spazz,

that was my take also. I'm reading that the ride is not exclusive of any nationality, race, religion, what I took home from the description is that all are welcome to participate. It's just a fact of life, politics that if you have an Israeli stamp on your passport certain countries won't let you in. So the ride organizers are just giving you a heads up, if you visit Israel first, arrive there, detour there you're going to have a problem at the border. Good on them to let riders know.

I suppose one could ask Israeli customs to NOT stamp you or as the organisers suggest get an extra passport. EXTRA PASSPORT? Never thought you could do that, or, visit Israel AFTER the ride which sounds best. And that is why they say "and we will see them in Jerusalem or Ramallah at the end. The Israeli group will then continue their bike ride and we ours."

It sounds like there is a parallel Israeli ride that they work with, this is great news. Someone's got to promote the cause of peace in the Middle East, get the groups talking to each other, even shouting over the hills.

Wouldn'tcha know it's women, and cyclists.

After checking with friends and family who have been there the consensus is it sounds sandy, dusty and hotter than heck depending on when it is.