ALYN 2018, Day 3 – Cooking in the Crater on our Longest Day

October 30, 2018
Our Longest Day – Double Century (Metric)
Scheduled:  200 km (125 miles), vertical climb 2,161 m (7,098 feet)
Actual: 113 miles, 6,500 feet – more on this later.

Today was billed as a double-century ride at 200 kms.  (Ok, that was in metric, but it still comes out to 125 miles – pretty daunting, especially with all the climbing.)

Once again, we headed out south along the edge of the Dead Sea.  This time, instead of climbing up to Arad, we continued past the Dead Sea Works to the same Route 25 descent we did yesterday.  It was a long and at times steep descent.  Seriously?  They want us to climb back up??  And so we did.

I learned on my cross-country ride this summer that the only way to survive a long ride over 100 miles is to take it in pieces.  You never think about the entire ride.  You think about making it to the first pit stop, up the first climb, making it to lunch.  Each 20-mile “chunk” is an accomplishment and gets you closer to your goal.  And that’s how it was today.

We entered the Large Makhtesh (crater) and climbed up the steep cliff through a series of switchbacks into the town of Yeruham.  Our lunch stop was precisely at the midway mark at 100 kms (62.5 miles).  After lunch, though, it was all business as we headed out in a double paceline and cooked for the next 27 miles.

Regrettably, at the 89 mile stop, we heard some tragic news about a fatal car accident on the road back to our hotel.  An SUV had apparently crossed the median and crashed head-on into an oncoming car.  The resulting devastation (fire, crushed vehicles) took the lives of the entire family of the car that was hit (both parents and six kids).  Just horrible.  And quite a mess, so much so that the police shut down the highway.  Very sobering, indeed.

We were 12 miles from the finish, and no one really complained about getting on the bus for the last piece.

Please enjoy these photos from the day.  UPDATE:  check out this neat 3D replay of the ride – but a lot quicker! Click here.

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To all of my generous supporters – past, present and future – I thank you so very very much.
…Jeff
Wheels of Love Challenge Rider
2007-2018