Nitzana to Mizpe Ramon - 10/22/10 - 61 Miles

One of the amazing things about this ride is that each day truly has its own personality.  I have a good memory, but beyond that, each day is so unique, with its own memorable experiences, that I am sure I will be able to recite each day even 10 years from now.  Before the trip, today was the day I dreaded.  I figured I could do 100-miles.  What I wasn't sure of is whether or not I could get back on my bike the next day and do 61-miles more.  To compound the worry, it was 61-miles of VERY hilly riding, and very technically challenging.  Today's hills proved to be as difficult as anything I encountered on the Oregon/CA coast when I road the west coast in college.  In the end, I got through it with energy to spare.  

We rode along the Egyptian border for 80% of the ride.  The day started at an Egyptian/Israeli border crossing, and we rode along a fence (literally and figuratively) for the majority of the day.  I encountered an amazing juxtaposition at the border crossing: an Egyptian soldier rode along his side of the fence on a camel, our Israeli military escort zoomed up in an armored humvee with 4 VERY serious looking soldiers.  Throughout the ride we passed military installations and observation towers. In all cases, Israel's facilities looked modern and military, the Egyptian, run down and un-military.  It was a microcosm reflection of the states of the two countries, and gave me hope that Egypt has enough internal worries to focus on, that it doesn't have the inclination or resources to cause trouble with Israel.  We can only hope.

There were two major climbs on the ride.  The first was relatively short, and VERY steep.  The other was 4-5 miles long and just kept gooooooinnnnnnnnnng.  At the top of this second climb we had lunch outside a military base at the highest point in the Negev. Today was my most memorable day for a number of reasons:

1.  I saw Darfur refugees.
2.  I spoke with Egyptian border guards from afar
3.  I experienced a great adventure with my father-in-law

After breakfast (the top of the first mountain), we came to a small military outpost.  Outside the gate were a number of black, African men sitting in a circle, eating fruit, and looking very much dazed and out of place.  We were told by the guards that they were Darfur refugees who had walked through the Sinai to get to Israel.  It is common knowledge in Darfur and Eritria, that if you can get to Israel, you can get political asylum.  It is also understood that if you are caught in Eqypt, you are beaten and thrown in jail.  To me, it was just another example of Israel's willingness to accept anyone into their country who is willing to become a contributing member of society.

Note:  Breakfast at top of first climb with my father-in-law (Kurt)

 Note:  Darfur refugees outside of Israeli observation post.

A little while later I came to a switchback in the road where I was only a few hundred yards from an Egyptian compound.  There were a number of soldiers at the fence watching this surrealistic scene of bikers riding in the desert along the border.  I stopped my bike to take a picture, and one of them yelled to me:  "what's your name?".  I struck up a brief conversation, and was then on my way.  This encounter was just further confirmation that they, as individuals, don't hate me, and I don't hate them; that there should be some way for us all to get along.

Note:  Egyptian border guards saying hello in various ways!

Finally, the ride was memorable because I got to do it with Kurt.  We were warned that today's ride was the toughest.  Many strong riders begged out of this route for the alternate due to the mountain climbs, but not Kurt.  He has always wanted to see Bake Sedek (sic?), the site of the first climb and where Moses and the Jews may have entered into Israel after 40-years in the Sinai.  It was amazing to see Kurt do this ride, and to see his pride in accomplishing it.  In addition, I got two flat front tires on this day.  There is something somewhat surreal and neat about changing a flat tire on a small mountain road in the desert in view of the Egyptian border.  It's certainly not a feeling I experience when riding through MetroWest!  

The day ended in Mizpe Ramon for the beginning of Shabbat (Friday night).  Mizpe Ramon is on the rim of the Mahktesh Ramon, Israel's version of the Grand Canyon.  More on this amazing geological entity in my next blog.