OutdoorUAE - October 2014

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Climbing in Bulgaria

Issue 46, October 2014

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

On the cover: Read Macadam Photo by: Tara Atkinson Managing Editor Daniel Birkhofer Editor Glaiza Seguia-Godinez Administration Jane Mesina Sales & Marketing (advertisement enquiries) Linda Turcerova Tel: 04-447 2030 Mobile: 055 9398915 linda@outdooruae.com

OCTOBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

Behind my lens This is it, I can’t believe that I have joined the OutdoorUAE team not only to continue what the former designer did so well, but I am also privileged to join the outdoor sports community, which always believes that everything can be achieved when one is true to its passion and when one’s heart is open.

Published by Outdoor UAE FZE In cooperation with D32 Events P.O. Box 215062 Dubai, U.A.E. Tel. 04-447 2030 contact@outdooruae.com www.outdooruae.com

Looking back now, as a designer-layout artist and photojournalist for a newspaper in my country, the Philippines – particularly in the peace and security-ravaged Zamboanga City, having joined the media bandwagon on its exodus to the challenges in Mindanao – never did I think that I would have escaped unscathed from the dangerous journalist escapades.

Distributor Tawzea, Abu Dhabi Media Company P.O. Box 40401, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.

It was a bit of comfort that a similar professional stint took me here in Dubai when I was working for a Filipino newspaper for close to two years before I explored to seek better opportunities, and here I go. It is indeed a pleasure to be a part of the OutdoorUAE team.

Printed at Galadari Printing & Publishing LLC P.O. Box: 11243, Dubai, UAE

I am happy to be harnessed so well in this profession. More so that this publication is constantly on the move for exploration, adventure and discovery. I look forward to taking part in many outdoor adventure shows, I can’t wait seeing those before my shaded eyes. Rest assured in every “click” vibration of my DSLR lens means a sound photography on OutdoorUAE’s circulation thoroughfares. I’ll always be where the action is!

© 2014 Outdoor UAE FZE Issue 46 October 2014

Jung

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BETWEEN THE LINES Get to us on Facebook!

The information contained is for general use only.

While we have made every attempt to ensure that the information contained in this magazine has been obtained from reliable sources, however the publisher is not responsible for any errors. All information in this magazine is provided “as is”, with no guarantee of completeness, accuracy, timeliness or of the results obtained from the use of this information. In no event will the publisher, its related affiliates or anyone else be responsible for any decision made or action taken in reliance on the information in this magazine.

Daniel Birkhofer Founder and Editor in Chief daniel@outdooruae.com

Linda Turcerova Sales and Marketing linda@outdooruae.com

WHEN YOU’RE DONE READING, PLEASE RECYCLE!

Jane Mesina Administration jane@outdooruae.com

Jung Francisco Designer and Photographer jung@outdooruae.com

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EXPERTS & CONTRIBUTORS

All contents are under copyrights and may not be reproduced in any kind without written permission. © 2014 Outdoor UAE FZE Reg. at Creative City Fujairah P.O. Box 4422, Fujairah, U.A.E.

Glaiza Seguia-Godinez Editor glaiza@outdooruae.com

Kit Belen Our fishing pro

John Basson Moto/ATV and all round adventure seeker

Tori Leckie Writer, runner, blogger and adventurer

Eulogy van Dyk Outdoor loving Qatar explorer

Sean James Mountaineering and MTBing expert

Ian Ganderton Kayaker, climber, mountainbiker and snowboarder.

Enthusiastic jack of all trades, master of none.

Mike Nott The 4x4 expert

WANT TO CONTRIBUTE? CONTACT US! contact@outdooruae.com

OUTDOORUAE

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MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

CONTENTS 24 ADVENTURES IN SIBERIA

12 SUP 600KM

EVERY ISSUE

26 PETZL RocTrip

05 BEST SHOTS 06 EVENTS CALENDAR 38 LIFESTYLE 40 PRODUCTS 56 PEOPLE 66 DIRECTORY

EVENT REVIEWS & REPORTS 15 17 FINA WORLD CUP 16 OFFROAD BUG IN JORDAN 18 MTB IN UAE

TRAVEL + ADVENTURE 22 KILI CLIMB 30 HONEY BADGER 34 CLIMBING IN TONSAI

LIFESTYLE 38 HABITUALLY HEALTHY

OUR EXPERTS 48 CAPETOWN – TORI 50 ADVENTURE RIDE - JOHN

TIPS + TRICKS 62 GIANT TREVALLY – KIT BELEN 64 TRI TIP – TRACE ROGERS 51 DRIVING ON WET SAND

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52 ROAD TO ADDC

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

BEST SHOTS WINNER!

Here are the best shots sent in by you for the monthly “Want Fame?” photography competition!

Thank you for all your entries, they were all great and it was hard selecting the best photos this month.

Congratulations to the top three winners, who will each receive Buff headwear, five free copies of the magazine and the Advance Off-road book: Abrito Rosellosa Jr, Sam Bennett and Tala Luna. Well done!

To submit your entries, simply email us at competitions@outdooruae.com with the subject “Best Shots.”

Abrito Rosellosa Jr

Beautiful sunset in the UAE.

WINNER!

WINNER!

Tala Luna

Desert action at the DMX season 2013-2014.

Sam Bennett

Elephant Rock, Sri Lanka.

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MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

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EVENTS CALENDAR Stay up-to-date with the latest events

Featured Event

Dubai Off-road and Adventure Show 2014 November 6 to 8, Dubai Autodrome

A first of its kind in the region, the event will bring together the outdoor community, brands and organisations together. The event is a consumer show and social event with activities and retailers allowing exhibitors to showcase their products or services and get the visitors to try them out.

Visitor activation and interaction with the brands and products are the heart and soul of the event.

This interaction will ensure an informative, entertaining and thrilling event 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.com and like us on www.facebook.com/MeAdventureShow.

ADCB Zayed Sports City 5km & 10km Run 1 of 3 14/15

October 10, 7:00am to 1:30pm, Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi This is the first of the series for this season. The start-finish line is located outside the Box Office at the Tennis Centre and the course run is an official IAAF measured 5km and 10km road race. The series supports runners of all abilities and age groups and the 5km is a family-friendly run with trophies awarded for juniors. Our charity partner for the event will be associated with Breast Cancer Awareness month initiatives. For more information, visit www.abudhabistriders.com.

Ignite Pink is Punk Swim Run 2014 October 10, 7:15am, Anantara Dubai The Palm Resort & Spa

Pink is definitely punk. The swim and run event is back, bigger, better than ever and ready to raise funds and support for the Safe & Sound Breast Cancer awareness campaign. Compete as an individual or as part of a team of two (men, women or mixed). Entry includes Pink is Punk singlet and more! For more information, visit www.ignite-wellness.com.

Red Bull Sultan of the Desert October 10, 7:30am, Wadi Adventure Al Ain

An extreme endurance test of both the mind and body, this event will have individuals or teams of three complete for 15km run, 15km MTB and 12km kayak for the title of “Sultan of the Desert.”

Kayaks will be provided. For more information, visit www.redbull.com/mea/en.

Desert Warrior Challenge

October 17, 7:00am to 10:00pm, Jebel Ali Golf Resort &Spa Find out if you’re a real warrior at the Desert Warrior Challenge obstacle course designed to test your physical power, mental strength, teamwork and overall fitness. The event is open to individual or team participants with various skill and fitness levels, from children to the extreme athlete. The courses will have participants run, crawl, jump, carry, climb and slide their way to the finish line, with a feeling of accomplishment unlike any other. DWC is also partnered with the best training facilities and programs in the region, to give potential warriors all the tools they need to prepare for the big day. To register and for more information, visit desertwarriorchallenge.com.

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MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

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EVENTS CALENDAR JLL Roy Nasr Memorial Triathlon 2014 October 18, 8:00am, Jebel Ali Golf Resort

This triathlon held in memory of RACE ME and TriDubai founder Roy Nasr consists of two races.

The Super Sprint distance, which includes a 375m swim, 10km bike ride and 2km run, is a perfect starter for those who have never before tried a triathlon. It is also a refresher course for the experienced to brush up on their skills. The second race is the Sprint Distance which includes a 750m swim, 20km bike ride and 5km run. For more information, visit www.race-me-events.com.

2XU Triathlon Championships Series Race 1 of 3 Season 14/15 October 24, 7:00am, Al Mamzar Beach

Calm waters in the lagoon, closed roads and a designated running track will ensure a safe and speedy race for all with three distances including Sprint, Super Sprint and Olympic available. This is open for all ages and abilities and relay teams of two and three people are also welcome to enter. Enter this event and stand a chance of winning an all expenses week long holiday in the French Alps. For more information, visit www.supersportsdubai.com.

Westin Kilo-Marathon Run 2014 October 24, 8:00pm, The Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort

Run under the lights of one of world’s most iconic golf courses, Abu Dhabi Golf Club, where runners will complete six laps set across the garden course with bit of pavement and sand to navigate through. There is also a three-lap option and a one-lap run for those out for the fun.

The Westin Abu Dhabi charity run supports the 2014 Road to Awareness fundraising campaign by Starwood Hotels & Resorts, aimed to support and fund UNICEF projects. Since the beginning of the campaign in 2008, over 2.5 million USD has been raised for this great cause.

The race promises to be a unique evening with fun activities for children and adults.

For more information, contact steve@abudhabistriders.com.

Gulf Bike Week 2014

October 30 to November 1, Dubai Media City Amphitheatre

NAL RNATIO

THE INTE

& lif est

Get ready to rock at the ultimate festival for bikes, music and lifestyle. Now powered by Discovery Channel, the festival has a host of awesome new attractions, music stages, celebrities and exhibitors so you can enjoy an incredible day out. All the latest bikes, gear and accessories will be on display from leading manufacturers including Harley Davidson and top distributors such as MTM Powersports. For tickets and more information, visit www.gulfbikeweek.com.

Already in its fourth year, the Doha College organises this popular running event for everyone in Qatar and beyond. Choose between the one-lap 5km run and the more challenging two-lap 10km race. For more information, visit www.dohacollege.com.

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ADVANCE DAY PASS 65AED

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30 OCT - 1 NOV 2014

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TWO MUSIC STAGES 15 BANDS PLAYING 31 SETS

Doha College 5K & 10K 2014 October 31, 7:00am, Aspire, Qatar

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22/08/2014 15:59

The Contagion Run - Dubai

October 31, 4:00pm, Nad Al Sheba Bike and Jogging Track Run for your life – literally! Check out Dubai’s first zombie-themed 5km obstacle course. The story is that a contagion has infected humanity, turning people into zombies and the only way to escape is to, well, run. Runners can either be a zombie or survivor.

For more information, contact contagionrun@gmail.com.

This is just a selection of the events taking place this month, for more upcoming events visit: www.outdooruae.com/event

OUTDOORUAE

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MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

NEWS + COMMUNITY

Asaar UAE breaks Asiania Record and brings gold home UAE Parachuting team takes first place at Asiania Championship 2014 and accomplished the highest number of formations performed in 35 seconds jump The UAE National Parachuting team Asaar returns back home with the gold medal and new Asiania record for the most formations on a single jump.

Parachuting Championship took place in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia on Photo By: Max Haim September 5th to 14th, 2014. Leading 16 points its rapid climb up the competitive ahead of China, Asaar created a skydiving scene and its promising staggering 30 formations in 35 future. seconds. A record of such magniAsaar has scored 113 points while tude was last achieved in 2008 by the team that came second, China, Singapore with 29 formations. scored 97 points. At this year’s Dr Ahmed Al Sharif, Director Genchampionship, other competitors eral of Dubai Sports Council, has included teams from: China, Oman, expressed his excitement: “A new Singapore, Indonesia, Bahrain, triumph will be added among many South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and others in the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia. with the Skydive Dubai team achievThe Asaar UAE team comprising ing a great success on the Asian six members, namely: Abdulaziz Continent level. Skydive Dubai, with Shukari, Abdulrahman Almaamari, the support of HH Sheikh Hamdan Khaled Abduljalil, Ahmad Alabdooli Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Makand Iurii Railean are led by their toum, The Crown Prince of Dubai, captain, Craig Girard, a seven-time has become a pioneer in regards World Champion in formation skyto sports and will continue to strive diving. With an extensive 33 years in setting more records in local and of experience in the sport, Craig world championships.” has made close to 30,000 jumps. In “We would like to thank His 2012, he was inaugurated in the Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Skydiving Hall of Fame. Among Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum his several world championship The Crown Prince of Dubai, the titles and medals, he also holds Chairman of Dubai Sport Counthree world records for the largest cil, and His Excellency Nasser Al formations, in addition to the recent Neyadi President of Emirates Aero Asiania record.

Sport Federation and Chairman of “We are thrilled with this acBoard of Skydive Dubai, for their complishment. We felt very proud continued support. We are also very seeing our flag fly high. We are truly thankful for all the people who have honoured to be able to bring this been behind this victory, especially accomplishment to the UAE and Asaar UAE team for their outstandSkydive Dubai and would like to ing performance. We feel this is thank them for their immense supjust the beginning of their success port,” comments Craig Girard, the journey,” says Mohammed Yusuf, Captain of The Asaar UAE team.

Executive Director at Skydive Dubai.

The Asaar UAE specialises in a The Asaar UAE has been received skydiving discipline called fourby Dr Ahmed Al Sharif, Director way formation skydiving. This is a General of Dubai Sports Council, discipline where four team members the Crown Prince of Dubai Office perform a sequence of five to six representatives: Hassan Al Mazroei, formations in free fall and the fifth Ahmed Al Marzouqi, Mohammed team member captures the team Al Obaidli and Mohammed Yusuf, on video. The team has 35 seconds Executive Director at Skydive Dubai from the time they leave the airplane at the Majlis of the Dubai Internato perform the sequence as many tional Airport to greet and honour times as they can. the team for its stellar performance,

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Fujairah Offshore Fishing Tournament 2014 18 sponsors and 40 fishing fans register for competition with more expected Palma Holding, in conjunction with the Fujairah International Marine Club (FIMC), is pleased to announce the Fujairah Offshore Fishing Tournament 2014. Held under the patronage of HH Shiekh Saif Bin Hamad Bin Saif Al Sharqi, Chairman of FIMC, the competition is part of the World Championship Qualifying Event and will be held between October 16th to 18th, 2014.

This year’s edition of the annual tournament has attracted 18 sponsors to date, with 40 anglers so far signing up to participate. The number of sponsors and competitors is expected to increase in the run-up to the popular event, which attracts expert anglers from the region, keen on winning the tournament to qualify for the 2015 world championship event to be held in Costa Rica. The first day of the tournament is taken up with captains’ briefing sessions, with the second and third day dedicated to fishing. The teams start early to prepare their boats before setting out on their fishing adventure at 6:00am. The day will end with participants invited for a dinner at FIMC’s Harbour Club, no doubt with many regaling their fellow competitors about the one that got away.

The third and final day sees anglers back out at sea from 6:00am to try and secure as many points as possible to win the tournament. The tournament awards ceremony takes place shortly after the fishing ends on the third day, with several categories for winning, including Biggest Tuna, Biggest Kingfish, Biggest Mahi Mahi, Best Lady Angler and Best Junior Angler.

Reinforcing the community nature of the event, all proceeds from the fish caught during the competition will be donated to the UAE Red Crescent. The awards ceremony will be followed by a barbeque dinner complete with children’s activities.

The Fujairah Offshore Fishing Tournament aims to promote fishing sportsmanship across the UAE by enabling the sharing of fishing techniques and encouraging the establishment of an angling community. It also seeks to inspire UAE youth to develop an interest in both fishing and ocean ecology. The competition aims to become an established and popular event on the UAE calendar thanks to the world-class fishing locations found in Fujairah.

Kareem Derbas, CEO and Co-founding Partner of Palma Holding said, “As a passionate fisherman myself this tournament is one that is close to my heart.

Angling is a wonderful pastime, whether pursued as a weekend sport to get away from it all, or as a competition to pit your fishing skills against fellow anglers. Whatever the outcome of this contest, we can guarantee that it will be a fantastic weekend for all participants.”

The Fujairah Offshore Fishing Tournament 2014 is open to men, women and children anglers, amateur and expert. For more information and to register for the tournament, please visit www.foft2014.com.

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

C limb on!

OCTOBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

ADVENTURE ZONE by Adventure HQ Words + Photos By: Glaiza Seguia-Godinez

Adventure is out there, and inside too at the new Adventure Zone.

The outdoor adventure retail superstore, Adventure HQ, has recently opened its very first stand-alone Adventure Zone at the Galleria Mall along Al Wasl Road, Jumeirah.

Taking from the success and popularity of Adventure Zone at the flagship shop in Times Square Centre, where guests can enjoy the cable climb and climbing wall, the team has created a new concept store focused on activities and entertainment.

“We started off as a retailer and now we have diversified into being an entertainment facility,” explained CEO and Founder Sam Whittam during the opening last month. “Adventure Zone is designed to engage with kids and adults in order to get them motivated, to challenge and to excite them to do adventure outdoors activities.”

The team have managed to convert the space into a well-designed activity area consisting of 12 educational and fun themed walls like the dinosaur skeleton, quizzical and castle. These climbing walls are perfect for little adventurers to build confidence and coordination. There is also the 6m-high climbing pinnacle with five auto belay lines for beginners to intermediate. If you seek more thrills and height, Adventure Zone also features a high-rope course with sliding skateboard, zip line and net obstacles 3.5m from the ground. There are also low ropes suitable for the littler tykes.

While the kids are busy enjoying and exploring, parents can sit back and relax with a cuppa at the newly launched Adventure Café. Their first food and beverage venture has indoor and outdoor seating, fresh brew and pastries, free WiFi and magazines. The space outside is also converted into an activity area with a small skate and bike pump track open until 6:00pm every day. The place is also an ideal venue for birthday parties, corporate events and team building exercises.

“This is the fourth store and all stores are different in style and concept, which is the benefit of having a supportive local partner.

It’s the benefit of having free-thinking, innovative and experienced team members that share their ideas willingly to come up with a solution that suits the market,” Sam added.

“To open three stores in one year has been a huge challenge but it has been very exciting and we’re pumped to bring our

Ice Warrior V

brand to life and cater to what people want and need. The outdoor community is not a huge one, but they are pretty tight, very engaged and it’s growing over time. What we are trying to do is foster this interest from a really young age so that kids can become climbers, mountainbikers and so on.”

For more information, contact 04 343 5110 or info@adventurehq.ae.

Store timings are from Saturday to Wednesday, 10:00am-10:00pm; and Thursday to Friday, 10:00am-12:00am.

guests the opportunity to participate in charitable giving in a totally unique environment. The event has gone from strength to strength and we encourage everyone to participate - although a certain level of fitness is required for serious competitors, others can participate simply to experience a unique obstacle course on the snowy hills of Ski Dubai,” commented Mr. Omar El Banna, Marketing and Sales Director for Majid Al Futtaim Leisure & Entertainment.

For further details, please visit: www.skidxb.com.

Ski Dubai’s Ice Warrior Challenge is back for a fifth year and all set to take on fitness enthusiasts and health aficionados by offering a race that tests the boundaries of physical endurance, mental strength, stamina and overall fitness.

Participants must overcome a diversity of unique challenges, as they complete the obstacle heavy course that includes ice wall hurdles, tangled rope climbs, truck tyre navigation, snow shoveling, and for the first time ever, a 1982 Chevy automobile placed on the snowcapped hills as the ultimate challenge. All proceeds from the Ice Warrior challenge will be donated to Dubai Centre for Special Needs, to help ensure that children with disabilities receive the highest standards of service in specialised education and therapy.

A unique charitable endeavour, the Ice Warrior V challenge will be held on Saturday, 1st of November at 8:00am and registration is now open at www.premiermarathons.com. Participants can compete

Photo By: Adventure HQ

as individuals or in teams of five, with the first place winners (male and female) claiming the coveted title of “Ice Warrior 2014,” in addition to receiving a flight to Amsterdam and two nights stay at Snow World Landgraaf, the largest ski dome in the world. All participants will also receive giveaways, vouchers from Ski Dubai and be entered into a draw to win the chance to fly to any destination in Europe, courtesy of Air France and KLM. “Ski Dubai remains committed to giving back to the local community and we developed the concept of the Ice Warrior Challenge five years ago to provide

Ready to ride Liberty unveils Kawasaki Team 2014-2015 Words By: Glaiza Seguia-Godinez Words By: Daniel Birkhofer

The green daredevils from the Liberty Kawasaki team capped the last Dubai Motocross (DMX) season with fantastic wins including the 2013-2014 Team Winner award and Ross Runnalls bagging the MX1 and MX2 Champion title. Reeling from their success, the 2014-2015 riders are pumped for the season opener this October.

“We have been the champions for the last two years and we will continue with the winning streak,” said Kawasaki Division Head Ravi Nair. Although last year’s MX1 second placer and MX2 third placer Sean Gaugin will no longer ride with them, Kawasaki now welcome Olly Eveleigh as a new member.

Olly will complete the line-up composed of experienced riders such as Jinan CD, DMX last season’s MX1 fourth placer; Dale Jullien MX1 third placer and MX2 second placer; his brother Dean Jullien 125cc second placer; young Emirati riders Abdullah and Ahmad Al Nuaimi, the brothers placed third at the 85cc category and Ahmad Al Nuaimi Abdullah Al Nuaimi second at 65cc respectively; and reignRider No: 174 Rider No: 174 ing moto champ Runnalls, who is also Class: 65cc Class: 85cc now employed with the Liberty Kawasaki sales team.

Liberty Automobiles Co, the exclusive dealer Despite tougher competition, the for Kawasaki in the UAE, gives its full support to team promises to hammer it down to the team. “Like every year, we have the bikes bring home more trophies this season. and on-the-track technical support. This time “Every Friday morning, the riders and around we are also highlighting a bit more on the kids are there practicing on the the Kawasaki brand and once you are there on track. Competition will be tight this the track you can feel the presence of Kawayear with some other brands bringing in saki,” Nair added. “Fans can definitely expect other riders from outside. Our riders are more excitement and challenges.”

Olly Eveleigh Rider No: No 4 Class: MX1

Jinan CD Rider No: 50 Class: MX1

Dean Jullien Rider No: 5 Class: MX2 from here, so we know the terrain and the track very well so that’s an advantage.”

Spectators are free to watch the DMX races at the Jebel Ali, Dubai and RAK tracks. For more information and schedule, visit the DMX page on Facebook or www.outdooruae.com/events.

Ross Runnalls Rider No: 1 Class: MX1 and MX2

Dale Jullien Rider No: 11 and 2 Class: MX1 and MX2

Organised by:

Tickets available at:

www.ticketmaster.ae

Approved by:

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

You love the outdoors, adventure, sports and off-road? Then the Dubai Off-Road and Adventure Show is for you, your friends and family!

FREE ACTIVITIES: Test drive 4x4s on our thrilling off-road track Be a co-pilot in an ATV Watch exciting motocross and quad demos Test ride different mountainbikes at the hill track Try out the fatbikes at the sand track Test ride a variety of road bikes Try out speedminton Conquer the climbing wall Try Stand Up Paddling boards and kayaks in our pool Balance on the fun slackline Climb along the high rope course (extra fees apply) and more

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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

If you need a break from all the excitement, stroll through the exhibition area and visit local shops and service providers showcasing their products and services.

Meet like-minded people or get more information on different local clubs and social groups.

When you get hungry and thirsty, we’ve got you covered with some great food stalls with a variety of offers and beverages also those for adults. If you need a breather from the action, sit down and relax in the chill-out area and listen to the tunes of our DJs, but don’t get too comfortable because we will turn up the beats after sunset.

Early bird tickets are only 30AED until 31st October 2014 Starting 1st November and at the entrance gate, tickets will be sold at 50AED. For special price promotion visit our website www.dubaiadventureshow.com

www.DubaiAdventureShow.com The event is sponsored by:

More of our partners and supporters:

EVENT REPORT

Exploring Words + Photos By: Tati Coco SUP

Some of my friends told me that my idea to paddle 600km was something crazy.

Exploring a new zone is an exciting experience for me, a way to dare myself and get out of the routine. When I first came up with this idea, I was not afraid at all, on the contrary I was extremely motivated and excited to discover new places. In the three months before I started, the stress increased every day. What will happen? Will I suffer or enjoy? Will I discover new exceptional places? Meet incredible people?

I had no idea what will happen, but today I have so much to tell you about countries, people, food, sea, water life.

It was just an incredible adventure and experience!

600km on a SUP sounds huge and it is, especially when you spend 7-8 hours paddling everyday under the heat, with only bananas and cereals bars, wishing for the wind to stop.

Today the 600km are done. It was a personal project after the Big 100km from Abu Dhabi to Dubai. This time I wanted to do something for myself, to prove that if you really want something you can achieve it. I had no special aim except to complete the 600km, take as many pictures as I can of my adventure, and share my love for SUP with everyone.

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600km

I paddled around three places: Sardinia in Italy, Mallorca and Ibiza in Spain. Every day I had a dry bag where I put my drink, food and rescue item.

The bag weighed around 8kg. Also I had a GPS watch, a GPS with map and my phone. Finally, my CamelBak, my

knife, sunscreen, camera, GoPro, stick, hat – around 3kg. My purpose was to achieve around 20-30km everyday. Some days the weather was so bad that it was hard and painful to the body. One day I completely paused my journey due to a very strong wind.

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

Let’s start with Sardinia, Italy A dream over an emerald sea, past architectural sites, beaches of snow white sand and massive cliff – this is Sardinia.

Sardinia is an island with natural contrasts: the light and colours, tradition, wild and pure nature make this place the best place for SUP. There are still great spots preserved where human presence did not seem to affect the ambiance. In the north, I had the most peculiar landscape as background and the cleanest water.

Among its wonders, Sardinia is the place with the most charming people I’ve ever met in all my trips. Cristian Dessi from the brand Lass Paddle was a pure example of kindness of the local people. With him, I never felt alone or lost.

He was just so friendly and funny. The Sardinian people made my adventure so perfect. For example, on the day I had a heatstroke, Mario De Roma, a local who loves to swim even in the worst conditions, helped and showed hospitality. I also wanted to speak about Enrico Lodi, who I met by chance on our way back to Capo Caccia to Lazzaretto. We stopped to refresh and have a chat with him, and

he paddled with us a little until we found a bar to take another break and drink a soda. Later Cristian told me that he is

OCTOBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

the first surfer of the island and he is the one who knows every spot and waves in Sardinia. Double respect!

In Sardinia, I never felt stressed by the tourist. It was peaceful compared to Mallorca. Some places were crowded, but you can always find some spots completely empty. Sardinia has more than 2,000km of coast and unfortunately, I only did 343km including a river (Riola) and two lakes (Lago Temo and Lago San Vero Milis).

There was no place I didn’t like or enjoyed in Sardinia. In the northwest coast from Alghero to Capo Caccia, you will find amazing blue-green waters, towers, snorkelling zone, caves and a big wall.

Alghero is a very old town surround by a historical wall and the view with the sunset by the sea is just magical. In Sardinia, the history is clearly alive. During my voyage, I saw many Spanish towers, archaeological sites like Tharros Ruins in San Giovanni di Sinis, the Castle of Castelsardo or the Nuraghe Towers. In Sardinia, everything

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and everywhere smell, taste and look different.

In the north, Stintino is a peaceful fisherman village. Heading east, you will find beautiful white beaches and heading west coast to Asinara Island, traditional boats, volcanic black rock, emerald water and towers.

I have a weakness for the area from Rena Majore to Santa Teresa Gallura. The best, most incredible background I’ve seen with white round rocks, the deepest and clearest water and extremely beautiful coast scenery.

All along the centre east coast you can paddle and see the whale rock in S’Archittu or his famous arch which is also a good place for surfing. The coast from Capo Nieddu to S’Archittu is not less stunning than the others. I still have many places to discover in Sardinia and I really wish I can visit this surprising land again and feel the Sardo spirit.

During my adventure there, I think the most annoying part was the wind on the side and the most difficult was to get a good rest. It’s very hard to organise this kind of adventure because we were always moving around, so we never had the opportunity to have a proper long night sleep. Around day 11, I started to get very tired and my shoulders ached, but at the same time, something is always

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pushing you to keep paddling. When you paddle for such long hours everyday there is a moment where you don’t mind the pain, the heat, the wind, you just want to finish your day and think about the next. In Sardinia, I had two bad days, a heatstroke which I recovered from quickly and I remember a very windy day. I was so tired, and I had so much pain on my legs, hands and back. I was completely absent this day. I only did 19km and it was on

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my way to Asinara Island. But still, I loved those difficult days.

I would like to say a huge thanks to Lass Paddle with Cristian Dessi and Helgo Lass; to all the people I met all around Sardinia; Isabella Dessi and her parents; Alejandro with his perfect Italian coffee; Mario de Roma and Patapunfete. And of course, a big thanks to Abu Dhabi City and ESSA, who were my main sponsors for this trip.

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

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ACTIVITY REPORT

World’s best swimmers in Dubai FINA/MASTBANK Swimming World Cup Dubai 2014 at the Hamdan Sports Complex Fabio Scozzoli during 100m breaststroke

Words By: Nicola de Corato

Some of the world’s best swim-

mers have faced off in Dubai for the FINA/MASTBANK Swimming World Cup held from 31st August and 1st September.

Among them was Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu, who bagged medals and set three new world records in the first round in Doha. Hosszu collected ten medals in Doha, seven of them gold. Wearing her trademark “Iron Lady” shirt, she expressed her excitement to be back in Dubai and determined to set more world records.

The Dubai competition was the second round of the seven-leg World Cup series, which happened in Doha from 27th to 28th August. After Dubai, the competition will move on to Hong Kong, Moscow, Beijing and Tokyo. The final event will be held in Singapore on November 1st and 2nd.

The Swimming World Cup was contested in a 25m pool and saw both men and women competing in 36 events. Points have been awarded for performances using a FINA scale which is based on the current world record time, and accumulated over the seven-leg series, with prizes for all medalists.

The first finals session saw the Hamdan Sports Complex come alive as the crowd witnessed two new world records.

Katinka Hosszu and Daniel Gyurta both set new world marks; Hosszu in the 200IM (2:02.13) and Gyurta in the 200m breaststroke (2:00.48). Hosszu picked up four golds from four events, the other three being the 200m freestyle (1:52.25), 50m

Katinka Hosszu on the podium

backstroke (26:10) and 200m backstroke (2:01.17).

Hosszu nearly added another world record in the 200m backstroke, but fell short. Gyurta was equally pleased to break his own record which had stood since 2009. Gyurta backed up after his world record in the 200m breaststroke to win the 100m breaststroke in 57.11, with Italy’s Fabio Scozzoli in second and Marco Koch in third.

We had chance to spend some time before the event with the Italian swimmer, who stated his goals for the races in Dubai: “Get a good feeling during the race and regain confidence with competitions of this level in order to continue the path with the Swimming World Cup in December.”

Scozzoli, a specialist in the breaststroke, concluded the event with two second places in the 50m breaststroke with a time of 26.37 and in the 100m breaststroke with a time of 57.40. The Italian confirms an excellent level of fitness for his return to high level competitions after the knee injury that stopped him for a long time.

Chad Le Clos took gold in the 100m freestyle at 46.24 ahead of Germany’s Steffen Deibler.

The second day started with Hosszu breaking her own world record in the 100m individual medley heats. Hosszu became the first woman in history to swim the event in under 57 seconds, breaking the record she set in Doha just four days ago. Hosszu’s time of 56.86 was .39 of a second faster, and is her fifth new world record in four days of competition.

Le Clos and Hosszu took the FINA/ MASTBANK Swimming World Cup Cluster (Doha and Dubai) awards and a bonus cheque for 50,000 USD each to add to the prize they already collected during the competition.

Hosszu continued her dominance taking a total of eight gold medals and one bronze in her nine events over the two days in Dubai, and breaking two world records.

Le Clos meanwhile kept his four-year Dubai winning streak going, winning two golds.

Ready for the next stage.

Nico With Fabio Scozzoli before the event

Fabio Scozzoli celebrating his second place in the 50m breaststroke

Blogger, marathon runner and triathlete, diver and heli rescue swimmer with Bergamo Scuba Angels. You can read my blog www.dubayblog.com, contact me on social networks or via email at admin@dubaiblog.it for information about this article or just to say hello.

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EVENT REPORT

Offroad Bug Explores Jordan The Offroad Bug crew embarked on a much awaited trip to explore the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Known for its cultural and historical sites such as Petra and Jerash, Jordan offers a plethora of world-class adventure and outdoor activities such diving, rock climbing, hiking and canyoning.

We planned our visit over four days to enjoy the country’s varied and diverse landscape and activities, and we’re happy to share the experience and recommend all outdoor enthusiasts in the region and beyond to visit Jordan.

Day 1 – 2: Aqaba Our trip started in the Red Sea port city of Aqaba. Although Aqaba claims a small share of the Red Sea coast, it has developed a reputation as a breathtaking diving destination in the world. Aqaba offers 30 dive sites that vary from shallow coral gardens and pinnacles to deep canyons and shipwrecks. Majority of the dive sites start at the shore and lead to pinnacles and drop offs that are within 150m of the shoreline. The Red Sea is typically calm and clear with visibility ranging from 2040m making for great diving conditions.

We started our first dive in the Japanese Garden reef just off the shore of the Radisson Blue Hotel in Tala Bay. The reef begins in shallow waters with fire corals and slowly eases into a magnificently colorful reef. As you move through the canyons and descend to 30m, you are faced with an intensely rich marine life which includes scores of lionfish, pufferfish, moray eels and schools of snapper.

Water conditions were optimal with visibility of 30m and water temperature of 23°C which made this dive extremely enjoyable.

Our second dive and arguably the highlight of our trip was the Cedar Pride wreck dive. The Cedar Pride, a former Lebanese freighter that caught fire damage in 1982, was deliberately sunk to form an artificial reef to divers. Water conditions, 30m visibility, were optimal allowing us to get a clear glimpse of the 80m long

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wreck and its vibrant marine life the minute we jumped off the boat. We explored the wreck from bow to stern making our way to the top of the wreck.

Twenty years of coral growth did not disappoint and provided for a very rich dive in which we saw soft and hard corals, schools of barracuda, seahorses and a grouper fish.

Day 3: Wadi Rum Wadi Rum is a 720sqkm UNESCO protected desert in the south of Jordan. The desert landscape with its red sand, narrow gorges, natural arches, towering sandstone and granite rock formation has become a global destination for adventure seekers and outdoor lovers. Wadi Rum is both a natural and cultural conclave as it holds more than 20,000 stone inscriptions that testify to 12,000 years of human inhabitation and the early development of alphabets, agriculture and urban development in the region.

The majestic feel of this vast landscape absorbs you the minute you enter the gated domain. The guides with their 1980 Land Cruisers received us warmly and we were ready to start our journey. At first, the state and capability of those cars were not very reassuring as we expected spans of soft sand dunes similar to the GCC deserts. However as we approached the desert, we quickly realised that the landscape is different to what we are used to. Wadi Rum is primarily made up of flat land that cuts through large sandstone and granite rock formations. The landscape was unique, rich and perfect for relaxed off-road driving and hiking. We then made our way to our elevated traditional Bedouin campsite to watch the sun set over this scenic landscape.

Day 4: Wadi Mujib Throughout our numerous trips to Oman, we developed great appreciation for canyoning and we were delighted to hear that Jordan offers numerous canyons.

In recent years, Jordan has developed a small eco-tourism industry that takes advantage of its 100 canyons that are plotted across the Dead Sea rift. We set our sights on Wadi Mujib due to its accessibility and convenience. Wadi Mujib is a reserve managed by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature to protect its surprisingly rich plant, animal and bird species. We started our hike at the Visitor Center and followed the course of the river between towering cliffs to the base of a large waterfall. The gorge was full of water and provided plenty of adventure as we climbed and hiked against the strong water currents. Alternative canyon trails offer additional rush, where hikers can abseil down a 20m waterfall, battling strong currents with bear hands and a will to conquer.

The beauty of Jordan is only matched with the unlimited hospitality of its people, who will always make any visitor feel like a long lost relative.

ACTIVITY REPORT

Marginal gains on your mountain bike Ways to go faster that you never thought of Words By: Sean James

The Sky Cycling team and David Brailsford coined the term “marginal gains” and “the aggregation of.” In short, this means examining every little detail and doing it better.

This combination of focusing on the small details could lead to potentially larger success. More often than not when we focus on mountain biking we think of riding longer hours, faster or more technical routes in order to improve. With that in mind we look at some of the smaller, some quirky, some questionable changes that you might have overlooked in the attempt to be a better rider on a mountain bike.

Clean your chain

It seems an obvious statement to keep your bike clean and well maintained, but how much extra does a clean chain give you? An experiment measuring power and watts of energy demonstrated that between 8-12 watts were lost with a dirty, unlubricated chain. Over a 16km ride at a speed of about 22kmph, this would mean a minute and a half in extra time and effort. More relevant to mountain biking is that on a 4% gradient, the amount of watts and extra energy needed to push a dirty, unoiled chain is equivalent to adding 4kg to your bike.

Tyre pressure

Tyre pressure can make a huge difference to the comfort of your ride, the speed,

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Changing the number of teeth on your rear cassette could give you some extra gears

the number of punctures you might get.

In fact a whole number of things. Changing the pressure during a ride or a race can be time consuming but it is worth considering. There are many factors to consider when thinking about what pressure to inflate your tyres to. Tubeless tyres generally have higher pressure. However pumping too much air into your tyres and making them rock solid will produce a very bouncy, solid, unforgiving and uncontrollable ride. The tyres act as a suspension so hard tyres mean less suspension.

Softer, underinflated tyres although offer more grip, especially on sand and rocky uphills, may mean more punctures particularly of the pinch variety.

The recommended inflation figures are always on the tyre and may say something like 35-65psi. This is quite a big range.

The correct inflation also depends on the rider’s weight. For example, a 65kg rider might find that 35psi in a 26x2.25in tyre feels too hard and therefore lacks traction and control. The opposite would occur with a heavier rider of say 85kg who would find the same pressure too low, again resulting in tyre weaving out of control and frequent pinch flats.

Therefore finding the correct and appropriate pressure for you, the terrain,

your style of riding and day is a combination and something you should be assessing personally.

Braking and momentum

One tip for braking is not to brake in corners. Again it sounds obvious but energy is required to build up speed again. Brake before the corner to allow control going in and to maintain momentum on the way out. Braking in a corner will slow you down sufficiently to require extra energy and power to build up the lost speed coming out. Over a long ride with many corners this could add up to a deal of additional wattage being expended and as an end result, tired legs.

Give the legs a stimulant

The area of artificial stimulants can be confusing and for some it is difficult to know where to draw the line. However with due diligence there are some very good products that provide definite benefits over water and processed sugar based products. Many manufacturers make products specifically tailored for certain diets such as lactose-free, vegan, gluten-free and organic. Finding one that does it for you on the internet and testing it on rides will provide motivation during

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

the season.

One vitamin that can be added to your diet and is often overlooked in building muscle strength and also helps the body to produce oxygen-carrying red blood cells is vitamin B. Vitamin B is found in whole grains, dark green vegetables and low fat dairy.

Specialist products such as SportLegs or Acid Zapper claim to prolong endurance for cyclists. SportLegs has a catchy slogan of being “a sports fountain of youth.” In a survey at Ohio’s Kent State University, 12 riders were able to ride against steadily increasing resistance for 11% longer than riders on a placebo after taking such supplements. Always check the product ingredients but many contain simple elements such as magnesium and calcium that push back the point at which the “burn” in the legs starts to slow performance.

Looking at the content of your sports drink can also be interesting. On long rides, glucose and sugar are important as fuel, but other elements also count. Long rides break down muscles and lead to stiffness and soreness the next day. Amino acids can prevent this. BCAA (Branchedchain amino acids) are naturally occurring in substances like meat, dairy and legumes but can also be added to sports drinks and snacks. Again Florida State University research showed that amino acids blended with carbohydrates will increase endurance and help rebuild damaged fibres. There are various methods to take BCAAs so check your favourite bars and drinks.

Breathing

Yes on the subject of marginal gains we are going to mention breathing. Breathing is something we all do without thinking but researchers have also shown that there are some very efficient methods that we as mountain bikers can use to increase the performance on the trail.

Our muscles work best with oxygen.

Getting that oxygen to them is key. How often on a ride do you consider if the position of your body or the speed and depth of your breathing is appropriate to give you the maximum oxygen uptake and allow quicker recovery?

Deeper breathing can play a vital role on a number of sections in a ride so concentrate on these to start. At the top

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Clip pedals on this sort of terrain are very efficient

of a hard climb you will be puffing and breathing rapidly, probably in short, sharp gasps and leaning bent over your bike while you wait for your mates to catch up.

There are better ways. Try to breathe from the diaphragm with exaggerated longer breathes, deep within the chest using bigger muscles to help the lungs expand and contract. It’s possible to do this whilst still riding.

Short, hard breathing by gasping maybe the only thing that you feel you can do at the top of a climb but it does not fully ventilate the lungs and leaves stale air at the bottom decreasing your lung capacity.

Deep breaths help expel this stale air and accelerate the recovery between hard exertions. Your heart rate will also become lower and your whole body will relax as a result of the additional oxygen.

Often on a climb or in an attempt to generate more speed you will be leaning forward over the bars. This may feel natural and the easiest way to recover but is not the best position to get oxygen into the body. After a hard section, try and be more upright with the head high to allow the airway to open more fully and the lungs to expand and breathe deeply from the chest.

Seat height

The amount of oxygen you can suck in can be determined by the height of your seat. If you are a mountain biker who has come from a road biking background, it is likely your seat will be much higher and in a more aggressive or racy position. A lot Maintain momentum and pedal the rolls

of your weight will be on the handlebars and you will be bent forward. Seat height is very personal and there is no problem with this. It is a very attacking, speedoriented position. Care needs to be taken on steeper, downhill sections but you will feel much faster on other sections.

Research for road/TT cyclists shows that a rider can generate more power as the seat is raised. So power increases as the saddle height is raised. However at a specific height the benefits then start to decrease as the body is too bent over, the airway is not fully open and oxygen is prevented from fuelling the muscles.

Many mountain bike manufacturers now sell bikes that have much more upright seating positions with a lever on the handlebars than put the seat up and down so you do not have to stop if you are riding a trail that is varied.

Look at the course that you are riding and determine the height of your seat and what works best for you. You may change it several times over a ride. Over a season it’s worth trying different heights.

How to pedal

Three per cent is quite a lot. If you could gain an extra 3% efficiency on your mountain bike without extra training and simply by changing the way you pedal and the position of your ankles, it is worth considering. You may need to setup a video or get a friend to watch how you pedal, but the key is to keep the ankles straight on the pedals. If the foot is flexed upwards or dorsiflexed, you are wasting large amounts of energy. Over the course of a ride, pedaling in an inefficient position with the ankle resulted in 37% more energy being expended by the calf muscles. Try and create a solid, neutral platform on the pedals to reduce muscle fatigue, increase efficiency and maximise power output.

Timing

Timing is crucial for everything. How many times do you wait until you are thirsty to drink? In a UAE summer this is probably after five minutes but in the cooler months of the winter this could be longer. There

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MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE Clean and lubricated chain will let you apply maximum power

are many theories about how much, what and when to drink. For long bike rides, drinking a drink with carbohydrate can help sustain energy and glycogen in the muscles much more efficiently if you start to sip it within the first 60 minutes. Research has shown that even if you are not thirsty, sipping a drink with added carbohydrate rather than water within the first 60 minutes will help to preserve glycogen stores in your muscles much longer. This first 60 minutes is crucial. Remember the body can only store around two hours’ worth of energy as glycogen in the muscles, so protecting this is important (unless of course you are trying to burn fats and muscle.) This is a topic worthy of several books and not a simple paragraph.

Compare yourself

Strava has done many things for biking.

It has changed the way we ride, train and compare ourselves to others. Not least, it lets us compare a number of data such as speed, power and distance. But what it doesn’t explain is why some people get KOMs on steep sections and some are better on the flatter, sprint sections. A study has shown that it may be down to your body type and size. The table below shows data from elite cyclists but is still worth seeing where you fit. From a number of elite cyclists, the data was collected to create an index and matched against whether they were climbers or sprinters.

Find your position in the index and see if you are focusing on what should be your natural strengths? Do you actually know if you are more suited to being a climber, sprinter or XC rider? Have a look at the chart below and see if your natural body ratios match those of the pros.

Baby powder

Even if you use tubeless tyres you will probably carry a spare inner tube (just in case the tube of foam and liquid tyre sealant doesn’t work). That spare inner tube may have been at the bottom of your CamelBak or in your saddlebag for the whole season. When rolled up, rubber on rubber creates friction and can wear patches or stick together. In addition, it’s also difficult to handle if it’s not completely flexible or smooth. In hot climates like the UAE, it’s a good idea to dust it lightly with baby or talcum powder so that it is preserved well and will slip into place quickly and easily when you need it.

Bike tweaks

There are several ways to increase the speed of your bike. A few are worth mentioning and experimenting with.

Stem angle. Earlier in the article we talked about seat height position. The higher the seat and the more weight forward over the handlebars, the racier your mountain bike will feel. Find out what angle your stem is. Maybe you can experiment by removing some of the spacers. Often the stem can be inverted to produce a different angle quite easily.

A predominantly downhill course might require a more upright position whereas a XC course on fast flowing fire tracks might be more suited to a race setup.

Tyre choice. The only point of contact between your bike and the ground can have a huge effect on the rolling resistance and therefore your speed. Do the type of routes you ride regularly require super heavy, grippy tyres or could you get a few extra watts of energy and speed by fitting a slightly less knobbled tyre.

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Gearing ratio. Again a potentially complicated subject but one that could make your mountain biking life very easy.

Unlike road bikes, mountain bikes usually come with a front and rear gear setup that is appropriate to riding hills. However you may find that sometimes you are “pedaling out” and can’t find any extra speed on the flatter trails or that you are having a hard time on the steep uphills and always in the largest ring at the rear and smallest at the front. Count the number of teeth on the rear rings. What is the number on the largest and smallest rings and see if you can exchange the cassette?

The more teeth you have on the big ring at the back, the better suited your bike is to climbing. Changing a complete rear cassette is very simple and cheap.

Having two cassettes is the ultimate in Dubai lifestyle. Having the correct tool is essential but it’s also a good opportunity to clean and soak the cassette when you remove it.

Start fast, finish fast

Although you may not believe it, research by the British with a small group of racers has shown that starting a time trial at a pace just above your average pace has increased the time it takes to reach exhaustion by 25% over those who started slowly or at an even pace. So if you want a fast time make sure you are confident and aggressive at the start of a ride. But don’t overdo it.

Clip pedals

Various figures from 10-40% are offered to state how much clip pedals save a mountain biker in terms of extra power over standard flat pedals. Not one piece of research says that clip pedals will cost you extra energy. If you’re riding trails they also stop your feet jumping off when you are flying over the rough ground. They take a bit of getting used to but should be seen as a vital part of the mountain bike. If you are looking for a higher cadence or RPM, clip pedals will also make your pedal action much smoother.

Pedal don’t roll

Obvious, really. More pedaling and less rolling means you will get around a course quicker. But why and when should you focus on pedaling? On rolling sections of mountain bike trail such as Showka, pedal the downhills. If you are looking to move up the Strava rankings or in a race, downhills are not a place to coast and take a breather. Pedaling downhill maintains momentum to get you up the other side and also naturally enough increases your speed. Further it avoids spikes in your heart rate so over a long ride your heart beat is more consistent and even.

In the constant search for improvement try these small adjustments next time you are out and share with your friends.

Maybe they have some unique tips that they can give you in return.

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TRAVEL + ADVENTURE

The ultimate high Words By: Samantha Cadwallader Photos By: Samantha Cadwallader and Luis Millan

If you’re looking to elevate your life experiences then a little altitude is all you need. Just remember to pack a couple of cans of Toughen-Up! Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest free-standing mountain in the world. At 5,895m, a towering 19,341ft above sea level, summiting Uhuru Peak is a challenge that attracts many people from all walks of life. However, with rapid elevation, the risk of altitude sickness, freezing temperatures and occasional high winds, it is definitely not for the faint-hearted.

With the driest months being August to October – there are two wet seasons, November to December and March to May – it is a fabulous adventure to squeeze in during an Eid holiday, which is exactly what I did. While the climb is not technical – you walk the whole way up – Kilimanjaro summit seekers need to be properly equipped and physically prepared. Having

completed Ironman South Africa 2014 and riding off the high of that, I still found hiking it in six days quite tough, especially summit day. But as the Comrades Marathon slogan goes: “Hard is what makes it great!”

There are various routes and depending on your choice it is either tented or shared hut accommodation. I opted for the Machame route and a tent with a view. It may be steeper, but it is considered the most scenic of all. Reaching the top is ultimately everyone’s goal, but it is important to appreciate the thrill of the journey as altitude sickness can affect anyone at any time, regardless of fitness level. Opting for a climb length of seven to eight days would definitely give your body more time to acclimatise, helping avoid the nauseating effects of altitude.

The trek takes you through various interesting vegetation zones: Forest (1,800m – 2,800m), Heather and Moorland (2,800m – 4,000m), Highland Desert Sunset at Base Camp

My fabulous guide Baraka and I after hiking through the rainforest, Day 1

(4,000m – 5,000m) and finally The Summit (5,000m – 5,895m), where you will navigate scree, ice and sometimes even snow while following the rim as it rises beside a massive, gob-smacking glacier. It is that impressive.

When tackling altitude expect an emotional roller-coaster of highs and lows, but this is quickly counteracted by wet rainforest ramblings, amazing sunrises, changing scenery, breathtaking views and stunning sunsets. The latter served with fresh popcorn or roasted nuts as entrées.

Kili is an authentic taste of Tanzanian culture and cuisine at extreme heights.

My personal favourite was scoffing lunch above the cloud line. On the menu that day was roast chicken, veggies, salad and thick-cut chips. Oh! And for someone who does not eat avocado, the guacamole was great too. The only thing lacking was the local brew, but above 4,000m it felt as close to heaven as I will properly get for a long time.

Summit day is undoubtedly the toughest mentally and the most demanding, but also the most rewarding.

Lava Rock Acclimatization Day

On cloud nine

The endless row of head torches traversing the mysterious mountain as people set off in pitch black darkness (around midnight) in pursuit of extreme happiness is an unforgettable scene. Then there are the stars. The Milky Way in all its glory – a sparkling sight to behold and savour, along with the quick rest before cracking on to Stella Point, 5,756m. From here to the top it is only a few hours (it feels like a lifetime) of gritting your teeth and digging deep. To quote Roy Nasser’s favourite saying, “Your attitude (really) determines your altitude.” One thing is for sure though, when you persevere and reach the top you are rewarded with spectacular views and a euphoric sensation that replenishes the mind, body and soul instantly.

However, the real words of success for climbing Kili are “pole pole,” which means “slowly slowly” in Swahili. So leave your city slicker, macho ego and competitive spirit at home while heading along this humbling path of nature and all things rustic. TIA! This is Africa.

Sunrise at Uhuru Peak, Mt Kilimanjaro at 5,895m

The Furtwängler Glacier is located near the summit

INFORMATION Getting there: Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines and Kenya Air-

ways (price varies per carrier, starting from around 2,200 AED) Cost: Ranges considerably, from 1,200 USD and above. As a solo traveller, I paid 1,750 USD through Kilimanjaro Nature Tours, which I highly recommend. Remember, you get what you pay for, so cheaper can often mean poor camping equipment, inadequate meals, less variety etc.

Tour operator: Kilimanjaro Nature Tours,

www.kilimanjaronature.com Guide: Baraka S. Dalali, email: barakamkami@yahoo.com, telephone: +255 (0)787 301259

Useful items: 2XU compression (for active and recovery use), Newton Running BOCO ATs (comfy approach shoes with a water-repellent coating for the rainforest), Nathan Big Shot 1l water bottle (hydration is key), GU energy gels and MuleBars (healthy snacks)

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TRAVEL + ADVENTURE

Adventures in Si ber ia Words By: Sean James

Maybe it is the special aura and isolation of the taiga wilderness, the magnetism of the rocks or simply just the plants growing wild that has made the Altai mountains in Siberia a centre for new age believers and in particular Shambalism. It’s not quite what you have in mind when you think of Siberia.

Siberia brings to mind images of vast open plains, prison labour camps and bitter cold. People shiver when they think of the wind and snow blowing hard from the Artic north down into Russia. Every explorer who writes about adventures in Siberia tries to paint a heroic image of desolation and discomfort. So it was a surprise when we arrived to climb the highest mountain in Siberia and found homemade jam, bread, green tea and a beautiful boutique chic style resort of log cabins. Well healed Russians were playing volleyball and offering homemade jewellery and crafts in the picture perfect forests. So why have you never Rock formations appear in the mist

Part 1

considered Siberia as an option to spend your holiday?

Siberia is not a country in itself but it should be. Siberia is actually a part of Russia. A very large part of it. In fact, a huge part of the entire world. Siberia is so huge it covers 10% of the Earth’s land surface. That’s 77% of Russia and almost all of Northern Asia. So it could be said that Siberia is Russia. Siberia is home to only 27% or 40 million of the Russian population and even that figure seems exaggerated when you are there. Siberia has only been part of Russia since the 17th century and if it decided it wanted autonomous rule similar to The Basques or Catalans it would certainly be one of the biggest if not the biggest nation in the world. It is not surprising that Russia exercises such tight control over the area as it is rich in minerals and ores. Some of the world’s largest deposits of nickel, gold, lead, coal, molybdenum, gypsum, diamonds, diopside, silver and zinc, as well as extensive unexploited oil and natural gas have made the Russian billionaires we see so often buying soccer clubs, yachts and the most expensive real estate around the world. Of course Siberia also has the world’s largest forests and produces over 10% of the world’s annual fishing catch. Starting to look at Siberia a little differently?

The name Siberia is very evocative and many meanings have been offered to its meaning: sleeping land, beautiful, north, water, place of peace, tranquility, happiness and wild land are all potential derivations.

We hoped to find all of these things in the “pure land” where all citizens are enlightened, although some of the group felt that the abundance of wild plants growing in the countryside may add to the feeling of spirituality and help the non-believers amongst us.

We flew into Barnaul in Western Siberia.

A town of 750,000 people, Barnaul is a typical Russian town based around heavy industry. There is no denying it, Siberia feels in the middle of nowhere; a place of frontiers and we were only on the very edges of Siberia. But that remoteness is the attraction of areas like this. For every square kilometre in Siberia there are three people. And remember Siberia is 10% of the surface area of land on the planet. By comparison the UAE has about 90 people per square kilometre. The skies and horizons here are huge and although you have just landed in a fairly big city you are aware that there is not a lot around you. For a long way. To drive between cities is a big undertaking but an adventure. Siberia is enormous. This feeling you don’t often get in Europe or the Middle East these days where millions of people live almost on top of each other and neighbouring cities are connected by fast roads, electricity and only a few hours. I have travelled a lot in Russia and its former states and this feeling exists in many of them and is quite unique.

Rafting down the river to start the trek

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Our first view of the approach to Belukha

The mountain range we were here to explore is called the Altai and the highest mountain in it, Mount Belukha. Belukha, according to local folklore is the gateway to the mythical Shambala kingdom and hence the Russian hippies we encountered on arriving. The names of foreign places and in particular mountain ranges always seem to have such contemplation and reverence attached to them. Altai in the Turkic and Mongolic languages means the “Golden Mountains.” Being from the UK I ponder the meanings of places such as Birmingham, Grimsby and Cardiff and wonder if visiting authors to the UK make such an issue about our place names.

Belukha is 4,506m high and even though it was relatively low we would put two high altitude camps above basecamp. There are no ski lifts here and although not as high as something like Mount Blanc it had a feeling of a major expedition involving big glacier crossings, no mountain rescue or helicopter evacuation.

The drive south from Barnaul is along the only major highway, the M52 but to call it a main highway is to be generous. 10 hours of bumping and swerving and overtaking on what seemed liked dirt tracks found us at the most wonderful resort of Visoytnik.

During the day we had seen the mixture of different types of people change noticeably. Further south, the eastern flattish features of Mongolian people became more Handicrafts for sale

Basecamp before the mountain

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Boutique style resort in the Siberian forest

apparent and unfortunately so did the alcohol-induced behaviour in the towns.

Unfortunately we only had a night in this most wonderful, idyllic woodland paradise.

The next day we loaded our climbing gear on to couple of sturdy horses and said goodbye to them. They would take the more direct route to basecamp whilst we would take a more leisurely five days on the approach trek, attempting to acclimatise and enjoy the landscape. Three hours later after gently drifting down the River Katun in a raft, we walked into a glade protected by trees and pitched camp.

Surprisingly precipitation, which includes both rain and snow, is generally low in Siberia, exceeding 50cm a year only in Kamchatka, an area of volcanoes in the Pacific north east of Russia. Kamchatka is a mythical land where volcanic eruptions are daily and expeditions are often re-routed but never dull. So it was a welcome bonus when the pitter-patter of rain woke us on the second morning. Low wispy clouds drifted over the forests below us and added a proper Siberian atmosphere. Well-worn paths wound through tall forests carpeted with flowers before emerging onto barren plateau dotted with sculptured rock formations, from the top of which gave vistas over the whole area. At night our local guide cooked for us over a wood fire a typical Russian fare: soup, jam, caviar and bread. Not another soul did we see for four days.

Cooking on wood fires

Our first view of the mountain Belukha on the fourth day was both spectacular and terrifying. The steeper north side was not our objective and we would trek up a glacier until we could approach from a more amenable perspective. However in the distance it still looked immense. During these past four days of trekking, we had seen deep valleys, fast flowing rivers, monstrous waterfalls and finally as we had basecamp in our sights we took a sharp turn to the north and went to pay our respects to the spirits.

There is something about mountains and isolation that attracts spirituality. Throughout Siberia there is a variety of beliefs, including Orthodox Christianity, Tibetan Buddhism, Judaism and Islam so we would be well protected in our endeavours. However this particular area is also regarded as a major centre of shamanism and polytheism is popular. Native religions here date back hundreds of years and there are many different local gods including Ak Ana, Anapel, Bugady Musun, Kara Khan, Khaltesh-Anki, Kini’je, Ku’urkil, Nga to mention but a few.

Our good luck lasted and the boatman quickly ferried us across the icy river for the short walk to the final camp; a collection of beautiful log cabins in the forest. Here we would rest for a few days waiting for a good spell of weather, enjoy the banya or Russian sauna, prepare our mountain rations and practice our slacklining. Russians love banyas. The best ones have a homemade feel to them. Similar to a small log cabin, all holes and escape vents for the extreme heat are blocked with whatever material is at hand. Never any internal lights except maybe a candle, they are completely dark and a raging wood burning stove pumps heat to furnace conditions. The Russians easily outlasted us and we would frequently burst out of the door searching for the coldness of the river and an icy bucket to empty over our head. Our local guide insisted it was also the total Russian banya experience to be beaten with some form of a tree branch. He took his job very seriously and seemed to take great pleasure in administering an expert beating to all of us naked climbers. The days resting here were very pleasant and we were glad on them before the more serious attempt on the mountain began.

(To be continued)

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TRAVEL + ADVENTURE

Petzl RocTrip

Base Camp 2 & 3 Vratsa & Karlukovo Cave, Bulgaria

Words + Photos By: Read Macadam and Tara Atkinson

We left Bãile Herculane in a diluvial state. “I’ve never seen so much water outside of the ocean!” exclaimed our French co-pilot for the journey across the border to Vratsa. “F%#+*g rain,” we all muttered. It’s become an oft heard expression these past days.

We did not get far. A few kilometres down the road we encountered a building traffic jam. After a brief wait, and with an idea of what was ahead, I judged the officer’s hand signals of metre deep water and mud as too much for our Renault Clio’s short stature. “You can wait maybe five or 10 hours, I don’t know how long. Or you take the long way around,” he shrugged.

We considered our options and decided for the detour.

Long way, indeed. We set off in the opposite direction or more the wrong direction and embarked on a three-hour detour to arrive us only 45km from where we left off.

Industrial relics line the road south

But we were eager for adventure! Back past the raging torrents of brown froth and tree trunks drowning in the Cerna River, we climbed on narrow winding roads through magnificent verdant hills and into the clouds. Down past rolling farmland and the rusted hulks of industrial power plants, with their gigantic stacks belching steam into the darkened wet skies, we arrived back to the main road and on toward our destination: Vratsa. After eight or more hours on the road we arrived at a scene straight out of mythical lore. The limestone spires of Vratsa reached out of the steep rocky hillside into the rain with their summits obscured by mist giving us the feeling that there could be a whole other world above the clouds. That night the Petzl RocTrip let out a collective sigh, “I really hope this rain clears up.”

Greeted by another ominous sky the next morning, the whole RocTrip gathered at

basecamp and set off towards Karlukovo.

With rain and floods biting our heels, hitting pot hole after pot hole, and after an hour or more of searching in the vicinity for the Petzl bus, we gave up and returned to the last junction in a grassy field. Low and behold the RocTrip bus pulled up just minutes behind us followed by an entourage of cars, white vans and 4x4s. The thing about Karlukovo cave is that it is totally unsuspecting.

We strolled down a completely unassuming gently sloping grassy knoll and I

The cave is famous for its two giant eyes.

Now it may be more famous for its climbing An ominous view of the steep spires of Vratsa

couldn’t believe it when the cave appeared.

Massive and right there under the road!

Walking into the cave was like having 50 children walk into a toy store simultaneously. People were all looking up, pointing, laughing and tying in to climb anything and everything. One step out of the cave and you would be drenched by torrential rain.

One step back inside and you had 40m of steep dry limestone to climb. Incredible.

Naturally with 50 people and a limited number of routes it was quickly congested but just to climb after all the rain was superb. 40m of tufa structures, jugs and edges was just what we needed to recharge after the previous day’s driving. That night the basecamp was buzzing despite the wet weather. Everyone was psyched to return to Karlukovo the next day to play on the superb rock.

How do you frustrate two busloads of climbers? Well you would get pretty close if you take them out to a huge underground Philippe Ribiere giving his all with shouts of “Allez” propelling him up in Karlukovo Cave

Tiger-striped orange, brown, blue and grey Jurassic limestone greeted us warmly. What a pleasure to climb in the sun and soak up that vitamin D. The season is short in Vratsa because the crags face mainly south and, with such a wet year, the rock was fresh, unmarked and clearly not overly climbed. We warmed up and then jumped on a classic 30m 7b+ with sculpted little pinch grips on virgin rock. Feeling great we moved up the hill climbing whatever was free and dry(ish).

The next one was a shorter, technical looking vertical 7b, completely wet on the finishing tufas. Our friend Guilhem, having just returned to climbing regularly after many years set off for the onsight and surprised himself by making it seem easy. He was in a moment of clarity and flow, it seemed, and we shouted out hoots of congratulations as he clipped the chains. Sometimes it’s just as rewarding to belay someone on a proud climb than to be the climber!

It’s cold in there! Read warms his hands while warming up on a very good 6c+ in Karlukovo Cave Guilhem sending Read up a brilliant 7c onsight in the sunset

Read and Arnaud sharing stories in Karlukovo Cave

crag – where the day before their hopes were lifted by the dry, steep, athletic climbing on exotic rock – and then make it all wet. With all the rain from the week before, water had begun to seep down most of the climbs! With a busy cave and queues forming, it fostered a shoulder-to-shoulder atmosphere where climbers from all over the globe, elite or beginner, could share the experience of just climbing. We all laughed at the state of things and made the most with impromptu games of hacky sack, taking photos and cheering each other on. Truly, this is the essence of the Petzl RocTrip so far. Where else would I get to share a rope with master French climber Arnaud Petit for an afternoon? The big question that night back in basecamp was, “will the sky let up here in town so we climb tomorrow?”

And it did! We awoke to blue skies and for the first time could see the peaks of the spires that guard the entrance to Vratsa canyon; beautiful peaks and faces, the longest rising 400m or more from the valley floor. With so much in view and a thick guide book laid out in front of us, the choice was tough, but we settled on a south facing crag, high up the hill that looked like it would be the driest of them all.

Read enjoying the fantastic rock structures of Vratsa

At the pinnacle of the crag is a shield of vertical rock I had been spying all day – finally it was free of other climbers and as we crested the hill, the sun was setting, bright and at the same time cool in the evening breeze. Perfect. I set off on an 8a extension to a gorgeous looking 7c, keen to try hard after so many slow days of rain and travel. I felt like the fresh, crisp air was urging me up and flowed almost effortlessly up the 7c first pitch only to realise at the first anchor that the upper overhangs were dripping wet.

D’oh! The rock needed another day or two to dry out, apparently, but I was so pleased to have been able to soak up the sun on a brilliant piece of climbing.

The RocTrip was now recharged on sunlight. Back at camp DJs Philippe Ribiere and Lafouche kept the energy flowing until way too late from the caravan as a very pleased gang of climbers from all over the world got down with their bad selves. “Vraaa!” I shouted out across the parking lot, now the familiar greeting from the last night. “Tsaa!”

Philippe shouted back. High five and huge smiles.

Another sunny day dawned so we headed back to the same cliff. Busier this time. Word was out how good it is. We warmed up on the opposite side of the cliff and found some magnificent tufa blobs and slabs full of moderate routes from 5a to 7b.

It was awesome and super inspiring to share beta and belay Philippe on a 7a+ slab that required patience and skill to negotiate.

Someone recently told us that we should all laugh at least two hours per day, but the past few days with a motivated and hilarious French crew have superseded our prescribed dose exponentially.

On the other side of the crag Tara got really excited about a 6c+ and tied in to

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If you don’t feel like partying, Vratsa has great camping options

Tara and Philippe Ribiere fire dance for the crowd at Karlukovo base camp

climb up on lead. It would be her hardest climb ever. “Tara, now you must focus and be precise.” Sage advice from a master: Philippe Ribiere. She stepped on to the rock and climbed with instinct and grace, like a dancer, unfortunately slipping just before clipping the chains. Sometimes it’s not only about the success, but the process and she was so excited to have tapped into a new headspace and state of flow.

In the fading of the day, the routes I wanted to try were busy. Motivated by watching Nina Caprez redpoint that gorgeous 8b I had my eyes on and with Mike Fuselier paragliding overhead, shouting encouragement to the climbers, I headed up an 8a+ extension at the end of the crag. Clearly it is infrequently climbed, I got up near the last bolt but could not decipher a second crux sequence for the life of me, finding only lichen covered sloping holds. This is testament to how undiscovered this place is to the wider climbing world. Yoohoo! C’mon, get on it! Vratsa is a treasure.

Feeling like we needed some quiet space, we decided to camp under the stars up near the crag and were rewarded with a crystal clear night overlooking the valley in our tent with not a soul around. On the final day Petzl had a great party planned in Karlukovo cave. Sounding epic, we planned to head there after one more sunny afternoon in Vratsa.

With beta from Vratsa local and big wall icon Ivo Ninov, Guilhem and I decided on a stunning 85m line up a closed corner system – directly up the middle of the face overlooking basecamp. “Besides, it’s next to my project and I have to get the gear back.”

(The day before Ivo had been repelled by a 6m run out and had no more battery to continue on his route). As I belayed Guilhem up a run out and winding shield of slopers and pockets to the corner system, Ivo chatted next to me, “the climbing here in Vratsa is about your mind as well as your ability,” he

Even the rain couldn’t stop the RocTrip from congregating at the caravan to hear Chris Sharma speak

said. I took this in but did not really register it until it was my lead on the second 45m pitch of solid 7b and encountered a completely wet section, requiring the use of wet hand and foot holds. I was disappointed after a slip from wet holds and a new hole in my shoe as a result, but by the time I had climbed to the top of the spire any negative thoughts were so far from my mind. With 9 bolts in 45m the absolutely engrossing style of the climbing requires complete commitment to each movement, consciousness of breath and rope management, knowing a fall would put me back to or below the belay for a third of the route.

This is one of the reasons I love climbing; its ability to take us out of our normal thought patterns and force us into a mindful state where physical feedback from the rock becomes our guide and there is just no more space for trivial thought.

Transported to a mini Woodstock was how I could describe arriving at Karlukovo campsite. Trailers, campers, tents, vans and people are all over the hills and up onto the next hill even. At the centre was the Petzl caravan with screen prepped and speakers at the ready for the evening events. What would it be?

The rain subsided to a light drizzle so we meandered our way down the hill to the caravan, sharing a “nastravie” and “cheers” with our new friends camped along the way.

What a great surprise to learn that Chris Sharma was presenting. Another treat of the RocTrip. Here we are at a cave. He has climbed in a cave in Oman, I have climbed in a cave in Oman. Would we see some of his Majlis stories? Sitting on makeshift chairs, plastic bags, crushed cans and hats, a huge gaggle of climbers sat enthralled under the rain to hear Chris Sharma speak about climbing, and seeking inspiration for deep-water soloing guiding his way. No caves, but some serious motivation for us to see and hear him speak of what drives him to keep pushing his limits.

As the DJ gets set up, we learn, under a bowed in tarp set between two vans, that one must eat salad when drinking “rakia” – the local plum liquor. Salad turns into traditional Balkan dancing around the table and we are primed for a great evening.

Tara and Philippe Ribiere pull out their poi and captivate the crowd with a freestyle fire dance and then the music really starts. Did I say Woodstock? Barefoot dancing in the

Good morning. Climbers woke up to brilliant warm sunshine after the Petzl Rocstock party in Karlukovo Cave and prepped to move on to Rila

Nina Caprez redpointing a stunning 8b in Vratsa

The accoustics in here are amazing! Late night percussion jam in Karlukovo Cave

mud, jackets and toques come off and a steamy dance party ensues.

Later, a group of French musicians: Sylvain, Flo and Lafouche – the RocTrip’s media director – lead us into the cave and play some acoustic percussion under the dripping stalactites. The acoustics were surreal; the tribal rhythm of the drums, wood blocks and tambourine came together and created an amazing atmosphere. A perfect way to end our stay in Karlukovo and Vratsa.

The next morning dawned with the sun shining bright and warm over our grassy “Petzl Rocstock” camp and everyone woke early to soak up the rays and eat. As the team cleared up and the bus departed, it was time to hit the road once again and travel south, through Sofia, to Rila for some bouldering with the talk of the weather forecast on everyone’s lips.

Oman-based rock climber Read Macadam and Tara Atkinson UAE-based photographer are currently travelling following the Petzl RocTrip Caravan.

Follow them on www.outdooruae.com or http://www.thethingaboutlife.com as they journey over 2,000km visiting world-class climbing crags in Romania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Greece and Turkey with some of the world’s best climbers.

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TRAVEL + ADVENTURE

The Honey Badger Episode 6: Tanzania Destination: Mount Kilimanjaro

James spent several weeks trying to convince Mira that climbing Kilimanjaro after four months of sitting in a car was a good idea. Mira was terrified, thinking it would be impossible to reach the top. James, on the other hand, was confident that it would be a walk in the park. It turned out to be a combination of the two, but absolutely worthwhile.

We had been in touch with an old army friend of James’ who had grown up in Tanzania. He had shared some useful advice about things to do and places to see in Kenya and Tanzania. We had planned to drop in on his parents in Arusha as we passed through, and when we found

Diaries

out that his mother ran a company which organises expeditions to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, we decided to stay a bit longer.

Rather less well-prepared than most, our introduction to Nordic Travel (www.nordictraveltz.com) was a real saviour. Not only did they provide all of the

equipment that we needed – from high altitude tents to walking socks – they also had properly trained staff and medical equipment on the mountain. This provided some piece of mind to our parents and, perhaps more importantly, Mira.

We arrived at Rob’s house around 4:00pm after a leisurely drive from the

Ngorongoro crater. We immediately met the Nordic team and went through their plan for the climb. We were glad to have Sunday and Julius, our guides, to help us pack and prioritise which gadgets James would be allowed to take.

We got up early the next day and started the four-hour drive to the Rongai gate.

James could not bear the idea of reaching the summit without his Phantom drone so he asked for an extra porter to carry it. In total, we had 12 porters and guides for two people. We could not help but feel a little ashamed that we needed so much support, but comfortable tents, amazing food and even our own portaloo were highly appreciated in the end.

The Rongai route ascends Kili from the north-eastern side of the mountain, along the Kenyan border. It was recommended to us because of the views of Mount Mwenze and down into Kenya when the skies are clear. We set off at a snail pace which James found rather frustrating.

Mira was reassured, however, and started to believe that her little legs might make it. The first day was very straight forward with about three and a half hours of walking up a slight incline through forest and moorland. Any danger of feeling tired was quickly removed by sights of the Colobus monkeys in the surrounding trees.

We arrived at Simba camp (2,626m) to be greeted by our brigade of porters, an immaculately prepared campsite, and hot chocolate and popcorn for an afternoon snack. We were also given a small bowl of hot water each to have our daily “bath�

and we could not help but think that this was going to be easy!

Not long afterwards our waiter (yes, our waiter) brought our dinner: a three-course meal. He then refused to leave our dining tent until we had eaten a good meal. Apart from being a good Tanzanian host, loss of appetite is an indicator of altitude sickness, so his insistence on our eating was a daily event.

Day 2 was fractionally more strenuous with six hours of walking. The landscape changed dramatically as the trees became smaller and eventually disappeared during the ascent. The sun was out too and the views were awesome as we rose above the clouds. We stopped at the first cave for a three-course cooked lunch and carried on to the Kikelewa cave where we stayed the night at 3,679m. James took the opportunity to take the Phantom on is first Kiliflight. Within seconds he was surrounded by over 50 porters from our neighbouring expeditions, who watched on in amazement as the thing buzzed around them. Unfortunately the GoPro camera malfunctioned and deleted the video, so we lost the footage of it flying up through the clouds to see the sun setting over the summit.

Day 3 was a little steeper, but much shorter and we had arrived at our third camp within three hours. The Mawenzi Tarn camp (4,303m), was easily our favourite and the view of Mount Mawenzi piercing the clouds was incredible. We were now well above the lower level clouds, and sandwiched between them and those

which surrounded the Kili summit. We were also higher than either of us had been before (4,000m was our previous record in the Ethiopian Simien Mountains), and we felt good. We walked up another 400m after lunch to help acclimatise, and celebrated the achievement with a game of football with the porters back at the camp.

We had decided to take the anti-altitude sickness drug, Diamox, which gave us tingly extremities (all of them!), but seemed to fend off any significant issues quite effectively. We were also drinking a lot of water which we filtered from the mountain springs along the ascent.

Day 4 was a slow, but fairly gentle ascent to Kibo hut at 4,730m. This was to be our final camp before the summit. After passing a plane which had crashed three years earlier, and is apparently going to stay in pieces where it is, we had a delicious packed lunch and arrived at camp in the afternoon for an early dinner. This was followed by an anticipated four-hour sleep before the final ascent to the summit.

Neither of us had a wink of sleep and by 11:00pm we were up again and ready for the hardest part of the climb with James ambitiously strapping the Phantom to his daysack.

Regardless of physical fitness, everyone

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MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

faces their own challenges on the final ascent. Whether it be tiredness due to lack of sleep, physical exertion, any of the numerous symptoms of altitude sickness, or simply regretting tying a remote controlled helicopter to your back. Whatever your ailment, the last thing you need is a vertical traffic jam of astonishingly slow people trudging up the single lane track. This is pretty much guaranteed, however, and our experience was no exception. What had initially looked like a 20-minute jog from Kibo hut ended up taking about six hours to walk. Traffic was partly to blame, but the climb was surprisingly challenging for both of us. Within a couple of hours we started to fall asleep whilst walking. As normal, James was far from cold and was regretting wearing so many layers. On the other hand, Mira, who had almost double the amount of layers, started to suffer and her tiredness prevented her from doing anything about it. James kept his walking sticks by her sides to prevent her from falling down the steep sandy slope, and eventually she slumped into a heap next to the track, losing a glove down the hill.

Fortunately this came as no surprise to our guides Julius and Sunday, and they miraculously transformed the situation in a couple of minutes after retrieving her glove. With some encouraging words, vigourous hand

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rubbing, a gentle back-hander to the face and a couple of heavenly hand-warmers, Mira was back on her feet labouring on up the hill. James was also quietly grateful for the short break. We finally reached Gillman’s point (5,681m) at the crater rim just before sunrise. At this point we had broken the back of the climb and only had to meander around the crater to reach the highest point.

Another surprise, however, as this took a further two hours of seemingly endless plodding. We finally reached Uhuru peak (5,895m), the roof of Africa, to be greeted by a stunning 360 degree panorama of clouds, glaciers and sunrise. James summoned what little energy he had left and unleashed the phantom for a flight over the summit. Sadly the phantom had other ideas and, despite its significant lift with four propellers, the air was too thin to get it off the ground. A couple of failed attempts completely filled the electromagnetic motors with the metallic dust on the summit. This was not enough to dampen our spirits and after 40 minutes at the top (rather longer than normal), and a few swigs of James’ sister’s sloe spirit which we discovered in James’ Barbour, Mira was ready to head back down.

The day was far from over, however.

After a three-hour descent, scree-running down the slopes in blistering sunshine, James decided to get sun stroke. With two pairs of long johns and no sun hat, the

OCTOBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

occasional shade from a big rock was not enough and once we reached Kibo hut, he had a fever and was vomiting. Some shade, a cool breeze, lots of water to drink and sponging him down with freezing water (which Mira enjoyed a little too much), soon fixed the issue and we were back on our way down the mountain. We still had four hours to Horombo hut (3,705m) down the Marangu route. We were both so exhausted after 24 sleepless hours including 14 hours of walking up and down, that we crashed with no dinner.

After the best night’s sleep on the mountain we were up and surprisingly refreshed for the final descent down the “Coca Cola” (Marangu) route to the park gate. We were told that it could take anything from six to eight hours, but we were determined to finish as quickly as possible. Mira therefore decided to jog the whole way. Luckily for James, Mira’s jog equated to a brisk stroll for him. Six hours later we arrived at the Marangu gate hot, smelly, but elated. We sincerely thanked our porters who sang a farewell song in Swahili before we headed back to Jacqui’s wonderfully comfortable home.

We arrived in the early afternoon and devoured a chicken and leak pie, washed down with some champagne left by Jacqui. The combination of hearty English cooking, epic war stories from Jacqui’s father, Harry, and an extraordinarily comfortable bed was a wonderful welcome home.

After watching a few polo matches with Harry, an extraordinarily fit 91-year-old, we were ready to head on to Dar Es Salaam a day later.

A key part of Mira and James’ trip is fundraising and volunteer work. You can read more about their work on their blog and if you are interested in helping them to achieve their target and make a difference to African communities and wildlife, please spread the word or donate using the following links: To donate: www.gofundme.com/ thehoneybadgerdiaries If you would like to follow their journey through Africa and see more photos, recordings and videos: Website: www.thehoneybadgerdiaries.com Facebook page: https://www.facebook. com/pages/Honey-Badger-Diaries Instagram: @thehoneybadgerdiaries

Photostory – Dominica and Urshka at Snoopy Island, Al Aqah coastline, Fujairah N 56°21’42.77” E Photostory – Dominica and25°29’44.77” Urshka at Snoopy Island, Al Aqah coastline, Fujairah 25°29’44.77” N 56°21’42.77” E

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Distributor of awesome outdoor brands • www.globalclimbing.com • info@globalclimbing.com • +971 (0)4 882 9361 Distributor of awesome outdoor brands • www.globalclimbing.com • info@globalclimbing.com • +971 (0)4 882 9361

TRAVEL + ADVENTURE

Terrific climbing in Tonsai Words By: Guida Verschut

There were crabs crawling everywhere, with difficulty we tried to avoid stepping on them.

The tide was moving out and we had to walk a long way across the beach before reaching our traditional Thai longboat. We were in Krabi and it seems obvious where this provincial capital got his name from.

Scrambling to the start of our crag

There was a pleasant breeze which made the overall temperature a lot cooler than the airport. The sky was cloudy with some dark grey areas near the horizon forecasting heavy rain to come, something you can expect to happen during the monsoon time.

I had rolled up my trousers as high as I could, and was hoping to make it on board dry but rolling waves were making the boat restless and the captain needed to concentrate on his boat rather than his passengers. My waterproof rucksack liners had proven worth buying straight away.

How to get there?

Why had we procrastinated so long about booking this trip? While most of my colleagues took a break during the Eid holiday, Pete and I hung around the office on the “off chance” we were needed or something major comes up. When Eid Watching climbers starting their climb during breakfast

Pete on 30m route

was over and we were convinced that we would not be missed (a feeling probably every business owner struggles with) we booked our tickets five days before departure. For 5,400 AED per ticket we had an Etihad flight from Abu Dhabi to Krabi via Bangkok.

Why Tonsai?

I have never heard of Tonsai before, but ask any climber and they can tell you exactly where this is. It’s in the south of Thailand, along the coast of Phra Nang Peninsula. It is a short strip of beach filled with lush tropical trees and enclosed by stunning limestone rock formations full of stalactites offering excellent climbing.

And there is climbing everywhere and all in walking distance, for instance the nearest climbing route was only 15m away from where we had breakfast, which also happened to be only 2m away from rolling sea waves in the morning and under a massive tree offering permanent shade, making this place very special.

Thai people are very friendly and the Pete going through the water to access the climbing crag

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

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Tonsai Beach overview

country is affordable which makes it popular in the high season with backpackers, but if you come a little later in the season, it tends to be quieter and you will find predominantly climbers. Even though the majority of the islanders are Muslim, they seem to fully accept the way westerners enjoy beach life.

Being used to the bling of Dubai, we found Tonsai quite a contrast. Everything seems to be kind of raw and unfinished, but pure. Even with the daily power cuts, life is simple. In the evenings you find everybody along the beach restaurants and bars talking about climbing, exchanging routes and looking for climbing partners. My favourite was Pirate’s Bar, I not only loved their reggae/funk music selection, they also had a slackline up which they used in the evenings for amazing juggling and fire shows. A real inspiration to watch and a must-see.

The only way to access the area is by boat, giving you the feeling that you are on an island. Interestingly it isn’t, it is just that they have never built roads up there as the terrain is quite remote.

The cost of living is very low, cooking is not an option as there are no supermarkets. To give you an idea about prices: tea is 6 AED; beer 8 AED; evening meal 20 AED; massage 35 AED; 10 days accommodation (breakfast included) 1,390 AED (10,000 Thai Baht).

There are two areas to stay: Railay and Tonsai, the last is the more raw option.

Railay is more or less “The Princes” option and offers more luxury accommodation at a price. Even though the beach was rocky and with coral, we thought Tonsai – with its more primitive lifestyle – had a better atmosphere and was attracting climbers rather than beach gurus (which could be recognised by people dragging

trolleys along the beach or ones that try to find their way to the hotel without a head lamp.)

Climate Thailand can be best described as tropical and humid. The southern region knows only two seasons, the wet and dry.

Monsoon starts in April (hottest month) and goes to October. We were there for the first two weeks of August. During the day temperatures went until 30+ (in the sun) but mornings and evenings were low 20s.

Climbing There are over 700 sport routes, a good number of boulder problems (with interesting roofs) and deep-water soloing.

The rock quality is good and formations are very impressive; overhanging and with lots of stalactites. You will find many single pitch routes varying from 8-30m high and grades starting from 6a to 8c (French). Most multi-pitch routes you will find in Railay, with guaranteed brilliant views from the top, there is even a cave you can abseil into. Routes are frequently bolted and if lacking bolts you will find webbing instead. Routes are well maintained and bolts are in good condition due to continuous re-bolting efforts. Check the guide book, in here they explain which routes and bolts are not safe to use. Try to stay away from routes near trees as there are lots of mosquitos lurking. There are several climbing schools and a few climbing shops who are offering courses, gear rental and private guides.

Pete and I had a fantastic time, and we are already planning our next visit. This time will prepare ourselves with a pull up fitness regime to make the most out of it.

In the bus

Airline: Etihad Duration: 10 days in early August Travel timings: from Abu Dhabi to Bangkok airport (6.5 hours), internal flight to Krabi airport (1 hour), bus to Ao Nang Pier (1 hour), longboat to Tonsai beach 10 minutes.

Total travel time to destination: 18 hours Place to stay: Tonsai Beach Resort, bungalow (the only place with aircon) Monsoon: starts in April (hottest month) and goes to October Monsoon season has an average 35°C with high humidity, high chances of rain

Guida ready to go

Tonsai Beach

Thai longboat

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What revs your heart?

As always Yamaha never fails to give us all that’s new, exciting and thrilling. For the year 2015 Yamaha has introduced the new 2015 Bolt R-spec from the Star Motorcycle collection. The new Bolt R-spec has more style, more performance and more ways to customise than ever. From its slim, classic bobber-style design to its raw metal, it’s everything you need in a motorcycle. The R-spec includes special colour, stitched seats, and available black fenders and blacked out mirrors.

Some of the new features of the Bolt R-specs are: • The Bolt R-Spec is stripped down and devoid of chrome parts and epitomises the “Urban Performance Bobber” look. The compact chassis proudly showcases the 58 cubic inch (942cc), air-cooled, 60° V-twin sitting at the heart of the bike.

• The Bolt R-Spec uses modern technology to create a riding experience superior to other similarly sized machines. Even fuel injection and ignition timing maps have been carefully chosen specifically for this bike to deliver class-leading performance with strong low and mid-range torque sure to bring a smile to every rider’s face.

• Components such as the 3.2 gallon fuel tank, belt drive, front and rear wheels, digital metre and steel fender.

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• The slim body and low seat design combine to give the motorcycle light manoeuvrability and a stable handling feeling. The upright riding posture helps the rider feel the wind, hear the sounds and experience the pulse of the machine.

• For riders who value personalisation, the options for the Bolt R-Spec are limited only by the owner’s imagination. As we say at Star motorcycles, “we build it, you make it your own.” And as the perfect canvas for customisation, Bolt R-Spec is the ultimate example of that philosophy.

Engine’s new specifications:

• The 58 cubic inch (942cc) engine is an aircooled SOHC 60º V-twin with four valves per cylinder, a pent-roof-shaped combustion chamber, and 9.0:1 compression ratio.

The engine is designed to provide excellent power and superior low-end torque.

• To keep friction loss to a minimum and

help the engine achieve the ideal performance characteristics, special roller-type rocker arms with needle bearings are used.

These also reduce top-end weight for excellent mass centralisation.

• The combustion chamber shape was precisely engineered to direct the fuel/air charge to the centre of the piston for more efficient combustion and maximum power.

Ceramic-composite plated

cylinders provide excellent heat dissipation and reduced oil consumption.

• High-quality forged aluminium pistons have a lightweight, high strength, compact design that contributes to reduced vibration.

• A two-into-one exhaust pipe layout on the right side of the engine contributes to the lively performance and styling of the machine. The minimalist-style exhaust system delivers a throaty and pleasing exhaust note.

• The clutch uses a rubber damper to reduce the fatigue that can come with frequent engagement/disengagement in stop and go city traffic. Riders will certainly appreciate the extra comfort the design provides.

The new Bolt comes in both R-spec and normal specs. To know more, visit any of Al Yousuf Motors show rooms across the UAE or visit our stand during the Gulf Bike Week starting on the 30th of October. To win a free ticket, like us on our Facebook page Al Yousuf Motors and one of our subscribers will be the lucky winner.

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MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

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LIFESTYLE

Habitually healthy

Classic Pot Roast Dinner Words By: Chef Christopher Zerbe

Wow! What a great summer we had here in Dubai this year!

Even though it was a bit hot and sticky, it was still a bit more mild than I remember my first summer here back in ’08! With the start of school and, of course, the end of our holiday season, getting back into the groove of feeding your family can be a bit tough. Even I can get a bit lazy to cook when I’ve had a long day or a very busy week at work. Creating a simple weekly menu for at home can solve quite a few problems that we all face. By creating a menu, grocery shopping becomes much easier and more efficient, as well more cost effective. By planning your dinner menu, you now have some killer lunch or snack ideas for the following days.

For example, if on a Wednesday night you serve a classic roast beef dinner, you can chill down the balance and make roast beef wraps for your children’s lunch boxes the next day (or save it for yourself for your post workout meal on the go).

I’m just sayin’!

Classic Pot Roast Dinner Slow Cooker Style

Another question I get quite often is “how to make a healthy Paleo friendly (for example) family style meal with as little effort and time as possible?” I am a huge fan of the slow cooker or Crock-Pot. For about 250 AED you get the most simple and amazing piece of kitchen equipment you could imagine (next to a

Ingredients

Quantity

Preparation

Beef topside roast

2kg

Have your butcher tie it!

Onion

2 each

Peeled, cut in six pieces

Carrots

2 lg

Peeled, cut in 3cm pieces

Celery stick

2-4 pieces

Cut into 3cm pieces

Bay leaf

1 leaf

Great flavour

Pepper and salt

to taste

I love whole peppercorns!

Garlic clove

2 each

If you like garlic as much as I do, add a couple more

Beef stock

1 cup

This will keep it nice and moist while cooking and add more flavour!

Salad

Enough for 6

Sweet potatoes

2 whole

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Peeled, cut into wedges and roast (177°C for 45min)

rice cooker of course.) I happen to adore mine! I wake up in the morning and before I walk out the door, I take my roast, marinate it, seal it and chuck it inside with nothing more than a cup of stock, a large onion cut into six, two large carrots cut up, a couple sticks of celery and a pinch or two of salt, pepper and a clove of garlic.

After that I switch it on and walk away.

By the time I come home from my usual nine to 11 hour work day I am welcomed home to the amazing scent of pot roast.

All the work is done. After that I chop up a quick salad and roast off a sweet potato or two while in the shower and a meal for four, six or eight is complete and ready to serve. This recipe is a simple example of what I mean.

The Cycle Bistro GPS location: Latitude: N 25° 02.792 Longitude: E 055° 14.384 04 425 6555 Phone:

T R&I E D

TESTED ODUC THIS PR

OV T IS APPR

TDOO ED BY OU

RUAE

Cool as ice The WAECO cool boxes Words + Photos By: Daniel Birkhofer

Isn’t it cool to drive over a cooling box just to test how strong it really is? We thought the same and tried it, but more on that later.

At first sight, a cool box seems to be a simple piece of engineering, but if you use it frequently and under tough conditions you will quickly find out that small details can make a big difference.

We reviewed before the electrical cooling boxes/fridge from Waeco and they got the highest marks, so the expectations were high. We also tested some highquality cooling boxes from other brands and some properties directly stood out.

First of all the design is perfectly rectangular which provides the highest space efficiency. The hinges, latches and handles are integrated into the shape of the cooler, so no part of the cooler pokes out. This applies to all cooler with slight differences depending of the size. The smaller ones have no handles, but have straps, while the biggest ones even with integrated wheels.

The surface of the cooler is perfectly smooth, not rough or molded with a pattern like other brands, which makes it easy and convenient to clean. The material also does not absorb taste or odour, which is especially important if you use the cooler for fishing and want to use it afterwards for a camping trip.

The white colour is also the best choice

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to not absorb heat and the little grey spots give the cooler a nicer, sleek look.

Secondly, if you investigate the details of the cooler, you will find more highly-engineered properties and parts. The eco-friendly and CFC free roto-mould production process creates seamless, strong yet lightweight body with extremely low heat absorption. The material is also UV stabilised for a long life. The body with its thick polyurethane refrigeration grade foam insulation and a clever labyrinth seal design gives an extremely well-performing icebox.

Bigger models also come with a useful drain plug to release melting water or for cleaning and flushing the cooler out. Integrated in the strong ergonomic handles are useful tie-down hooks.

The hinges are very strong with stainless steel rods integrated into the design and body of the cooler so you can push

and move the cooler around your trunk, boat or any other limited storage space without it getting stuck.

The latches are likewise built tough with a stainless steel fixing screw. In case the rubber will wear out or the latch breaks, replacement is no issue with the great service network of WAECO no matter if within the five years warranty time or as separate spare parts afterwards.

The labyrinth seal is certainly not an obvious feature but an important one since it traps the cold air perfectly inside.

Now, for the toughness test.

The initial idea turned out to be more complicated than expected especially since we had one of the biggest coolers in the line to test. After several attempts, we manage to drive on the cooler but through the uneven weight distribution and the soft sandy ground, the cooler turned and the car slipped off before we could take a photo for proof. The cooler survived this tough test with only some cosmetic flaws, but fully intact. So we can say it is proved that it can withstand the weight of a 2 ton 4x4, but we would not recommend you try this with your cooler.

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

PRODUCTS A round-up of quality products available right here in the UAE Alpinestars Bionic Tech Jacket 950 AED (previously 1,200 AED)

Available at Al Yousuf Motors across UAE Designed for the extremes of motocross and enduro. This jacket is an ultralightweight and versatile protection garment with CE certified protectors intelligently incorporated into its durable construction.

Engineered to improve levels of ventilation and ergonomics. Integrated with Bionic Neck Support.

• Technical, Elastane stretch mesh main construction is highly breathable and retains shape • Strategically positioned Cordura panels for durability and abrasion resistance • All components engineered for a reduced material construction garment that is extremely lightweight, slim and highly ventilated • Highly versatile, modular and customisable fit for different forms of off-road riding is afforded by: lace sleeve closures, removable sleeves and full compatibility with BNS protection.

Cyclone Cups 95 AED/QAR 10.3 OMR

Available at GO Sport stores at Dubai Mall, Abu Dhabi Mall and Bawabat Al Sharq Mall in the UAE; Villaggio Mall and City Centre Doha in Qatar; and Muscat Grand Mall in Oman It’s proven to mix better than today’s leading shaker bottle, thanks to a revolutionary Cyclone mixing technology that blasts through and mixes up the toughest ingredients with ease. With a 20oz liquid mixing compartment and 6oz dry storage compartment, the Cyclone Cup is perfect for in the house, at the gym or on-the-go!

So go ahead, add your favourite pre-workouts, protein supplements, or meal replacements, and let the Cyclone Cup do the rest!

When you’re on the go, simply add your favourite protein, supplement or meal replacement into the removable 6oz storage capsule below, and you’re set!

It is capable of holding a full 6oz serving. Then, when you need it the most, simply unscrew and add the contents to your Cyclone Cup. Rather than turning to fast food, now you can refuel your body and mind with a healthy and smart source of energy anytime, anywhere.

FirstBIKE

From 639 AED/QAR, 69.5 OMR to 739 AED/QAR, 80.3 OMR Available at GO Sport stores at Dubai Mall, Abu Dhabi Mall and Bawabat Al Sharq Mall in the UAE; Villaggio Mall and City Centre Doha in Qatar; and Muscat Grand Mall in Oman Enjoying the great outdoors on two wheels • Development of balance; provides a no-stress method of learning to ride a bike • Comfort, lightweight and maneuverability ensure your child can travel long distances (even over rough terrain) without getting tired • Height adjustment at the turn of a knob; no extra tools required • Grows with your child until they’re ready for pedals • Eliminates the need for training wheels which are counterproductive and do not support proper posture or spinal development • Quick assembly means you’ll be up-and-riding in no time • Limited Lifetime Warranty • Aesthetically pleasing design will make your FirstBIKE the talk of the town

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Leave other watches in the dark Nite International is a successful British company based in the South of England that designs, manufactures and distributes its own brand of exceptionally tough and stylish, collection of sports watches.

All Nite watches are produced to the highest possible standards using the very best materials, production methods and components, including Swiss selfpowered GTLS illumination, Swiss made movements and ultra thick sapphire crystal with triple anti-reflective coating.

Available at Instagram: @almekshah Facebook: www.facebook.com/almekshah Mobile:+971 50 458 7778

MX10 Military Heritage, Timeless Design 1,850 AED with rubber strap; 2,150 AED with metal bracelet

Nite was awarded NATO certification on the original MX10 over 10 years ago because of its durability, quality construction and impressive self powered illumination system.

The MX10 has since evolved and been developed further, surpassing its original specification thanks to developments to a number of aspects to the watch whilst staying true to its proud military heritage.

Nite HAWK Extreme GTLS Illumination 2,000 AED

The HAWK marks the next generation of manufacturing technology, delivering our lightest ever watch without sacrificing any of the quality we have built our reputation upon. Its lightweight reinforced carbon construction and extra large, super bright GTLS illumination are just two of the reasons it’s already a Nite legend.

Nite NATO Mission Critical Durability

2,200 AED with rubber strap; 2,500 AED with metal bracelet The NATO model suits our most adventurous owners who push the limits every single day. Military styling at its best, the NATO features an aviation grade 316 stainless steel case, ultra thick sapphire crystal and self powered GTLS illumination making it as durable as it looks and feels.

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MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

PRODUCTS Lifeventure Ellipse Outdoor essentials Mug 25 AED Bowl 20 AED Plate 25 AED Knife/Fork/Spoon 25 AED

Available at all good outdoor sports stores New cookware in four vibrant colours made from lightweight, durable plastic. Cutlery clicks neatly together and the mugs, bowls and plates can be connected with a karabiner.They’ll withstand the harshest of treatment and a smooth interior makes them easy to clean. BPA Free.

Approved by Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

Mug Weight: 72g Dimensions: 110 x 95 x 80 mm Capacity: 355ml

Plate Weight: 110g Dimensions: 270 x 230 x 30 mm

Bowl Weight: 65g Dimensions: 175 x 145 x 70 mm Capacity: 450ml

Knife, Fork and Spoon set Weight: 30g Dimensions: 180 x 40 x 15 mm

Peak Performance Helium Jacket 1,099 AED

Available at Peak Performance, Modell’s Sporting Goods in Mall of the Emirates Designed for ski, hike or trek and mountaineering. Material: insulation 90/10 duck down in body and sleeve and Thermacool® padding in collar and front placket. For men. Available in mosaic blue, blue shadow and skiffer.

Peak Performance Ctour Daypack 389 AED

Available at Peak Performance, Modell’s Sporting Goods in Mall of the Emirates Designed for ski, hike or trek. All kind of outdoor activity. Perfect day pack for any outdoor adventure. Comfortable with smart compartments.

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MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

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PRODUCTS Lotus Grill BBQ 700 AED

Available at Adventure HQ Times Square Center and Dalma Mall Lotus Grill are designed to enhance any occasion, whether at home, the beach, on your boat, or on a picnic. Immerse yourself in the experience and let the grill do all the hard work. A good barbeque is as much about the environment and experience as it is about food. Already the winner of International Design and BBQ Innovation Award, and it’s no wonder with a shopping list of features that includes: smokeless cooking, ignition ease, ready to BBQ in three minutes, heat control dial, fuel efficiency, multiple safety features, healthy, mess free and dishwasher safe. Backed

by German design and engineering with a two-year warranty.

Redele Sunglasses - Sweet Color of Life 360 AED

Available at Adventure HQ JBR The Beach Made with warm and sweet, very sweet colours in fact, these glasses are sold in the typical grandma’s jam jar. And with their own recipe! Witty, attractive, different.

Cobb Premier BBQ Grill 600 AED

Available at Adventure HQ Times Square Center and Dalma Mall Get the genuine flavour of charcoal, without the hassle of messy, cumbersome barbecue grills, pits and smokers with the Cobb portable BBQ grill. The award-winning Cobb Premium BBQ system barbecues, grills, bakes, smokes, boils and warms.

This highly portable BBQ grill weighs only 4kg (8.5lbs) and has a height of 30cm (12in) and diameter of 30cm (12in). It stays cool to the touch, and can be picked up or touched while cooking (a great safety feature making it perfect for boating). But don’t let the small size fool you, the Cobb BBQ Grill can cook a 4lb chicken in about one and a half hours.

• Easy to clean with a Xylan-coated cooking surface • Includes carrying case with handle • Exterior stays cool to the touch

• Very fuel efficient, uses only eight briquettes • Healthier cooking: fat and grease to drain into the flavour well • Virtually smokeless on the outside • Use the flavour well for marinades and vegetables, makes lovely gravies you can simply spoon out • Concave grill with solid center keeps juices off the coals, hence almost no smoke or flare-ups • Very durable, constructed from high strength materials and designed with no moving parts

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Polaris® eBikes unveils all-terrain Sabre and Nordic fat eBike

INTRODUCING

Who We Are For over 60 years, Polaris® Industries has been at the constant forefront of recreational vehicle production – from ATVs and snowmobiles, to motorcycles and military vehicles. Now, combining world class power sports industry standards with the proprietary EVantage motor system, Model Year 2015 Polaris® eBikes are ready to ride.

power to the battery while pedaling.

Built from our original “Arc Regeneration” platform, we’ve redesigned the “Arc Regeneration” system by allowing the rider to regenerate power in four different ways.

The gear speed technology brings life and responsiveness to the controls like never before.

AL AIN Al Masaood Showroom, Sanaya Tel: +971 3 7219999

Sabre

The removable Pro-Ride lithium battery can be charged by AC power either in or out of the frame. With our electrical quick disconnects, flat tire and other servicing are made easy.

Nordic

compliance with EN15194 and EN14764 protocols. Founded in 2009, with offices in Salem, Massachusetts, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Stuttgart, Germany and Hong Kong

BADA ZAYED Al Masaood Showroom, Sanaya Tel: +971 2 8844200 MUSSAFAH M4, Sector 13, 10th Street Tel: +971 2 5555144

PRC, EVantage designs motor systems using proprietary technology that sets the standard for a new class in the electric vehicle category. The company specialises in engineering, design, software development and manufacturing of electric bicycles and motor systems.

Our proprietary circuit board designs allow us to create the software for our own Battery Management System exclusive to our bikes or OEM partners. Our in-house frame and chassis design allow us to design the rest, so that we are always in control of the manufacturing process from top to bottom.

EVantage Motor’s vertically integrated manufacturing process allows for control of each step of the assembly and ensures DUBAI Showroom No. 8, Al Ghandi Complex Nad al Hamar Road, Ras al Khor Tel: +971 4 2896100 Fax: +971 4 2894914 Email: sse@polarisuae.com

EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTION RIGHTS FOR THE MIDDLE EAST

PARTNERSHIP WITH

Polaris® eBikes introduced the Sabre and Nordic 250w Fat Tire eBikes as the latest addition to its All-Terrain electric bicycle portfolio. Designed with a balanced hybrid sport frame for optimum weight distribution, the Sabre and Nordic are meant to go where the road ends and the adventure begins. The 4” Kenda fat tires, in conjunction with the DuoDrive motor system, provides the ultimate stability and performance in allterrain conditions. This system quickly powers speeds of up to 25km/h and provides a range of 55km per charge. Equipped with the new technology of “Perpetual Arc Regeneration” the rider can generate

1

DISTRIBUTORS QATAR Protech Powered Sports Co Street: Salwa Road PO Box: 91, Doha, Qatar Tel: +974 44398030 Fax: +974 44398030 Sales Email: info@protech.com.qa

OMAN FairTrade Auto Services LLC P.O. Box 2636, Ruwi, Muscat Tel: +968 96778552 Fax: +96824701787

LEBANON Helmets On sarl Independence Street, Sodeco, Beirut Tel: + 961 1 644442 Fax: + 961 1 633332

Contact person Mr. R. K. Sunder Email: sunder@ftgroupholding.com

Contact person Mr. Khalil Abu Chwareb Email: khalil@helmets-on.com

DuoDrive Motor Technology Riders like DuoDrive because it provides the instantaneous torque for a hill or acceleration on a straight away. Service technicians like DuoDrive because of the quick disconnects for easy servicing of the electrical system. DuoDrive motor technology allows for easy software updates to adjust motor speed to customer’s desired level.

Battery Management System

BMS

BATTERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

BMS

Polaris® eBike’s Advanced Battery Management System is designed by EVantage™ engineers and used exclusively for Polaris® eBikes. The software analyses the motor drive system for optimum battery efficiency and for the ultimate in rider performance. The BMS also records and displays valuable data on the entire motor and battery system for ease of service and maintenance.

street riding. Each battery takes three to four hours to charge using the Smart Charger system and also comes with a battery status level indicator on both the battery and the IC Dashboard Display.

Thanks to the latest lithium-ion technologies and our engineered Battery Management Control System, EVantage batteries are built for high durability and stamina during those uphill climbs.

“Fueling” the Polaris® eBike is the EVantage™ ProRide™ lithium battery system.

This removable power pack with a 44V 6Ah, removable power pack mounted in the top tube, providing the centre of gravity necessary for trail riding and urban

Every Pro Ride™ battery is carefully manufactured and tested to ensure the highest degree of quality. Each Li-ion cell is individually circuit protected and controlled to maximise performance, reliability and ease of system diagnosis.

BATTERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Information Center Dashboard The IC Dashboard™ provides key riding information necessary for every rider. It displays speed, odometre, trip time, battery status and regenerative function.

For ease of service an automatic code indicator reflects the diagnosis should a malfunction arise.

The display itself was built to be small in size, light in weight, and water resistant. The LED backlight allows for night time use of the display.

Perpetual Regeneration Finally, an enjoyable regenerative system to actually pedal and regenerate power to the battery. Our ARC Regeneration technology platform, allows the rider to generate power to the battery in four ways. The first is by pedaling above 26km/h in any pedal assist mode.

The second is simply using the electronicallycontrolled hydraulic disc brakes. The third is usage of the Backpedal Regen brake-assist which gradually slows the bike down and captures the residual energy for regeneration. The final Regen feature allows the rider to pedal the bicycle on flat or downhill terrain to capture up to 100 watts of charging power. The incline sensor will provide assist when the bicycle is going uphill.

Gear Speed Technology The future of eBike gear responsiveness has arrived. At Polaris® eBikes, we like speed and we believe shifting gears should be an integral part of the speed acceleration and deceleration process.

Each gear on a Polaris® eBike is programmed to provide the appropriate torque or acceleration based on the riding terrain and riding style. Controlling it all, is the BioSync pedal assistance which is our proprietary cadence sensor that reads the cadence speed and power output. The instant pedal responsiveness is designed to provide the torque when climbing hills or conserve power for longer distances.

For more information, visit polarisebikes.com.

OUR EXPERTS

e r u t n e v i h d C ck A vity in the Cape seeks creati

Tori

runner, writer, blogger & adventurer PS. My email address is tori@fitchicksandfastwomen. com for thoughts, ideas, and suggestions… or just to say hello!

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Adventure Chick has been off for a short hiatus. Sometimes, life just gets in the way of grand adventures and tails from the trails. But this month, after fun in the magical city of Cape Town, I had to put digit to keyboard and share the love for this beautiful place.

I’ve written often in the past about the sheer joys of discovering new places on foot. From Lijiang to Lyon, Singapore to Sydney, Budapest to Bangkok, I’ve woken up on countless mornings and explored quaint streets and bijou buildings, watched daybreak and absorbed the sights, sounds and smells that form the very essence of a place. There are few ways to

OUTDOORUAE

get under the skin of anywhere than by watching people, commuters, kids, dog walkers and fellow runners. Despite today’s digitally driven worlds, online research and reviews can never really convey the core of a community. The only way to experience a place, is to experience a place!

Cape Town has to be one of the world’s most stunning cities to run in. South Africa’s oldest city, she is a cultural gem, resulting from the amalgamation of Indonesian, French, Dutch, British and German settlers, the local bushman and Hottentot and Bantu tribes. The mighty presence of Table Mountain, flanked by the legendary Devil’s Peak and historical Signal Hill, stand proudly above the city. Beautiful white sandy beaches along a peaceful coastline frame the Cape Peninsula, famed for its unique flora, bountiful rivers and magnificent countryside. The surrounding area extends far into the winelands, at this time of year, turning a glorious green as spring arrives in all her glory.

Our two jaunts of note were up Lion’s Head, the trail to which lay

literally on the doorstep of the friends we stayed with and then a little further afield, in Stellenbosch, an ancient and beautiful town, famed for its university and winelands. Of course, surrounded by stunning vineyards, tasting grape provided the best possible form of rehydration.

Despite experiencing all four seasons during our Lion’s Head adventure, this was a spectacular run featuring incredible 360 views.

At 669m, the peak towers over the entire city so it proved the perfect spot to get acquainted with the lay of the land. In Stellenbosch, we ventured into Jonkershoek, a stunning nature reserve, where we explored the trails, basked in the sun and marveled at the views of the winelands scattered all around.

I often find, when running in nature, amongst lush green and away from the concrete jungle, that I compare my surrounds to those of running in the UAE. Over the years, I’ve lost count of the long desert training runs I’ve made, on flat ground, devoid of colour and character. But then I realise that no, the UAE has its own wonderful places to explore

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

too. Think the Dubai Creek and jumping on an abra when in need of a break, think Dubai Marina, with towering apartment blocks above and super yachts alongside, think along the coastline where I’ve long marveled how a marvelous metropolis built from nothing in the desert works hand in hand with the city’s clear, azure waters just a stone’s throw away.

OCTOBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

My point is, it doesn’t matter where you are. If you love to run, you love to run.

Same goes with most sporting passions.

You make the most of what you have. You find places and spaces to do your thing.

With running, no matter where you are in the world, you can simply lace up your shoes and take in every aspect of a city in a way that really can’t compare to any

other form of discovery. One single run can arouse a lifetime of emotions, fill the memory bank or fuel creativity. And you can get just as much physically, emotionally and mentally from flat, sand and concrete as you can from lush, green and natural.

So wherever you find yourself reading this, make it your mission, as soon as you can, to just get out there… big city, small town, snow or swelter, downtown or desert, the joys to be reaped show no bounds.

Over and out.

Love Tori x

Photos: Quincy Dein Photos: Quincy Dein

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OUR EXPERTS

Jebel Shams adventure ride

Last month was the introduction to my new GS800. As I mentioned in the last article, the bike was a bit of an impulsive buy, but not one I have regretted for one second. I love every second of riding and already feeling a bit more comfortable on her.

It has only been six weeks, it is still summer, and she already has over 2,000km (no commuting). Starting with Jebel Shams trip to Oman, I will attempt to reflect at least every second month (cannot neglect my John Basson off-road bikes) on our Adventure Moto/ATV and all round Bike Riding in the UAE and Oman. adventure seeker

Herewith adventure No 1: JEBEL SHAMS Greg told me that the last “away weekend” that he was allowed to go on was the weekend of the 5th September. After that, it would be too close to mummy’s delivery date and he would be under house arrest and limited to short local rides. The plan was to ride Jebel Shams, the highest mountain in Oman, and only 250km from Al Ain, where we live. I will skip the drama of the

first weekend plans and what went wrong that prohibited us to go. It was just incredible to see how one thing after the other led to riders having to cancel. Well, with some serious begging and the promise of 24-hour phone availability for mummy, Greg was allowed to go the next weekend.

(Thanks Casey, we owe you one!)

The group was myself and Greg on GS800s, Wyndham on KTM 990 and Destin on his KTM 690. Daniel on his GS1200 had to “again” cancel on very short notice. We did our planning to ride off-road from the Al Ain border post to Ibri (120km) and then meet up with Daniel who would have come from Muscat. As Daniel knows these mountains, and their back roads, like the back of his hands he was to lead the group from Ibri to Jebel Shams. I would take us from Al Ain to Ibri, as I have done that route twice before on my CRF 450 X. Somehow none of us thought about who was going to lead if Daniel could not make it, and we all know that his job puts him on permanent standby.

The topic of where to go from Ibri till Jebel Shams was thus mentioned for the first time when we rendezvoused at 7:00am near the UAE/Oman border post. Then we realised that as a group we had only planned the first half of the route, and without Daniel to lead, nor any plan or route, maybe we could have planned a bit better!

“Oops” was the general comment/ reply and then with three cheers we decided to take it as it is. After all, we were riding “adventure bikes.”

The crossing at the border was without incident and we left the tar road about 5km after entering Oman.

Greg took the award for “first man down” with flying colours only 1km after going off-road! (PS: Greg also took honours for the most falls on this one, but no need to go public with these statistics). The route we followed is one that offers enough “off-road” sensation yet close to the main road and you don’t need any off-road experience to ride it. You can always go out of the tracks and parallel the other riders if you feel a greater need for excitement. For us, with the loaded bikes this route was perfect and a good 60km/h could be averaged.

Don’t forget that it was/is still summer and soon we reached 43-44°C.

The heat was causing some discomfort when getting stuck and slowing down for wadis, but the riding was still manageable. Definitely not a trip for mid-summer! With all the getting stuck and Greg continuously inspecting the underside of his bike, it took us more than four hours to reach Ibri. After a good 45-minute stop at Ibri to re-hydrate and cool down in the canteen we did the road section to Bahla. This is only about a 100km stretch and it was not long before we entered this historically rich town of Bahla. Again just a fuel top-up and then off to the massive fort for a historical visit.

However, as we stopped outside the fort there were lightning and thunder approaching rapidly. After a quick team conference a decision was made to dash back to the garage for some shelter. Just in time as the storm poured down literally seconds after we stopped under at the garage. This caused another two-hour delay before we could proceed, but then the air was crystal clear and the average temperature dropped by about 7-8°C. What a ride it was to the top of the mountain! Camping was at Jebel Shams resort where you can book a campsite and pitch a tent. We took our own meat and refreshments as the initial idea was to camp somewhere where we could find a spot. Looking back, the option of camping in the resort was definitely the best!

After a good night’s rest and a hearty breakfast, we were off to circle the mountain, visit Hoota caves (that were closed) and then a blacktop run back to Al Ain. The scenery and the ride cannot be described in writing, it must be experienced!

The success of this trip ensured that we will be back in October or November and any adventure rider is welcome to join. I will attempt to post details on the Abu Dhabi and Dubai BMW club’s web pages once we have our dates. Just remember that I am not a tour operator and will not be responsible for any kind of support. I just let you know and you decide if you want to join. Ride safe and go for gold.

Regards,

John

OUR EXPERTS

Dark Skies, Soaked Desert!

If you’d asked me a year or so back to define the “rainy season” in the UAE, I would have probably said January to February, however I’m not long back from a summer foray in Liwa where we drove on wet sand in August for the third year in a row!

Marina Bruce

is The Desert Diva – read her blog at www.thedesertdiva.com Oasis Offroad is a free to join offroad club based in Al Ain offering family trips and overland adventures in the beautiful sand dunes of Al Ain and beyond. Their website is www.oasis-offroad.com and their Facebook page is www.facebook.com/ OasisOffroad

The UAE is not the land of perpetual sunshine; the weather varies slightly from year to year and also a very successful cloud seeding programme, which has run for over 10 years, has increased cloud production and improved rainfall. Since its inception, and particularly during the last two years, we have experienced rain all year round in Al Ain and Liwa.

Driving in the desert on wet sand requires much more care than on dry sand as the potential for accidents, particularly rollovers is much greater. In April this year, rain preceded the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge and sand conditions were such that the professional competitors were briefed on the

dangers of desert driving after rain.

Not all damage is major – under normal circumstances a car’s wing or bumper will occasionally clip the sand but it rarely causes damage as soft sand just falls away – however this is not the case after it rains, the sand is hard and can be a real bumper cruncher! The solution is to drive slightly more carefully through technical dunes and always have a quick look, if only for a split second, where you are going so you can steer away from small bowls and holes.

Slipfaces can be particularly treacherous. Consider this – normally when you take your car down a slipface, you are riding an avalanche of soft sand; if you slow sufficiently, the sand will overtake you and if you are very lucky, you will hear the “singing sands” which are caused by the tiny particles of sand rubbing together. Once the sand is wet however, your wheels sink into it quite deeply and to get to the bottom of the slipface you sometimes need to work hard to keep your wheels straight.

Once you are over the slipface and safely at the bottom, your troubles aren’t necessarily over. Water which has run off the dunes and seeped through the sand naturally collects at the foot of the dune and you can find yourself driving on sand with the texture of thick potato soup; it sticks in your tyre treads so you end up trying to exit a tricky bowl with the equivalent of slick racing tyres! Not all bowls are like this but if your convoy encounters one, don’t all pile in to help – some of the worst multiple stucks I’ve had are in wet sand – and digging or pulling cars out in the rain is not pleasant. Carefully consider the rescue plan first, with-

out committing the whole convoy, especially if you have a rain-hating Scot with you!

The most dangerous manoeuvre on wet sand has to be side sloping and after rain, I always try to avoid it with a large convoy. After the first car drives sideways round a bowl easily, the second car follows, using the same track but sinking deeper into the sand. By the time the third car drives the track, their wheels become embedded in the previous cars’ tracks, sometimes by as much as 4”, and should they run out of momentum and come to a stop, the sand build up on the downward facing tyres will provide a tipping point for the vehicle. When side sloping under normal conditions, we are always alert for the crucial moment to turn down, but wet sand can make it almost impossible to turn the steering wheel quickly enough to get the engine pointing downwards to avoid a rollover.

There are some plus points to wet sand cruising; instead of deflating to 12, I normally drive on around 20-22psi. You are able to climb up to the top of some very high dunes, everyone you encounter on the road returning home will know you have been dune bashing!

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OUR EXPERTS

Taking up the challenge

Part 2

James West and Team Moto1 at Al Faaqr

The plan

Back in June, through an

article in the magazine, I publicly declared my intention to bite off more than I could chew and plan to participate in 2014’s Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge.

Since then, I’ve learnt a lot, ridden a lot and talked to a lot of people about it. When I first decided to take up the challenge I know it was going to be tough. Now I know more of the detail of how tough it’s going to be. I’m both excited Ian Ganderton and gripped about it – but mainly Kayaker, climber, mountainbiker gripped! First, I’d like to say a huge and snowboarder.

Enthusiastic jack of all trades, thank you to everyone who I’ve master of none. talked to. The positive support and constructive advice have been fantastic and massively helpful. It’s an interesting point, if you are going to take on a big challenge, talk to people about it. Most will be really excited and positive for you and many will offer invaluable advice along with the kind of real assistance that significantly increases the chance of success.

Now, onto the plan of how to get from where I am now to the start line of the challenge with a realistic chance of finishing. There are a number of different areas to look at, but in this article I’m going to look at the rider – me.

When I decided I wanted to take up this challenge I knew the big problem I had was that I had never ridden a motorbike on the sand. I was under no illusion just how big a problem this was and the only way to solve it was to ride a hell of a lot in the dunes. Only hours and hours in the saddle would solve the problem. So I brought a bike and committed myself to a summer of riding as much as I could. It has been brutal, I’ve boiled my brains quite a few times now. I dread to think how many litres of water I’ve sweated out or how many times I’ve fallen off. Most of the crashes have been relatively low speed and the landings have been soft. There have been a couple of very memorable “offs” though and I’ve been lucky to come through it without an injury that has stopped me riding. But a cracked rib, twanging my lower back and lots of significant bruising

certainly didn’t help.

After today’s ride I checked my bike’s “actual run time” and worked out that I’ve done just over 150 hours in under five months. That’s an average of 30 hours a month or 7.5 hours a week.

I can certainly feel the difference that all these hours in the dunes have made but that’s pretty obvious as I was at such a low starting point that I could only get better.

The main thing is that now I do feel like I can ride. I’m finding flow and I’m now able to keep up with other riders. Phase 1: mission accomplished.

I’m now making a plan for the next phase. Let’s take a look at what I think my strengths and weaknesses are: My key weaknesses mainly revolve around my lack of desert riding experience i.e. skills, ground reading and bike fitness.

My key strengths come from my long history of playing different games in the outdoors. My acquisition of new skills is good, my base fitness is okay, I know how to look after myself, my understanding of environment is good and I have a lot of skills that have good crossover e.g. mountain bike handling and navigation.

One other key weakness I have is my tendency to get distracted by another game.

I’ve calculated that during the challenge I’ll be riding five to six hours a day for six days. At 30 to 36 hours, that’s more than a current month’s worth in straight days through some incredibly challenging terrain with no rest.

There are two areas to work on.

Skills and fitness. The more skilful a rider I am the more efficient I will be and the fitter I am the better I

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

will end each day and recover ready for the next.

At the moment, a typical ride I’m doing at the weekend is about 120km and takes 2.5 to three hours. As soon as the weather cools a bit my plan is to extend this in a series of steps so that by Christmas I’m doubling it at least once a week.

Next is getting used to riding at pace under race conditions. For this the 2014 Emirates Desert Championship is perfect preparation. With six races in the series these two-hour Baja-style events will get me used to both the mental and physical challenges of racing. It will be important to make sure I ride my race and not get carried away chasing hares as this could lead to, at best, tiring too early and, at worse, a big fast crash. I’m not taking a death or glory attitude to any of this, I just want to finish.

As well as planning to ride a lot, I’m also planning to ride in a lot of different places. This is for two important reasons. I suffer from activity distraction so keeping myself interested and focused for the next six months is not going to be easy.

The best way to keep myself on track is to make the process as fun and enjoyable as possible. I know the best way to do this is to keep the riding and the venues as varied as possible. As well as keeping me motivated it has the additional benefit of developing my ground reading and onsite riding skills.

The majority of the event takes place in the deserts around Liwa so I intend to spend plenty of time down there. The

OCTOBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

scale of the place is immense so the more at home I can feel riding there the less energy I’ll use up worrying about it or being intimidated by it. I do have a significant head start on this front. Because I’ve crossed the area a couple of times in vehicles and also by bicycle; I have a good understanding of the terrain.

While riding lots will improve my skills I’m conscious it could cause some problems too as bad habits could become more embedded. Practice doesn’t make perfect, it just makes permanent. Only perfect practice make perfect.

On this front, I’m really lucky to have James West and Sam Smith of Moto1 on side. Just following riders as good as these two is a fantastic way to learn. Their experience, coaching and advice has proven invaluable already in getting me to this point. Their input will be even more important as the learning curve becomes slower and more difficult to maintain.

As well as just riding lots I also need to do plenty of drills to focus on developing my base riding skills. I have a couple of bad habits I need to work on. Worst is my tendency not to use the rear brake. Sam has started to cut into the sand a short 3km track just outside the yard, plus there is a series of turn tracks scattered around town that I need to get into the habit of using. These are great places to focus in on technique.

Whilst riding a lot will increase my bike Team Moto1

Rider Sam Smith

fitness, I will also need to supplement it with some other exercise too. Yoga is fantastic for flexibility and core strength and cycling is great for endurance cardio.

Mountain biking is particularly good because out at Showka you get a full body work out and it’s great fun too. I’m going to take a little and frequent approach to these supplementary activities fitting them in when and where ever I can – morning gym sessions, night riding at Showka, swimming in the community pool and cycling to work whenever I can.

I had planned to participate in the next TransHajar MTB Race. Participating in a four-day stage race would have been great training, but it looks like new organisers this year have priced it outside of what I can sensibly afford.

Just reading through this article myself I can feel I’m intimidated by just how much there is to do and how focused I need to keep myself between now and the event itself. I’m also conscious of how important it will be to remain injury free.

2014 to 2015 is going to be an epic winter!

Rider Sean Eckersley

QATAR EXPLORER

kayaking in Qatar An adventure to share with the whole family

Photos By: Entalek, Qatar Eco Adventure Company

Whether you are just visiting for a few days, or have recently relocated to Doha, there is no better way to explore a new place than connecting with nature. And here in Qatar, both locals and visitors have a found a great way to do this – kayaking.

There are many different forms of kayaking, but the most popular Eulogy van Dyk here in Qatar is the sit-on-top kayak.

Outdoor loving “Sit-on-top kayaking is the most Qatar explorer accessible form of kayaking as it requires very little learning and or experience in the beginning,” said Boyd Taylor, a kayaker and paddling enthusiast from Paddle Qatar.

This makes it possible for anyone to go out on the kayak (even if it is your very first time!) and get the full experience of kayaking.

Sit-in kayaks are usually for whitewater kayaking or sea kayaking where there are larger waves and

Kayaking at the Dhow Habour

more challenging water conditions.

The waters of the Arabian Gulf has mostly calm seas with very little waves, which makes it ideal for young and old with any level of experience to enjoy this activity.

In Qatar there is a variety of kayaking interest, with some interest in fishing kayaks as well as surfskis, but mostly using kayaking to improve fitness, as a hobby or simply to explore.

Outdoor life in Doha

Most of the tours can be made to suit your experience and ability, so it really is for young and old with any level of fitness. Whatever your motivation, the benefits of kayaking quickly become very clear: a great workout, connecting with nature, spending quality time with family and friends or finding a way to unwind and get away from the city.

Steve Rhodes, the owner of Entalek, an Eco Adventure Company started in 2007, is passionate about using this form of activity to raise ecological awareness especially among young kids. “Kayaking allows you to feel the water and experience the beauty of nature. I kayak for the sake of getting to places you can’t any other way. It allows you to get up and personal with the natural

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

Kayaking at the Al Thakra Mangroves

world and enjoy the spiritual stillness and quietness that is otherwise very difficult to find in Qatar and in the world in general.”

One of the most popular kayaking adventures now is the Mangrove Forest found in Al Thakira Nature Reserve. It is truly unexpected to find this green patch of partially submerged ocean-forest in the middle of the desert – what a wonderful surprise! This experience will immediately let you feel relaxed (apart from the paddling of course!) and give you a sense of nature. It is why kayaking has become so popular, and will continue to grow.

There is no better way to experience a very unique sense of the natural beauty to be found here in Qatar.

Ready to go? Let’s break it down for you!

Best time of the year?

October to May will generally offer good conditions for kayaking. The water temperature can be a little colder during the winter months of January and February, but it is also a good time to see the flamingos and other migratory bird life.

Best location?

Al Thakira Nature Reserve is the most popular kayaking spot, and most people engage in the kayak tours offered in the Mangrove forest.

Al Ruwais (Al Shamal) is considered an excellent spot as well.

Fuwairit Beach is another place that is very popular for water sports, including kayaking.

Other tours include areas close to the Doha city such as Dhow Harbour tours and Al Safliya island, or in the town of Dukhan further along the west coast of the country.

Rules and regulations

There are certain areas that are off limits, like harbour port areas, restricted residential zones near the Pearl development as well as the Inland Sea in the south of Qatar.

General safety tips

• Never kayak alone! Make sure you have a friend with some experience that will accompany you, otherwise it is wise to make use of the tour operator services.

• Fully charged phone in waterproof housing is recommended.

• If you have less experience, make sure to pace the activity and determine your route before you start.

• It is recommended to wear a life vest for safety.

• Night kayaking is only allowed with the proper safety equipment.

• Remember to be aware of other water users such as motorboats and kite or windsurfers.

• A safety briefing will always be done before paddling in a group with one of the excellent tour companies.

Getting ready for a kayaking trip

What is needed?

Remember that you will be out on the water and in the sun! So wear appropriate clothes, in the hotter months protective clothing would be preferential, as well as sunscreen and hat. Most tour operators will provide water and cool drinks.

Qatar Tour Operators ENTALEK

Steve Rhodes www.entalek.org

PADDLE QATAR Boyd Taylor

entalek.org@gmail.com +97430233207

www.paddleqatar.com info@paddleqatar.com

+97455490895

PEOPLE

Darren Berry Occupation: Student Nationality: British-Namibian Age: 15

After receiving his first motorbike at age five, Darren hasn’t looked back.

He now speeds through the tracks as a rider for the Move One Relocations Team winning titles, the most recent of which at the Umm Al Quwain Championship.

How long have you been doing motocross?

Since I was about two I have always been fascinated by bikes, so when I turned five my parents bought me an old Honda 50cc and I have been riding and racing since.

That makes 10 years now. Motocross is an extremely hard and exciting sport. I love the adrenaline rush I get from it. Many of my friends and family members rode and some still ride today.

Where do you usually train?

I ride at the Dubai Motocross Club. When I’m not riding or during the summer, I keep myself fit in the gym. I have a PT, Taylor Hamilton, and I train with him twice a week. On some other days I go with my dad to Optimal Fitness. This summer, I will have the opportunity to train in Germany for two weeks, which I am really excited about.

What are the challenges you face in this sport?

The only way to be physical fit is to go to gym, as well as training on the track. For

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mental fitness, I get loads of encouragement and motivation from my parents, who are always telling me to think positively, ride the best that I can, to stay focused and never give up! I also visualise the night before and go over the track in my mind and practicing starts.

Your family is supportive of your sport?

My dad used to ride and my uncle back in Namibia used to race motocross too.

My younger brother Greg used to ride but stopped at the age of 10. My family gives me a lot of support. My mum makes sure I eat the right food and I stay hydrated especially on hot race days. My dad takes me to all the race meetings and my mum comes out later just before the races start.

They love watching me ride and she also takes some pictures.

What’s your best riding moment so far?

I just love the feeling of speed and it is an individual sport. It just grabbed me from a young age and it’s awesome watching bikes flying through the air and ripping up dirt – it’s a great feeling. I would have to say my best moment was winning the Oki Printing Trophy, which is presented to the youngest rider with the highest points scored during one season. That was awesome!

What have you learned from this sport?

I’ve learned how to stay positive, to respect other competitors and what competition is all about. I’ve learned how to change an engine, how to rebuild engines and also how to judge speed and distance.

How do you want to encourage other teens and kids to try this sport?

It’s a great sport as it is an extreme sport.

It is also very sociable and I get to meet people from all over Dubai. MX is fun, challenging and it is also a family day out. I am often in my own little world; it is good to try different sports as you never know what you may or may not enjoy.

Which race athletes do you look up to?

I look up to guys like James Stewart and Ryan Dungy as they both have different riding styles and I have learnt a lot about riding conservatively and riding on the edge.

PEOPLE

Peter Kollar Occupation: Pilot Nationality: Hungarian

There’s just something really enchanting about watching the sun rise while gently floating in the air and marvelling at the beautiful desertscape below. This is why ballooning has now become a tourist must-do in the UAE, and fortunately for Balloon Adventures pilot Peter, he gets to do it every week.

How did you become a hot air balloon pilot?

I did my first flight in New Zealand in 1991, then soon after I began my training for a commercial pilot license.

What kind of training and practice do you do now?

I fly with passengers virtually every week.

The only exception may be in the summer, when I am usually in Italy. However, I still did manage to do a few flights in Toscana this summer. I am an instructor as well as a commercial pilot, however I only teach friends and do additional training and skill maintenance for our own commercial pilots.

How do you prepare before a flight?

Deep meditation... only kidding! Since we fly almost daily during the high season, it is important that we are well rested, not stressed and, above all, fit. All of our pilots (as a group) attend personal boxing training sessions with Usman Ullah Khan, our boxing trainer. This is the personal side of it. On the technical side, it is quite complicated, but let’s just say studying the weather is the most important part of preparation.

We’ve read about ballooning accidents here and abroad, as a pilot how do you try to avoid accidents and make flights safer for pilots and passengers?

I’m sure you know that in aviation safety is a complex issue. There are many aspects to it, far too many to mention here in detail. Maintenance of the balloons, for example. We run a very strict in-house maintenance programme. Continuous pilot training, including regular after-flight pilot debriefing is another important factor.

For example, we record practically every flight on camera and that coupled with recorded GPS flight information gives us an excellent tool to analyse virtually every second of the flight. The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority also plays an important role by providing a regulatory environment where safety is a top priority.

What are the passenger Do’s and Don’ts while ballooning?

Always follow your pilot’s instructions, especially at landing. Do not drink or eat anything strange before you fly as an upset stomach is not a good thing in a balloon basket at 4,000ft. Most importantly do not annoy your pilot with silly questions such as “What would happen if a bird made a whole on the balloon with its beak?”

Have you had any close calls while ballooning before?

In over 22 years of ballooning, there were bound to have “close calls.” Sufficient to say, when the proverbial hits the fan, experience and training are key to getting you through a difficult situation. Though a wise aviator would say, you should always do your best first of all not to get into a difficult situation. There are flights that we have to cancel at the take off site because of changing weather conditions. This may

not make us popular with the passengers, but as the saying goes, “It is better to be down here wishing that you were up there, than being up there and wishing that you were down here.”

What do you like most about your job?

If you want a really corny answer that is actually true then it’s making people happy!

There are very few jobs in the world where you could say “Hey, my job is to make people happy!” It is not unlike what a performing artist may feel. In fact, it can be a bit of a “flying circus” when sometimes we land in the middle of the desert with no visible access and three balloons with 70 people on board.

What’s your best flying moment so far?

Dropping 40 skydivers (at the same time) from the balloon and setting a world record. This was done with close collaboration with Skydive Dubai about a year ago.

What’s the usual feedback you hear from clients after a ballooning adventure?

The most typical feedback would be, especially from those who have a fear of heights, “Wow, I never thought it would feel so safe and stable up in the basket.”

Most people are genuinely surprised that there is virtually no movement in the basket once we are up there.

How do you see ballooning developing as a sport in the region?

Plenty of potential for development, especially now that the Dubai government is encouraging recreational aviation. Skydive Dubai is a prime example of that. We all understand that in the tourism sector, tourists are not satisfied anymore with just shopping or sunning on the beach. They also want a “buzz” out of their holidays. It is also fair to say that both the climate and geography of the region are excellent for ballooning. So the basics are there and as far as balloon festivals are concerned, watch this space.

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OCTOBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

LOCATIONS

Get outdoors in the UAE Hiking – A series of articles to help you start or progress your hiking in the UAE

Armchair Adventures Words + Photos By: Sean James

Novels, short articles, poetry, fiction, biographies, journals all help us to understand and make sense of the world around us. Writing has an element of reflection and learning very similar to being in the outdoors.

The quantity and quality of outdoor adventure and travel literature is immense, broad and inspiring. There is something about exploration, adventures and those who take part in such endeavours that inspires us all. Well written literature does not have to come from the greatest adventures or the most dangerous journeys, however it does let us experience the mind and the world of the writer. At the end of a good book we see things through different eyes, feel like we have tasted exotic cultures and maybe even been through the experience ourselves.

There are many sub-genres of outdoor literature: exploration, adventure, mountains, guide books and they can cover a number of activities such as exploration, survival, sailing, hiking, mountaineering, whitewater boating, geocaching, kayaking and involves different forms of transport by foot, by bike, by train, by boat.

There are a number of classic books that you may never had the time to read and have forgotten about or simply overlooked. Books such as “The Call of the Wild,” “Treasure Island,” “She,” “King Solomon’s Mines,” “The Beach,” “The Hobbit,” “Moby Dick,” “Robinson

Crusoe,” “Tarzan,” “Journey to the Centre of the Earth,” “The Jungle Book,” “Kim” and “Around the World in Eighty Days” are all familiar to us, but how many have we read? All have that element of adventure and risk in the great outdoors and should inspire us to adventure in the UAE this coming hiking season.

This month, we look at some of the favourite books from residents of the UAE. These books have stood out in their memories for different reasons. Hopefully they will inspire you to visit the local bookstore or online store for your favourite and check out what is being written by adventurers looking to share their journeys with us. It may even inspire you to jot down your own feelings.

Crissy Harris is currently a teacher in

the UAE. Her favourite places to travel are the Americas and Malaysia, exploring the jungles, rivers and beaches. One of her favourite travel books is “Moods of Future Joys” by Alastair Humphreys. It tells a story about a journey which anyone could take. It proves that there is a way to escape the constraints of everyday life, if you are brave enough to take that first step out of the door.

Chad Lasiter is from the USA and works as a General Manager (Middle East and India) for Cameron. He recommends travelling anywhere in Southeast Asia. He has lived in Malaysia for four years and was able to spend some time exploring Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, as well as Malaysia itself although he only scratched the surface and would love to go back. His

favourite adventure book is “Running on Empty” by Marshall Ulrich. Of this book, Chad says, “Marshall Ulrich is a legend in ultrarunning. Over the years, he has inspired many people to stretch themselves beyond what they ever thought possible.

He has some impressive achievements to his name, including completing the 3,000 mile transcontinental run across the US from San Francisco to New York City and running the 586 mile Badwater quad (i.e. the famous Badwater route across Death Valley four times, back to back). He also had all of his toenails surgically removed, which just reaffirms how hardcore he is about ultrarunning! Reading about his achievements was one of the things that drew me to ultrarunning. If he can run 586 miles across Death Valley or over 3,000 miles across the US, how hard can it be to run a 100 mile ultra? His epic achievements continue to be an inspiration for me; they are a reminder that anything is possible.

Heather MacKenzie is from Scotland and a business development manager for a market intelligence company called Energy Intelligence. She would love to explore New Zealand and Nepal and recently spent the summer in France climbing around the Chamonix Valley. She was inspired by “Touching the Void” by Joe Simpson and “Into Thin Air” by Jon Krakauer. Another favourite is “Feet in the

Clouds” by Richard Askwith. Heather says “they are well written and inspiring but also very real and informative.”

Ian Ganderton is from the UK and the Retail Brand Manager for Global Climbing.

Nepal is one of his favourite places for adventure and “How to Sh*t in The Woods”

by Kathleen Meyer is one of his favourite books. While the title is attention-grabbing and funny, the book is a must-read environmental text book for any responsible outdoor person or adventurer. Former river guide Kathleen has written an authoritative and entertaining book with an effervescent sense of humour. From the summits of the highest mountains in the world, it cascades through a series of environments and cultures including wild rivers, desert, forests and jungle all the way to the Terai.

So many adventures to be had on foot, by kayak or on a bike.

Monica Antal is from Romania and cabin crew for Etihad Airways. Her favourite book is “Celestine Prophecy” by James Redfield. One of her favourite places to explore is Chamonix in France. The book is an adventure and discovery book that gives you the insight of how to look at life and the places it carries you, to enjoy life not only with the pleasures that are given to your eyesight but also look deep into yourself and crystallise your emotions. The action takes in Peru, but while reading the book you might find that you have lived

the same emotions somewhere else in this world. It’s universal, it’s touching, inspires you to travel and look forward into future.

Mariaan Konig is from Namibia and is a pilates instructor and massage therapist in Fujairah. She loves the Cape Province in South Africa as well as Mauritius. In addition to reading OutdoorUAE as she likes reading about all the interesting and adventurous places and events that people are visiting and exploring, Mariaan suggests “Return to Life” by Joseph Pilates.

Talal Shihab is from Syria and works as an outdoor development trainer in the UAE. He loves scuba diving and hence his adventures would take place amongst the underwater life of the Maldives. His favourite book is “Canoeing the Congo”

by Phil Harwood because it defines what adventure is. It’s about a journey that had never been done before and it involved serious danger from the nature side and the civil war in that area at that time. It needs a man to do it.

Sean James is the author of this article and is currently guiding big mountains in Nepal during September and October.

Over the past four years he has spent many hours on his mountain bike exploring the trails of the UAE and Oman. Two books stick out for him. “Beyond the Mountain”

by Steve House and “Kiss or Kill: Confessions of a Serial Climber” by Mark Twight.

Both are written by exceptional mountain

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climbers at the top of their game. They focus not just on the technical aspect and hardships of completing first ascents on difficult mountains but about the personal struggle of those who have given up a normal life in search of something.

John Young is a long time resident of the UAE. He is from the UK and organises the annual Wadi Bih Race. He knows a thing or two about adventure and is also in search of his next challenge. His favourite book is a classic. “The Worst Journey in the World” by Apsley Cherry-Garrard and is a memoir of the 1910–1913 British Antarctic Expedition led by Robert Falcon Scott. Cherry-Garrard was a survivor of the expedition where many died and the book focuses on the human suffering that occurred and the causes of the disaster.

John also recommends “Annapurna: First Conquest of an 8000-meter Peak” by the French climber Maurice Herzog. Herzog was the leader of the first expedition in history to summit and return from an 8,000+ metre mountain and the book is considered a classic of mountaineering literature and perhaps the most influential climbing book ever written.

Helen Rodd is from Holland and is a swim coach in the UAE as well as leading a popular hiking group in the UAE mountains. She has a passion for landscape that is barren and forlorn and particularly mountain ranges, especially above the tree line.

Her favourite adventure books are “Alive”

by Piers Paul Read and “Touching the Void” by Joe Simpson. They both show the power of the mind and the mental determination that humans have to survive when all odds are against them.

Johan Moolman is from South Africa and currently a contract manager at ALEC. The diverse climates, spectacular nature and magnificent traditions of the African continent continue to draw him back there in search of adventure. He likes the “Lonely Planet Travel Guides” as they are

OCTOBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

Google Earth Screen shot of the route You can download the GPS files here: www.outdooruae.com/downloads/Octoberhike2014.zip

Notable others Arabian Sands by Wilfred Thesiger Farthest North by Fridtjof Nansen Seven Years in Tibet by Heinrich Harrer The Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen South by Ernest Shackleton A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush by Eric Newby The Hall of the Mountain King by Howard H Snyder White Winds by Joe Wilcox Kon-Tiki by Thor Heyerdahl The Call of the Wild by Jack London Running the Amazon by Joe Kane She by H Rider Haggard The Beach by Alex Garland Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad Journey to Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne

inspirational and take you to places you would never discover otherwise.

Quick Checklist Route planning Start point

25°14’27.89”N 56°11’37.60”E

Off road driving required

No. It is possible to drive all the way to the start in a two-wheel saloon. Further exploration by vehicle into the interior would need 4WD

Distance and Time from Mirdif to start

100km 70min

Navigation on hike

Very easy navigation and fast under foot

Time required for hike

3.5 – 4hrs but can be extended

Distance

13km

Elevation gain on hike

561m

High Point

506m but can be extended

Grocery / water on hike

No

Possible to encounter a vehicle on trail

Yes

Suitable for all the family

This hike is fairly long but easy under foot.

The track up is possible to drive or MTB. A good route to practice your trail running.

Directions to the start Enter the start point coordinates into your GPS device or follow the directions from Google.

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OUTDOORUAE

A hike for October Although October is still hot, some people are thinking about hiking again. After sitting out September in the AC and getting impatient for November to arrive, this is a hike that will get you started again. This starts just past Masafi and takes you into seldom explored mountains. The track is wide and solid, dipping into deep wadis with conglomerate walls. It ends in a seemingly vast bowl in the middle of nowhere. Retrace your steps or continue to explore higher.

This is also a very good route to run.

The author has guided hikes, treks and climbs all other the world.

He gained his qualifications from the British Mountaineering Council, a national representative body for England and Wales that exists to protect the freedoms and promote the interests of climbers, hill walkers and mountaineers. At present he lectures in a college in the UAE. Before that he worked for a private company that trained the UAE military forces. He has also appeared on TV programmes in the UK and Brazil talking about outdoor activities.

LOCATIONS

Snoopy Island Dive sites in the UAE and Oman How to get there: This site is a five-minute trip on the speed boat from the Al Boom, Al Aqah Dive Centre located at the Le Meridien Hotel The drive to Al Aqah from Dubai normally takes 1.5-2 hours. Alternatively, if you are not driving yourself to Fujairah, you can also use the Al Boom bus transfers from Dubai. Meeting point is from the dive centre in Al Wasl Rd. Other pick-up points are available, please call the call centre for more info.

Location:

UAE, Fujairah, Al Aqah

Depth:

Up to 10m

Type of dive:

Shallow rocky pinnacle, surrounded by a sandy bottom.

Level:

Great for snorkelers and beginner divers.

Some fishes you can see at Snoopy

Description:

Named after the iconic cartoon character, Snoopy Island is a fantastic shallow and easily accessible site which is good for all level of divers, especially beginners or divers who haven’t dived in a while, where they can refresh their skills in the safety of the shallow waters and sandy bottom.

This is also a favourite for snorkelers, and for night dives where you will see a lot of critter activity!

In summer, you can expect water temperatures of around 30°C, and in winter, an average of around 20°C. This site can be accessed by boat, or even from the beach.

While underwater, keep an eye out for turtles, as well as for anemones (with clownfish) hard and soft corals which provide a home for an abundance of marine life. Divers can expect 5-20m visibility and to see, filefish, boxfish, butterflyfish, bannerfish, pufferfish, barracuda, a lot of shrimp, cuttlefish, pipefish and many more. Stingrays can also be spotted on the sandy outskirts of the dive site, and if

you are lucky, you may get to see blacktip and whitetip reef sharks. Watch out for urchins, lionfish, stone fish and scorpion fish!

OBSERVATION:

“Snoopy Island was the perfect site for me to do my first dive after not diving for a couple years! It is shallow with lots of sand patches, which made me feel very comfortable while refreshing my scuba skills.” Andrew, from Zimbabwe A ray!

“I had my first ever night dive on Snoopy and it was amazing!” Orsi, from Hungary

Contact:

Al Boom Diving, Al Wasl Rd. Call Centre: +971 4 342 2993 or abdiving@emirates. net.ae Al Boom Diving, Al Aqah, Fujairah: +971 9 204 4925 or andrew@alboomdiving.ae Al Boom Diving, Atlantis, The Palm: +971 4 263 3000 or bietha@alboomdiving.ae

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TIPS & TRICKS

A nice GT caught off the Musandam

Giant Trevally In recent years, tackle tech-

nology has improved to a point where it is possible to target a brute so strong that the most reliable gear to catch them on involved trolling reels.

The Hawaiians have been catching these brutes in rough terrain and understood that to pull a good one off the rocks, a strong and sturdy reel was needed. Thus, the Hawaiian Uluas live bait method was born. That was then. These days, the gear we use for Giant Trevally are light and strong with lines that are literally bulletproof.

However, one fact remains, you need very strong and sturdy tackle A typical GT popper to pull one of these brutes off the reef.

Caranx Ignobilis are known the world over as Giant Trevally and is one of a handful of fish fishermen are willing to travel halfway around the world (or more) to target. This Some poppers such single fish have set the gold standas this made by Yo-Zuri ard in tackle construction and is the can change colors fish that the best reels are tested against.

Where to find Although the Giant Trevally have been historically been caught in Stickbaits are favoured when the fish are a bit pressured and the Arabian Gulf, they have now all will only strike less noisy lures but disappeared. The most reliable A huge GT caught in southern Oman

places to target them in our part of the region are Musandam and Southern Oman. Although these A trophy GT in excess of 50 kilos places hold them, it is still quite a For ease of operation people gamble to blindly go there and try have turned to spinning rods and your luck. It is best to book with the reels for this type of fishing. This charter operators that know these gives you worry-free casting as you areas well and have the experience will usually be against wind and at guiding anglers to some fantastic waves that make it difficult to cast catch. Remember though, it is fishany other type of gear. There are ing and even if they are very experispecific rods for this type of fishenced the chances of catching these ing, designed for casting big wind brutes are not guaranteed. This rings resistant poppers and stickbaits very true for this fish. at a good distance and also have the backbone to yank the fish out How to catch of the shallow water reefs that it Of all the fish to catch the Giant lives in. The reels are of the highest Trevally probably has one of the quality and specifications; some highest requirements, even on a like the Shimano Stella and Daiwa “small” fish – fish of about 10 kilos Saltiga have a drag (break power) – you are forced to use tackle that of over 60lbs (30kg). The lines can literally pull a cow backwards. used are anywhere between 25kg The strength of the fish is not just (50lb) and 200lb (100kg) these are the stuff of legends; the area it lives normally the line test you use for in is another factor why you need trolling, however for GT fishing this such strong gear to be able to have is normal since for the most part, a chance at landing one. the fight is a tug of war between The preferred method of catchyou and the fish heading towards ing them is called “popping.” This coral or the drop off. style of fishing employs the use of Giant Trevally can also be caught surface lures that creates a lot of using other methods, including commotion on top of the water. The baits of cut or live fish and squid, lures used for this type of fishing as well as a wide array of lures. float on the surface and create a The species is commonly taken on loud blooping sound via the cupped bibbed plugs, minnows, spoons, faces and long stream of bubbles jigs and poppers, soft plastic lures created when the lure dives under and saltwater flies aside from the the surface, this commotion attracts recently more popular method of the GT and for some reason get jigging and popping. them to strike the lures. One thing is true for specialised GT gear, everyAvailability thing is over engineered and made and conservation sure to take the strain of the fight.

Although the GT is not on the red Despite that, scouring the internet list of choosewisely.ae, the fish is an will reveal broken rods, reels, lines important game fish and food fish and lures. This just shows you how for some cultures. Stocks worldpowerful these fish are. The most wide have been declining steadily important requirement however is a since the early 90s. strong back.

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

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TIPS & TRICKS

Craggie crowdfunding campaign for rock climbing mobile app Craggie, a mobile app for rock climbers, launched their crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo with aims to move from public beta to a fully functional product.

Craggie is a mobile app for Android and iOS devices that enables climbers to explore new climbing destinations, find routes to climb and share their experience through interactive climbing guides. It is aimed at rock climbers of all levels, from novices to pros.

“Our aim is to revolutionise the way, we, climbers share climbing information today and make it more fun and engaging,” says Zdenko Zvada, Craggie’s founder. Most of this is now done on various channels including printed climbing guidebooks, climbing websites and forums or Facebook groups.

Craggie is, firstly, about convenience.

Thanks to the digital format, climbing guides for any climbing area can be accessed from one place, anytime and anywhere in the world. Secondly, by being interactive, guides enable climbers to review climbing areas and routes, which they climbed, directly in the app.

They can also add pictures and videos from their climbs and keep record of their ascents in logbooks, which are also part of the app. Last but not least, the app significantly reduces cost for climbers as

the guides can be obtained through the app from as low as few cents.

Craggie’s unique feature is that the company itself does not create guides.

These are published on Craggie by authors who have previous experience in this field. This ensures that the guides have high quality and reliable content. For authors, publishing through Craggie is an innovative way to publish their guides, target more climbers and earn extra money that can be used for maintenance or further development of climbing areas.

“We think of Craggie as a Trip Advisor combined with iTunes for rock climbers,” adds Zvada. The only difference is that instead of reviewing hotels and restaurants, users comment on climbing areas and routes and instead of buying music albums they purchase digital climbing guidebooks on their phones.”

Craggie launched its crowdfunding campaign to raise 20,000 USD on Indiegogo to finalise current beta version and to release official version by the end of this year. It is inviting contributors to take part in this adventure and help make a

difference in the climbing world. Rewards include free access to climbing guides on Craggie, climbing apparel and great one-day climbing taster sessions across Europe and Middle East. If you want to help make this happen, join the revolution at igg.me/at/craggie.

About Craggie Craggie is a technology company founded in 2013 with the main objective to help rock climbers plan and share their climbing adventures through interactive guides on mobile phones. The public beta version for Android and iOS devices was released at the beginning of 2014. It was downloaded and tested with more than 1,100 climbers from 60+ countries to date.

About Indiegogo Indiegogo is an international crowdfunding site founded in 2008, headquartered in San Francisco, California with a mission to empower everyone to change the world one idea at a time. To date it has hosted hundreds of thousands funding campaigns in areas such as music, charity, small business and film.

Apps for the outdoors Words By: Glaiza Seguia-Godinez

Some mobile apps for your outdoor needs Buoyweather Global Marine Forecasts Developer: Surfline/Wavetrak Compatibility: iPhone, iPad and iPod touch; Android devices File size: 14.3 MB Price: Free

We don’t get a lot of surf here, so it’s good to check out the forecast before you attempt to chase some swells. First, you set your water location, though you can’t zoom in too close to the map. The free app identifies your location’s coordinates and gives access to two-day point-based marine forecasts with time, wind range, swell heights and direction. In the premium option, you can save your favourite spots and have seven-day marine forecasts. The interface is simple enough, but only works well with a WiFi network.

10K Trainer: Run for Pink

Developer: Zen Labs Compatibility: iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch iOS 6.0 or later; Android phones File size: 57.9MB Price: Free Being it’s the Breast Cancer Awareness month, we checked out this fitness app out and how it supports the pink campaign. It features a 14week plan which alternates between walking and running to help users slowly build strength and of course be healthier. Workout starts with a fiveminute warm-up, then proceeds to jogging and walking with a pleasant-sounding audio coach.

You can also listen to your music playlist while you sweat it out. According to their profile, Zen Labs supports and donates to the National Breast Cancer Coalition (www.breastcancerdeadline2020.org), aimed to end breast cancer and save lives.

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

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FINAL THOUGHTS

Adventure romance is not dead Words By: Peter Aldwinckle

After a busy summer of trade shows and sales meetings I still owed Guida a birthday adventure, albeit rather late.

She responded positively to my tentative suggestion of a “sleepover with a difference” in Rock Republic; the ball was rolling. The difference was that we would be sleeping on a portaledge. This is a piece of climbing equipment used on big mountain walls where there are no ledges to sleep on. It consists of a rectangular aluminum frame with stretched fabric bed filling the middle and providing an area the size of a small tent to sleep on. This ledge is then connected to the mountain or rock wall.

The complete system packs down into a large duffle bag for carrying.

My previous experience with a portaledge was in Yosemite where nights are spent suspend-

ed above dizzying exposure, surrounded by acres of sweeping granite walls and the body feeling destroyed by a full day of punishing climbing. So our sleepover in Rock Republic was slightly different. After a couple of hours of intense bouldering we prepared for bed by putting on our climbing harnesses, clipped into the auto-belay on the 6m granite training tower and ascended the four metres to the prepositioned ledge. (I had taken the liberty of assembling the ledge earlier in the day and lifting it into position using a ladder.)

Guida climbed onto the ledge, it lurched alarmingly and I received a glance that said, “You are joking.” Ten minutes later we were lying head to toe suspended above the floor. The PA system played some appropriately birthday music but any thoughts of romance were not on the agenda due to the web of suspension tapes and the fact that we were wearing climbing harnesses; plus my feet needed washing!

Taking advantage of the WiFi, Guida spent 30 minutes watching YouTube results for The Nose on El Capitan in Yo-

semite. This is probably the ultimate climbing toil and self-imposed punishment while living on a big wall, the sickening exposure is a constant reminder of the consequences of a mistake. Where meals are cooked on a hanging stove and the bathroom is a bag to be sealed and carried off the wall. The pleasure from such undertakings are very deferred and usually realised once the top is reached or back in the campsite; there is little fun to be had during the four or five days on the wall. Despite the lack of immediate attraction in such climbs, Guida asked me what I was thinking and tentatively responded positively to my suggestion that our sleepover could be the start of our road to The Nose (The Nose being the classic five-day 880m climb on El Capitan).

Whilst this may be a long road that we are taking the very first small steps down, we have a very clearly defined goal. There is no doubt that we will be having many adventures on the way.

TIPS & TRICKS

Planning your race season Words By: Trace Rogers, Coach and Founder of SuperTRI

October is an exciting month in the UAE Triathlon community. It signals the beginning of the triathlon season.

Over the past few years, the triathlon scene has exploded and we are now spoilt for choice when it comes to races.

It is hard to believe that not long ago, if you missed one race, you missed a quarter of the season.

What’s important though is to choose your races wisely. I have had many new clients approach me because in the past they have not got the balance between racing and training correct and as a result, either seen dips in performance or just plainly experienced mental and physical fatigue. Here are a few tips on how to avoid this.

Choose your “A” race. This is the race that you consider to be the most important in your race season. Ideally this should be done well before the season starts but if you haven’t given it much thought, now is the time. All other races that you do should then compliment the training for your “A” race.

Plan your race calendar. The best way to do this is to prepare what I call a one-page plan. This should have your “A” race as the ultimate goal and work backwards to see what progressive training load will need to be incorporated to achieve your desired result. Remember to leave between 10-21 days taper time (taper time needed depends on your race goal and how much recovery/buildup time your body requires – it is a very individual thing).

Plan recovery weeks. This is so important and yet often overlooked. Exercise is katabatic by nature meaning that exercise will stress the body’s muscles by making microscopic tears in the muscle fibre in order for the muscles to grow and strengthen. It is during rest (an anabatic process) that these microscopic tears recover. Not allowing enough time for this, will cause injury and fatigue.

Choose the other races that will compliment your training towards your “A” race. With the race calendar being so full, we have fabulous opportunities to do this.

We can use some races as

opportunities to build training volume for our goal race. Others can be used as races to practice transitions or to focus on speed.

Remove the races that compromise training. If you are focusing on doing an Ironman distance race in April, it is pointless signing up for every sprint distance race on the calendar. This would mean that you would probably be going too hard for too short a distance from one weekend to the next when in fact it would make more sense to be using this time mainly for long-distance bike/run bricks.

Some shorter distance races may be useful but it is important to stay focused on the bigger picture and main goal.

Keep it fresh and fun. If you are always doing the same thing, the novelty wears off. Look at different races and limit yourself to fewer races. This way you create a hunger towards ultimate performance.

Next step, get out there and have fun being smart and successful!

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

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UAE DIRECTORY General Sports Equipment Megastores

Adventure HQ, Dubai Times Square Center, Sheikh Zayed Rd, toll free: 800-ADVENTURE, +971 43466824; The Beach on JBR, Dubai: +971 44304419; Dalma Mall, Abu Dhabi: +971 24456995, www.adventurehq.ae Decathlon, Dubai, Mirdif City Centre, +971 42839392 Go Sport, The Dubai Mall: +971 43253595; Abu Dhabi Mall: +971 26454595; Bawabat Al Sharq Mall, Abu Dhabi: +971 25868240 InterSport, Dubai Times Square Centre: +971 43418214 and Dubai Festival City: +971 42066581,www.intersport.ae Peiniger BMT Est., CBD, Khalifa Street, Yateem Optician Bldg., Abu Dhabi, UAE, +971 26262332, www.peiniger.org Sun and Sand Sports, most shopping centres, +971 43504444, www.sunandsandsports.com

Adventure tours and desert safaris Alpha Tours, Off #512, 5th Flr., Al Qwais Bldg., Al Ittihad Road, Deira, Dubai, +971 42949888, www.alphatoursdubai.com Bike and Hike Oman, PO Box 833, Ruwi, Postal Code 112, Oman, +968 24400873, www.bikeandhikeoman.com Dadabhai Travel, SR 1&2, GF, Gulf Towers, Oud Metha Rd. Dubai, +971 43885566, www.dadabhaitravel.ae Desert Rangers, Dubai, +971 43572200, www.desertrangers.com Desert Road Tourism, Office 503, 5th Flr., Al Khor Plaza, Dubai, +971 42959429, www.arabiantours.com Dreamdays, First Floor Rm. 107 Ibn Battuta Gate (Offices) Sheikh Zayed Rd., +971 44329392, www.dreamdays.ae Dream Explorer LLC, Shop no # 9, Plot # 312-504, Al Musalla Building , Mina Bazar, Bur Dubai, +971 43544481, www.dreamexplorerdubai.com Dubai Relax Travel, National Towers: Churchill Tower Suite #614, Business Bay, Dubai, +971 44221776, www.dubairelaxtours.com Element Fitness, Dubai, +971 502771317, www.element-fitness.net Explorer Tours, Umm Ramool, Dubai, +971 42861991, www.explorertours.ae, Gulf for Good, Dubai, +971 43680222, www.gulf4good.org Gulf Ventures, Dnata Travel Centre +971 44045880, www.gulfventures.com MMI Travel, Mezzanine Floor, Dnata Travel Centre, Shk Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43166579, www.theemiratesgroup.com Net Group, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, +971 26794656, www.netgroupauh.com Oasis Palm Dubai, Dubai, +971 42628889, www.opdubai.com Rahhalah, Dubai, +971 44472166, www.rahhalah.com Vera City Tours, Downtown, Dubai, UAE,

+971 556100414, www.veracitytours.com Wild Guanabana, Dubai, +971 567954954, www.wildguanabana.com Clubs Abu Dhabi Fishing, Camping, Kayaking, & Adventure Club, +971504920860, mohammed.almahrouky@gmail.com

Air

Ballooning Adventures Emirates, Dubai, +971 42854949, www.ballooning.ae Dubai Paragliders, www.microaviation.org, +971 552120155 or +971 552250193 Jazirah Aviation Club, Ras Al Khaimah, +971 6139859, www.jac-uae.net Seawings, Dubai, www.seawings.com Sky Dive Dubai, Dubai, +971 501533222, www.skydivedubai.ae

YAS MALL Abu Dhabi Opening Soon

Boating & Sailing

Manufacturer Al Fajer Marine, Dubai, Al Quoz, +971 43235181, www.alfajermarine.com Al Jeer Marina, RAK border Musandam, +971 72682333/+971 504873185, www.aljeerport.ae Al Shaali Marine, Ajman, +971 67436443, www.alshaalimarine.com Alyousuf Industrial, LLC, +971 43474111, www.aym.ae, yamboats@alyousuf.com Elite Pearl Charter, Saeed Tower 1 office # 3102, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE, +971 43889666, www.elitepearlcharter.com Gulf Craft, Ajman, +971 67406060, www.gulfcraftinc.com Distributors and Dealers Art Marine, Shed Nr. 31, Jaddaf, Dubai, UAE, +971 4324061, www.artmarine.ae/ www.artmarinechandley.com Azure Marine, Dubai, +971 43404343, www.azuremarine.net Luxury Sea Boats, Dubai, +971 505589319, www.luxuryseaboats.com Macky Marine LLC, Dubai, +971 505518317, www.mackymarine.com Nautilus Yachts, Sharjah, +971 65576818, www.nautilusyachts.com The Boat House, Dubai, Al Quoz, +971 43405152, www.theboathouse.ae UAE Boats 4 Sale, Dubai Marina, +971 44471501, www.uaeboats4sale.com Western Marine, Marina Yacht Club, Dubai, +971 43039744 Equipment Ali Khalifah Moh Al Fuqaei, Deira, Dubai, +971 42263220 Al Masaood Marine, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43468000, www.masaoodmarine.com Blue Waters Marine, Shop 11, The Curve Bldg., Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43808616 / +971 553899995, info@bluewatersmarine.com, www.bluewatersmarine.com Extreme Marine, Dubai, +971 43992995, www.extrememarine-me.com Japan Marine General Trading, Al Garhoud Road, Liberty Building, Dubai, +971 559299111, +971 42828255, uday@japanmarine.jp, www.japanmarine.co Rineh Emirates Trading LLC, Dubai, Al Quoz, +971 43391512, www.rinehemiratesme.com Repairs and Maintenance Extreme Marine, Dubai, Dubai Marina, +971 43992995, www.extrememarine-me.com Rineh Emirates, Sheikha Sana Warehouse 1, Al Quoz, +971 43391512, info@rinehemiratesme.com, www.rinehemirates.com SNS Marine, JAFZA Techno Park, Jebel Ali, Dubai, +971 501405058, info@snsmarine.ae, www.snsmarine.ae The Boat House, Dubai, Al Quoz, +971 43405152, www.theboathouse.ae Cruise Operators Al Bateen Marina, Abu Dhabi, +971 26665491, www.marinaalbateenresort.com Al Marsa Travel & Tourism, Dibba, Musandam, +968 26836550, +971 65441232 Bateaux Dubai, Dubai Creek opposite the British Embassy, +971 43994994 Bristol Middle East, Dubai Marina, +971 44309941, www.bristol-middleeast.com Captain Tony’s, Yas Marina, Yas Island, Abu

Dhabi, +971 26507175, www.captaintonys.ae Delma Industrial Supply and Marine Services, Al Bateen Jetty, Abu Dhabi, +971 26668153, www.delmamarine.net Eden Yachting, Dubai Marina, +971 504586171, www.edenyachting.com Emirates Yachting, Dubai, +971 42826683 El Mundo, Dubai, +971 505517406, www.elmundodubai.com Four Star Travel and Tourism, Dubai, +971 42737779, www.fourstartravels.net 4 Yacht Arabia, Shop No. 5, Dubai Marina Yacht Club, 800 92248, www.4yachtarabia.ae Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa, Al Aqah Beach, Fujairah, +971 92449888, www.rotana.com Ghantoot Marina & Resort, Abu Dhabi, +971 529933153, www.ghantootmarina.com Happy Days Sea Cruising LLC, Dubai, +971 558961276, +971 503960202, www.happydaysdubai.com JPS Yachts and Charter, Room 225, Emarat Atrium building, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43437734, www.jpsyachts.com Khasab Divers, Oman, +971 567255889, khasab.diver2@gmail.com Khasab Musandam Travel & Tours, PO Box 411, Khasab, Musandam, +968 93350703, info@tourkhasab.com Khour Shem Tourism, Oman, +968 26731919, www.khourshemtours.com LY Catamaran, Dubai, +971 505869746, +971 566506683, www.lycatamaran.com Marine Concept, Dubai, +971 559603030, www.marine-charter-concept.com Nautica1992, Dubai, +971 504262415, www.nautica1992.ae Noukhada Adventure Company, Villa 332/7, Al Meena Street, Abu Dhabi, +971 26503600, www.noukhada.ae RAK Marine LLC, Ras Al Khaimah City Hilton Marina, +971 504912696, +971 72066410 Sea Hunters Passenger Yachts & Boats Rental, Dubai Marina, +971 42951011 Sheesa Beach, Dibba, Musandam, +971 503336046, www.sheesabeach.com Smoke Dragon Of London Yacht, Abu Dhabi International Marine & Sports Club, +971 507011958 / +971 504546617 Summertime Marine Sports, Dubai, +971 42573084 The Club, Abu Dhabi, +971 26731111, www.the-club.com The Yellow Boats LLC, Dubai Marina Walk – opposite Spinneys, Intercontinental Hotel Marina, +8008044, www.theyellowboats.com Marinas Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club, Abu Dhabi, Breakwater, +971 26815566, www.adimsc.com Abu Dhabi Marina, Abu Dhabi, Tourist Club Area, +971 26440300 Al Jeer Marina, RAK Border, Musandam +971 72682333 / +971 504873185 www.aljeerport.ae Al Mouj Marina, Muscat, Oman,

+968 24534554, www.almoujmarina.com Al Wasl Charter & Fishing, Airport Road, Al Qwais Bldg., Off. 207, Dubai, UAE, +971 42394760-61, www.cruiseindubai.com Dubai Creek Marina, Deira, Dubai, +971 43801234, www.dubaigolf.com Dubai International Marine Sports Club, Dubai Marina, +971 43995777, www.dimc.ae Dubai Marina Yacht Club, Dubai, +971 43627900, www.dubaimarinayachtclub.com Dubai Maritime City Harbour Marina, Dubai, +971 43455545 Dubai Offshore Sailing Club, Dubai, +971 43941669, www.dosc.ae Emirates Palace Marina, Abu Dhabi, +971 43388955 Four Seasons Marina, Doha, Qatar, +974 44948899, www.mourjanmarinas.com Fujairah International Marine Club, Fujairah, +971 92221166, www.fimc.ae Intercontinental Abu Dhabi Marina, Al Bateen, Intercontinental Hotel, Abu Dhabi, +971 26666888, www.intercontinental.com Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa Marina, Jebel Ali, Dubai, +971 48145555/5029, www.jebelali-international.com Lusail Marina, Lusail City, Qatar, +974 55843282, www.mourjan-lusailmarina.com Marina Bandar Al Rowdha, Muscat, Oman, +968 24737286 (ext 215), www.marinaoman.net Pavilion Marina, Dubai, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, +971 44068800 The Pearl–Qatar Marinas, Doha, Qatar, +974 4965801, www.ronauticame.com Umm Al Quwaim Marine Sports Club, Umm Al Quwaim, +971 67666644, www.uaqmarineclub.com Dragon Boat Groups Dubai Dawn Patrol Dragon Boating, Dubai +971 508795645 (Michael), www.dubaidawnpatrol.org Dubai Diggers, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, pier next to 360, Dubai, +971 501547175 (Nick Hando), www.dubai-diggers.com UAE Dragon Boat Association, +971 507634008, www.dubaidragonboat.com

Camping & Hiking

Equipment Blingmytruck.com, +971 505548255, www.blingmytruck.com Gulf Camping, Dubai, UAE, www.gulfcamping.com Jack Wolfskin, Mirdif City Centre Dubai, +971 42840228; Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi, +971 24437802 Picnico General Trading, near Sharaf DG Metro Station, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43951113 Tresspass, 2nd floor above ice rink, The Dubai Mall, +971 43398801 Tour Operators Arabia Outdoors, Dubai, +971 559556209, www.arabiaoutdoors.com Absolute Adventure, Dubai, +971 43459900, www.adventure.ae

R IVAL FO T S E F L NA ERNATIO T N I E H T

C I S U M S BIKE t & l i fes

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30 OCT - 1 NOV 2014

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ORGANISED BY

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

Desert Road Tourism, Al Khor Plaza – 503, Dubai, +971 42959428, www.arabiatours.com Libra, +971 559228362, www.libra-uae.com Mountain High Middle East, Dubai, +971 43480214, www.mountainhighme.com Sheesa Beach, Musandam, Dibba, +971 50336046, www.sheesabeach.com

Caving

Mountain High Middle East, Dubai, +971 43480214, www.mountainhighme.com Muscat Diving & Adventure Centre, Oman, +968 24543002, www.holiday-in-oman.com Oman World Tourism, Oman, +968 99431333, www.omanworldtourism.com

Climbing

Equipment Adventure HQ, Dubai Times Square Center, Sheikh Zayed Rd, toll free: 800-ADVENTURE, www.adventurehq.ae Barracuda Fishing and Outdoor, Dubai, Street 13A 1, Al Safa 1, +971 43466558, www.barracudadubai.com Global Climbing Trading LLC, Dubai Investment Park 1, Dubai, +971 48829361, www.globalclimbing.com Jack Wolfskin Mirdif City Centre Dubai, +971 42840228; Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi +971 24437802 Services Absolute Adventure, Dubai, +971 43459900, www.adventure.ae Adventure HQ, Dubai Times Square Center, Sheikh Zayed Rd, toll free: 800-ADVENTURE, www.adventurehq.ae Al Shaheen Adventure, Abu Dhabi, +971 26429995, www.alshaheenme.com Arabia Outdoors, Dubai, +971 559556209, www.arabiaoutdoors.com Dorell Sports Management, Dubai World Trade Centre, +971 43065061, www.climbingdubai.com E-Sports UAE, Dubai, +971 42824540, www.esportsuae.com The Club, Abu Dhabi, +971 26731111, www.the-club.com Information UAE Climbing, +971 506456491, www.uaeclimbing.com

Mountain Biking & Cycling

Equipment/Dealers Bikers JLT, Unit H6, Cluster H, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai, UAE, +971 526221888, products@allbikers.net Cycle Sports, Shop No. 1, Al Waleed Bldg., Al Barsha 1, Dubai, +971 43415415, www.cyclesportsuae.com Fun Ride Sports, 301, 3rd floor, Mushrif Mall, Abu Dhabi, Rm. 4, Mezzanine floor, C-13 Bldg., Khalifa City A, Abu Dhabi, info@funridesports.com, www.funridesports.com Micah’s Bike Shop, Warehouse no.4 6th St. Al Quoz 3, Dubai, +971 43805228 Peak Performance, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Mall, Dubai, +971 43413056 / +971 43308023

Probike, Dubai, Al Barsha 1, +971 43255705, www.probike.ae Rage Shop, Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Festival City, +971 43369007, www.rage-shop.com Revolution Cycles, Shop G05, Apex Atrium, Motor City, Dubai, +971 43697441, www.rcdxb.com Ride Bike Shop, Dubai Mall, Festival City, Oasis Centre, Mirdif City Centre, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43750231, www.ridebikeshop.com Sportz Unlimited, Sheikh Zayed Road & Jebel Ali, Dubai, + 971 43388644 Tamreen Sports LLC, Khalifa Street, Abu Dhabi, +971 26222525, www.tamreensports.com The Cycle Hub, Motor City, Dubai, +971 505528872, www.thecyclehub.com Trek Bicycle Store, Seih Al Salam, Al Qudra Road, Dubai, +971 48327377, www.trekbikes.ae Trikke uPT, Dubai, +971 45081202, +971 556096757, www.trikkeme.net Wolfi’s Bike Shop, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, +971 43394453, www.wbs.ae Operator Absolute Adventure, Dubai, +971 43459900, +971 506259165, www.adventure.ae, info@adventure.ae Clubs Abu Dhabi Tri Club, www.abudhabitriclub.com Cycle Safe Dubai, Dubai Autodrome www.cyclechallenge.ae Dubai Roadsters, www.dubairoadsters.com

Diving

Equipment Al Boom Marine, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, +971 42894858, www.alboommarine.com Al Hamur Marine and Sports Equipment, Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai, +971 43444468 Al Masaood Marine, Sheikh Zayed Road, +971 43468000, Dubai www.masaoodmarine.com Al Yousuf Motors, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha Blue Waters Marine, +971 42232189, Dubai, www.bluewatersmarine.com Gulf Marine Sports, Abu Dhabi, +971 26710017, www.gulfmarinesports.com Premiers for Equipment, Abu Dhabi, Sh. Zayed 1st. Road, +971 26665226, www.premiers-uae.com Scuba Dubai, Al Barsha, Al Khail Road, Dubai, +97143414940, info@scubadubai.com Scuba 2000, Al Bidiya Beach, Fujairah, +971 92388477, www.scuba-2000.com Diving Centres Al Boom Diving (equipment), Dubai, Al Wasl Rd, +971 43422993, www.alboomdiving.com Al Jeer Marina, RAK Border, Musandam, +971 72682333, www.aljeerport.ae Al Mahara Dive Center, near Muroor St across from main bus terminal, +971 26437377, info@divemahara.com, www.divemahara.com Arabian Diver, Hilton Marine, Ras Al Khaimah, +971 72226628, +971 502428128 www.arabiandiver.com Arabian Divers and Sportfishing Charters, Al Bateen Marina Resort, Abu Dhabi, +971 506146931, www.fishabudhabi.com Coastal Technical Divers, glenn@coastaltechnicaldivers.com, www.coastaltechnicaldivers.com Deep Blue Sea Diving, International City, Dubai, +971 44308246, www.diveindubai.com Desert Islands, Sir Bani YAs Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE, +971 28015400, www.divemahara.com Divers Down, Fujairah, Rotana Al Aqah Hotel Resort & Spa, +971 92370299, www.diversdown-uae.com Emirates Divers Centre, Abu Dhabi, near Meena Fish Market, +97126432444, www.edc-ad.ae Euro-Divers Oman, Muscat, Oman, +968 95035815, www.euro-divers.com Extra Divers Ziggy Bay, Oman, Musandam, +968 26735555, www.extradivers.info Freediving UAE, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, contactus@freedivinguae.com, www.freedivinguae.com

OCTOBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

Freestyle Divers, Dubai, Al Wasl & Dibba, Royal Beach Hotel, +971 43944275, www.freestyledivers.com Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa - Al Aqah Beach, Al Aqah Beach, Fujairah, +971 92449888, www.rotana.com Global Scuba Dive Center, Civil Aviation Club, Oman, +968 99317518, www.global-scuba.com Khasab Divers, Oman, www.khasabdiver.com Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort, Dibba Road, Fujairah, +971 92449000, www.lemeridien-alaqah.com Moonlight Dive Center, Madinat Qaboos, Oman, +968 99317700, www.moonlightdive.com Muscat Diving & Adventure Centre, Oman, +971 503289642, www.holiday-in-oman.com Neptune Diving, +971 504347902, www.neptunedivingcentre.com Nomad Ocean Adventures, www.discovernomad.com, +971 508853238, Dibba, Oman Oman Dive Center, Muscat, Oman, +968 24284240, www.omadivecenter.com Pavilion Dive Centre (equipment), Dubai, +971 44068828 Scuba Oman, Oman, +968 99558488, www.scubaoman.com Scuba 2000, Al Bidiya Beach, Fujairah, +971 92388477, www.scuba-2000.com Scuba UAE.com, +971 502053922, www.scubauae.com 7 Seas Diving Center, Khorfakkan, +971 92387400, www.7seasdivers.com Sharjah Wanderers Dive Club, Sharjah, +971 50784 0830, www.bsac406.com Sheesa Beach, Dibba, Musandam, +971 503336046, www.sheesabeach.com Sky &Sea Adventures, Dubai, Hilton, Jumeirah Beach Road, +971 43999005, www.watersportsdubai.com The Dive Shop, 34G, European Center, Green Community, Dubai, UAE, +971 48135474, www.thediveshopdubai.com Clubs Atlantis Underwater Photography Club, Dubai, +971 44263000 Desert Sports Diving Club, Dubai, www.desertsportsdivingclub.net Emirates Diving Association, Diving Village, Al Shindagha, Dubai, +971 43939390, www.emiratesdiving.com Filipino SCUBA Divers Club (FSDC), Dubai, UAE, +971 566952421, www.thefilipinoscubadivers.com Freediving UAE, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, contactus@freedivinguae.com, www.freedivinguae.com Sharjah Wanderers Dive Club, Sharjah, +971 507840830, www.bsac406.com

Fishing & Kayaking

Equipment Al Boom Marine, Abu Dhabi & Dubai, +971 42894858, www.alboommarine.com Al Hamur Marine and Sports Equipment, Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai,

Walltopia’s ME Sales Showroom and Bouldering Facility Single visit: 80 aed 10-visit pass: 500 Courses for beginners and intermediate every month

Unleash the Beast

facebook.com/rock.republic.dubai info@globalclimbing.com 04 88 29 361

+971 43444468 Al Kashat, Shop No. 14, Souq Waqif, Doha, Qatar, +974 44175950, www.alkashatqatar.com Al Masaood Marine, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, +971 43468000, www.masaoodmarine.com Al Yousuf Motors, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Rd, +971 43390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha Arabian Divers and Sportfishing Charters, Al Bateen Marina Resort, Abu Dhabi, +971 506146931, www.fishabudhabi.com Barracuda Fishing and Outdoor, Dubai, Street 13A 1, Al Safa 1, +971 43466558, www.barracudadubai.com Blue Waters Marine, Shop 11, The Curve Bldg., Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43808616 / +971 553899995, www.bluewatersmarine.com Challenging Adventure, Wadi Al Bih Ras Al Khaimah, +971 561060798, contactus@challengingadventure.com Global Climbing Trading LLC, Dubai Investment Park 1, Dubai, +971 48829361, www.globalclimbing.com Ocean Active, Dubai, Garden Centre, +971 502898713, www.oceanactive.com Operators Absolute Adventure, Dubai, +971 43459900, www.adventure.ae Al Boom Diving, Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort, Fujairah, +971 43422993 Al Hamra Marina and Yacht Club, Al Hamra, Ras Al Khaimah, +971 72434540, www.alhamramarina.com Al Mahara Dive Center, Downtown Abu Dhabi, +971 501118125, www.divemahara.com Al Wasl Charter & Fishing, Airport Road, Al Qwais Bldg., Off. 207, Dubai, UAE, +974 4 2394760-61, www.cruiseindubai.com Al Shaheen Adventure, Abu Dhabi, +971 26429995, www.alshaheenme.com Al Wasl Charter & Fishing (Al Wasl Passenger Yachts and Boats Rental LLC), Airport Road, Al Owais Building, Dubai, +971 42394761, www.cruiseindubai.com Arabian Divers and Sportfishing Charters, Al Bateen Marina Resort, +971 506146931, www.fishabudhabi.com Arabia Outdoors, Dubai, +971 559556209, www.arabiaoutdoors.com Barracuda Diving Centre, Fujairah International Marine Club, +971 9222558 Belevari Marine, Abu Dhabi, +971 26594144 Captain Tony’s, Yas Marina, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, +971 26507175, www.captaintonys.ae Fun Beach Water Sports, Dubai, +971 53244550, www.funbeachsports.com Happy Days Sea Cruising LLC, Dubai, +971 558961276, +971 503960202, www.happydaysdubai.com Hiltonia Beach Club, Hilton Abu Dhabi Hotel, Abu Dhabi, +971 26811900 Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort, Dibba Road, Fujairah, +971 92449000, www.lemeridien-alaqah.com Nautica 1992, Dubai, +971 504262415, www.nautica1992.ae

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE Noukhada Adventure Company, Villa 332/7, Al Meena Street, Abu Dhabi, +971 26503600, www.noukhada.ae Ocean Active, Dubai, Garden Centre, +971 502898713, www.oceanactive.com Sheesa Beach, Dibba, Musandam, +971 503336046, www.sheesabeach.com Soolyman Sports Fishing, Dubai, Umm Suqeim, +971 508866227, www.soolymansportsfishing.com Summertime Marine Sports, Dubai, +971 42573084, www.summertimemarine.comz Xclusive Yachts, Dubai, Dubai Marina, +971 44327233, www.xclusiveyachts.com Clubs Abu Dhabi Camping, Fishing & Kayaking Club, mohamed.almahrouky@gmail.com Dubai Surfski & Kayak Club, Kitesurfers’ Beach, Umm Suqeim 1, Dubai, +971 554986280, www.dskc.hu

Adventure HQ, Dubai Times Square Center, Sheikh Zayed Rd, Toll free: 800-ADVENTURE, www.adventurehq.ae Al Yousuf Motors, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha 800 Sport, Al Quoz, Dubai +971 43467751, www.800sport.ae Flip Flop Arabia, flipme@flipfloparabia.com, www.flipfloparabia.com Global Climbing Trading LLC, Dubai Investment Park 1, Dubai +971 48829361, www.globalclimbing.com Goal Zero, +971 509128353, www.goalzero.ae Highbury Trading, Dubai, UAE, www.highburytrading.ae Jack Wolfskin Mirdif City Centre Dubai, +971 42840228; Al Wahda Mall Abu Dhabi, +971 44437802 Ocean Sports FZE, +971 559352735, www.kitesurfsup.com Sakeen General Trading, +971 47094224, www.sakeen.ae Sport in Life Distribution, Nad Al Hammar Rd., Ras Al Khor, Dubai, UAE, +971 42896001, +971 42896002, info@sportinlife.ae, www.sportinlife.ae Tresspass, The Dubai Mall 2nd floor above ice rink, +971 43398801

Emirates Equestrian Centre, Dubai, +971 505587656, www.emiratesequestriancentre.com Ghantoot Polo & Racing Club, Exit 399, Abu Dhabi/ Dubai Highway, Abu Dhabi, +971 25629050, www.grpc.ae Golden Stables Equestrian Club, Al Khawaneej, Dubai, (Nouri) +971 555528182, www.goldenstables.ae HoofbeatZ, located just inside the Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club, Dubai, +971 501810401, www.hoofbeatz.com Mushrif Equestrian and Polo Club, Mushrif Park, Al Khawaneej Road, Dubai, +971 42571256, www.mushrifec.com Qudraland Community, info@qudraland.com, www.qudraland.com Rahal Ranch, Al Wathba Racing Area, Abu Dhabi, +971 566127914, www.rahalranch.com Riding for the Disabled, Dubai, lessons@rdad.ae, www.rdad.ae, Sharjah Equestrian & Racing Club, Sharjah, Al Dhaid Road, +971 65311188, www.serc.ae Racecourses Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Al Mushrif, Abu Dhabi, +971 24455500, www.adec-web.com Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club, Exit 399, Abu Dhabi/ Dubai Highway, Abu Dhabi, +971 25629050, www.grpc.ae Jebel Ali Racecourse, off the main Abu Dhabi - Dubai Highway (Sheikh Zayed road) beside the Emirates Golf Club, Dubai, +971 43474914 Meydan Grandstand and Racecourse, Al Meydan Road, Nad Al Sheba, Dubai, +971 43270000, www.meydan.ae Sharjah Racecourse, Al Dhaid Road, Sharjah, +971 65311155, www.serc.ae Equine Hospitals/Clinics Central Veterinary Research Laboratory, next to Dubai Equestrian Hospital, Zabeel 2, Dubai, +971 43375165, www.cvrl.ae Dubai Equine Hospital, behind World Trade Center, Zabeel 2, Dubai, +971 43178888, www.dubaiequine.ae Gulf Vetcare, Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi, +971 508617590, www.gulfvetcare.com Sharjah Equine Hospital, Bridge No. 6, Al Dhaid Road, Sharjah, +971 65311881, www.seh.ae

Horse Riding

Jet Ski

General Sports Equipment Distributors

Equipment Al Asifa Horse Equestrian & Requisites Trading, Al Khawaneej 1, Dubai, +971 554733110, www.asifa.ae Black Horse LLC, Abu Dhabi, +971 26422237, www.blackhorseuae.com Bonjour Equestrian Supplies, Nad Al Hammar Rd., Ras Al Kho, Dubai, UAE, +971 42896001, +971 42896002, info@bonjourequestrian.com, www.bonjourequestrian.com Cavalos Equine Care and Supplies, 16th Street, Al Khalidiyah, Abu Dhabi, +917 22222433, www.cavalosuae.com Emirta Horse Requirement Centre, Sheik Zayed Rd, Dubai, +971 43437475, www.emirtahorse.com Horse & Carriage Equestrian Equipment LLC, Dubai, +971 42895069, www.horseandcarriageuae.com Mirzan Equestrian Equipment, Dubai, +971 44472808, www.metdubaihorse.com Equestrian Clubs/Centres Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Al Mushrif, Abu Dhabi, +971 24455500, www.adec-web.com Al Ahli Riding School, Al Amman Street, Dubai-Sharjah Rd., +971 42988408, www.alahliclub.info Al Forsan International Sports Resort, Abu Dhabi, +971 25568555, www.alforsan.com Al Jiyad Stables, Behind Dubai International Endurance City, Dubai, +971 505995866, info@aljiyad.com, www.aljiyad.com Al Sahra Desert Resort Equestrian Centre, Dubai, +971 44274055, equestrian.centre@alsahra.com Desert Equestrian Club, Mirdif, Dubai, +971 503099770 / +971 501978888 Desert Palm Riding School, Near Al Awir Road (going to Hatta-Oman), Dubai, +971 43238010, www.desertpalm.peraquum.com Dubai Polo Academy, Dubai, +971 508879847, www.dubaipoloacademy.com Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club, Dubai, Arabian Ranches, +971 43618111, www.poloclubdubai.com

Dealers Al Masaood Marine, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, +971 43468000, www.masaoodmarine.com Al Yousuf Motors, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Rd, +971 43390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha Japan Marine General Trading, Al Garhoud Road, Liberty Building, Dubai, +971 559299111 / +971 42828255, uday@japanmarine.jp, www.japanmarine.co Liberty Kawasaki, Dubai, Interchange 4, Sheikh Zayed Road, +971 43419341, www.libertykawasaki.com Rentals Fun Beach Water Sports, Dubai, +971 53244550, www.funbeachsports.com Regal Promotions, Level 14,Boulevard Plaza Tower 1, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard. Downtown Dubai, PO Box 334036 Dubai, UAE, +971 44558570, info@regalproms.com The Cove Rotana Resort, Ras Al Khaimah, +971 7206000, www.rotana.com Xventures, Dubai, +971 555404500, www.x-ventures.ae

Motocross & ATV’s

Dealers Al Badayer Rental (Rental), Dubai-Hatta Road, +971 507842020, www.albadayerrental.com Al Shaali Moto, Ras Al Khor, +971 43200009, sales@alshaalimoto.com. www.alshaalimoto.com Al Yousuf Motors, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Rd, +971 43390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha Golden Desert Motorcycles Rental (Rental), Dubai-Hatta Road, Dubai, +971 551532550, www.goldendesert-dubai.com Just Gas It, Hatta Rd., Al Aweer, Dubai, UAE, +971 509192394, www.JustGasIt.net KTM, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, exit 42, +971 4323151, www.ktm.com Liberty Kawasaki, Dubai, Interchange 4, Sheikh Zayed Road, +971 43419341, www.libertykawasaki.com Polaris UAE (atv’s), Ras Al Khor, Nad al

OCTOBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

Hamar Road, Al Ghandi Complex, Dubai, +971 42896100, M4, Sector 13, 10th Street, Mussafah Industrial, Abu Dhabi, +971 25555144, www.polarisuae.com Sebsports, Al Quoz Industrial Area 1 Dubai, +971 43393399, www.sebsports.com Wild X Adventure Shop, Dubai, +971 48321050, www. wildx.ae Equipment Desert Road Tourism, Al Khor Plaza – 503, Dubai, +971 42959429, www.arabiantours.com Sandstorm Motorcycles (Rental), Al Quoz, Dubai, +971 43470270, www.sandstorm-motorcycles.com Sebsports, Dubai, Al Quoz Industrial Area 3, +971 43393399, www.sebsports.com 2XWheeler, Motorcity Dubai, +971 44548388, www.2xwheeler.com Wild X, Dubai, Um Al Ramoul Industrial Area, +971 42852200, www. wildx.ae Workshops and Services Moto-X and Quad, PO Box 476214, Dubai, UAE, +971 50 6169727, www.gasgasmotos. me

Motorcycling

Distributors and Dealers Al Yousuf Motors, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Rd, www.aym.ae/yamaha Ducati, Mussafah 4, Street 10, Abu Dhabi, +971 25535771, info2@ducati.ae, www.ducati.ae Duseja Motorcycles, Dubai, Al Quoz, +971 43476712, www.dusejamoto.com Harley-Davidson, Mussafah 4, Street 10, Abu Dhabi, +971 25540667, hd.auh@harley-davidson.ae, www.harley-davidson-abu-dhabi.com Liberty Kawasaki, Dubai, Interchange4, Sheikh Zayed Road, +971 42822144, www.libertykawasaki.com Polaris UAE, Al Ghandi Complex, Nad al Hamar Road, Ras Al Khor, +971 42896100, www.polarisuae.com Tristar Motorcycles, +971 43330659, www.tristaruae.com Workshops and Services Al Forsan International Sports Resort, Abu Dhabi, +971 25568555, www.alforsan.com Dubai Autodrome, Dubai, +971 43678700 www.dubaiautodrome.com Emirates Motorplex, Umm Al Quwain, +971 67681717 2xWheeler Adventures, Dubai, +971 44548388, www.alainraceway.com Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, www.yasmarinacircuit.com

Off-Road

Dealers Bling My Truck, +971 503634839 / +971 505548255, info@blingmytruck.com, www.blingmytruck.com 4x4 Motors LLC, Shk. Zayed Rd, Dubai, +971 43384866, www.4x4motors.com Liberty Automobiles, Dubai, 800 5423789, www.libertyautos.com Repairs and Services Icon Auto Garage, Dubai, +971 43382744, www.icon-auto.com Off Road Zone, Dubai, Al Quoz, +971 43392449, www.offroad-zone.com Saluki Motorsport, Dubai, +971 43476939 www.salukimotorsport.com Equipment Advanced Expedition Vehicles, Dubai & Abu Dhabi, +971 43307152, www.aev.ae Al Yousuf Motors, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha Bling My Truck, +971 503634839 / +971 505548255, info@blingmytruck.com, www.blingmytruck.com Heartland UAE, Al Mafraq Industrial, Abu Dhabi, +971 567231967, www.heartlanduae.com Icon Auto Garage, Dubai, +971 43382744, www.icon-auto.com Wild X Adventure Shop, Dubai-Hatta Road, Dubai, +971 48321050, www.wildx.ae Yellow Hat, Nad Al Hamar, and Times Square Center, Dubai, +971 42898060, www.yellowhat.ae Tour Operators Arabian Adventures, Dubai & Abu Dhabi, +971 43034888, www.arabian-adventures.com Desert Road Tourism, Al Khor Plaza – 503, Dubai, +971 42959429, www.arabiantours.com

Oasis Palm Dubai, Dubai, +971 42628889, www.opdubai.com Clubs Abu Dhabi Off- Road Club, www.ad4x4.com ALMOST 4x4 Off-Road Club, +971 507665522, www.almost4x4.com Dubai Offroaders, www.dubaioffroaders.com JEEP Wrangler JK Fun Club, suffian.omar@yahoo.com, www.jk-funclub.com ME 4X4, www.me4x4.com

Running

Clubs ABRasAC, Dubai, www.abrasac.org Abu Dhabi Tri Club, Abu Dhabi, www.abudhabitriclub.org Abu Dhabi Striders, admin@abudhabistriders.com, www.abudhabistriders.com Al Ain Road Runners, Abu Dhabi, +971 504188978, alainroadrunners@yahoo.co.uk Mirdif Milers, Dubai, www.mirdifmilers.info Dubai Creek Striders www.dubaicreekstriders.org

Stand up Paddling, Kite & Surfing, Wakeboarding Equipment Al Boom Marine, Abu Dhabi & Dubai, +971 42894858, www.alboommarine.com Al Masaood Marine, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, +971 43468000, www.masaoodmarine.com Ikönic Brands, Suite 509 Düsseldorf Business Point Al Barsha Dubai, UAE +971 506874178, info@ikonicbrands.com Kitesurf Dubai, Kitesurf Beach, Umm Suqueim and Jumeirah 3 +971 505586190, www.kitesurfdubai.ae Pearl Water Crafts, Dubai Marina Yacht Club, +971 553749398, www.pearl-watercrafts.com Picnico, Jumeirah Beach Road Opposite Sunset Mall, Dubai +971 43941653 Surf Dubai, Dubai, Umm Suqeim, +971 505043020, www.surfingdubai.com Surf Shop Arabia, Building 1, Al Manara Road (East), Interchange 3, Dubai, +971 43791998, www.surfshoparabia.com UAE Kite Surfing, +971 505626383, www.ad-kitesurfing.net Distributors Kitepeople Kite & Surf Store, International City, Dubai, +971 504559098, www.kitepeople.ae Ocean Sports FZE, +971 559352735, www.kitesurfsup.com Operators Al Forsan International Sports Resort, Abu Dhabi, +971 25568555, www.alforsan.com Dubai Kite Surf School, Dubai, Umm Suqeim Beach, +971 504965107, www.dubaikitesurfschool.com Duco Maritime, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah and Abu Dhabi, +971 508703427, www.ducomaritime.com

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE Dukite, Kitesurf Beach, Umm Suqeim, Dubai,+971 507586992, www.dukite.com Kite Fly, Dubai, +971 502547440, www.kitesurf.ae Kite4fun.net, Abu Dhabi, +971 508133134, www.kite4fun.net Kitepro Abu Dhabi, Yas Island and Al Dabbayyah, Abu Dhabi, +971 505441494, www.kitepro.ae Nautica1992, Dubai, +971 504262415, www.nautica1992.ae Shamal Kite Surfing, Umm Suqueim Dubai, +971 507689226, astrid@shamalkitesurfing.com, www.shmalkitesurfing.com Sky & Sea Adventures, Dubai, Hilton, Jumeirah Beach Road, +971 43999005, www.watersportsdubai.com Surf School UAE, Umm Suqeim Beach and Building 1, Al Manara Road (East), Interchange 3, Dubai,+971 556010997, www.surfschooluae.com Watercooled, Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa, Dubai, +971 48876771, www.watercooleddubai.com Water Cooled, Watercooled Sports Services LLC, Hilton Beach Club, Abu Dhabi, UAE, +971 26395997, www.watercooleduae.com Clubs Abu Dhabi Stand Up Paddle, www.abudhabisup.com UAE SUP www.uaesup.com

OMAN DIRECTORY Adventure tours and desert safaris

Dolphin Qasab Tours, PO Box: 123, P.C. 811, Khasab City, Musandam, Oman, +968 26730813, www.dolphinkhasabtours.com Go Dive Oman, Capital Area Yacht Club (CAYC), Sidab Muscat, +968 99289200, www.godiveoman.com Nomad Tours, PO Box: 583, Postal Code 100, Muscat, Oman, +968 95495240, www.nomadtours.com Oman Trekking Guides, PO Box: 917, NIZWA, Oman, +968 95741441, www.omantrekkingguides.com

Diving

Equipment Al Marsa Musandam, PO Box: 44, Dibba,

QATAR DIRECTORY Adventure tours and desert safaris

Al Mulla Travels, PO Box: 4147, Doha, Qatar, +974 44413488, almullatrvls@qatar.net.qa Alpha Tours, PO Box: 13530, Doha, Qatar, +974 4837815, info@alphatoursqatar.com Al QAYED Travel & Tours, Al Qayed Holding Bldg., D-Ring Road, PO Box: 158, Doha, Qatar, +974 44072244, www.alqayedtravel.com Arabian Adventures, Al Asmakh Street, PO Box: 4476, Doha, Qatar, +974 44361461, www.arabianadventureqatar.net Black Pearls Tourism Services, PO Box: 45677, Doha, Qatar East Marine, West Bay, Doha, Qatar, +974 55200078 E2E Qatar Travel and Tours, PO Box: 23563, Doha, Qatar, +974 44502521, www.e2eqatar.com Falcon Travels, PO Box: 22031, Doha, Qatar, +974 44354777, www.falcontravelqatar.com Gulf Adventures, 29, Aspire Zone Street Aspire Zone Al Rayyan City, PO Box: 18180 Qatar, +974 44221888, www.gulf-adventures.com Net Tours Qatar, PO Box: 23080, Doha, Qatar, +974 4310902, www.nettours.com.qa Regency Travel & Tours, Suhaim Bin Hamad Street, Doha, Qatar, +974 4434 4503/4718, www.regencyholidays.com Qatar Adventure, Al Matar Street, PO Box: 13915, Doha, Qatar, +974 55694561, www.qataradventure.com Qatar Desert Gate, Doha, PO Box: 18496 Ad Dawha, Qatar, +974 55594016, www.qatardesertgate.com Qatar Inbound Tours, Commercial Street, Al Muaither, Al Rayyan, PO Box: 21153, +974 77451196, www.inboundtoursqatar.com Qatar International Tours, PO Box: 55733

OCTOBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

Water Parks

Aquaventure Atlantis, Dubai, Palm Jumeirah, +971 44260000, www. atlantisthepalm.ae Dreamland Aqua Park, Umm Al Quwain, Emirates Road, +971 67681888, www.dreamlanduae.com Wadi Adventure, Jebel Hafeet, Al Ain, +971 37818422, www.wadiadventure.ae Wild Wadi Water Park, Dubai, +971 43484444, www.wildwadi.com

Other leisure activities

Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Abu Dhabi, + 971 25588990, www.adgolfclub.com Al Tamimi Stables, Sharjah, +971 67431122 \ +971 44370505, www.tamimistables.com Blokart Sailing, Nad Al Sheba, Dubai, +971 556101841, www.blokartme.com Children’s City, Creek Park Gate No.1, Dubai, +971 43340808, www.childrencity.ae Dolphin Bay Atlantis, Dubai, +971 44260000, www.atlantisthepalm.ae Dubai Dolphinarium Dubai, Creek Park Gate No. 1, +971 43369773, www.dubaidolphinarium.ae iFly Dubai, Dubai, Mirdif City Centre, +971 42316292, www.iflyme.com

Sultanate of Oman, +968 26836550, www.almarsamusandam.com Al Sawadi Beach Resort, PO Box: 747, Barka - Al Sawadi, Oman, +968 26795545, www.alsawadibeach.info Diving UAE & Oman, www.dive-uae-oman.com Euro Divers CAYC Oman, Marina Bandar Al Rhowda, PO Box: 940, Muscat, Oman, +968 95035815, www.euro-divers.com Extra Divers Musandam, PO Box: 498, PC 811 Khasab, Musandam, Oman, +968 99877957, www.musandam-diving.com Global Scuba LLC, +968 24692346, www.global-scuba.com Moon Light Dive Center, P.O. Box: 65, Madinat Qaboos, Muscat Oman, +968 99317700, www.moonlightdive.com Oman Dive Center Resort, PO Box: 199, Medinat Sultan Qaboos, Oman, +968 24824240, www.omandivecenter.info Omanta Scuba Diving Academy, Al Kharjiya

Street, Al Shati Area, Muscat, Oman, +968 97700564, www.omantascuba.com Oxygen Diving and Adventures, PO Box: 1363 PC130 Alazaiba, Muscat, Oman, www.o2diveoman.com Seaoman, PO Box: 2394, RUWI PC 112, Oman, +968 24181400, www.seaoman.com Sub Aqua Dive Center, Hilton Salalah Resort, PO Box: 699, Salalah 211, Oman, +968 99894031, www.subaqua-divecenter.com

Doha, Qatar, +974 44551141, www.qittour.com Qatar Ventures, Barwa Village Bulding No. 12, Shop No. 33, Doha, Qatar, +974 55776679, www.qatar-ventures.com Clubs Doha Sailing Club, Doha Sailing Club, PO Box: 4398 (9995), Doha, Qatar, +974 44439840, www.qmsf.com

+974 44435626 Doha Sub Aqua Club, Doha Sub-Aqua Club, PO Box: 5048, Doha, Qatar, +974 66304061, www.dohasubaquaclub.com Extreme Adventure, PO Box: 33002, Shop 3, 4 Ahmed Bin Ali Street (Bin Omran), Doha, Qatar, +974 44877884, www.extreme.qa GoSport, City Centre Mall, 3rd Floor, Qatar: +974 44631644; Villagio Mall, Qatar: +974 44517574, www.facebook.com/gosport.qatar Pearl Divers, PO Box: 2489, Doha, Qatar, +974 44449553, www.pearl-divers.org Poseidon Dive Center, Ras Abu Abboud Street, Al Emadi Suites, Showroom #2, PO Box: 11538, Doha, Qatar, +974 66084040, www.pdcqatar.com Qatar Scuba Center, 187 Al Mansoura Street, Al Mansoura Area, Doha, Qatar, +974 66662277, www.qatarscubacenter.com Q Dive, Souq Al Najada cnr of Grand Hamad and Ali bin Abdulla Str.; Al-Odeid Aisle numbers 129-132, +974 55319507, www.qdive.net World Marine Centre, PO Box: 6944, Doha, Qatar, +974 44360989, www.worldmarinecenter.webs.com Dive Centres Al Fardan Marine Services, Najma Street (near Al Fardan Exchange), Doha, Qatar, +97444435626 Pearl Divers, Al Mirqab Al Jadeed Street, Doha, Qatar, +974 4444 9553, www.pearl-divers.org Poseidon Dive Center, Ras Abu Abboud Street, Al Emadi Suites, Showroom #2, PO Box: 11538, Doha, Qatar, +974 66084040, www.pdcqatar.com Qatar Divers, Marriott Hotel Marina Near Old Airport, Ras Abu Aboud Area, Doha, Qatar, +974 44313331, www.qatardivers.com Qatar Marine, Go Sport City Center West Bay, PO Box: 16657, Doha, +974 553199507, www.qatarmarine.net Qatar Scuba Centre, 187 Al Mansoura Street, Al Mansoura Area, Doha, Qatar, +974 66662277 / +974 44422234, www.qatarscubacenter.com

General Sports Equipment Megastores

Galaxy Sport, City Centre Mall, 3rd Floor, Qatar: +974 44822194; Villagio Mall, Qatar: +974 44569143; Ezdan Mall, Qatar: +974 44922827, www.galaxysportqatar.com GoSport, City Centre Mall, 3rd Floor, Qatar: +974 44631644; Villagio Mall, Qatar: +974 44517574 www.facebook.com/gosport.qatar Sun & Sand Sports, City Centre Mall, Qatar: +974 44837007; Dar Al Salam Mall, Qatar: +974 44932973, www.sunandsandsports.com

Boating & Sailing

Equipment Regatta Sailing Academy, Al Isteqlal Road, West Bay Lagoon, PO Box: 18104, Doha, Qatar, +974 55507846, www.regattasailingacademy.com Distributors and Dealers Speed Marine, Speed Marine, Museum Road, PO Box: 9145 Doha, Qatar, +974 44410109, www.speedmarinegroup.com

Horse Riding

Equestrian Clubs/Centres Al Shaqab, PO Box: 90055, Doha, Qatar, +974 44546320, www.alshaqab.com Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club, Racing and Equestrian Club, PO Box: 7559, Doha, Qatar, +974 44197664, www.qrec.gov.qa

Diving

Equipment Al Fardan Marine Services, Najma Street (near Al Fardan Exchange), Doha, Qatar,

Stand Up Paddeling, Kite & Surfing, Wakeboarding

Equipment, Operators Kiteboarding Oman, Sawadi Beach, PO Box: 133, PC 118, Muscat, Oman, +968 96323524, www.kiteboarding-oman.com Oman’s Kite Center, +968 94006007, www.kitesurfing-lessons.com

Sadiyaat Beach Club, Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, +971 25578000, www.sbgolfclub.ae Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club, Sharjah, +971 43999005, www.golfandshootingshj.com SkiDubai, Dubai, Mall of The Emirates, +971 44094000, www.skidxb.com Spacewalk Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, +971 24463653, www.spacewalk.ae

Health, Safety & Training

Safety Lessons Marine Concept Yacht Charter & Sea School, Rania Business Centre, Dubai, +971 559603030, www.marine-charter-concept.com Safety & Leisure Training Middle East, Dusseldorf Business Point, Al Barsha 1, Dubai, +971 44502418, www.sltme.com Sport and Health Centres Bespoke Wellness, Dubai, +971 553724670, www.bespoke-wellness.com Original Fitness Co., C6 Tower Al Bateen Bainunah St, Abu Dhabi, +971 2406 9404, www.originalfitnessco.com Orthosports, 5B Street, Jumeira Beach road, Dubai, +971 4355060, www.orthosp.com The Physio Center, Suite 405, Building 49, Dubai Healthcare City, Dubai, +971 44370570, www.physiocentre.ae

Camping & Hiking

Tour Operators Safari Desert Camp, PO Box: 117, Postal Code 421, Bediyah, Ghabbi, Oman, +968 99310108, www.safaridesert.com

Fishing & Kayaking

Equipment Az’Zaha Tours, +968 99013424, www.azzahatours.com Water World Marine Oman, PO Box: 76, Muscat, 113, Sultanate of Oman, +968 24737438, www.waterworldoman.com

Boating & Sailing

Manufacturer Saphire Marine, PO Box: 11, Post Code 118, Muscat, Oman, +968 99877243, www.sapphire-marine.com Qdive Marine Center, PO Box: 16657, Doha, Qatar, +974 44375065, www.qdive.net World Marine Centre, Old Salata Street, near the Qatar National Museum, Doha, Qatar, +974 55508177

Fishing & Kayaking

Equipment Al Mamzoore Marine Equipment, PO Box: 6449,Old Salata, Doha, Qatar, +974 44444238, almamzoore@qatar.net.qa Fish World, PO Box: 1975, Doha, Qatar, +974 44340754

Motocross & ATV’s

Dealers Qatar Adventures, Barwa Village, Building # 9 Shop # 11, Doha, Qatar, +974 77700074

Fishing & Kayaking

Spearfishing Shops Equipment Al Kashat, Fishing and Hunting Equipment, Souq Waqif, next to the Falcon Souq, +974 66724828 Extreme Adventure, Shop 3,4 Ahmed Bin Ali Steet, Doha, +974 44877884, www.extreme.qa State of Qatar (QatarSub), Souq Waqif, next to the Falcon Souq, +974 4431234, www.stateofqatar.com

Stand Up Paddeling, Kite & Surfing, Wakeboarding

Equipment, Operators Fly-N-Ride, Al Muthaf Street, Doha, Qatar, +974 4498 2284, www.fly-n-ride.com Flo Kite School, Westbay, Doha, +974 55041039, www.flokiteschool.com Kitesurfing Qatar, +97430179108, www.kitesurfingqatar.com QSUP, Qanat Quartier, Costa Malaz, The Pearl-Qc, Doha, Qatar, +974 66602830, www.qsup.me

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