REPORT FROM THE ROAD

I'm not quite sure where to start, and I'm not too sure I remember everything in the order it happened, but I'll try. The 5 on wheels met on time at the appointed departure place spot on time.Our truck was ready and loaded and our sign took pride of place. After a short ceremony lead by my private communist, we rode through town and were sent off by lots of honking and cheers from pedestrians, very few of whom thought we'd get to the town limits, never mind to where we are today! At the first major junction, we pulled over to put the electric wheelies on th truck and skip the road works where there are no shoulders to ride on. At the end of the road works, the chairs came off the truck, the cops joined us and we headed towards our next stop, which was the same place we were turned back from on our first attempt. We had a lunch break there wand were joined by a woman who will be referred to from now on as the Titanic. She is one of the 'leaders' of the demonstration going on in Jerusalem that were supposed to riding to rescue. She was supposed to pay for our lunch, which she simply could not do without insulting all of us. She had a huge beach umbrella attached to her chair, was dressed all in white, and had a mean expression on her face. The umbrella sailed off the chair and created quite the sensation on the highway. After riding for what fely like a week, we arrived at Kibbutz Amiad where we were to spend the night in the 'members club room' Titanic was upset that no one had seen fit to be sure that she hads her own 'private' room. The rest of us were just thankful that we had a place to sleep, and were not at all upset that she took herself off to look for a hotel! In the morning we loaded ourselves in the cars and vans and drove to Afula again bypassing road works. We off loaded at a service station and rode though town to a restaurant that had invited us for breakfast. Sever local big shots were on hand to give us a rousing send off. As we left Afula, the Titanic arrived with her sidekicks and we just kept on going. She eventually caught up with us and after a short temper tantrum, she packed up and left. We were on a road know as the Wadi Ara road. It's a large region of Arab villages. At one of the villages we were joined by a young man on his power chair. We welcomed him warmly and after a fair distance stopped at a service station at the entrance to the a largish city along that road. The people there were wonderful and offered us everything except their wives and houses. We had a make shift and after a rest, took off again. Two of The Iceberg's (the other so called leader who got us into this thing) sidekicks, one on a power chair, the other on a regular wheely, pulled by one of us had trouble keeping up. At the next rest stop we convinced to continue in their van. We covered a lot of ground, and even though we were in good shape and more than willing to keep on for the next 3 miles to the kibbutz that we were staying at that night, our police escort made us get off the road and continue by car. We agreed, and when we got to the entrance of the kibbutz, off loaded and made a triumphant entrance on our chairs with my personal communist blasting music from the speakers on the roof of his pick and telling everyone within a 10 mile radius that the "Marvelous five from Kiryat Shmonah who are on their way to Jerusalem to fight for the rights of 600000 disabled in Israel were entering the kibbutz" He lead us through the kibbutz with the speakers blasting until we got to the building where we were to sleep. It was an old children's house and there were already beds there so there was less to take off the truck. We had a meeting with the Iceberg, his muscle men, my personal communist and talked over the day and planned the next one. We were not happy with the behavior of the muscle men and they agreed to behave the next day. Our photographer came to see how we were doing and to report on what he'd organized press wise. Several reporters caught up with us there, and they tried to muscle their way in. We were notified that the one of the TV news stations wanted to interview us at 0900 on our way out of the kibbutz. The muscle men demanded that we wait for them to arrive before starting the interview, Yeah, right. We told them that we leave on time and stragglers would just have to catch up. Thankfully we finished the interview before they showed up. They were not happy at all, less so when we let them know in no uncertain terms that we really didn't much care what they thought about it. They knew what time the interview was scheduled, but weren't there. They went a little bit nuts and tried to create provocations between us and our police excort. When that didn't work they just fell in line and eventually got in their vans and left yet another time. We rode through Hadera with the speakers blasting, and headed for the next rest stop at a service station very close to where we were to stay that night. There were meeting late into night where problems were discussed and plans for the next day were finalized. After too short a sleep we headed for Netanya, but the muscle men had different plans and wanted us to go to a G-d forsaken town for no other reason than that one of the lives there. Our police escort didn't want to go there, so they both decided to throw themselves onto the road. Well, one of the did,

while the other watched. Somehow they onvinced the cops that we should go there

so, it was back on the truck and vans. I'm glad now that we did go there. The disabled who met us were more thrilled than any of us dreamed that The Five was actually there. We gave them each one of our shirts and shared pizza with them. I was devastated by the whole thing. Their town looks like the most neglected place you can imagine, and the simple act of going there and giving them a little attention reminded us of why we were doing this. At the daily evening summary just about everyone had something to say about going there and that the manipulation angered them. When it was my turn I told them that even though I'm sick and tired of the games I'm glad we went there and put a little sparkle in their eyes and some pride in themselves.

If anyone deserved to have a little hope injected into their lives it was this group! If we do nothing else on this trip, the detour made it all worth while. From there we rode into Netanya for lunch, where I had my daily temper tantrum. It had become a strange kind of tradition for me to have a daily tantrum during which I usually go off on one of the muscle men, take off for a shady spot have a little cry and a cigarette. The other 4 are used to it and expect it, so they just leave me alone. They know I'll calm down and be back soon. We rode around Netanya for a while with the speakers at full volume, then loaded ourselves back on the vehicles and ewnt to the next kibbutz. Here, the 'miracle' happened. The leadres of the warring factions of disabled organizations contacted us and asked for a meeting. We agreed to meet with the representatives of the group that tried it'd hardest to stop us from even leaving Kiryat Shmonah.

Their spokesman had said some very harsh things at the end of a TV piece on us, and was a little concerned that an aplogy woulfd be required. Yoel, my personal communist assured him that one would not be needed. When he arrived, I stopped him, leaned over and while holding his hand planted a huge kiss on his cheek. End of the issue. He and his boss spent a long time trying to explain why what we are doing will never suceed. In the end they agreed to stop trying to stop us agreed to meet with the Titsanic and the Iceberg the next night. Talk about making history. Several other 'leaders' called and wanted to meet too. The next night we had an historic meeting with 4 representatives of the various warring factions. While the 'grownups' were talking, the spokesman and I met with the kibbutz young folks and fine time. A few critcal issues were hammered out and a meeting set for the night with even more groups.

The morning brought us to Herzlia where the vice mayor met us and gave each of us a token gift and much praise. After riding pretty much all over the town, we had a rest at yet another service station, then continued into Tel Aviv!. Get your aps out. There we were The Five on Wheels IN TEL AVIV ON OUR WHEELIES. Wow. We met up with some Tel Aviv disabled at the most central spot there, where the two muscle men were bound and determined to block traffic. We refused poing blank, and most of the ones who had come to greet us also refused.

They just can't help themselves. If it's an intersection they have to block it with their bodies. We just sat there and watched while the police dealth with them. Some of their 'people' were quite rude to us, but we ignored them. That night was another long seemingly unending meeting of the organization heads. It was very loud and I've never seen one room so full of so many egos at the same time. They were all sent home to think things over and get ready for another meeting with as many organization head as we could find. Now, that was a wild meeting. Me, I just sat there and laughed at them all from behind my hand. Th worst were the two who asked us roll to their aid. We met with an MK who pretty much couldn't believe what we were telling him. His wife had to pinch him hard and say. "this is your dream coming true, and these Five are handing it to you" He took a minute, then shook his head and dove into the planning. Again it was long loud session and we ended up going to sleep well after 0300 for about 2 hours. It was decided that there would be yet another meeting in the morning as there was no 'ride' planned for Friday morning as it had been decided that the 'peace'talks were more important.

As we have two very religious guys with us, and Sunday is a fast day, we just came to this lovely kibbutz with computers and internet for a nice long weekend rest before we continue for two more days to Jerusalem. I also needed my left looking at. The top got all sunburned with a blister the size of the Superdome.

It's all nicely bandaged, and the swelling is going down. That's pretty the story to this point. There are going some very important developments over the next few days. Egos will be deflated in such a way that only The Five could come up with. I'll write all about it after it's a done deal.