solatic

Ever wish you could just zoom down the street with no traffic or smog? In Israel, nobody drives on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year for Jews. The streets are empty and it is a day many secular Israelis take advantage of to bike the streets and highways of the country.




(images source: https://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/...-kippur-1.7080)

Video:
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xgg...ble_html5=true

Yom Kippur starts tomorrow night so it's a *little* late to book your ticket but when you do, El Al is the only airline in the world that will let you take your bike on board FOR FREE - no bicycle fees, no overweight/oversize charges, zilch.

https://www.elal.co.il/ELAL/English/A...AGE_011109.htm

Forecast for Saturday in Jerusalem is 80 F high / 61 F low, sunny, no humidity, and I for one will be taking advantage of it see you guys here next year!

commo_soulja

San Francisco has something similar called Sunday Streets where sections of the city are blocked off from vehicle traffic. Just one sunday per month. Caveat is that it's open to all - cyclists, skaters, walkers with strollers, etc.

yokotas13

to bad i cant come back to saudi arabia if i have a Jerusalem stamp lol

1nterceptor

https://www.guardian.co.uk/environmen...ethical-living

travelmama

It sounds good but would make a boring ride. I think part of commuting is the challenge of dealing with and facing the unexpected and unknown. Besides, I like to use my Airzounds from time to time.

bikecrate

You must be an adrenaline junkie. I prefer a quite street on a holiday.

Mr. Beanz

Remind me to never draft you after a good breakfast!

calamarichris

Of course. Every cyclist has a post-apocalyptic/Ebola-virus fantasy. Every now and then I jump out of bed at 4 in the morning and get my Mad Max on.
Invariably I see an older person power-walking, and when we exchange conspiratory nods, I know exactly what they're saying: "Isn't this nice? Don't screw it up by telling your fellow young people about it!"

(Oops.)

Velo Dog

Been there, done that. Farther south, in Redwood City and Woodside, there are periodic closures around Edgewood Road and i think Canada (pronounced ka-NYAH-da) Road. Haven't been down there in a couple of years, but it used to be pretty nice on Sundays.
I was in college in San Jose when they built the western section of either Interstate 280 or Hwy 17, I forget which. For a few months, we could sweep in six-lane (or was it eight?) grandeur from out by Los Gatos in nearly to downtown.

deep_sky

The closed off stretch on Canada (with a tilde on the 'n') goes to Skyline. It used to be at Edgewood and Canada, but it's moving forward so the amount closed off is shrinking. Probably Woodside residents whining about people having the effrontery to ride through THEIR neighborhoods, will likely be eventually cancelled altogether.

That would be 17.

Paul Y.

I think your pictures are beautiful. I hope to get out to CA in the near future. Very jealous!

Mr. Beanz

Thanks! If ya do, make sure to ride GMR (Glendora Mtn Rd in Glendora).

travelmama

HA! Many would say the same. I don't agree however a physical challenge here and there is always invited.

Doug5150

I understand that Detroit has a lot of quite big streets that are basically abandoned.

Post-apocalyptic gear is your choice, but you can leave the lights at home. They only make the bike heavier and if you aren't out by dark, the lights won't save you anyway.
~

CNY James

This is why I like to ride early on Sat/Sunday morning... 6-6:30 am you pretty much have the streets to yourself. I can get a 15 miler in with out seeing a car.

dedhed

I've done it a number of times this year. On the 4 lane arterials the flush of stimulus money has numerous repaving jobs. They either close one of the two lanes or put everyone on one side of the medians. I have about a week where the new smooth pavement is in, but the road isn't open to traffic yet where they are doing clean up, sod, striping etc. Fly down them with no other traffic.