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magidThe day started in a bit of a rush: the chadar ochel (cafeteria) didn't open until 6:15 (and that was an early opening for them), and we were due to leave the kibbutz at 6:45, after breakfasting, dealing with luggage, finding the bike (non-trivial this time, as it turned out, because I'd gone on the bus, so it wasn't with the rest of the herd. Took me a while to find that out, though.), getting my right hand wrapped (the medic also put on Ben Gay, which gives interesting tingly sensations), and stretching. On the plus side, it meant that we got an early start, in the cool of the day, which I definitely appreciated.
The difference in Shomrim and Tzofim routes today was that the Tzofim were going to do a side trip from Sdeh Boker, off-roading to a spring, then coming back to Sdeh Boker for the rest of the day's ride. I decided that I would be with Shomrim today: I would be biking the whole distance, finishing before the worst of the afternoon, plus I've never gone off-road and didn't want to challenge my hands any more than I already was. The night before I discovered that I was having difficulty opening the little packet of shampoo (same kind of packet that condiments come in), that my fine motor strength was impaired. On my right (dominant) hand. Scary. Which is why I asked the medic to wrap the hand/wrist, which not only provided support (apparently I should be wearing bike gloves, though they make my hands disgustingly sweaty), but reminded me to stretch both hands more frequently.
The day started out cool and fairly quiet, since the kibbutz is not near anything.
We arrived around 1 (after about 35 miles), and there were snacks (I got to try sahlab!) and (rather boring) box lunches waiting for us. We sat around the lobby having lunch until rooms were ready.
I found out later that this was not the original site of the hotel, that they'd taken over an apartment building of some sort. This explained the bizarre layout. Instead of the first digit in the room number indicating floor, it indicated stairwell. So room 512 was in the fifth stairwell, up just one flight (lucky for me, too, because there didn't seem to be any elevators). I went in, and found a whole apartment: two bedrooms, living room, dining area/kitchen, one and a fraction baths (which is to say, a whole bath, and a room with just a toilet, but not the sink I'd expect, so one still needed the main bathroom; very strange). I was the first one in, and snagged the bedroom with one (larger) bed. Which was not the nicest thing to do, but I'd been sleeping rather poorly, and having a room to myself for Shabbat made a huge difference. As it turned out, the two women I was sharing with were friends, so that worked out fine.
I had a somewhat lazy afternoon, catching up online (10 NIS/20 minutes of computer time), hanging out with people as they arrived (cheering the Chalutzim when they arrived :-), writing, washing bike clothes. I had intended to explore the hotel, but never got around to it.
I dressed up some for Shabbat (and was given some compliments :-), and joined the group in the lobby/lounge, where Nigel said some nice words about Shabbat and community, welcoming people who had joined us for Shabbat (some Arava students, spouses/other family of riders, and so on), describing the davening options. There was a big table set up with tea lights for those who wished to light candles, and I was honored to be able to help two of the guys with the bracha over the candles, the three of us saying it together. There were Shabbat hugs and Shabbat kisses (surprising the heck out of me!), then lots of people went off to shul.
There were two davening options: one was egalitarian, lead by one of the riders who's a rabbi, down in the social center; the other was going to a local minyan. I chose the latter, which turned out to be not a good choice for me. The minyan had a double mechitza (heavy curtains from the men's side, a gauzier one from the women's side, for the window-height opening), which meant that it was not only impossible to see, it was difficult to hear. Since it was some kind of Sefardi minyan, the tunes were different, as was the text (they chanted all of Shir haShirim!). It didn't help that I started having an allergic reaction to something there.
I ended up leaving a bit early because of that, finding my own way back to the hotel... where I found that the "everyone together" kiddush and motzi had already happened. Of course. And seating was tight, too. Someone made a place at the end of a table for me, wine and rolls were found, and I made my own. I was disappointed I hadn't been part of the group (and wished that whoever had made the arrangements with the shul had asked how long their services are; previous years they've gone somewhere else). Dinner itself was quite nice (many many options, and everything I tried was good). There was group bentching for those who wanted, anyway.
I hung out in the lounge chatting for a while, then joining three others in a game of Scrabble. I couldn't keep my head up for another game, though, and toddled off to bed.
Except that the apartment directly above was having a party. A loud party. A loud party with singing and loud (hand) drumming. It sounded like the ride crew were having a great time, but I really needed to sleep (and it was around midnight already). Luckily one of my roommates was happy to call the front desk (I didn't feel like changing into non-sleepwear to go down to the front desk), and apparently this was not the only call they received (so I didn't feel as badly about complaining). They moved their party out to the machtesh, and I was able to sleep.
The difference in Shomrim and Tzofim routes today was that the Tzofim were going to do a side trip from Sdeh Boker, off-roading to a spring, then coming back to Sdeh Boker for the rest of the day's ride. I decided that I would be with Shomrim today: I would be biking the whole distance, finishing before the worst of the afternoon, plus I've never gone off-road and didn't want to challenge my hands any more than I already was. The night before I discovered that I was having difficulty opening the little packet of shampoo (same kind of packet that condiments come in), that my fine motor strength was impaired. On my right (dominant) hand. Scary. Which is why I asked the medic to wrap the hand/wrist, which not only provided support (apparently I should be wearing bike gloves, though they make my hands disgustingly sweaty), but reminded me to stretch both hands more frequently.
The day started out cool and fairly quiet, since the kibbutz is not near anything.
- left onto Rte. 40 after leaving the kibbutz
- left towards T'lalim.
- right onto Rte. 40 at Chalukim Junction.
- left towards Ben Gurion's grave and Ein Avdat (at Midreshet Sdeh Boker, not Kibbutz Sdeh Boker).
- right into the national park and Ben Gurion's grave, with a rest stop in the parking lot.
We left our bikes around the parking lot and walked to Ben Gurion's grave. He and his wife are buried near the kibbutz that he loved (and apparently, she hated; she didn't like the Negev). Bill talked about his vision, his drive (and his ability to get by on extremely minimal sleep!), his politics. He described Ben Gurion's decision to step down from being Prime Minister to move to a little kibbutz in the south as if President Bush left office now to go live in an igloo in Alaska. There was lots of cheering from our group: guess everyone's politics are similar! After Bill's talk, we looked out over the desert mountain vista around us; Ben Gurion had chosen this spot so people would go and look. There were some other tourist groups there, mostly companies of soldiers.
My one gripe: Shomrim day packs were sent along with the regular suitcases, so the walk to and from the grave, on very pebbly paths, was done in my socks (it was scarier in bike shoes, which have no traction, plus I was trying not to wear the cleats out any more than I had to (horse, barn door, and yet...). - back to the main road, and left on Rte. 40 again.
- left into rest stop at Avdat.
- left onto Rte. 40 south, yet again, beginning the climb to Mitzpeh Ramon.
- [my favorite instruction] pit stop in the middle of nowhere.
- rest stop on the right at HaRukhot Junction.
- right at the first traffic circle, in Mitzpeh Ramon (850 m altitude).
I managed to turn too early, doing an extra little spur (partly because of the road sign to Mitzpeh Ramon, and partly because I saw a van that looked like one of the ride vans). I felt badly because a couple of other people followed me. I turned myself around when I realized it was wrong, but it took a few minutes for the others to follow. - right after the commercial area, up a short but really steep hill (and we were already starting from slow, with the turn). Pleasingly, I made it!
- left into the hotel parking lot.
We arrived around 1 (after about 35 miles), and there were snacks (I got to try sahlab!) and (rather boring) box lunches waiting for us. We sat around the lobby having lunch until rooms were ready.
I found out later that this was not the original site of the hotel, that they'd taken over an apartment building of some sort. This explained the bizarre layout. Instead of the first digit in the room number indicating floor, it indicated stairwell. So room 512 was in the fifth stairwell, up just one flight (lucky for me, too, because there didn't seem to be any elevators). I went in, and found a whole apartment: two bedrooms, living room, dining area/kitchen, one and a fraction baths (which is to say, a whole bath, and a room with just a toilet, but not the sink I'd expect, so one still needed the main bathroom; very strange). I was the first one in, and snagged the bedroom with one (larger) bed. Which was not the nicest thing to do, but I'd been sleeping rather poorly, and having a room to myself for Shabbat made a huge difference. As it turned out, the two women I was sharing with were friends, so that worked out fine.
I had a somewhat lazy afternoon, catching up online (10 NIS/20 minutes of computer time), hanging out with people as they arrived (cheering the Chalutzim when they arrived :-), writing, washing bike clothes. I had intended to explore the hotel, but never got around to it.
I dressed up some for Shabbat (and was given some compliments :-), and joined the group in the lobby/lounge, where Nigel said some nice words about Shabbat and community, welcoming people who had joined us for Shabbat (some Arava students, spouses/other family of riders, and so on), describing the davening options. There was a big table set up with tea lights for those who wished to light candles, and I was honored to be able to help two of the guys with the bracha over the candles, the three of us saying it together. There were Shabbat hugs and Shabbat kisses (surprising the heck out of me!), then lots of people went off to shul.
There were two davening options: one was egalitarian, lead by one of the riders who's a rabbi, down in the social center; the other was going to a local minyan. I chose the latter, which turned out to be not a good choice for me. The minyan had a double mechitza (heavy curtains from the men's side, a gauzier one from the women's side, for the window-height opening), which meant that it was not only impossible to see, it was difficult to hear. Since it was some kind of Sefardi minyan, the tunes were different, as was the text (they chanted all of Shir haShirim!). It didn't help that I started having an allergic reaction to something there.
I ended up leaving a bit early because of that, finding my own way back to the hotel... where I found that the "everyone together" kiddush and motzi had already happened. Of course. And seating was tight, too. Someone made a place at the end of a table for me, wine and rolls were found, and I made my own. I was disappointed I hadn't been part of the group (and wished that whoever had made the arrangements with the shul had asked how long their services are; previous years they've gone somewhere else). Dinner itself was quite nice (many many options, and everything I tried was good). There was group bentching for those who wanted, anyway.
I hung out in the lounge chatting for a while, then joining three others in a game of Scrabble. I couldn't keep my head up for another game, though, and toddled off to bed.
Except that the apartment directly above was having a party. A loud party. A loud party with singing and loud (hand) drumming. It sounded like the ride crew were having a great time, but I really needed to sleep (and it was around midnight already). Luckily one of my roommates was happy to call the front desk (I didn't feel like changing into non-sleepwear to go down to the front desk), and apparently this was not the only call they received (so I didn't feel as badly about complaining). They moved their party out to the machtesh, and I was able to sleep.