But the reality of this ride is that by early evening we are all pretty pooped, so after this talk it was quickly off to bed.
Day 3 of the ride is perhaps the most difficult. It is not the longest, but we have some significant climbs. As with all mornings, we leave early and ride out of town. Within the first 20 miles we have begun to ride into Makhtesh HaGadol. The slow descent into the valley portends a steep climb out. I remember last time, when we rode this route towards the end of the day, I walked a fair amount of the climb. This time I was determined - well more hopeful than determined - that I could make it all the way up. As I expected the really strong riders zoomed ahead, and soon I could see them in the distance as they wound around the switch-backs up the side of the mountain. The grade at some points exceeded 12% - I think closer to 16 or 17. I don't know whether seeing what was really ahead helped or not, but slog on I did. And remarkably, when I made it the top, I thought we had another switch-back or 2 to go! This was the marking point for me - could I achieve this ride what I could not last time... and I did!
Another highlight of this day is lunch at Sede Boker, which is a kibbutz and David Ben Gurion's retirement residence and is where he and his wife are buried. Ben Gurion was the founding prime minister of Israel and in his retirement he working in the dining hall serving his fellow kibbutzniks!
Funny story of the Ride: (so far). After lunch as we are preparing to leave, I came upon a guy putting on suntan lotion (and important accessory for riding in the desert). He had a couple of tubes so I asked if I could use some. "Sure," he says. So I squeeze some onto my hand and begin to rub it into my bald spot (a lesson learned from previous rides). My friend looks at me quizzically and asks, "is that for your helmet?" My turn to be quizzical, as a explained about my bald spot. "That's butt-butter," he says. Wrong tube. Took three hair-washings to get it out.
The climbing is not over for the day. A long climb up to our next rest stop. Which is just across the street from Israel's two maximum security prisons. One for regular bad criminals, and the other for individuals who are convicted of political crimes - terrorists. The Israeli who shot Yitzhak Rabin is imprisoned there.
Last climb into Mitzpe Ramon, the town that sits on the rim of Makhtesh Ramon. A Makhtesh is an erosion crater. Not formed like a canyon, but by wind and rain seeping though a mountain ridge, carving it out and flushing it away, forming a basin that gradually rises at the other side. So it is steep and sheer on the high end, and a gradual hill out the other. Unlike yesterday, we will ride down the steep hill out, ride across the bottom and climb out the other side, finishing our day at Kibbutz Ketura, home of the Arava Institute, the cause for which we ride.
But first we have Shabbat. A day of rest. Much needed after 3 days of hard riding. This is a lovely spot to spend a quiet day. It is a time of gathering as a community. We sing and dance the songs of Shabbat. It is a time for celebration, but it is also the time on each ride when I feel the distance from home most acutely. This year especially with the seismic election. I don't have any particularly profound thoughts as a result... but it does reinforce the value of home and family. I know numbers of people who have made the decision to live here... and they visit family from time to time during the year. I don't think I could have done that - though I considered it in my younger days.
Photos of the last couple of days:
The bikes prepare for Shabbat
The photos that I have for this post may be my last for the ride... i dropped my camera yesterday. I will post more at the end when I get them from other sources... and I may cheat in a few from previous years.
Early to bed tonight. Tomorrow we ride.
L'hitra-ot,
Lester
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