Took quite a few beautiful (and less than beautiful) photos today, our first day of riding out of Jerusalem on our way to Eilat. It started in pouring rain, and we were all waiting around getting soaked and shivering while they got the opening ceremony started, and finally let us out of the road. Then it wasn’t much better, because the route was basically all downhill, riding the wet brakes all the way, and the roads were treacherously slippery!

I had a fall in a tunnel heading out from Mt Scopus – my rear wheel fell off!! I think that the quick release bolt was probably loose, and i didn’t think to check it before i road out. silly me!!

Ron and I road the same route down to Mineral, where we stopped on the Dead Sea to have lunch, and then his group (the Challenge route) split off and is staying tonight in Masada, while I am with the regular On-Road group in Ein Gedi.

Tomorrow is our difficult ride – climbing out of the Dead Sea Valley, back up to the plains of the Negev desert.

More later when I can upload photos!