Wild Asses

Meant to write this last week, but I was over busy. Thus a bit late...

Went riding in Mizpe last week after a great night storm (see photos below). Spent time at my friend's house and ate amazing food (it's nice to have friends who are professional cooks). Got up early and headed into the crater. I told M where I'd be in case I did not return. Zipped down the switch backs in about 6 minutes and found it took 23 to get back up this hill. Headed about 10K towards Eilat on route 40 then cut to the right on a blue jeep trail. Though most was rideable, some was in the nachal (creek bed) and I was forced to walk. Two beautiful wild asses missed my approach and I got to see them up close. When they spotted me, they darted across the road then up on the ridge where they paused long enough for me to gaze at their beauty. They are almost as big as horses (14 hands or so) and run so gracefully. A bit later, I came upon two gazelles who also darted onto the ridge then vanished.

Great ride in this area and did not see one other rider throughout this trip. About 3.5 hours total.

Ride today was short (two hours) but very, very hard. Did the park thing and had to dodge a good number of Freds as always on a Saturday. Some very strong and old riders there this morning which allowed me to draft a bit and get in some big gear work. Then, rode home, got the camera and did a family portrait job. From here I headed out to Tvoba where Eva had been teaching for the past three days and hung out at the kibbutz. A beautiful full moon rose over the ruins on the hill giving me the incentive to return here and photograph this in the future.

Tomorrow off to the Negev to check out a Bedouin school where we may do some volunteer work.

Be careful as always of the wild asses though. They do not roam only in the Negev, but can be found on our highways here in Israel pushing, shoving, and helping to keep the average of dead on the roads at about 12 per week. They can be identified by their blinking lights, disregard for physics (stopping distance), and huge ego-centric auras which really do glow in the dark. Wild Asses.