Ridge Riders
Diving in Sweihan desert is always an eagerly anticipated outing given its stark contrast to anything in the areas that we frequent.
So, when Ridge Riders convoy took to the sand today, there was an unspoken commitment to unleashing their full arsenal of off-road driving skills so that the convoy could explore and experience some of the most majestic dunes this side of Liwa.
The prevailing winds had erased all visible tracks and handed the Ridge Riders a clean canvass. It also created a knife edge atop the long winding crests that Sweihan is famous for. This meant that our convoy had to commit extra focus just to stay on track, let alone complete the extreme challenges.
Ridge Riders got off to a furious start, flattening the top of an extremely pointed dune near the meeting point. This was by no means a large dune, but it did prove to be a little challenging considering that it was the first challenge of the day. However, once these off-roaders conquered their first challenge and got a taste for ridge riding, they immediately progressed to the next highest ridge in sight. This continued non-stop for the first hour and only stopped when the lead got himself bellied on a sandy peak and was safely rescued.
Shortly afterwards the convoy stopped for a well deserved breakfast in a serene spot surrounded by high dunes. With our bellies full and adrenaline from the first leg of the drive depleted, we set off to explore more of this beautiful desert.
As the dunes got higher and more pointed, multiple passes were required to shave the crests enough for the entire convoy to ride the full length of the crest in one continuous sweep. By the end of the trip we had covered enough ground to establish a good lay of the land. But it will take a few more trips to find those hand picked challenges to make a fluid off-roader drive here.
The off-roaders on today’s drive showed real grit and camaraderie and I have no doubt that they will be making a return to this area shortly to complete their exploration of this area.
Thanks Rathica, Zoubeir and Johann for your lively and supportive company. I look forward to the next episode of this drive.
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I almost forgot how enticing driving in Sweihan could be. It has to be my favourite desert in the country given the flow from bowl to bowl.
Our convoy was up to a great start and even the area closest to the road was thrilling!
The warm up quickly put us through our paces and we moved on to conquer all the ridges in sight.
Breakfast was timely and most welcomed and the desert temperature/ humidity were bearable. The last hour of the drive was when I really felt my car was “in the zone”. Shocks oil were optimally warmed up and provided such a smooth drive with plenty of traction. The car was also behaving after cutting our revs early in the initial part of the drive. I was on edge and enjoyed pushing the car to the limits whilst feeling the sheer power from the transfer case.
There were so many crests and bowls that we did not know where to start and where to end! Ridge Riders ploughed their way onto every visible one crest.
All in all, a Saturday in Abu Dhabi’s pristine deserts is the best way to finish off a weekend. Really, I mean, really looking forward to next drives in Abu Dhabi in the cooler months!
Thank you Preggy for organizing and executing such a pleasant drive, Rathica and Johann for the great company and positive vibes. And to my passenger for sticking with me throughout! 🙂
P.S: next time I will do a better job at filming!