on the road

We were treated to a festive dinner the night before the ride. The food and company were great. At our table were support team members from East Jerusalem and Jordon together with a Jordanian lead rider. The fact that this ride and the Arava Institute brought all of these cultures together at the dinner table and to support the ride and the environment is unbelievable. At 645 am, we were off descending the hills of Jerusalem and then making the long climb up the hills. We joined the lead riding group and 68 miles and 5 riding hours later we arrived in Ashkelon. It got up to 100 degrees through most of the ride. As we approached the beach of Ashkelon, the heat abated as the ocean neared. The hotel swimming pool provided a needy relief from the long ride and heat. it was a great first day.