Autorun

This weekend a group of car enthusiasts organized an event called Autorun.
Starting from the desert resort Bab Al Shams they drove to the Dubai Autodrome, and then afterwards to The Fairmont in Dubai. Each participant paid 10,000 dirham (about $2700 USD) to enter, and there were approximately 100 cars in all.

They ranged from the Bugatti Veyron, the most expensive and fastest street legal car in the world, a myriad of Ferraris, Porsches and Mercedes, and one Chevy Lumina (go figure).

Many had been modified by specialists like Hamann as well as local garages.

My favourites were the Cobra’s that sat on either side of a Ferrari 599 GTB (SLS favourite).

Of course there were agency girls there for the major sponsors, Exotic Cars and Red Bull.

Another small sponsor, Aquatic Style, decided to match their girls with a pimp style guy (Gunther lookalike), altogether a strange combination.

As we left we passed this unknown car (kit car maybe?), outside and alone.

Dhaya Fort

Dhaya Fort, to the north of our city was the last fort to fall to the British in 1819. The entire story not on the signboard was that the local Sheikh was determined to exact the maximum effort from the invaders. The British ships cannons could not reach the fort so they had to be taken off, dragged over thousands of meters of mud flats and sand, in extreme heat, to only fire a few shots.

After his surrender the Sheikh earned the respect of the British and continued to rule his area.

The fort is in two parts, on top of the hill (well restored)

and the remnants of the town fort below.

The views from the top are impressive, either as a vista or the turret eye view.

The lower fort has eroded to create an interesting visage looking out to what it once protected.

Getting Hotter

We went over the 38C mark to 40C this week. Fortunately it is still dropping into the mid 20s at night, and the cold water taps still deliver cool water.

But this is warning of the summer season to come.

For my American friends, it went up to 104F cooling off to about 80F at night.

Details here: http://www.wunderground.com/global/stations/41184.html

Dunes and Camels

The southern portion of our emirate gives way from rocks and wadis to sand dunes more common with the rest of UAE.

The previous post covered one of the areas where the 4x4 events are, although off-roading is everywhere here.

Also in this area is our camel track which is 5 kilometer loop.

This winter has been exceptionally wet and much of the desert has a green coating as a result.
When we drive to the top of the big dunes in the middle of the race track it gives an unusual view.

As usual the camels are not amused.

Al Wafi Festival

One of the craziest winter festivals here is held in Ras Al Khaimah, the Al Wafi Festival.

It is a loosely organized event for a couple of weeks in the desert with a mixture of cultural events, but mainly 4x4 fun.

In one area of high dunes the quad bikes go nuts, and at the base they lay a rough patch of asphalt.

All of us race thru the sand and climb the dunes in impromptu competitions, as well as organized events.

The asphalt boys then show off how they can spin and burn in their expensive Land Cruisers, Patrols, and other SUV’s.

Most modified like my memory of the 70’s hot rodders in Canada. Several caught fire, many tires were blown and a few spectators were injured.

But otherwise an adrenaline charged event.

Desert In Bloom

Following my post of Dec.12 there is an after effect of all the rain we have received this year. The most in over 10 years.
First there was the open pit mine that was filled with water after only 24 hours of rain. Now it is mostly empty and you can see the cabin and oil tank now in their right place, no longer floating.

The most beautiful after effect are the wadi’s in bloom.

Millions of lavender flowers have sprung up and in places we are waist deep in them.

Bees everywhere and the dust is held at bay at least for now.

But in the end the cows and goats continue with their foraging habits, although they are much fatter than last year.