routebeschrijving dag 1 From picturesque Rosh Pinna (400m/1300ft above sea level) on the slopes of Mt. Canaan and beneath the city of Safed, we will descend the basalt Chorazin Heights towards Elifelet, Ami'ad Junction, Chorazin, Vered Hagalil and Almagor and continue southwards towards the Sea of Galilee (200m/650ft below sea level). At the Arik Bridge (named after Aryeh Shamir, an officer in the Paratrooper Unit who was killed on duty), among the eucalyptus trees and surrounded by large concentrations of birds, we will cross the Jordan River. At the Bethsaida Junction we will climb northwards (500m/1640ft vertical ascent) towards the Golan Heights passing through Had Nes until we reach the Bet HaMeches Junction which up until the War of Independence in 1948 was used by the Syrians as a customs house. As we ride along this part of the route the Jordan River will be flowing on our West. From the Bet HaMeches Junction we will ride westwards for lunch to Mitzpe Gadot (Murtafa) Here we will clearly see why the Golan Heights are of such strategic importance. We will cross the Bnot Ya'akov Bridge, which bridges the Golan Heights to the “Finger of the Galilee”, on our way to the Gadot Junction. We will continue riding northwards along a beautiful road which passes through Gonen, Lehavot HaBashan and Kfar Szold. Arriving at the Hula Valley - an important stopping place for the millions of birds migrating along the Syrian-African Rift Valley, we will enjoy the autumn sky filled with the sounds of soaring flocks of birds! Those riders who arrive by 15:30 at the Horshat Tal (Tal Grove) Junction will be nicknamed "Koach Gibor"!!!(Hero's strength) and they will be able to continue on westwards towards the Metzudot (fortresses) Junction also known as Gibor Junction. Then they will turn northwards and make the final ascent of the day through Tel Hai to Kfar Giladi. The rest of the riders will take the bus from Horshat Tal to Kfar Giladi.