Ashkelon –> the Northern Negev

Sleep. Eat. Bike. Eat some more. Our riders have quickly fallen into their routine for Day 2 of the ride. Today we traveled south, leaving behind the sandy beaches of Ashkelon and headed towards the sandy desert of the Negev. Shomrim, Tzofim, and Chalutzim rode 37, 69, and 82 miles, respectively. This marks the longest riding day for all three groups, and each are spending the night at different location.

The route led us around the Gaza Strip, where we stopped at a park overlooking Gaza City. As we looked upon the Palestinian territory, the feeling of immersion started to really set in. This relationship with Israel – its land, its people, its complexity – has been further intensified by the crew’s presence. The Israel Ride Crew team is comprised of Israeli, Palestinian, and Jordanian alumni of the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies, as well as past participants of Hazon programs. These alumni share their stories to help us all gain better insight into and inspiration from this region.

Time to go dip my feet in the hot springs… (we are a little spoiled sometimes!)

Yours truly,

Carlee Rosenthal
Program Coordinator – Hazon