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!