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like us onFacebook.com/OutdoorUAE

WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM Issue 47, November 2014

Price: 10 DHS

MTB IN SAENJOYING A RIDE TO NOWHERE

TIPS & TRICKSMEET THE DESERT RECOVERY KING

+

PADDLE BOARDING THE BALEARICS600KM ODYSSEY

20K

GETS A 360 VIEW OF SIBERIA

SEAN JAMES

QATARS BIGGEST DUNES

BASHING!

GET READY FOR THE

DUBAI OFF-ROAD &ADVENTURE SHOW6-8.11.2014, DUBAI AUTODROME

Surf SkiSTELLAR ELITE INTERMEDIATE

Tried & Tested

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OUTDOORUAE

MIDDLE EASTS OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

The information contained is for general use only.We have made every attempt to ensure that theinformation contained in this magazine has beenobtained from reliable sources. The publisher is notresponsible for any errors. All information in thismagazine is provided without a full guarantee ofcompleteness, accuracy and chronology. In no event

will the publisher and/or any of our affiliates be heldresponsible for decisions made or action taken inreliance on the information in this magazine.

All contents are copyrighted and may not bereproduced in any form without prior writtenpermission.

2014 Outdoor UAE FZEReg. at Creative City FujairahP.O. Box 4422, Fujairah, U.A.E.

WHEN YOUREDONE READING,

PLEASE RECYCLE!

Editor-in-ChiefDaniel BirkhoferManaging EditorAndy McNabEditor Glaiza Seguia-GodinezDesigner Jung FranciscoAdministrationJane Mesina

Sales & Marketing(advertisement enquiries)Linda TurcerovaTel: 04-447 2030Mobile: 055 [email protected]

Published byOutdoor UAE FZEIn cooperation with D32 EventsP.O. Box 215062Dubai, U.A.E.Tel. 04-447 [email protected]

www.outdooruae.com

DistributorTawzea, Abu Dhabi MediaCompanyP.O. Box 40401,Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.

Printed atGaladari Printing & Publishing LLCP.O. Box: 11243, Dubai, UAE

2014 Outdoor UAE FZE

Issue 47 November 2014

BETWEEN THE LINES

Daniel BirkhoferFounder and Editor in [email protected]

Jane [email protected]

Jung FranciscoDesigner and [email protected]

EXPERTS & CONTRIBUTORS

Tori LeckieWriter, runner,bloggerand adventurer

Kit BelenOur fishing pro

Ian GandertonKayaker, climber, mountainbikerand snowboarder.Enthusiastic jack of all trades,master of none.

John BassonMoto/ATV andall round adventureseeker

WANT TO CONTRIBUTE?CONTACT US! [email protected]

+

+

Glaiza [email protected]

The Outdoors.The GreatOutdoors.What does it mean?

An endless desert? A moonlit mountain plateau? An alpine meadow? A featureless

plain? A canyon, riverbank or white coral beach?

Yes, of course, but we here at OutdoorUAE do not discriminate. Does it also meanthrowing a Frisbee around in the park? Does it mean grilling some kebabs at a backyardbarbecue? Does it mean dragging fishing net through a rock pool, or sitting on yourbalcony watching countless flights navigate the night sky? Yes it does, 100%. Just so youknow, you dont need to halfway up (or down) a cliff face, dangling by a rope or bunny-hopping over dunes to be outdoors. We are happy to hear from you no matter what youare doing - if it is outdoors (and responsible) drop us line or post us a picture - we wouldlove to connect with you.

The small team at ODUAE each want this magazine to grow not to cash in, butbecause we desperately want to provide the regions outdoor enthusiasts and weekend-warriors with a better service, a first-class product and an overload of information andoptions. It is the start of the cooler season now, and our goal is to keep you busy, notjust for a day or a week, but for months and months and months. So, your challenge this

month, should you choose to accept, is to get busy with you smartphone or DSLR andsend us an outdoor snap, just one, thats all. Send it [email protected]. It reallyis very, very simple, and while youre at it, you tell us, what features, stories or expertadvice you would like to see in the upcoming issues.

I may be new to the OutdoorUAE team, but not to the outdoor community. Over myfourteen years here in the UAE, Ive been stuck in sand, gravel and mud; chased bysnakes, stung by hornets, rays and jellyfish, shot at, sun-stroked and crippled by exhaus-tion. I have trekked and hiked from sunrise until sunset and accompanied on schoolexpeditions and field studies all over the region; and like many of you, I love it, and willalways go back for more; because what happens outdoors doesnt just stay outdoors,it stays in your heart and mind. Without our dose of the outdoors we just wouldnt beourselves. We wouldnt be happy. We wouldnt be human.

Andy

Linda TurcerovaSales and [email protected]

Get to us on Facebook!

Eulogy van DykOutdoor lovingQatar explorer

Sean JamesMountaineeringand MTBingexpert

Andy McNabManaging [email protected]

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OUTDOORUAE


60 CHAT WITH EVA CLARKE

CONTENTS

EVERY ISSUE

EVENT REVIEWS & REPORTS

OUR EXPERTS

LIFESTYLE

TIPS + TRICKS

05BEST SHOTS

06EVENTS CALENDAR

42LIFESTYLE

46PRODUCTS

60PEOPLE

70DIRECTORY

16 DMX 2014-2015

26THE IRONVET

28ANDYS CREEK WALK

36HONEY BADGER - PART 7

38SIBERA EXPEDITION

44 HABITUALLY HEALTHY

66 OFF-ROAD RECOVERY

68CATCHING SAILFISH KIT

24 PADDLING THE BALEARICS

48OFF-ROADING ABU DHABI - MARINA

50AUTUMN RUNNING TORI

58DUNE BASHING QATAR - EULOGY

TRAVEL + ADVENTURE

15THE UAE BAJA

32 PETZL ROCTRIP

18RIDE2NOWHERE

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OUTDOORUAE


BEST SHOTS

Here arethe best shots sent in by you for themonthly Want Fame? photography competition!Thank you for all your entries, they were all greatand it was hard selecting the best photos this month.Congratulations to the top three winners, who will eachreceive Buff headwear, five free copies of the magazineand the Advance Off-road book: Asil Abdo, NileshRawal andRob Jones. Well done!

To submit your entries, simply email usat [email protected] with the subject Best Shots.

Asil AbdoDiving for pleasure.

WINNER!

Nilesh RawalIn Ras Al Khaimah, taken from one of my weekly outdoor trips.

Rob JonesFrom a different point of view.

WINNER!

WINNER!
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]

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EVENTS CALENDAR +

Stay up-to-date with the latest events

Dubai International Triathlon 2014November 7, 6:30am, Atlantis Resort, The Palm

The first half-iron distance triathlon to be held in the UAE features a 1.9km swim followed by 90kmbike and a 21.1km run. The swim will take place in the waters off the Atlantis Resort; the two-lapbike heads off The Palm onto Hessa Street towards Sports City before returning to Atlantis; whilethe two-lap run is on the crescent of The Palm with the Burj Al Arab and Jumeirah Beach Hotel pro-viding the postcard backdrop to the course. The route is flat so athletes can expect some fast times.Registration is open to individuals in male and female age group categories and teams of three.Early bird registration extends till 30th June. For more information and registration,visit www.dubai-tri.comand www.premieronline.com.

Dial-A-Battery Desert Stinker 2014November 7, 7:30pm, Al Qudra

A two-stage desert adventure run (10km or 20km distance) with no frills camping and no shower

theres a good reason why this event is called the Desert Stinker! On Friday night, the horn willsound at 7:30pm and participants will head off to run in the dark with their headlamp. It will be a flatbut challenging course marked with light reflective tape, then runners will return to camp to preparefor the mornings start gun to run over the dunes. Sponsor Dial-A-Battery will be providing free bat-tery testing over the course of the weekend and on Saturday there will be wall climbing and fun ac-tivities for the kids. For more information, visit www.urbanultra.comand www.premieronline.com.

Dubai Roadsters Coastto Coast Challenge Fall 2014November 14, 5:30am, Nad Al Sheba Cycle Park

This is a 216km cycling event from the Dubai coast to the Al Aqah Beach Hotel and Resort on thenorth coast of Fujairah. This ride will undoubtedly be a challenge and a wonderful day out on theroads of the UAE. Note that you will need a certain level of fitness to take part due to the distanceand the amount of climbing. This ride is a group ride and not a race, and all cyclists must adhere totraffic rules and respect other road users. For more information and registration,visit www.dubairoadsters.comand www.premieronline.com.

Dubai Off-road and Adventure Show 2014

November 6 to 8, Dubai AutodromeCome join us for the inaugural Dubai Off-road and Adventure Show! This exciting event willbring together the outdoor community, brands and organisations together. It is a consumershow and social event with activities and exhibitors showcasing their products and servicesthat visitors can try out. Fun visitor activation and interaction with the brands and productsare the heart and soul of the event. This will ensure an informative, entertaining and thrillingevent for the whole family and great branding and awareness opportunities for companies.The event will cater to different outdoor activities like off-roading, motocross, camping,diving, cycling, hiking, fitness and more. There will also be participation from different outdoor clubs,organisations and charities. For more information, visit www.dubaiadventureshow.comand like us onwww.facebook.com/MeAdventureShow. For tickets, please visit www.ticketmaster.ae/event/2955.

OUTDOORUAE

Wadi Adventure Race 7November 8, 9:00am, Wadi Adventure

The seventh edition of WAR will be harder, better, faster and stronger than ever. Be prepared for anew course and new obstacles that will test your limits! The event is split into different categories:Elite, A, B, C, D and E mixed men and women. Elites will be your super fit racer and looking to winthe race, while E category will be your average to low fitness level racers who want to challenge

themselves. The obstacles and details of the race will not be given out to any racers before the race.For more information and registration, visit www.wadiadventure.aeand www.premieronline.com.


Featured Event

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Held under the patronage of HHShiekh Saif Bin Hamad Bin Saif Al Sharqi,Chairman of FIMC and organised in col-laboration with Palma Holding, a leadingUAE-based real estate company, The Fu-jairah Offshore Fishing Tournament 2014was held on October 17th-18th at FIMC.The two-day tournament was the firstOffshore World Championship qualifying

event to take place in the Middle East andwas held with the aim of both promotingsports fishing as an activity and highlight-ing Fujairah as being the ideal big gamefishing destination.

Everyone at FIMC extends their con-gratulations to Team Hot Rod who wonthis years Offshore Fishing Tournament,which took place off the fantastic Fujairahcoast. The competition was fierce a signof the high level of skill employed by allcontestants throughout the event, but ulti-mately there had to be one overall winnerand the top place position was securedwith Team Hot Rods impressive haul at382 points, said Ahmed Ebrahim AlBlooshi, Managing Director of the FujariahInternational Marine Sports Club. TeamOcean Active came in second place at233 points, while Team Al Ghawwas cameat third at 199.6 points.

The sheer number and variety of fishcaught by all competitors in the eventhas shown just what a superb location forsports fishing Fujairah is. We anticipatethat this tournament will grow to be oneof the leading big game fishing events inthe region, he added.

Fujairah Offshore Fishing Tournament

Champion 2014 nets big prizeThisyears Fujairah Inter-national Marine Club (FIMC)Offshore Fishing Tournamentlanded a worthy winner: TeamHot Rod. The champion anglers,who claimed the competition topspot with 382 points by reelingin a total of 12 fishes, secureda place at the Offshore World-Championship Finals, which will

be taking place in Costa Rica,April next year. The memberswill get to pit their rod and lineskills against 50 of the worldsbest fishermen.

A total of 29 boats and 135 anglers reg-istered for this years FIMC Offshore Fish-ing Tournament, which was conducted

under the regulations established by theInternational Game Fish Association. AnAward Ceremony, attended by HH SheikhAhmed bin Saif Al Sharqi, took place onOctober 18th, to recognise the efforts ofall participants. As a competition that wasopen for all, there were various categoriesfor winning, including Best Lady Anglerand Best Junior Angler, which went NajlaNaim from Team Ichiban and Tariq Derbas(11 years old) from Team Extreme Derbasrespectively. Highlighting the commu-nity aspect to the tournament, the totalvalue of all edible fish that were caughtcollectively was auctioned at 3,000 AED.Palma Holding multiplied the number by10 donating a total of 30,000 AED to theUAE Red Crescent society for charitabledistribution.

The biggest Dorado fish weighed inat 8kg and was caught by Team Go Fish,while the biggest Tuna fish was 11.3kgand was caught by Team Frosti. The big-gest Amberjack fish was 26kg and wascaught by the winners Team Hot Rod. Afurther category of Best Photo of a SailFish was taken by Team Ocean Active.

The FIMC Offshore Fishing Tournamentproved a perfect blend of hard effort,good-natured rivalry and post-event cel-ebrations. The competitors made an early

start on the first day, arriving at the centreat 5:00am for briefings and boat readinessprocedures. Following two days of exten-

sive fishing, the competition culminatedwith an evening awards ceremony andbarbeque.

The Fujairah Offshore Fishing Tour-nament was characterised by friendlycompetition and the camaraderie that allanglers enjoy. We are planning that thecontest will continue to grow over theyears and become an established eventthat both promotes fishing sportsmanshipand encourages the development of a biggame fishing community in the UAE, saidKareem Derbas, CEO and Co-FoundingPartner of Palma Holding. As a passion-ate angler myself, I can both vouch for thequalities of the sport as a hobby and forthe first-class opportunities to indulge in itin Fujairah, he added.

Best Lady Angler - Team Ichiban

Best Photo - Ocean Active


NEWS + COMMUNITY

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TripsJoin the community

and despite being very remote it is still arelatively short expedition.7th November 2015 25th November 201577,500 AED(excluding international flight)

AconcaguaAconcagua is the highest mountainin both the Western and SouthernHemispheres at 6,960m. Expeditions toAconcagua, Argentina start and finish inthe beautiful city of Mendoza with its finerestaurants and vineyards. Although very

popular with climbers, Aconcagua is still ahard climb and not to be underestimated.15th December 2015 6th January 201622,000 AED(excluding international flight)

For further details and an informal chatabout adventures and travel [email protected]. Terms and con-ditions apply.

From 2015, we are offeringOutdoorUAE readers the opportunity tojoin with us and experience some of thefantastic places around the world that youread about every month.

In 2015, we are offering four interna-tional climbing trips. The climbs will tackle

some of the most iconic mountains in theworld. They are part of the seven summitscollection and the highest peaks on theNorth American and South Americancontinents. Join us for one of them or signup for the treble.

You may even feel inspired to write yourown piece for the magazine.

What to expect?All trips are run by experienced, profes-sional and qualified western guides whohave vast experience leading high altitudeclimbs. In addition, we use local agentsand guides to support our logistics incountry. Groups are purposefully kept

small to minimise the impact on the en-vironment and provide a highly person-alised experience. After all, being in theoutdoors is all about solitude, wildernessand tranquility.

When you commit to join an OutdoorU-AE expedition, you can be assured thatwe will lead you confidently at every step,starting from an initial one-on-one meeting

OutdoorUAEhas beenorganising and running events for anumber of years. The people behindOutdoorUAE have established a suc-cessful, recognised brand based onexperience and know-how. We knowthe outdoors.

and setting your own tailored training pathright through to getting the best photoson summit day and how to carry your waterbottle to prevent it freezing shut.

Outdoor UAE trips for 2015DenaliDenali or Mount McKinley is the high-est mountain peak in North America. Itis 6,194m high and with a basecamp topeak rise that is considered the largest ofany mountain in the world, a considerablechallenge.25th June 2015 20th July 201532,000 AED(excluding international flight)

Mount DamavandJust a short distance away from the UAEis Mount Damavand in Iran. The highestvolcano in Asia, it is the epitome of whata mountain should look like with its near-symmetrical lines. Although a technicallyeasy expedition and a great introductionto mountaineering at high altitude it stilldemands a good level of fitness. This tripwill still put you on a summit of 5,610m,comparable to the height of Kilimanjarobut without the crowds.8th August 2015 16th July 20157,000 AED(excluding international flight)

Carstenz PyramidThe rock climb of Carstenz Pyramid inPapua New Guinea is one of the mostexotic trips that we run. An approachthrough the steaming jungle to a monsterrock buttress that is the highest on thecontinent of Australasia will be an experi-ence to remember and one that not manypeople are lucky enough to encounter.Success rates are high on this mountain

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Mohammed, known as Mo learnthow to surf in 2010 following an injury in

rugby which forced him into rehabilitationexercises in the water. It was while he wasin the sea that he saw people surfing anddecided he wanted to try it himself. Mo-hammed spent the next few years immers-ing himself in the sport, surfing at everyopportunity he had at various beaches inDubai, Sharjah, Ajman and Fujairah as wellas other international hotspots in Sri Lanka,Maldives, the USA and Australia.

His passion for the sport has driven himto compete internationally and he hasspent the last year training with a profes-sional coach in Los Angeles (where he iscurrently based on a project for EtihadAirlines) to perfect his skills and raise hisability to compete on the global stage.Surfing has changed my life. And as ayoung Emirati growing up in Dubai, I wishthat I could have been introduced to thissport at a younger age. I get so muchenjoyment out of it, which drives me todevelop the sport in the UAE.

Mohammed made history in Octoberwhen he joined hundreds of other

Emirati surfer making waves in ISA50th anniversary World Games in PeruMohammed Rahma is making history as the first UAE National competing in a global surfing event

Asa continued effort to growthe sport and create awarenessfor surfing in the UAE, Moham-med Rahma, 27, will be the firstEmirati National to compete inan international surfing competi-tion, essentially making historyand highlighting the Emiratesas a surfing destination to theworld.

Second up, if you are a keen watersports enthusiast, and we are talkingabout everything from jet skis to fishing

to paddling with your water-baby you

really should head to www.bihar.ae andcheck through the guidelines there. TheBihar [water in Arabic] campaign hasrecently been launched to coincide withthe Critical Infrastructure and CoastalProtection Authority (CICPA) PR campaignaimed at promoting coastal safety andawareness.

Now, although we here at OutdoorUAEare more than aware of our very responsi-ble and safety-minded readership, maybeeveryone, ourselves included, would ben-efit from a quick refresher on some basicbeach and sea current advice. Its no bigdeal, it is free public advice and

information. The new website is fast and

user-friendly and very detailed at explain-ing quite a lot of dos and donts. Wewould much rather avoid any unpleasantbeach headlines (and closures) and alsowould prefer that you knew a little aboutsome of the penalty fines in place forvarious coastal rule infractions. Also, youmay at some point find yourself in theposition where you feel compelled tolodge a formal complaint about danger-ous or anti-socialbehaviour, it is always good to have a fewsolid facts in place to strengthen yourcause. Bihar.ae offers some basic com-mon sense advice and beach guidelines.

New beach safety campaign launched

Asbeach season gets intofull swing, the first and mostimportant number to have inmind is 996. This will get youthrough to the Marine Emer-gency Hotline. So, 996 if youare in any beach-zone troubleor spot an offshore problem.

Words By:Andy McNab

surfers from around the world,representing their countries in the Inter-national Surfing Association (ISA) 50thAnniversary World Games. This is the firsttime that an Emirati is being represented insurfing, on the international surfing stage,

says Manager Carl de Villiers, owner of SurfShop Arabia and long time supporter andsponsor of Mohammed. Ive watched himprogress in his surfing and the fact that heis now representing his country in such anelite competition is really something to beproud of.

Mohammed has funded most of thisjourney himself. My intention is not to

win but to raise awareness in the UAE forthe sport of surfing, provide a platform forother young Emiratis to get involved, learnthe sport and also represent their countryin international competitions. I would loveto see surfing being integrated into theUAE school curriculum and develop thissport amongst the local Emiratis. This iswhy Im competing in the ISA Games. Iwant to show the UAE that we do havegreat waves to learn the sport, we do havefacilities here to develop surfing and itsjust a matter of someone actually breakingthat barrier and showing the world whatwe as a nation can offer.Mohammed carried the National UAE flag

in the Athletes Procession and competedfor the first time against 192 other surfersfrom 32 countries from around the world.While they dont expect to win, they doexpect to put the UAE on the world surfingmap. For more information on Moham-med, you can visit his new Athletes page:www.facebook.com/pages/Mo-Rahma/717833374957931 .

bihar.ae cicpa.ae Maritime Emergency Hotline

OUTDOORUAE


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Organised by:

NOVEMBER 6th to 8th 2014Dubai Autodrome | Motor City | Dubai | UAE

FREE ACTIVITIES:

+ AAGHH! Test drive 4x4s on our thrilling off-road track

+ YEAH!Be a co-pilot in an ATV

+ WOAH!Watch exciting motocross and quad demos

+ GET PEDALING!Test ride different mountainbikes at the hill track

+ PHAT!Try out the fatbikes at the sand track+ RING! RING!Test ride a variety of road bikes

+ GET READY TO GET SWEATY!Try out speedminton

+ GREAT VIEW!Conquer the climbing wall

+ COOL OFF!Try Stand Up Paddling boards and kayaks in our pool

+ DONT LOOK DOWN!Balance on the fun slackline

+ SPIDERMAN!Climb along the high rope course (extra fees apply)

and much, much more

You love the outdoors, we love the outdoors. You love adventure, we love adventure. Sports, water, climbing andoff-roading. We have so much in common! Lets meet up, at The Dubai Off-Road and Adventure Show! Great forfriends, families and getting together.

If you need to take five away from all the excitement, check outthe Exhibition Area, where local shops and services are show-casing their great products.

Network the OUTDOORS community and get connected withlocal adventure clubs and social groups. Hungry? Thirsty?

Not for long! Weve got you covered with some great healthyand convenience food stalls with a variety of offers andbeverages for everyone (kids and adults).

What? You need a breather?Okay. Pull up a bean bag, lieback, zone-out and catch a sunset-set from our pro DJs in thewinter-cool area, just but dont get too comfortable becausewell be cranking up the beats into the night.

Thursday 6th November 4:00 pm until 11:00pm

Friday 7th November 2:00 pm until 11:00pm

Saturday 8th November 2:00 pm until 09:00pm

Early bird tickets until (31st October 2014) only 30AED.Starting 1st November and at on-the-day gate entry, tickets 50AED.Three-day passes available 30AED p.d.For special price promotion visit our websitewww.dubaiadventureshow.com

Organised by:

Tickets available at:

Approved by:

www.DubaiAdventureShow.comThe event is sponsored by:

More of our partners and supporters:

www.ticketmaster.aeCall Center 800 TMUAE / 80086823

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RZR XP 1000 92,000 AED2015

2 Years Manufacturers Warranty and 4 Free Services

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DUBAIShowroom No. 8, Al Ghandi ComplexNad al Hamar Road, Ras al KhorTel:+971 4 2896100

Fax:+971 4 2894914Email: [email protected]

AL AINAl Masaood Showroom, SanayaTel:+971 3 7219999

MUSSAFAHM4, Sector 13, 10th StreetTel: +971 2 5555144

BADA ZAYEDAl Masaood Showroom, SanayaTel:+971 2 8844200

LEBANONHelmets On sarlIndependence Street, Sodeco, BeirutTel: + 961 1 644442

Fax: + 961 1 633332

Contact personMr. Khalil Abu ChwarebEmail: [email protected]

DISTRIBUTORS OMANFairTrade Auto Services LLCP.O. Box 2636, Ruwi, MuscatTel: +968 96778552

Fax: +96824701787

Contact personMr. R. K. SunderEmail: [email protected]

QATARProtech Powered Sports Co

Street: Salwa Road PO Box: 91, Doha, QatarTel:+974 44398030Fax:+974 44398030SalesEmail:[email protected]

2015 RZR XP 4 1000 98,000 AED

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OUTDOORUAE


As part of his long-term collabora-tion with ODUAE, Mike provided us withso much quality off-road content and

stunning photos, that it was inevitablewe should work with him to package asmuch of his experience and expertise upas possible and create a book of someof his recommended routes and wordsof wisdom. The book is expansive andcovers everything from essential vehiclemaintenance to best-fit recovery methodsand of course, his pick of the routes allin full, glorious technicolour replete withtheir highlights and pitfalls. The book wasfully integrated to GPS and web-basedmapping systems, and each drive tried,tested and graded it fitted right into themarket place alongside other well-knownand established off-road guides. The book

has proved very popular, and we suspectthat a few of you may have a dog-earedcopy buried beneath your passenger seator in the bottom of your grab-bag. Someof you may even have taken your life (andsanity) into your hands on the Grade 3

Off-road Adventure RoutesSecond EditionWords By:Andy McNab

Therea very few people whoepitomise the spirit ofOutdoorUAE contributors moreso than our recently relocated toEurope Mike Nott. Reading hisfarewell article in Issue 44 (Au-gust) was like reading a whoswho or whats what of bucket-listME adventures.

Saudi, Oman, Yemen Confluence Route,some of you may have crest-crossed onyour way through the Grade 2 Al MaghribCrossing or some of you may have playedit safe with a Grade 1 Dubai to RAKroad trip.

A second edition book is scheduledfor release next month, and this is animportant follow-on-reading from the firstinstallment. Firstly, this region is how it is,and some of his preferred routes from thefirst edition are no longer accessible for avariety of reasons or the initial route has

undergone a few technical changes.The book will also contain some newand previously unpublished routes, suchas the southern Emirates Route To theCorner, the northern Emirates routeSeven Emirates Corner to Corner

and four new Oman routes, including theDhofa Traverse and the Jebel Sam-ham Exploration. Mike has spilled sweatand blood to bring the public a newand definitive guide to the regions mostinhospitable corners. The photos and ad-vice together are enough to sell this book the routes are an added bonus.

Advanced Off-road Adventure RoutesSecond Edition will be hitting the shelvesin December just in time for you to getbusy in the New Year and carve yourselfsome new tyre tracks over virgin territory.

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OUTDOORUAE

This seasons Emirates Desert Chal-lenge kicked off perfectly with a totalregistered competitor list of 98 bikes andfive cars all competing, this was a recentrecord entry which set the scene for agreat day of racing. The race was situatedjust off the Al Qudra Road in Dubai, mak-ing for easy access and tarred pits, theteams were able to set up on the roadand it definitely helped to have profes-sional pits, without all the dust and sandwe normally have to deal with.

The series is made up of several classesacross all capacities and skill levels withthe minimum age being 16 years old.The classes include the four-wheelers quads, cars and buggies and the

EVENT REPORT

Words + Photos By:Mark Ackerman

Fortydegrees and two hoursin the saddle. The Baja Round1 was the season-opening raceto really separate the men fromthe boys.

The Emirates Desert

Challenge 2014/2015

Baja Round 1two-wheel classes for 450cc, +450cc,Masters and a Marathon class for riderswho wish to run the entire race withoutrefueling. The races are two hours long,starting at 9:00am, with a route well-marked out for competitors and watchedover by marshals from the 4x4 club whodo an excellent job of officiating andrecovering competitors.

This year saw the first entry of teams,which meant riders could team up and

collectively score points for the overallchampionship, which made an excitingaddition to the already hotly-contestedcompetition. The standout teams at thefirst event, in terms of results and pres-ence in the pits included, Moto 1 RacingTeam, SRG Portable Shade Husqvarna,Sandy Helmets, SebSports, Lunda, Ven-detta and KTM.

Improved support has been very en-couraging, in particular, from race shopsand manufacturers, most notably KTM,SRG Motorsports Husqvarna and Seb-Sports. Previous support has been low,and with the support these teams provideriders and the professionalism they bringto the sport it really makes Baja feel morelike a world-class event, which is set tocontinue its growth.

Now! Down to racing. All kicked offpromptly at 9:00am with the 450cc classstarting, the class ranked from results ofthe previous years in order to ensure thesame skill levels were starting together.Every minute saw another row of approxi-mately 12 riders blast off into the dunes,where lap one of seven would begin overa distance of 18km. The pace in the 450battle was hot right off the start, with anearly lead coming from KTM with Mo Ba-looshi, Mohammed Jaffar, Ross Runnalls

and Jake Shipton. The rest of the classwas split more than two minutes afterseveral laps which really highlights the

level of skill and fitness the competitorshad over the two hours in 40C.

The cars and buggies run the same dis-tance on a similar course, and fortunatelythere were no major incidents althoughseveral cars did battle it out with the verysoft sand conditions.

When the dust had settled and the racewas flagged, Mohammed Balooshi (KTMBalooshi Racing) was left in overall firstplace, Mohammed Jaffar (KTM BalooshiRacing) second in a very well-run-race,Ross Runnalls (Liberty Kawasaki), MarkAckerman (SRG Portable Shade Husq-varna) and Mark Grams (Sandy HelmetsHonda) rounding out the top five spots.

The cars and buggies saw a great turnout for local Emirati competitors, withAhmed Al Fahim (Polaris Class T3) takingthe honours followed by Mansour Al He-lei (Nissan Class T2) and British driver,Graeme Rose (Polaris National Class) inthird. Overall seven autos completed therace for a great day overall.

Lock in November 14th for Baja Round3. We know the riders would love to seeyou there to support this growing event.Follow any early developments and catchup with news and rider reviews at FBEmirates Desert Championship or at FBDune Raiders UAE.

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As you can see Green Daredevils are leading MX2 quite comfortably.

DMX 2014/15 Championship MX2

Season: 2015

Legend: 1st place 2nd place 3rd place

10/10/2014 10/10/2014

Pos No. Name Total Diff Gap MX2 Total MX2 Total

1

2

34

47

45

4236

22

25

20

25

20

22

22

20

22

25

20

22

0

2

511

0

2

36 18 1818 18

1

2

55523

Ross Runnals

Dale Jullien

Ryan BlairMohammed Jaffer

And young Abdullah Al Nuaimi doing fantastically well in the 85cc

DMX 2014/15 Championship 85cc

Season: 2015


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Pos No. Name Total Diff Gap 85 Total 85 Total

1

2

3

4

50

44

40

36

25

22

20

25

22

20

25

22

20

0

6

10

14

0

6

4

4 18 1818

19

22

174

88

Eugenio Barbagilla

Nicholas Kefford

Abdullah Al Nuaimi

Alexander Mortada

25

22

20

18

Plenty of Green in the top half of MX1

DMX 2014/15 Championship MX1

Season: 2015


10/10/2014 10/10/2014

Pos No. Name Total Diff Gap MX1 Total MX1 Total

1

23

4

50

4438

33

25

2218

25

2220

25

2218

25

2220

0

612

17

0

66

5 20 1320 13

731

181

250

Jack Shipton

Ben MenziesRoss Runnals

Manfredi Caruso

DMX 2014/15 Championship 125cc

Season: 2015


10/10/2014 10/10/2014


1

2

3

4

50

44

40

34

25

22

20

25

22

20

25

22

20

25

22

20

0

6

10

16

0

6

4

6 16 1816 18

5

73

22

31

Dean Jullien

Darren Berry

Nicholas Kefford

Tiann Nolan

DMX 2014/15 Championship 65ccSeason: 2015


10/10/2014 10/10/2014


1

2

3

4

47

45

40

38

25

20

22

22

25

18

25

20

22

22

25

18

0

2

7

9

0

2

5

2 18 2018 20

11

1

174

22

Siguro Johansson

Yurajsinh Kondedeshmvki

Ahmed Al Nuaimi

Jamie Horn

Do try to catch the next round if you can. Temperature will be perfect, maybe even on thechilly side, for Round 3 on Friday, 28th November and I guarantee, you will not be ableto get the whine of those engines out of your head for the rest of the weekend. Dontforget Jebel Ali Resort and Golf Course Roundabout 24590.70N 55 116.10E racing

should be starting around 8:00am after safety checks and rider briefings.

GO GREEN!

The tables dont lie.

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EVENT REPORT

Some of the best time I have spent onmy mountain bike is when I explore newroutes in places a bit off the beaten track.Where you suddenly find yourself en-gulfed by mountains and valleys with notown or civilisation in sight, it literally feelslike I am in the middle of nowhere. Thekind of place where silence is golden andthe beauty of nature captivates you!

Nestled between the mountains of the

Langeberg region in Western Cape, SouthAfrica you will find a uniquely alterna-tive, eccentric and therapeutic villagecalled McGregor, known for its two white

Ride2Nowhere3-Day MTB eventExperience a taste of proper mountain biking in South Africa

Howabout taking a Ride2No-where?

entrance pillars, spectacular art route andgreat grape. It is a friendly and welcomingcommunity with a main road called . . .(wait for it) the Road to Nowhere.

In this beautiful town you will findoff-the-beaten track routes, and it is thehome of the Ride2Nowhere, a three-daymountain bike eventthat was establishedback in 2012. But rest assured, the raceactually adopted its name from the mainroad of the town, which literally leads intothe mountains to a dead end and there-fore became a local legend adopting the

name road to nowhere.This is the perfect race, where Racing

Snakes and Weekend Warriors meet tocompete for fun!

The 2014 event took place from the12th to 14th September and saw 215riders lining up on the starting line. Theevent caters to a limited amount of par-

ticipants only, ensuring there are no major

congestion problems on the route and toprovide riders with quality time in MotherNature.

Abdulrahim (Rahim) Abdullah fromthe UAE, who learnt about the event viasocial media, joined us this year and this iswhat he had to say:

This was my first mountain bike stagerace outside the UAE. Mountain biking ismy love and hobby so what better excuseis there to go and explore other countrieswhilst riding your bike!

The name of the event intrigued meand I wanted to find out what this ridingto nowhere is all about. Upon arrival inthe town of McGregor I realised that this

little town is really hidden away from thebig city life and consists of a beautifulfarming community with friendly people.

I absolutely loved the event. The routewas a great combination of different ter-rains for riding, there were some goodchallenging parts, and I really felt on a fewoccasions I am in the middle of nowhere

Photos By:Stephan du Toit, Johan Theron and Reghardt VogesWords By:Eulogy van Dyk

Riders on route

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because I could not see anybody or town

in front or at the back of me. I can defi-nitely recommend the race for mountainbike lovers. It is a fun weekend away, witha good group of people where you canreally enjoy riding your bike in nature.

The event aims to retain the integrityand pureness of a classic mountain bikerace with an adventurous and excitingroute surrounded by breathtaking land-scape. September is also flowering seasonin the Langeberg region and spoils youwith a colourful picture in every direction!

The route offers challenge and rewardfor all riders, with riding distances rangingbetween 40 and 60 kilometres per day tochoose from. The route follows a clo-

verleaf format with each days starts andfinish from the same venue in McGregor.

Sixty percent of the daily route is onopen gravel roads or jeep tracks, with agood combination of flat, rolling hills andone or two steeper climbs, the remainderof the daily route are single tracks, cattlepaths or naturally eroded tracks. The ter-

rain is mostly hard rock formation and few

loose gravel sections (no crazy stuff, justMother Nature providing us with some funand exciting trails). With relatively shortriding times per day it meant riders werefinished by lunch time, leaving plenty timeto experience the charm of McGregorwith their loved ones during the after-noon.

One of the big draw cardsof the eventis the relaxed atmosphere at the racevillage and between riders. The localcommunity gets involved and benefitsfrom the event by providing local hospi-tality and entertainment to participantsthroughout the weekend.

From the brass band to the steel band,

the jazz duet and fire dancers, thereis plenty of activity paired with somelegendary local refreshments. Someriders say the race briefing every night isalso like watching live entertainment asthe Route Director tries to explain hisshow.

The event also caters and focuses on

supporter activities. Friends and families

could go on McGregor town tours, don-key sanctuary visits and shop at the localproduce market. Alternatively, there werespectator points on the route from whichto cheer the riders on! Kids also have alot of fun over the weekend with loads ofentertainment, such as a MTB obstaclecourse, stilt walkers, clowns, jumpingcastles and face painting throughout thewhole weekend.

With the annual dates set in mid Sep-tember, it is the perfect race to keep youmotivated and those legs turning duringthe warmer summer months. It is also theperfect excuse to escape a bit from thesummer heat in the Middle East.

So if you are still wondering how toRide2Nowhere, well it goes down theroad, up some hills, around a bend andthen you find your wayto nowhere.

Interested to join next year? Visitwww.ride2nowhere.co.za for more infor-mation. Event date for 2015 is 11th to13th of September.

Rahim Abdullah (from Dubai), enjoying the view The beautiful scenery of riding to nowhere

Many ladies also joined for the event!

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Blogger, marathon runner and triath-lete, diver and heli rescue swimmerwith Bergamo Scuba Angels. You canread my blog www.dubayblog.com,contact me on social networks or viaemail at [email protected] infor-mation about this article or justto say hello.

EVENT REPORT

Not only a challenge, but a real team building event

I justfinished my first [theinaugural] Desert Warrior Challenge(DWC). A challenging obstacle-courserun, designed to test the physicalpower, mental strength, teamworkand overall fitness of each and every

participant. The courses were de-signed for participants with varyingskill and fitness levels, including chil-dren to those of little physical fitness,and the extreme athlete striving forthe real warrior challenge. It requiredmental toughness, strength and en-durance . . . and most of all the abilityto work as a team to overcome whatlies ahead.

Photos By:Nicola de Corato and Mary SameleWords By:Nicola de Corato

You could participate as an individual,join a team or create your own team.And on the day, as the race progressed,numerous individual athletes naturallyformed teams to help each other to passthe most challenging obstacles and tomotivate each other.

Completing a Desert Warrior Challengecourse tested my physical and mentaltraining unlike any other competition everbefore (and there have been a few!). Theobstacles and challenges throughout thecourse forced me dig deep within, to findthe inner resource that we all have andrise up to overcome whatever it is that layahead. During the race I could under-

Desert WarriorChallenge

accomplished!stand why the event motto is Releaseyour inner warrior. Each course includeda variety of obstacles, which requiredparticipants to run, crawl, jump, climband most importantly work as a team tocollectively get across them. Puddles ofmuddy water, ropes and netting becamea way to test physical training, build team-work and fine-tune problem solving skills.The course comprised a whopping 22 ob-stacles, some not so difficult (at least for

me), especially the ones I were trained for(running in the mud for example, or in thesand, over small dunes or rough surfaces).Some others were a nightmare crossinga tank filled with iced water for exam-ple or climbing the twin walls with verylittle grip was literally impossible for mewithout the help of the other participants.Thats where our team formed spontane-ously; after that we went on together.Seven warriors in total all the way to thefinish line; encouraging each other, sup-porting each other, helping each other.

DWC provided the perfect environ-ment for individuals to come together andchallenge their boundaries with endlesssupport, sportsmanship and camaraderie.Enjoyment and self satisfaction were thecore values of this race and the courseswere designed to suit all different abilities,providing challenge for even the eliteathletes and Hardcore Warriors.

The course design and obstacle layoutwere released to the warriors only on theday of the event, so even though I trained

a lot and felt very well prepared beforethe event, I needed to anticipate anything

and everything the course could throwat me. I can say that without the help ofother people I would not be able to reachthe end without skipping many obstacles.

The Desert Warrior Challenge has beenorganised in cooperation with the DubaiSports Council (DSC), which was foundedin 2005, has the aim of developing andimproving sports in Dubai. DSC aims tocreate a comprehensive sports environ-ment that meets the requirements ofsociety and paves the way for the youthto cultivate their sporting and culturaltalents and aptitudes in a way that leadsthem to achieve tangible results so thatDubai can become a leading name in

the world of sports. Dubai Sports Councilprovides many e-Services including e-Job, volunteer applications and rules oforganising sports events in the Emirate ofDubai. The current Chairman is HH SheikhHamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum,Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman ofthe Dubai Executive Council.

Desert Warrior Challenge was part-nered with the best training facilities andprograms in Dubai and across the widerregion, to give participants all the toolsneeded to prepare for the big day.

DubaiBlog was digital media partner ofthe event.

Ready for the next warrior challenge?

Nico

The finish line with the team.

Yoga after the race.Moments from the Race 5

Moments from the Race 1

Moments from the Race 3 Moments from the Race 4

[OutdoorUAE contacted the organisers,who are, Planning for March/April 2015at this stage.]

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ACTIVITY REPORT

Words By:Sean James

Stilladdicted to the high-life.This month our resident Tahrescapes the Dubai humidity todo a spot of extreme MTB inone of the worlds most stunningmountain regions.

The domestic UAE mountain bikescene has grown hugely over the past fewyears. The number of trails that have been

opened in and around the desert andmountains increases every month. As aresult the experience of the riders here hasalso grown. There are many groups thatride regularly every week and for manymountain bikers, the UAE trails were theirfirst experience of riding dirt. Naturally thisdesire and motivation has expanded andbroadened, and now those bikers havestarted to explore lands further afield.In this months MTB section we will givemountain bikers here in the UAE a glimpseat a destination in a foreign country thatwill open your mind to the possibilities oftravelling with your mountain bike.

Nepal is a country that conjures up

many images: high mountains toppedwith snow, temples festooned with prayerflags, the hustle and bustle of Kathmandustreet-life and of course high-altitudeclimbing and trekking. Like the UAE, themountain bike scene in this part of theHimalayas has exploded, and in the last10 years Kathmandu has become hometo many well-stocked biking shops as wellas experienced agents operating toursto the far flung corners of this Himalayanstate. I have spent a lot of time over thelast 15 years in Nepal, and the care andlevels of service given to western visi-tors by the Nepali and Sherpa people onclimbing expeditions has been transferred

in The Federal Democratic Republic of Nepalmountain biking

to the many mountain bike tours that areavailable. If riding twisting high passesand narrow tracks with your own personalbike Sherpa to assist you when things gettough is your thing, then read on. Thenext two issues of the mountain bikingsection will be dedicated to looking atpossible mountain bike tours in Nepal andshowing you some of the many optionsavailable. This month we will look at bikingaround the Kathmandu valley and alsobiking the famous Annapurna Circuit. Next

month, the epic Lhasa in Tibet to Kath-mandu ride will be featured.

The Annapurna CircuitThe Annapurna Circuit is a classic. Aworld-renowned trekking route that isthe aspiration of many and is consistentlyranked as the best long distance trekkingroutes in the world. Situated in the centralregion of Nepal, the trail circles the An-napurna range and gives views of manypeaks between 6,000 and 8,000m. Onthis ride you will pass the 8,000m peaksof Manaslu, Dhaulagiri and Annapurna I.Over the years, parts of the AnnapurnaCircuit have been developed into a track

Part 1

for motorised vehicles making it shorter,but it is still 230km long, taking 8-20 daysto walk and the crossing passes of over5,400m. Now it is also a popular mountainbiking circuit, where motorised support isa definite advantage to mountain thosecycling. The intention of the governmentis to develop the road along the wholecircuit by 2017, which will dramaticallychange the appearance and atmosphereof the region. However what trekkers loseout on, mountain bikers gain. Although wedescribe it as a road it is still a Nepaleseroad! There is very little traffic, and on oneof the sections from Muktinath to Tatopaniit is possible to ride downhill either bythe dirt road or by single track, a total of3,000m in 2-3 days making it one of the

worlds best downhill mountain biking ar-eas [definitely sound preferable to cycling3,000m uphill! Ed.].

About seven hours drive from Kath-mandu, or a short flight when the weatheris good, is Pokhara. Pokhara is a muchmore relaxed town on the outskirts of abeautiful lake and it is from here that themost people start the Annapurna Circuit.The Annapurna area has only been opento foreign visitors since 1977 due toprevious local disputes between guerrillasin neighbouring Tibet and the Nepalesearmy making it too dangerous. Now thearea has fully embraced adventure tour-ism and all it brings to a developing rural

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economy. Those who live in the comfortof the developed world and look at Nepaland complain that the culture is disappear-ing and is not what it was 30 years agoare missing the enthusiasm and need ofNepali people to better and improve theirsociety. Now that Nepal is more stablethan in recent history tourist numbers haveincreased by approximately 10% a yearto around 700,000. This is still not a largenumber for the range of adventure activi-ties the country has to offer, and amaz-ingly, tourism still only accounts for about3% of the nations GDP. If you do decideto bring your own mountain bike to Nepal

you will still feel part of a pioneeringset of adventurers, having to overcomeobstacles and barriers at every step. Thisis part of the fun. Still in 2014 only about40% of Nepals population has access toelectricity which highlights just how ruralthe country is, with more than one third ofits people living at least a two hours walkfrom the nearest road. If you have beento Kathmandu you will know that accessto electricity does not guarantee that it isavailable all day, and even the capital hasregular power cuts every day.

High AltitudeNepal is diverse in many ways, the people,climate and landscape all seem very dif-ferent day-to-day. The Annapurna Circuitmountain bike trail passes through fourdifferent regions: Lamjung, Manang, Mus-tang and Myagdi. Lamjung and Myagdiare at lower elevations and predominantlyHindu, with lush green subtropical valleys,farming villages and terraced agricul-ture. Manang and Mustang are higher inelevation and mostly Tibetan Buddhist.The trail goes anti-clockwise and thehighpoint is the Thorung La pass which isa hard-gained 5,416m high. At 5,000m theamount of oxygen available to breathe is50% less than at sea level. Mountain bik-

ing and every push is hard work here butthe views are spectacular. This is when youare reminded of the value of your personalSherpa.

All along the Annapurna Circuit are

teahouses in which you can eat, rest orstay. Some agents offer camping and thisis equally pleasant as you have your owncook and mess tent. During the day on thetrail you will not carry any equipment, savewhat you need to eat, drink and protectyourself from the weather. This means youcan enjoy such famous sights as Poon Hill,which looks toward the Annapurna massif,and the spectacular and sacred shape ofMacchupucchre, otherwise known as theFishtail Mountain without being over-loaded with mountain survival kit.

Although the trail is normally fullysupported dont think that it will be easy.

This is an adventure experience and asyou can see from the pictures you will becrossing, and sometimes descending, verysteep scree slopes, with your bike on yourshoulder and scrambling in some parts,coping with altitude sickness, fending offhygiene issues and generally toughing itout to get you around in one piece. Nepalis basic but that adds to the experience,and makes it more real, according to the2011 census, 39% of the total householdsdo not have toilet in their houses, awayfrom the capital that number gets muchhigher.

Of course you could probably ride thedistances much quicker than the schedule,but to counter the effects of altitude, aprogram of acclimatisation is necessary.Gaining too much height too quickly willlead to Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). Itis generally understood that gaining 300mevery day when you get above 3,000mshould be adhered to.

The Kathmandu ValleyThe Kathmandu Valley offers some ofNepals best mountain biking. Ridingin the valley is a completely differentexperience from the remote and tranquilAnnapurna Circuit. Using Kathmanduas a base from which to ride every day

is possible. The riding is on a mixture ofdirt trails, jeep tracks, roads and singletracks and you will bike between the manytemples, monasteries and viewpoints inthe Kathmandu Valley that overlook theHimalayan range. All of the mountain bikeoperators are based around Thamel in

Kathmandu and although it doesnt lookpossible, you can ride out from the centreof town. Hiring or replacing equipmentis not a problem here as the shops areplentiful and well stocked. A typical daywill see you heading off early, after coffeeand cake from one of the many great cafsin Thamel, then fighting the chaotic traffic

onto a steadily climbing paved road inthe direction of Kakani. At the top of theclimb you are rewarded as you can thenenjoy one of the best technical trails inthe valley, which was used as the NepalMountain Bike Championship course. Thetrail heads down on a wide undulatingjeep track mixed with single track passingthrough the Shivapuri Forest and onwardsto Budhanilkantha, a fifth century statueof the reclining Lord Vishnu. Where else inthe world could you do this and then headback to your guest house, before having asteak and hops in the world famous Ever-est Steak House?

As you can see from the map, there areso many other fantastic mountain bikingtracks around Kathmandu and the sceneis continuing to evolve and develop.Since starting to travel to Nepal I haveused many different agents. For the pastfew years, I have used one of the largest,Makalu Adventures. The owner, Mohanprovides a very personalised serviceand has an extensive network of guides,hotels and yoga retreats. This Octobereach morning as we had breakfast in thetranquil Thamel Eco Resort, we wouldsee groups of foreign cyclists, bedeckedin their recently received flower garlandsand prayer scarfs arriving from the airport

with their bike boxes. They would spenda short time here before flying to Lhasa orAnnapurna or taking day trips around theKathmandu Valley.

So Nepal is definitely a place to exploreon your mountain bike. The best condi-tions and the clearest views of the moun-tains are in the spring and autumn be-tween March and June or September andDecember. Only a short flight from Dubai,you will enter a completely different world,in which your senses will be assaulted andyour spirit calmed. Next month we look atthe epic journey across the breadth of theHimalaya as we travel from Lhasa in Tibetback to Kathmandu, so do not miss that.

An exotic location for a MTB ride

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ACTIVITY REPORT

Words + Photos By:Tati Coco SUP

After15 days in the stunningisland of Sardinia, I had to keepfollowing my tracking plan. Thenext destination was Mallorcaand Ibiza the ever-popularstars of the Mediterranean Sea.

In my opinion, Mallorca has a big sunnypersonality thanks to its ravishing beachesand remote mountains. When you arrivein Mallorca you want to hike the Serra deTramuntana trails, paddle around all thecoastline and discover every inch of thisbeautiful island. Mallorca has two faces,much like Ibiza has, one side you havethe famous and ultra-modern party spots,luxurious villas and the crowded fashion-beaches and at the same time, up anddown the island, locals are embracing theirroots and revamping long-abandonedfincas (estates) into refined rural retreats.Spend silent moments along the olive andalmond groves and you will soon fall forthe quiet charm of Mallorcas hinterland,where summer is one long party.

In Mallorca, I met lovely people, andenjoyed the hospitality of David and Maria

Mallorca to Ibiza

Part 2600kmThe Balearics

from Paddlesurf Aloha, where I spent reallynice moments and had excellent localdishes. Also a big thanks to John Oliverwho took me to some beautiful caves inthe north of the island.

Head west for cliff-sculpted drama andsapphire seas, or head north for hikes to

pine-flecked bays and breezes that carrykitesurfers, windsurfers and sailors acrossturquoise waters. Scope out desertedcoves in the east, or dive off bone-white

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beaches in the south. There are a fewspecial places I really loved from PortdAndratx to Sant Elenhere which weregrandiose and surprising. On the otherside of the island, I want to highlight from

Cala Santanyi to Es Caragoler and thefamous arch, Es Pontas. Unfortunately, Iwasnt able to go through it because of thestrong winds. Finally, in the north there is amagical place going from Cala Formentorto Cala Figuera which is spectacular, butextremely windy.

In Ibiza, my trip was completely differentas I had my family with me. I stayed everynight at my aunties houses, and had suchdelicious typical Spanish dishes. The bigdifference with the other three weeks wasin my quantity of rest. As I was sleepingevery night in the same bed and house, Ifinally had proper sleep and stopped be-ing on the road finding new spots.

In Sardinia and Mallorca I only slept fewhours around five per night and whenyou are in the burning sun all day, paddlingbetween six and eight hours non-stop,

desperate to find some shade and tired,digusted with cereals bars, bananas andtuna having a bed, a shower and deli-cious food is like being treated to five-starluxury.

There is a moment that you overcome all the heat, the loneliness, the exhaustion,the kilometres. You just forget all whoyou are, why you are here and time losesall chronology. You are lost and empty,but you are offering your eyes and soul themost spectacular scenery.

I almost completed all the island ofIbiza, and I really loved the north aroundPortinatx and the western coast with CaladHort and the island of Es Vedra. Ibiza cityis also beautiful for its old town with thecastle on the top of the cliffs always look-ing after you.

The best gift from my trip was whenmy little boy and husband joined me andspent the last kilometres with me. While Iwas in the water, they were never too faraway, and we used to meet in my arrival-point spot. I was so happy to see them

that we paddled, the three of us, on myboard and we did some mini exploration.Like that, my last 150km was extremelyeasy to achieve and I was the happiest SUPmummy.

In conclusion, Sardinia is the destinationI will recommend you to visit first. Exploreand enjoy. Mallorca and Ibiza are alsocharming, but they have two faces, if youchose the peaceful, traditional roots, youwill find amazing places and people. Thiswas an incredible experience in my life,and even if people told me that I was crazy,I did it! I bring with me now, such a hugeexperience in my life, and I do not regretany moment, and as I always say, everystroke is a new adventure.

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ACTIVITY REPORT

Taper time

As the race approached, training reduced inoverall volume and intensity but in a bid tobetter prepare for the high altitude of LakeTahoe, and the even higher parts of thebike course, I worked with the team over atTalise Fitness, making use of their altituderoom. The final 12 days of my taper saw mepull up outside the Madinat, wheel my bikepast perplexed looking hotel guests andspend sessions training at up to 3,500mabove sea level, accompanied by thevarious stars of MTV. In hindsight I am notsure how much of a physiological differencethe training made in termsof altitude preparation, but the

psychological boost going into a high

I shouldbe writing this as a

newly anointed Ironman, a memberof a group of insane individuals whothink nothing of putting themselvesthrough a day of hell with a 3.8kmswim, 180km cycle and topped offwith a marathon for good measure.Alas, in spite of being as prepared asit is possible to be, it ultimately camedown to an idiot with a match to bringthe whole dream crashing down. Orshould that be, somewhat ironically,extinguished?!

Three times thechallenge nearly

Words + Photos By:Chris Queen altitude race certainly made the experienceworthwhile.

The final countdownThe final week is incredibly nerve-wrackingbefore any big race, especially one forwhich so much preparation has been invest-ed. Between a definite uptick in patientaggression, culminating in both a dog biteand cat mauling, concerns about anyoneeven sniffing near me, and worries thatIcelands volcanoes were about to blow, thefinal week before a big race is a stressfulone. Needless to say I survived, in spite ofthe fact that packing nearly killed me Iofficially detest the activity! In fact, maybe Ishould add it to my pre-race training.

Airport dramasFlight day finally arrived and the issue ofhow to lug my considerably sized bikebox to the airport was solved by a goodfriend of mine who sacrificed sleep toensure I made it to the airport for stupidoclock. Check-in was anything but simple,initially due to the fact that I was acting asa chaperone for two rescue Salukis whowere being relocated to new homes in theUS by a local rescue group. The real drama,however, was when the friendly check-inassistant asked me if I had applied to Es-ther. Sorry, who? was my swift, puzzledresponse. Who is Esther?! Apparently aspecial visa known as an ESTA (Electronic

System for Travel Authorization) is requiredfor entry into the US, something that I hadcompletely overlooked in preparing for mytrip. Visions of missing my flight, home-less dogs and the entire IronVet challengecrashing down in an instant formed in mymind and my response was to hastily en-quire, with clear panic in my voice, whetherI was able to apply for this visa now, asin right now?! Thankfully it was possible,although I had only fifty minutes in whichto do it and had to somehow get access tothe website. With my phone choosing theworst possible time to ignore any availableinternet connections I desperately wrackedmy brains for options, ultimately

plumping to inconvenience the same friendyet again in the same morning. Thanks toher exceptionally good humour, speedytyping and credit card I had my applica-tion in, confirmation back and clearance toenter the US within thirty minutes. Phew!

With disaster averted we rejoined thecheck-in queue, by now significantly longer,and were soon ushered through ahead ofothers due to the fact that our particularflight was due to leave soon. It should havebeen plain sailing from there but we chosethe new team member who also happenedto have a clear dislike of dogs and no ideaof what to do about checking them in. Fur-ther delay and by now some very anxiousfoot-tapping and thoughts again of missedflights and ruined trips. In the true spirit ofthe morning so far, however, we were finallychecked in, bike, bags and dogs whiskedaway and I raced through security and onto my gate. Fast forward 15 hours and our

story moves to the USA.

Fire and arsonistsI had heard reports shortly before leavingDubai of issues with wildfires in NorthernCalifornia, and one in particular that wasraging a short distance away from Tahoeand apparently threatening the race itself.I arrived in Tahoe on Friday with clear skiesbut an unmistakable smell of charred woodlingering in the air. The previous few dayshad apparently been appalling, with thick,noxious smoke enveloping the entire area,making it hard to even venture outside.Fingers were firmly crossed as everyone

prayed to Mother Nature to keep the windsswitched round, thus keeping the smokeaway for race day. The fact that the fire wasset intentionally made it even more galling,and the perpetrator is, at the time ofwriting, in prison.

Taka (a fellow Dubai Tri Pirate) andI are about to leave Dubai for theUS for our respective races.

Smoky Squaw. Thick smoke coversthe area, making the race impossible.

Bike in transition. Racked and raring to go!

Fire ends Ironman Challenge for now

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Sign in and final preparationsOnce I was settled into my super sweethome for the week a three bedroom al-pine chalet with views out over Lake Tahoe,towards the Eastern shoreline and Nevada it was time to head on over to SquawValley, host of the 1960 Winter Olympicsand the site of the bike to run transition andfinishing chute for the race. It was clear tosee why Ironman had chosen this site fora race, with the beautiful valley rising upto majestic peaks, serving as the perfectbackdrop to an epic finish. With race num-bers, swim cap and transition bags firmly inhand, thoughts turned to final preparations,including having a set of Zipp race wheels

fitted, giving my bike a real race-readylook.

Concerns about the swim were quicklyput to rest as I ventured into the lake to testout the waters, convinced that they weregoing to be bitingly cold. Refreshingly cool,and unbelievably clean and clear, was myrapid reassessment, as I enjoyed a pleasantswim past moored yachts and a packedlakeside restaurant, before donning runnersand taking in the sights, sounds and smellsof the forest during a short run, recappingthe trials and tribulations that had broughtme from a mere daft idea a year ago tonow finding myself in California about torace for real.

The courseRevered as one of the toughest courses onthe Ironman calendar, the entire race takesplace at a base elevation of 6,200 feet, withthe two-lap swim being in the crystal clear,cool waters of the mighty Lake Tahoe, atKings Beach, a gently sloping public beacha short distance up shore from the cutelittle town of Tahoe City. Once on the bikes,the two and a third loop course was to takeus along the lake, through Tahoe City andOlympic Valley, past Squaw Valley on toTruckee, before making the long climb upBrockway, topping out at over 7,000 feet,

before a lengthy downhill back to KingsBeach. T2 was at Squaw Valley, home of the1960 Winter Olympics, with the marathontaking runners out to the turnaround atTahoe City, along the Truckee river, keepingeyes peeled for the plethora of wildlifespecies native to Tahoe, including bears.The two-loop run eventually finished backin Squaw Valley, with the mountains servingas the backdrop for what would have beena memorable moment.

The drama climaxesWith the air remaining clear all of Fridayand Saturday, all was looking good forrace day, with the organisers stating that a

final decision would be made on Saturdayafternoon, which came and went. It was,however, with a sense of impending doomthat the winds swung round late Saturdayevening and the smoke started its insidi-ous creeping re-invasion of the area, muchlike a Dementor scene from Harry Pot-ter. Waking up to catch the buses fromSquaw Valley on race morning it seemedas though the smoke was thicker than everbut with no announcement made we wereall very much in race mode, chatting excit-edly as we all headed down to the lake forthe swim. With bike primed, special needsbags and nutrition prepared, and wetsuitdonned, my initial race nerves soon con-

verted to sheer excitement at the imminentstart and the culmination of a year of gruel-ling work. Heading out to the lake shore,goggles in hand and race plans crystallisingin my mind, I was now pumped and justeager to get started. Then the disaster

The race was cancelled! Called off atliterally the last minute, with the pros evenunder starters orders and some age-group-ers already in the water. The reason, as weall suspected but didnt want to believe,was the unhealthy levels of smoke in theair making the conditions hazardous tohuman health. In spite of hearing the wordsand knowing at gut level that the decisionwas the only sensible one to be made,

the sense of disbelief was palpable. Somuch so that most of us, myself included,simply ambled back towards transitionalmost expecting a second announcementto be made telling us that a terrible errorhad been made and that the race wasto go ahead after all. No such follow-upcame and so as quickly as excitement hadpeaked, a crushing sense of anticlimaxwashed through the crowd.

We had come as close to starting therace as was possible and yet it had beensnatched away. That was it. Our race wasover before it had started and a year ofpreparation, it suddenly seemed, had

amounted to nothing. Some athletes,whether through a sense of not wishing toaccept that which had been stated or, morelikely, on account of needing an immedi-ate outlet for the caffeine induced energyabout to burst out of them, completed theswim course and I later saw people out onbikes and running, in spite of the chokingsmoke that gradually crept as far as TahoeCity itself. In hindsight, I wish I had at leastdived in and completed even one lap ofthe swim loop, but in my sense of numbdisbelief I simply did what most did andcollected my things before boarding thebuses for a return to Squaw Valley, by thenalmost invisible on account of the noxious

smoke blown in from King County. A returntrip with my bike to take back the wheels,an expensive 24 hours of mere decoration

as it transpired, and I turned my back onSquaw Valley for the last time during mytrip, left to wonder what if and contemplatewhether or not I would be returning thenext year to legitimately claim my finishersmedal. Talking of medals, the ones thatwe were due to receive at the finish wereleft out for us to pick up, an exercise thatcarried a sad sense of fraud about it. I col-lected one, more out of simply followingthe herd than actually wanting one, andeven now I look at it with a deep sense ofsadness, anger and disentitlement at beingin possession of it. Why had Ironman evenmade them available? It seemed wrong thatthere were two thousand medals out there,awarded for a race that was never stagedand owned now by people for whom theysimply serve as painful reminders of a shat-tered dream.

The aftermathLong story short, I ultimately signed up fornext years race, determined to return andconquer it. With ice last year and now firethis time, every athlete will be keeping theirfingers firmly crossed for a calm Mother Na-ture and finally getting to race Lake Tahoe.

If you would like to continue followingthe training and racing exploits of Chris ashe prepares for his new challenge of racing

Ironman Lake Tahoe 2015, then you can doso via the website www.ironvet.net or viathe Facebook page, Ironvet 2014. Similarly,if you would like to donate to the WVS andsupport Chris chosen charity in this chal-lenge, then you can do soat www.justgiving.com/ironvet.

Home for the week a beautiful Three-bed-room chalet overlooking Lake Tahoe.

Determined to have some fun, I took to the lake regard

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ACTIVITY REPORT

Words + Photos By:Andy McNab

So what do we know? Firstly, it costcountless millions of Dirhams, Dollars orwhichever currency you care to use. It isdriven by a robot, each day up to 140,000people use it for their daily commute orcoffee shop meet up. And if I remembercorrectly, I first wrote about its imminentarrival way back in 07.

Until a few months ago, I was a self-confessed metrophobe, for whateverreasons [robot drivers youve heard ofSkynet?] I had never really felt the need todo the two-railed cruise. No matter howmany people recommended it, I wasntreally that fussed. However, as soon asI broke my mass commute duck, I wasinstantly turned on to, not just an easierand less gridlocked system for gettingfrom A to B, but also a never-seen-beforeperspective on the city. From the elevatedride the metro permits, you begin to spotopen areas that were until now not aneasy spot. Previously hidden trees and

FAST TRACK

TO FREEDOM

**Do pack sun screen and water**

Walk Route A to B Al Ras Metro Station (Green Line only)to Union Metro Station (Greenand Red Line service)

Distance 2.75km

Time taken (with refreshment stops) 120mins

Thismonth, Andy McNab gives his trusted 4x4 a summer break,and instead surfs the silver snake to get him to one of Dubais mostaccessible patches of prime real estate to stretch his legs.

small patches of green popped into view,and there seemed to be a little morespace between the buildings in even themost cluttered of neighbourhoods. Nowthat I am fully plugged in and assimilatedinto the Dubai Metro network I use it onceor twice a week and I guess the ques-tion has to be asked, is it the best wayto see the city and get outdoors at thesame time? Over the next few monthsOutdoorUAE will wield its NOL card withimpunity, as we hop on and hop off in pur-suit of some of the citys best kept openspaces and city walking routes for youto enjoy with family, friends, visitors or insplendid solitude.

CREEKSIDE STROLLOn opposing sides of the Creek, Deiraand Bur Dubai have always been re-garded the beating heart of the city. Aplace where the late night neon shinesjust as brightly as the daytime fabrics andgemstones. Where the pace of business isalways lively and often frenetic and where

Cargo waiting to be loaded.

Bastakiya - faded face of Old Dubai.

Bikes, bikes and more bikes awaiting transfer to Iran.

shiny, new Dubai seems like a hazy desertmirage.

ARRIVALFor our first outdoor excursion werejumping off the metro at Al Ras, Ras,meaning head in Arabic is right on theapex of the creeks first meander. The

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pass numerous small fishing and marinesupply shops on your left. Although fish-ing is prohibited along all of the Creek,the shops are useful to know for pendingoutdoor activities. I even stumbled acrossa fly rod and feathers in one, which I amassured are not so easy to come by inthe UAE. Also theres a small Indian caf,which is fine to refuel with sweet tea anda quick paratha bread. Swing a left at the

end of the shops and Civil Defense, andenjoy the shade of a few trees as you passSt Georges Hotel left and library right.

Pick either side of the street, althoughyou will soon see, the waterside sidewalkprovides the best vantage point over andalong the Creek. Lace up you sneakersand enjoy a very pleasant walk. Simple asthat. After around 200m youll approachthe Dhow Wharfage which stretches forthe best part of a kilometre. First you willpass the smaller dhows and they seem toget progressively bigger until we finishwith whoppers. When you think, tradi-tionally dhows were constructed usingonly wooden pegs and rope to hold the

timbres in place, they are amazing ves-sels. These things should never be takenfor granted, they may look battered andbruised in most instances, but they arestill marvelous machines and testamentto the local boat builders ingenuity andcraft.

A SNAPSHOT OF YESTERYEARWhether or not heritage is your bag, dotake a brief pause and look across thewater to the Bur Dubai/Bastakiya side,where you have got to appreciate thisfading faade of Dubai. There is Bankof Baroda on the left, one large mosquecentre, the minarets of another far rightand in between all manner of low risebuildings, shops, cafes and restaurants, asif to testify the age of this snapshot intothe past there is a three-storey date palmadding a splash of vert into an otherwisedrab colour palette. Three-storey datepalms do not grow over night this isOld Dubai. The buildings reflect that,and thank goodness they do. In a citythat knows no limits and changes on analmost daily basis, it is good to see someevidence of a bygone era not only survive,but thrive.

As you progress on your way one thingstands out about the Dhow Wharf, much

like many other parts of Old Dubai, itis not pretty. It is not dainty or shiny orshowy. It is sweaty and noisy and real.Tyres, white goods, battered sewingmachines, car parts, A/C compressorsand what could best be described as apile of bikes seem to be the main tradetoday. Rewind 35 years and that greatglobetrotter and outdoorsman MichaelPalin hopped on to a Dubai dhow andmade the trip across the Indian Ocean tothe then Bombay. Im not sure whetheryou could get away with that these days,and I doubt the dhows are equipped witha priority boarding, first class menus or E-Gate, but for some salty old sea dogs out

there, this is day-to-day life and a meansto feed a family, and I guarantee, if yousmile and wave up at them, theyll smileand wave back as they take rest beforetheir next crossing.

Continue along with dhows on yourright and notice Deira Spice Souk on yourleft certainly worth a look if you have notseen before or if you need a fix of someIranian Viagra (honey) or dried lemons

(yum yum!) At this point on the waterfrontis Deira Old Souk Abra station, where oneshiny Dirham will get you across to theBur Dubai side, expect wet feet and dontexpect an overbearing health and safetyprocedures demo. If you are wanting alittle more sightseeing, and why not, youare here after all, 120 AED will buy you aprivate abra (water taxi) stopping off at afew points up the Creek, until you reachCreek Golf Course and then back. I guessif you have visitors in town or a lazy dayitinerary you may fancy.

PUT YOUR FEET UPKeep on along the waterside for a further

500m past Radisson Blu and glass-frontedDeira twin towers and youll come toa small municipal green space on thecreekside, directly opposite the imposingExpo 2020 emblazoned Dubai Munici-pality office block. Its not going to be alife affirming experience or the greatestpark you have ever encountered, but itsa pleasant, basic outdoor space which ishome to two camels, and plenty of seat-ing from which you can watch life on thecreek gently pootle along. There isnt anyreal shade here, so do be careful not tosit out during the hottest part of the daywithout water and a cap.

Once you have had your fill of Creeklife, dhows and abras. Cross the mainroad and head through the DM car parkto the pedestrian overpass. From thereyou are basically at Union station and yourwalk has concluded. Nice and easy. Unionis a green/red station, so from there youcan literally pick your next destination anddescend, descend, descend into the coolonce more.

PS: The walk can be done in reverseorder and is the same distance.

PPS: If you are feeling particularly activeyou can jog the route, it doesnt cost anyextra.

Happy walking.

Super-sized dhow.

Contrasting cityscapes

Friendly faces from the cabin.

Keeping watch over the Creek - DMsvery own humped guardian

underground platform is decorated withnumerous friezes that reflect this patch ofDubai and its maritime past. It is the pointon the Creek at which pearling boatswould launch and dock during their gru-eling summer season. The pearls beingcounted out, sorted and priced, beforecaptain and crew received their share ofany profits. One of my favourite OldDubai pictures is exhibited on the wall,the aerial photograph of the 1950s Creek.A kink in the creek and a smattering oftemporary barasti shacks and one hum-

ble-looking palace. It is an education initself. A reminder of both past hardships,and rapid pace of change and develop-ment that swept through this part of townwhen the regions fortunes changed.

Exit the station at Exit number two(Al Khor Road) (Khor, meaning creek).Once outside you should be pleasantlysurprised by the open space, althoughyou are in the midst of arguably Dubaisbusiest business district, the station isslightly distanced from the 24-hour mad-ness. Directly ahead, you should see theHSBC Bank HQ in the middle distance,this should be your direction of transit.

As you walk towards the Creek, you will

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Back in the early 90s I was a windsurfinggeek, and nothing could change the ideathat windsurfing was the ultimate sport forme, but every true adventurer knows thatoutdoor sports keep evolving to feed theadrenaline cravings that fire in our brains.

ACTIVITY REPORT

St Thomas Bay, sometimea quarter of century ago . . .Words + Photos By:Glen Grixti

As I recall back, myself and fellowwater sport geeks were having a groupwindsurfing session at St Thomas Bay inMalta, the small Mediterranean island Icall home. A friend of mine showed mea picture of a new sport that was beingtalked about by virtually everyone. Itwas a picture of the two French brothersDominique and Bruno Legainoux beingpropelled by a kite on a board and ittugged at my curiosity.Lets dive into a bit of history!Kitesurfing (or kiteboarding) is one of thelatest crazes to hit the world of extreme

sports. While the sport may seem newto many people, with super lightweightkites, carbon fibre harnesses and stateof the art boards, its roots can be tracedback to China in the 14th Century, wherekites were used to drag canoes out atsea. Through the years, the concept hasevolved until it became what we seetoday as kitesurfing, and, as you wouldexpect, as the sport has evolved, so toohas the equipment.

The first kite tested by the Legainouxbrothers was done with a pair of water skisstrapped to their feet, and that was pat-ented way back in 1985. The same year

they did a presentation of their inventionat the Brest International Speed Week.Unbelievably, the windsurfing companieswere not interested in investing in thisnew sport, and this led to the brothers tofurther improving their kites.

In 1987, Bruno gave a demonstra-tion with the biggest wing ever made,(17mx2m), the following year prototypekites became smaller, lighter and weremore stable. Great improvements wereachieved and you could see kites propel-ling catamarans, small fishing boats, waterskis and windsurf boards, skateboards,

inline skates, inflatable boats, kayaks andbuggies, almost anything and everythingwater or beach based.

The inevitable breakthroughAround 1993, the two brothers met withNeil Pryde a very well known windsurf-ing manufacturer and the first commer-cially obtainable kites could be found forsale under the name of Wipika Trademark.The ball had started rolling and RobbyNaish and Don Montague (surf legendsturned manufacturers) asked the brothersfor a license as well. Kiteboarding startedgrowing at an unstoppable pace and the

Originallyfrom the beauti-ful Mediterranean outdoor hubof Malta, now a globe-trottingblogger with a passion for onething and one thing only GlenGrixti is a kitesurfing enthusiastand expert. With over 25 yearsstrapped to a board, it is safeto say he knows a thing or twoabout this relatively new openwater pursuit. Were starting to-day with a history lesson, so payattention at the back!

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In months to come Glen will sharea few real-life experiences and tipsand is also here to field any of yourkitesurf related Qs. So, if you haveany ahead of the UAE season kickingoff, send them in and well test hisknowledge.

brothers secured an intellectual propertylicensing agreement with Best Kiteboard-ing. The licensing agreement settled anyintellectual property rights between theparties for inflatable kites and controlsystems, past and present. Kitesurfing wasborn. So, rewind quarter of a century andwhat we know today is already 25 yearsold, and back then, in the mid 90s, trustme, it was not easy to fly a kite.

After moving to Holland in 2000 for myhotel internship I was desperately lookingfor a kite, and believe me they were stillvery hard to find. Finally I stumbled upona small windsurfing shop that featured aWipika sticker on the window, so I wentstraight in and walked out with my firstkite. It came with a small hand pump toinflate the leading edge and, as I browsedslowly through the manual, I rigged thekite in a field with very soft grass. Lateron my friend helped me launch and thekite started flying wildly from side toside, while I was being dragged aroundand leaving lines across the field like badhandwriting. I would not let go of the

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