “fresh water fish” that have been introduced, just a few meters from the saltiest water on the planet. AMAZING, [ well done rangers. NO mess here.] The walking tour shows where the water line was in recent years and how the sea has receded, and current water edge is quite a distance from the road. A good tour with much information and I was amazed that the small children already know so much about nature. At the end of the tour we say our goodbyes to the people and the guides, and back on the road we now stop at a small sign (that we never saw before, that the rangers told us to look for) that shows the water level (painted on a rock) of about 100 years earlier. AGAIN AMAZING.

Also amazing is the friendliness of all the different rangers and guards that work there. My personal hat off to Adi who I met the first time when I was there on my scooter.(2001) Then on a later visit together with my daughter from South Africa, (2003) he gave the 2 of us a private guided tour through that magic “Hidden Reserve”.

Digressing for a moment , that, when together with another daughter and husband, also from S.A. we visited (on my birthday) April 2005, and found this unbelievable large crowd, we hung around quite a while, then left without seeing Adi and not visiting the hidden reserve) that was the busiest day of the “high season”, and probably the day with the most flies and probably the biggest mess to clean up… (cant win em all !)

A short drive to “Lido” where the regional council offices are, filling station and a coffee and eats place and a few pictures later we get going south again. (This is the “lowest point” on the planet (and for our trip) its the furthest point going north that we do on this plan, then we head back south.) reasons become clear, later

NOW, going south again a quick pop-in to Kibbutz Kalia, which also has b / b facilities and also own the date plantations across the road. We are invited into the dining room for a cuppa and a chat. Also on their kibbutz, is…

QUMRAN – is the place where in 1947, some Bedouin boys found unbroken pottery inside the caves, which contained the Dead Sea Scrolls, and now some areas have been excavated and ancient ruins found which tells the story of how it was living there in those times. On paying your entrance fee and receiving a brochure you go into an auditorium to watch a video about the place, then explore at the open excavations. A couple of hours with cameras, and imagination, and then some refreshments in the new complex with this shop and cafetaria. Dont look at your watches coz guaranteed the time has flown…so pleasantly ?

Now we have the return drive (south) and pop in to Mineral Beach for a quick look and a quick drink, ( this area also belongs to Mitspe Shalem where we went to Ahava shop.) We will be driving for a couple of hours til we get to Ein Bokek, (time for a short nap and to catch up on reading some of the brochures), and sightseeing, and a few stops to see the same views from different spots. Some rock sculptures on the side of the road commands us to stop for pictures, then a couple more stops at several bridges and viewsites, and finally we leave road 91 and go on scenic Road 31 up to Arad. (Now you can see why we backtracked south.)

Louis the Scooterer is 69 years old and it sounds like he’s just getting started.

Scooterer Stories – Part Five – Ein Gedi

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Scooterer Stories
By Louis the Scooterer

The travels of Louis the Scooterer, a retired former South African who has found an unusual way of getting to know Israel.

Part Five – Ein Gedi

After many hours on top of Masada, ending with a visit to the shop to buy mementos, then a bed “anywhere in any place” is most welcome, and a cup of coffee and a chair under some palm trees is magnificent ! Thats the way it was at the “old hostel”, in the old rustic single-story building tucked away at the bottom of the mountain, and closed in by trees and shrubs and flowers, and in my opinion had “everything”, and was most charming. Also I was happy to meet some young South African volunteers who worked there, who gave me some of their time, and told me how they enjoy working at the hostel, and they also see some of the country.

Obviously, with progress and future planning, and the large groups of Israeli schoolchildren, and tourists from all over the world, that sleep over, eventually outgrew the “too small” premises, and the new sparkling modern building is now in demand.

The new complex has several floors and has elevators, and blends in with the landscape, and the beautiful views of the stark desert scenery is breathtaking, and the design of the building allows the magic scenery to be seen from many vantage points including the large dining-room and many balconies and from the rooms and dormitories as well.

The breakfast laid on in this great dining room has a variety of salads and herrings and cheeses and creams and cereals and breads and everything one eats at breakfast, beautifully laid out.

(On one occasion when I was the only person sleeping there on a Saturday night, the dining room should not have opened on that Sunday morning, but early that morning, a “plan was made”, and some kitchen staff from Ein Gedi Youth Hostel, drove down and prepared for me this breakfast, truly fit for a king, and attention like that can never be forgotten.)

Every meter and every minute the scenery changes, and every photo taken is a fantastic picture, whether in the shimmering heat of summer, or in the gray dark cloudy days of rainy season in winter.

On to Ein Gedi SPA where I gave myself a treat, and spent a few marvelous hours in the indoor facility that has sulfur pools and resting lobbies and indoor pools with more resting lobbies, and you hire a towel and a locker and “everything” is available including a shuttle-bus that took me close to the Dead Sea water, where I swam, ooops sorry, I “floated” on the hot salty water and then covered my body with black mud for a while then showered at outdoor showers, and traveled the shuttlebus back to the complex. More indoor swimming and pampering and more resting, then something to eat in the cafeteria.

Then on the road again, another few kilometers to Ein Gedi. ( Kibbutz, Youth hostel, Field School, Public beach, gas station and the MANY places to visit in that area).

Ein Gedi is an area I suppose can be described as a “world of its own”, and has Ein Gedi Kibbutz, well known for beautiful botanical gardens, beautiful sparkling blue swimming pool, and top market hotel accommodation, and is built high up on a ridge and has beautiful views in all directions.

At the Sea, a well looked after public beach and public amenities, restaurant, gas station and picnic spots, and all main tourist buses stop there, and people sit in the shade and eat their picnic meals. Then on the opposite side a few hundred meters into the valley, is David’s Stream with waterfall, and close by is the ancient Synagogue with original mosaics, and many ibex that perch on the rocks, and Ein Gedi Youth Hostel and Ein Gedi Field School.

ALL of these places have many stories, but here I try to give a couple of “must” tips…
1). A must, is take a walk to the waterfall and take a plunge under the falling water and shout loud that you “love it” while the ibex watch you !
2). A must, is a visit to the Field School behind the Youth Hostel which has a museum and a beautiful large lawn from where you can “drink-in-the-scenery” while the ibex watch you early in the morning when they walk on the lawns as though they own the place.
3). Another must is a swim/float in the Dead Sea at the Ein Gedi public beach.

I spent 2 nights at the Youth Hostel in Ein Gedi, and had 2 breakfasts in the bright airy dining room that looks on to the Dead Sea, also built in a beautiful setting, and very popular with tourists from overseas, and having seen and visited many stunning places including the waterfalls and the kibbutz gardens, and the Ancient Synagogue, and other interesting places and viewsites.

I then decided to go and “have-a-look” at the Field School above the hostel, a beautiful place in the mountain, lovely views and shady trees on a large green lawn and benches to sit on. When I learned that they also have hostel type room accommodation, I immediately booked-in for 2 nights.

A couple of highlights were meeting a group of students from Haifa University, 4 fellas and a girl who invited me to have coffee with them, and they told me many interesting stories about themselves. One chap, Dani had previously worked in a main tourist hotel and was given a “travel book” by a visitor who was checking out. Dani posted that book to me as a gift, and I consult that excellent gift often.

Later a group of Christians from South Africa, who were touring Israel [ in a 55 seater bus and a 14 seater minibus ] put on their colorful”Lesotho outfits” and did some “African folk-dancing” on the magnificent lawns of the field-school grounds, while the ibex family stood at cliff-edge watching them dancing and singing.

I was there with a young chap, Warren, from S.Africa who was working as a volunteer at the Youth Hostel, who earlier persuaded me to take a slow walk to the waterfall, and play in the water, while the other ibex family watched us. After watching the dancers, Warren and I were invited to join the group at the EIN GEDI beach and to share their lunches, so we had about 6 lunches with different small groups.

And the pleasant “happenings” just continue, coz later that evening another invitation to go with a couple (sister and brother ) to see the “Masada at night – light and sound” show, a very long drive through Arad to the “back of Masada” to see this excellent “show”, from this large outdoor “theater”. The show is on only once-a-week, and is with lights and sounds and smoke, and with the headphones in English giving the full description. Then the long drive back. And that’s how the stories grow, AND THAT IS HOW THE DAYS FLY BY.
At every place I chat with the workers and office staff and local tourists, and tourists from all over the world, and every chat is a story, and all these wonderful stories would take hundreds of hours to relate.

Has anyone been to Metsokei Dragot ?

I saw the sign on route 90 a few kms north of Ein Gedi, and took a ride up the scenic winding narrow road, a few kilometers to the top, a tiny enclosed area with a few homes and buildings, next to a tower lookout, and incredible 360 degree views of horizon, desert, mountains and Dead Sea.

The place is world-famous for “rough mountaineering”and hard-hiking and snappelling and climbing etc.. I was there to see the sunrise, and did not try to wake any people up for conversation and an explanation. I saw a couple of small children playing, but they did not speak English, SO I knew I would return another time !

My follow-up visit a couple of months later, in the rent car, was on a rainy day and the road was partly under water in places, and visibility was poor, SO I made a U-turn. SO, in my planning, my next visit will be on a sunny day, in the middle of the morning, and I hope to find someone to give me some explanations ?

Something to look forward to.

Louis the Scooterer is 69 years old and it sounds like he’s just getting started.