Shizafon Junction - An Oasis in the Desert

On the way to Eilat from Mitzpe Ramon, we descend from the high desert toward the Arava Valley. Route 40, the only road south from Mitzpe Ramon, intersects Route 12 at the Shizafon Junction, about 80 kilometers from Eilat. Most people continue down Route 40 to Route 90 which continues down the Arava Valley directly to Eilat. But Route 12 is another option, much more scenic, and much less travelled. You can just about drive Route 12 with your eyes closed there is so little traffic on it. Yet it is the most scenic route to Eilat, passing through the mountains that define the Israeli side of the Arava Valley, with many large mountain vistas to engage the traveller. There are also some stunning sites of natural wonder, like the Red Canyon, which we shall visit in another post.

Shizafon Junction (A), where Route 40 meets Route 12

In any case, at the junction of 40 and 12, the Shizafon Junction, is a little Inn that is an oasis in the Negev desert. There are fountains and streams of water with verdant green plantings and flowers everywhere. You can enjoy a meal or drink in the shade of the garden or indoors at the restaurant. It also makes for a good rest stop for the kids with excellent bathroom facilities. Continue on to your destination refreshed from there.

Tables and garden at the Shizafon Junction (Click for full size image.)

Green pond with algae and who knows what else?

An Oasis in the Desert

You see these as you drive along the highway. A lone tree standing far off or a cluster standing in a verdant patch of green. What could these be and how could they be in this barren waste? I often wondered this about the strange oases of green that I would see driving along Route 40. They were clearly not watered by springs bubbling from the ground. After the desert storms of this winter I started to understand.

An oasis of green in the barren waste of Machtesh Ramon

There are declivities in the desert landscape, some larger some smaller. Some are quite large, basically basins in the ground. During the dry season these topographic differences are hard to detect with the naked eye. When rain falls, however, these declivities gathter the waters unto themselves. Along the drainage paths of the waters, gullies and wadis form, giving way as they spread out to these shallow basins where waters gather. It is along these water trails and gatherings that plants and even trees begin to grow.

The photo above is of one of these basins in Machtesh Ramon. It is quite deep, since this is a mature tree growing near its center. As I observed these basins I also started to notice the work of man. There were berms that had been thrown up on the downhill side of the declivities' drainage, to hold even more water then they would naturally contain. When the water evaporates, the soil continues to hold moisture, giving rise to these mysterious patches of trees and grass, oases in a barren land.

The Storm of the Century - Aftermath II

It is exactly a month since the Storm of the Century dumped over 6.5 inches of rain on the Negev in 24 hours, more than had fallen in the past 10 years altogether. In its aftermath, dry river beds and wadis ran with flash floods, overflowed their banks, and washed away roads, guard rails, cars, trucks and people.

 Nachal Paran (A) and Nachal Meishar, about 40 miles south of Mitzpe Ramon

Nachal Paran is a dry river valley that lies about 40 miles south of Machtesh Ramon on the way to Eilat. Where it crosses Route 40 it joins another dry river bed, Nachal Meishar. These two rivers gushed with flash floods after last month's storms, overflowing their banks and washing away parts of Route 40. Some big trucks were unfortunate enough to try to cross Route 40 during the floods, where their drivers got into big trouble.

 Trucks caught in the flood waters of Nachal Paran

In the photo below a number of drivers and passengers get stranded on top of their vehicles as the flood waters rise.

A helicopter is called in to rescue the stranded victims.

The hapless drivers are pulled to safety in the nick of time.

 

Be careful when you drive in desert storms and don't take any unnecessary chances with water covered roads!

   

Why Did the Camel Cross the Road?

Some in the Middle East say it was a Zionist plot. Others that, like the chicken, it was to get to the other side. On one of our too many trips to Be'er Sheva to get medical care we were stopped just outside of town by a herd of camels that were being driven across Route 40 to the other side of the road.

 

Camels cross Route 40 just outside Be'er Sheva

All along Route 40 between Be'er Sheva and Mitzpe Ramon are signs that say "Beware of Camels by the Road".  Despite having driven this route many times, I have never seen a camel by the road before. 

  "Beware of Camels Near the Road"

 The one exception was on our taxi ride to Mitzpe Ramon from Ben Gurion when we made Aliyah. On that occasion I saw two Bedouin racing their camels by the side of Route 40.

Hobbled camels on Route 40

There are Bedouin shanty towns that line Route 40 outside of Be'er Sheva toward Mitzpe Ramon for some distance, and they do have livestock plus the occasional camel. But these camels are usually far from the road, usually just an isolated one or two, and standing so stock still that they might be environmental art.

So, it was quite a surprise to see so many camels making a huge commotion as they were driven across the road. The front legs of the camels are hobbled with ties to keep them from running away. Despite this attempt at control, the occasional camel does try to escape. This big boy first tried running toward Be'er Sheva until he was beaten back with big sticks by the Bedouin. He then tried running in the opposite direction toward Miztpe Ramon, until they beat him back into the herd. 

A big camel tries to make his escape from the Bedouin

The herd of camels made quite a hew and cry, sounding like something out of the Silence of the Lambs. Once they got to the other side of the road things quieted down and we continued on our way.

Cries like something out of the Silence of the Lambs

Bicycling Along Route 40

The area around Mitzpe Ramon is well known as a bicyclists haven, offering much to road and off-road bikers alike. While driving Pam to Be'er Sheva earlier this week I spied what at first looked like a family of Bedouins moving their entire household, waiting for a bus by the side of Route 40. As we approached in our car, I saw that this was a pair of road bikers carrying the largest load I have ever seen on a touring bike. Each bike had front and rear panniers filled to overflowing with clothes, with a large amount of goods on the rear racks as well. One of the bikes, in addition, was towing a trailer, whether carrying more goods or a child/children I do not know.

They had stopped at the end of a long down hill run, which as we crested the hill, gave way to an even longer uphill run before it. Mitzpe Ramon is at an elevation of 900 meters, Be'er Sheva some 80 kilometers away, is at 200 meters, so it is quite an uphill haul going into Mitzpe Ramon. Truth be told, the road looks uphill to me in both directions from a car. In any case, there are alot of uphill grinds in both directions, regardless of the general gradient.

Winter is probably the only time of year most bikers could do this route, since the 100 degree temperatures in the summer must make this kind of riding dangerous. Route 40 itself is no picnic on a bike, since it is a well-paved two lane highway with cars usually doing well over 100 kph. I was doing 110 kph when we encountered this sight, which is why I have no photos of it. I have no idea what became of this pair. They were long gone when we returned many hours later at night.

We did see a lone biker with a back-pack and lights on our night-time return. This seems like a really dangerous place to be at night, but there he was anyway.

Route 40 - The Road to Mitzpe Ramon

     
Useful links:
Google Map of Israel

Route 40 is the only road that leads into and out of Mitzpe Ramon. Except when it enters Ramon's Crater, it looks pretty much like this for its entire length: a well paved two lane highway wandering through a dun colored desert landscape of rolling hills and plateaus.

Route 40, heading north towards Be'er Sheva

Route 40 as it descends into Ramon's Crater

For some reason, I find desert driving to be completely exhausting. Perhaps it is the heat or the sun's glare, but a drive from Mitzpe Ramon to Be'er Sheva, approximately 1 hour, completely exhausts me and leaves me wrung out. I hope I am not getting old.

The View Along Route 40

One of the sights one sees along Route 40 is the occasional orchard. You will be driving along through a complete waste land, when all of a sudden, a patch of green appears on the horizon. It is an irrigated strip of land, usually bearing fruit trees or grape vines. Israel, of course, is a pioneer in techniques of desert irrigation, but what puzzles me the most is how even irrigated plants can gain a perch in the rocky desert soil. I will have to find out more about desert agriculture.

An Orchard Along Route 40

Also ubiquitous along Route 40 are the high tension power lines, which sing incessantly across the desert landscape.

Power Lines Along Route 40 with Desert Totem

Another common sight are the Bedouin shanty towns which line Route 40 for many miles from Be'er Sheva toward Mitzpe Ramon. They seem to grow in size and number every time I make the trip, and about which we will write more later.

Bedouin Shanty Town Along Route 40 Outside Be'er Sheva Toward Mitzpe Ramon

One also sees signs of agrarian and pastoral Bedouin life along Route 40. In the afternoon sun one can see a Bedouin shepard bringing his flock of sheep home across a dun colored hill, the close animals making the hill look like it has come alive with rippling life. On one trip to Be'er Sheva we saw these Bedouin boys on donkey-back tending their small herd of sheep.

Bedouin Boys Tending Flock Along Route 40

There is much to be seen in the desert, if you only have eyes for it.