Some final thoughts

These blog postings turned out to be a bit long winded.  Please don't feel obligated to read it all, but I hope they help to convey the amazing journey I've just completed.  This was my third Israel Ride, but each one is unique.

This time, as on past rides, I met some wonderful people whose spirits and stories I will carry with me forever.  That includes the students, graduates and staff of the Arava Institute and the riders themselves.  The 60 riders ranged in age from 13 to 70 and came from all over the US, Australia and Jerusalem.  There were more than twice as many riders over 60 than under 35!

 
Nigel Savage brought a small Torah with him from Hazon.  This Torah, wrapped in a Hazon bike sock  (a clean one, of course!), had traveled on the Hazon Cross Country bike ride this summer from California to New York.  Now it was handed from rider to rider to cross Israel.  David Eisenberg, captain of the JNF team, carried it the first day and passed it along to me. I was truly honored.  It kept me company all of day 2 of the ride and inspired me to count my blessings......and to realize just how many blessings I have in my life!  I passed it on to a couple - Robin and Ted from western Mass - in honor of her birthday and his first ever trip to Israel.  They in turn passed it down to Gabriel, our bar mitzvah rider, who carried it through the desert to Eilat as a representative of the next generation.  At our closing ceremonies at the beach, he passed it on to a rider who would take it back to California to carry with him on the Hazon California Ride in May.  And so the cycle continues.

In total, over 5 days of riding, we covered 275 miles, gained an elevation (ie, climbed!) of about 14,000 ft and descended a total of about 20,725 ft. This is a challenging ride with major uphills rewarded by phenomenal downhills.....every one of which is very, very well deserved!

I hope to continue to do this ride as often as possible for as long as I can.  My real wish is to be able to ride alongside at least one grandchild as he or she (or both!) celebrates becoming a bar or bat mitzvah.  My support for the Arava Institute and the work they are doing is sincere and solid and gives me hope for the future.

Thank you so much for your support - both financial and emotional.  Without it, I would never have had the courage to make this journey.  But next year.....why don't you come with me?

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PS - this van was parked near our bus at a gas station.  Fortunately, we did not need its contents!  

We Made It!!!!

We all gathered at the bottom of the hill and enjoyed a police escort into and through the city of Eilat to the beach opposite our hotel and are ready to celebrate!

I made it!

David E and I...I'm so thankful he made it to the ride this year!

closing ceremony at the beach

Day 6 - Ketura to Eilat!

Every year there are a handful of foolish souls - we fondly call them meshugaim - who ride up the hill early in the morning.  I am quite happy to say that I am not one of them.  Maybe one day I will be, when I grow up.  But for now, I am happy to ride the bus up the hill and begin the day fighting the headwinds as we ride the rolling hills west toward the Egyptian border, and then head south toward Eilat.  The rolling hills become major hills, and of course the sun comes out from the wonderful cover of clouds that we had been blessed with all morning just as we begin our first major climb.  Oh well......it is a glorious day and we pedal on, strong from the past few days of cycling and in anticipation of reaching our goal.

We rode past the brand new border fence along the Egyptian border.  It was begun following the attack on a tourist bus about a year ago on this very road, but in fact, it is there primarily to keep Sudanese refugees from crossing the border into Israel.  Once, the refugees were fleeing war and sure death and were welcomed in Israel.  But apparently, the situation in Sudan has changed and their lives are no longer in danger.  Rather, they make the journey - often by foot - through Egypt and to Israel for economic reasons.  It has become a huge sociological problem here, complicated by unemployment and crime.  Sadly, the Israeli government has had to resort to a fence to keep people out.

We normally have lunch and take group pictures on the top of Har Hizkiyahu from where Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia are visible.  However, after a visit by the Israeli army, we are told to move our lunch spot to the Red Canyon area on the other side of the road and not as high and visible.  Maybe we should be worried, but we are not......just tired, hot, hungry and anxious to get to Eilat to swim in the Red Sea!  Lunch is served, we take our pictures, rehydrate and relax, and the final descent to Eilat is minutes away.

This 1800 ft drop into Eilat is by far the most dramatic and not a little bittersweet.  Exciting as it is, it signifies the end of Israel Ride 2012.  We head down one at a time and are encouraged to go slowly and savor the views.  Kodak moments abound.  But it's so hard to stop and not fly down the mountain, my Israeli flag flying in the breeze!  I managed to stop once with a friend, David E, and take one picture.  After that, the temptation is too great.  WOOOHOOOO!!!!  Away we gooooooo!

Day 5 - My Favorite!

Shacharit at the Maktesh Overlook

I am not necessarily a morning minyan person, but one think I will not pass up is the morning Shacharit service at the overlook of the Maktesh, which makes getting there at 6am for sunrise worth losing even several hours of sleep!  The sun comes up over the eastern end of the crater creating magnificent hues of pastels to deep rich golds.  There is always at least one visiting gazelle family, the occasional orthodox davener, a plethora of spandex clad biker Jews laying tefillin and donning their tallit, and of course a drummer or two from the Israel Ride.  Words cannot describe the beauty and the spirituality of this very special half hour, and this year Nigel Savage of Hazon did an outstanding job of leading us in prayers of gratitude for the miracles of life and our universe.   

As the sun rose in the sky, sleepy bikers all converged on the spot and following a group photo the most magnificent descent of the trip began.  Biking down the steep, snaking road into the Maktesh is by far one of the most magnificent sights and exhilarating drops of the week.   For safety sake, we are let down one at a time and eventually all of us are biking through this unusual geological formation.  At the rest stop, we are treated to an explanation of what exactly the Maktesh is.......it is NOT a typical crater!  Hadas, our tour guide, describes the erosion which caused the crater's formation (not a meteor) over thousands and thousands of years......using a crembo to demonstrate!  Crembo are Israel's answer to a mallomar.  Graham cookie disk topped with gooey, sweet white marshmallow cream all covered in chocolate, it is the perfect texture to demonstrate the earth's crust (chocolate coating) and soft ground.  And its really delicious too!

This day on the ride is definitely my favorite, although it is also the most grueling.  The downhills are stupendous, but the uphills are daunting too.  But the highlight is riding through the Negev desert.  There is something so awesome about biking through the arid desert, rolling with the terrain, noticing the lack of vegetation in most places and the sparse vegetation where flooding occurs during the occasional rain.  We even have to put up our portable "ladies room" screen for a semblance of privacy, since the terrain and lack of vegetation offer none of their own. The vista's are amazing and put human life in perspective.  We are visitors here - wanderers in the wilderness.  Moses and his tribe wandered for 40 years.  In 2 days of biking we get a mere taste of what the harsh environment has to offer.

Our own private portable stall!

Our lunch stop is at an Ashram in the middle of the desert, and the food spread is most welcome, as are the hammocks!

After riding over 50 miles through the Negev, we are treated to a stop at Neot Smadar - an organic goat farm cafe selling delicious, COLD, REFRESHING goat's milk ice cream and iced coffee.  Yummmmm.  Shortly thereafter comes our final descent of the day - a huge 1200 ft drop down a snaking road to the Arava Valley.  The Edom Mountains of Jordan shimmer in the heat in the distance, the blooming valley opens up below, and we pump our brakes non-stop to arrive safely at the bottom of the hill.  Two miles later we are greeted at Kibbutz Ketura, home of the Arava Institute, with cold drinks (beer!), snacks, fruit, warm smiles and open arms.

It's been a long day, and I can hardly stay awake for dinner and to meet and greet the current students.  I'm not sure, but I think I left for my assigned room in the middle of a conversation and fell onto my bed.  Apparently, I slept right through a huge wind and rain storm!

Day 4 - Shabbat and Havdalah

I've said it before and I'll say it again....the only way to do a multi-day, long mileage bike ride is with a Jewish group!  After 3 days of riding from north to south, over hills and valleys, a restful Shabbat is just what the doctor ordered.  There are a variety of ways to enjoy Shabbat in this open and non-judgmental community, but the highlight definitely comes in the afternoon when the students and alumnae of the Arava Institute participate in panel or group discussions.  That is when we really begin to understand the mission, success and hopes of the Arava Institute, and for me it is the moment I realize what a great cause I've been raising funds and awareness for. 

We listened to the personal stories of the students with awe and often with tears, and gained a true appreciation for the journey their lives have taken.  They come from Israel, Jordan, the Palestinian territories and the rest of the world.  Many from outside of Israel suffer the consequences back home of having dared to study and do research in Israel.  The focus of the Institute is to do research on environmental issues impacting the middle east. The motto of the Institute, "Nature Knows No Boundaries" is the backbone of their mission.  But inevitably, peace and coexistence issues arise.  Through the Peace and Environmental Leadership Seminars (PELS) the students are given tools to use now and in the future which will hopefully allow them, and us, to acknowledge differences, respect each other's stories, and work together to solve the problems that plague anyone living in the region.  These young people give me hope for the future, and now that I've seen the familiar faces coming back to crew for the ride year after year, and hear about the work they continue to do, I am totally committed to them.

Our spirits lifted, Shabbat traditionally ends with a joyous, magnificent Havdalah service at the edge of the Maktesh - the huge erosion crater on whose edge we have been spending Shabbat.  We have, in a short 3 days, gone from a group of disjointed bikers from all over creation to a cohesive community of people who truly care about and look after each other.  It is the magic of the Israel Ride that we form community so quickly with so many strangers.  We bid Shabbat farewell and welcome the new week with renewed strength and commitment to the beat of the drums and the sounds of the flute which -thanks to our talented and enthusiastic crew and students - have accompanied us and will continue to do so through the desert.

Shavuah tov!!

Day 3 - Beit Shean to Mitzpeh Ramon

Truthfully, the northern route we rode this year was gorgeous and very interesting, but being bussed for 2 1/2 hours first thing in the morning from Beit Shean to Yerucham was not a great biking experience! It was a pleasant bus ride, but a bus ride nonetheless.  Once we reached Yerucham, though, it was smooth sailing. The ride is magnificent, especially as you begin to view the valley below. There was, of course, the requisite humongous climbing.  Our destination was Sde Boker, and we reached it tired and happy. That seems to be a theme.

Ben Gurion's tomb is set in those most beautiful setting so that visitors will marvel at the view and be inspired to move to the desert to make it bloom. Apparently, that is exactly how and why the founders of Kibbutz Ketura - a group of American Young Judeans - ended up on the Arava!

Rather than continue on by bike to Mitzpeh Ramon, I decided to take the tour of Amer's research labs at the Ben Gurion Institute. Amer has been working on solving water issues in the Middle East, particularly working on projects in desalination and water recycling. It was fascinating, and the new building is state of the art.  I fortunately remembered that the ride from Sde Boker to Mitzpeh Ramon was not my favorite stretch and am very happy I got to see Amer's work in progress.

This time, getting on a bus to the hotel as opposed to riding was a very welcome change!A jump in the pool, a few minutes in the sauna, Azzy's arrival and a delicious Shabbat dinner capped off the day. Not bad at all!

Day 2 - HaGoshrim to Beit Shean

HaGoshrim Hotel definitely spoiled us. What a beautiful place in the Dan area of the upper Galillee. And the food....OMG!! In general, this being a Jewish bike ride, we are not only well fed but almost overfed. Every pit stop has healthy and salty snacks - nuts, dried fruit, fresh fruit, pretzels, drinks. Very rest stop has the same, but on steroids. And then comes lunch, with salads and humus and peanut butter and vegetables and sometimes sandwiches. And then came HaGoshrim.  I am quite accustomed to Israeli breakfast and dinner spreads - the assortment and abundance of colorful salads, meat offerings, fruits piled high - I have come to expect that. But this was beyond all expectations. My fellow riders actually walked around the buffet tables photographing the food offerings. I'm sorry I didn't. It was unbelievable!

Maybe in keeping with the theme of abundance, our route on day 2 was also abundant in the elevation gained at the start of the day. Our route yesterday had taken us along the Lebanese border (which in the agony of my climb I had hardly noticed!) and today we rode along the Jordanian border. We rode under the wonderful shade of huge eucalyptus trees which had been planted post 1948 and pre-1967 to offer protection to the road. Not necessarily from the sun, but from enemy fire from the hills to the east. The hills are no longer a strategic problem, but the shade and beauty they offered were greatly appreciated. We rested on the banks of the rather small and surprisingly unimpressive Jordan river, and local honey (produced on kibbutz Shamir where I was a volunteer a lifetime ago) was added to our snack table.  And then began the climb.....

We climbed about 1000 ft.  The climb was about 3 miles long. I wasn't sure I was even going to attempt it after yesterday's experience, but fellow riders gave me the courage to try. So I huffed, and I puffed, and I stopped a few times to bring my heart rate back to a viable range, and lo and behold......I made it!  What an indescribable sense of accomplishment!  And then I realized that actually, what I had done was to ride by bike from the Galillee to the Golan......yay me! Yay all of us!

We had gotten to Qatzrin, an ancient Talmudic village and currently an area well known for its vineyards and winery. Which if course we did not visit. But that's okay. I was high enough from the accomplishment and the exertion without the alcohol.

So now comes the best part. What goes up must come down, right? And down we went! The drop to the Sea of Galillee - Kinneret - is about 1600 ft.   WHHEEEEEE!  The wind can be a little
frightening and there were times I thought I'd be blown over, but the exhilaration of zooming downhill (carefully and in total control, of course) was unreal. The drop bottoms off into rolling hills
at one point, and I actually coasted up an entire hill at 25 mph from the momentum and speed of the previous downhill. Wow!  Add to that the valley coming into view and sighting the Kinneret to my right and you've got a double wow!  Even the strong sun, extreme heat and really awful humidity couldn't put a damper on it. I rolled into the lunch spot on the shores of the lake, and joined my fellow riders by jumping into the cool refreshing water.

The afternoon was spent touring Beit Shean, possibly the largest most complete Roman village excavation. Wandering through the ancient city on the same roads the inhabitants walked on centuries ago is breathtaking. There are 22 civilizations which have been uncovered from the Tel there because of the strategic location of the spot. Even in the ancient world the most important real estate asset was.....location,

location, location.

Speaking of location, the Beit Shean Hostel was lovely, but doesn't hold a candle to HaGoshrim.  And for Robin D's birthday celebration, all they could find was a candle.  Stuck into a baked potato.  She still said that combined with our (half naked) rendition of "happy birthday" to her in the Kinneret it was the best birthday celebration she could have imagined.