Dead Sea & Massada from the Guys

Today was our busiest day yet! We started off the day with routines on vault, parallel bars, and high bar. We've finally gotten used to the 7am workouts and the time change and started putting together some impressive gymnastics. After 4 days of hard practices, we're looking forward to the next 2 days off. 

We got back to the hotel and got dressed for team pictures. I won't lie - the USA gymnastics team is a pretty good looking group. We headed to lunch to fuel up for the long day ahead of us, and then loaded up the buses at noon to begin our trip. 

Our first stop of the day was Mineral Beach at the Dead Sea. We've all seen the pictures of people floating in the water but it's pretty incredible to get in there and feel like you're lying on a floaty. You also notice every single scrape you have on your body once you get in the water - made me really regret those falls I had in training on pommel horse. We came out of the saltwater and mud exfoliated and glowing, ready to take on Masada National Park. 

A quick bus ride later, we were sitting at the Masada visitor's center learning about the Jewish rebels defending the fortress at Masada against Josefius and the Roman army. Although the stronghold fell, the Jewish people look back on the battle as an example of the Jewish resolve to remain free people. We then took a cable car up hundreds of feet to the top of the mountain, where we passed 2012 Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman. We walked around the ancient fortress ruins and took some awesome gymnastics-related pictures along the way, giving our tour guide a heart attack in the process. It was about 100 degrees out while we were exploring the fortress (even at 5pm) and by the time we began our descent to the bus we were hungry and drenched in sweat. 

Luckily the Bedouin people let smelly, hungry Americans into their camp because that's where we went next for the evening. All of Team USA met inside the oasis camp to sample some of the Bedouin cuisine. I think we ate enough during the 4 course meal to last us the rest of the week (or at least until breakfast tomorrow). After dinner a band started playing traditional belly dancing music, and I think every guy in Team USA gathered to watch the belly dancers put on a show. We tried out our own moves but didn't look quite as good (I think we just didn't have the right outfit on). 

Thoroughly exhausted, we're now on the 2 hour trip back to the hotel. It's hard to believe that we've only been here 5 days. We've seen so much already and grown together as a team. I'm excited to see what else is in store for us on this trip (and to sleep in later than 5:30am these next 2 days). 

Thanks for checking in!

Jordan and the rest of Team USA Mens Open Gymnastics