PRE-RIDE EVERYTHING

For 7 months I have been planning, training, working out, writing letters, making phone calls, entering information onto spreadsheets, going to meetings and talking about the

[insert appropriate pre-ride sound effects here]

RIDE 4 REFORM [wahooooo!]

The ride starts this Sunday, March 26th and I will return on Thursday, March 30th. I'll ride 220 miles through some of the most beautiful parts of Israel. I'll be sore, tired and hopefully, very very proud of myself.

Personally, I've raised $3000 [thats what you get when you send out 80 fundraising letters!] for the World Union for Progressive Judaism. The HUC team has raised about $11,000. I don't know what the entire ride has raised, but I can only imagine that its a big number.

There are ten of us: Ross, Matt, Howie, Neil, Oded, Josh, Claire, Jean, Rachael and myself. We represent 3 classes of future Rabbis and Cantors, HUC in New York, Los Angeles, Cincinatti and Jerusalem and a variety of ages (some of us just graduated college, some of us have children about to enter college).

How to keep up with me on the ride:

First, check out the riding4reform blog:

Second, check out the riding4reform website:

I am bringing my camera and computer, but I don't know what kind of internet I'll have. Hopefully I will be able to post every day, both on the r4r blog and my own-- feel free to leave comments on either blog so I know that you're reading.

How am I feeling?

I'm feeling good. I'm in the best shape that I can remember, I think, and I know that my body is physically ready to handle thing. However, one's physical abilities are often linked with mental focus and self confidence. Mentally I am feeling kind of scared and nervous about what I'm about to take on. I'm excited to meet the other riders and to see what all of our time and money is going to. I'm excited and proud to be doing something for the IMPJ-- a cause that I really support.

I love the feeling of riding and being so awed by the nature- the mountains, the green, the trees-- all of it. Riding my bike in Israel makes me fall in love all over again with this land, and in turn makes me fall in love with what I want to do with my life. I'm really looking forward to the stillness of the mornings and the sense of anticipation that I know I'll feel.

I know that I'm going to be sore, and that I'll hurt here and there. But I'm prepared with my bike shorts, comfy socks, special food bandaids, lots of ibprofin and my cool new bike helmet. So even if I'm super sore, I'll still look good.

Here's a pic from one of my first days of riding. Check back for pictures from my week of riding to come!

Thank you thank you to everyone who contibuted to this cause and helped me prepare- I am in debt to you. Feel free to comment and email during the week! Here I go!

bike? check. helmet? check. riding gloves? check. padded-butt riding shorts? check. tons of snacks? check. books, homework and knitting for the evenings? check. feeling of Oh my G-d, I can't believe its really here and I'm about to do this? check. i think i'm set.