One and done… I was sure that was it. The 2010 Israel Ride was an enormous
undertaking. The training, the
fundraising, the logistics of getting to Israel with my bike… It was going to be wonderful, but I was
pretty sure it was a one time deal. I
knew there were people who went back year after year… but I had other goals to
meet and other places to go.
But then we were there, putting our bikes together, the practice ride around Jerusalem… I got to talking to some of the
riders who were back for the 2nd, 3rd, 5th time. After each ride they swore they were done…
and they were back.
Then came the ride!
As readers of my ride blog know, it was stunning. The sun, the sand… the Land (check out my
slide show, still posted on this blog).
I did not come back right away. 2011 was too soon to think about it. But in the fall, when I started to get
fundraising letters from friends, and email pitches from Hazon, something
started… somewhere deep in my riding soul… first it was just nostalgia, then it
became an idea, then a yearning… and soon it became a plan. I’m going back!
I was not all that excited about the initial discussions
from Hazon and Arava about riding just in the North. I wrote and urged at least a split. As
beautiful as the north is, nothing can match riding in the desert, and we have
to see the Arava Institute at Ketura; after all, what are we riding for??? And as long as we are at Ketura, might as
well go to Eilat. I may not have been
the vote that convinced the planners to do this – but split it will be –
2012 – Israel from Top
to Bottom!!!!
October 30 - November 6
The Hula Valley,
the Golan, Beit Shan, the Kinneret; Shabbat in Mitzpe Ramon, then on to Ketura
and Eilat.
This will be awesome!
I hope you will join me – either through these words… or
better yet, join the ride! It’s not too
late. Check it out at
www.israelride.org.
And so, it’s not one and done. Maybe not even two and through! 2014 sounds pretty good to me.
L’hitra-ot
Lester
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