The Desert is a Totally Awesome Place

Awesome as in inspiring awe, not merely totally cool.  Today’s ride just may be the high point of all the days.  It was certainly the literal high point.  We rode from Nizzana on the Egyptian border, across the mountains of the Negev, and into Mitzpe Ramon. (more on each of those places in a bit).  I have always found the desert to be one of the most inspiring places in Israel.  It is stark, barren, dangerous and breathtaking in its beauty.  It also holds so much of our ancient history.  It was through the Sinai into the Negev that a ancient Jews wandered as they were freed from bondage in Egypt and led by Moses to the Promised Land.  Many of the prophets had their visions and made their prophesies in the desert.  In a modern day version of the Jews’ trek across the desert, we came upon an army base today, outside of which sat 8 or 10 refugees from Darfur who had walked - that’s right, walked - from the Sudan, across Egypt, and were apparently smuggled across the border by Bedouins.  These refugees will be housed and fed, and resettled in Israel, if they wish.

So today’s ride - long, hot and hilly. Sixty-one hard miles with some of the longest and steepest climbs I have ever done.  As we rode out of Nizzana, we almost immediately camp upon the border with Egyptian soldiers on the other side of the fence.  All along the ride we were able to wave and call out to these soldiers, who responded in kind.  Then we turned east and south, and began our climb.  And what a climb it was.  Actually the whole day was climbs - some rolling, but at least two that were serious mountain passes.   We start at 5:45 am, eat breakfast and lunch at rest stops set up by the staff of the ride (and those damn hiccups came back), and we finally rolled into Mitzpe Ramon at around 2:30.  For my Kibbutz Usha friends  - I have proof that Ben Simon made it up the hills too.  In fact, after only starting to train early this summer, Ben (and his friend Kenny) are absolute machines on these hills - they motor up like it was nothing!  For some reason I can't post the proof in this entry...I'll put up another.

I will write more about Mitzpe Ramon tomorrow.  For now it is time to get ready for Shabbat dinner, and to prepare for the day of rest.  (I am signed up to get a massage…)

Shabbat shalom v’l’hitraot,

Lester