My first adventure

quacker_boy · Cuddle Bitch Joined: 06 Sep 2005 Karma :

Well, sort of. It was only a day's riding but when 120 km of the 497 we covered was up and down a mountain and through valleys with the surface being loose shale, it was more than hard core enough for me! My dad came into my room at 5:50 AM saying "Come on you lazy shite, get up". The original plan the night before was to leave at 6, but that obviously wasn't going to happen. Truth be told we both slept right through our alarms we'd set for 5:30. Woops, brilliant start!

After filling up the CamelBaks with cold water and plenty of ice and packing the essentials into out bags (towel, boardshorts, suncream and sunglasses) we were ready for the off. A final quick check over the bikes (Honda XR400 and Kawasaki Estrella 250) we fired up and trundled off into the cool morning sunrise. We set off at 6:30 in the end and started to leave Dubai, the traffic was very heavy heading into the city but as we were headed the other way we were fine.

After just over an hour's and a half riding we covered just over 100 km and were well into the desert and out of civilization, as we approached Fossil Rock we stopped off for a photo of the bikes on the side of the road.

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Another 100 km or so later we had to switch the tanks onto reserve so made a stop for fuel and had a bite of breakfast. Mine was a Mars ice cream and a chocolate milkshake. I lead such a healthy lifestyle Laughing

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After another hour's or so riding we reached the East Coast and the region of Khorfakkan. Traditionally Khorfakkan and Dibba (another 20 km or so away) are both tiny little fishing villages but Khorfakkan has got a few 5 star hotels for expats to escape to on the weekends. Here's a few shots of the area.

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This was a hotel i'd last stayed in when i was Year 6 which means about 9 years ago? It was fantastic to see it again, i've got such fond memories from the 3 days our school was there. We were all so young and innocent Laughing

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The days catch of sardines being dried out in the mid-morning sun.
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And yeh, there was a lot of them.
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And just across the road was the sign. Excellent. Laughing

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After pressing on again we arrived in Dibba a little while later and were lucky enough to see the locals hauling in there net so stopped to watch and take some photos.

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The reject fish Laughing

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And a couple of arty farty shots as well.
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After we'd finished watching them bringing in the cath we decided to press on to Oman and ride through Wadi Bih. Here's the last bit of tarmac we were going to see for sometime. On the flat i was able to build up quite a bit of speed but stood up on the pegs to save my arse...i felt like someone off the Paris Dakar or something Laughing

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Eventually we stopped for a breather and a drink of water and we were joined by this little bugger who seemed completley unphased by the bikes and us. Even when we started up the motors again, he didn't move!

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The road ahead.
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A short while after we found this little gem, presumably a local has used his initiative and found a small stream that trickles down from higher up in the mountains and built a resevoir to collect the water. We soaked out shirts in the stuff to keep us cool in the 36 degree heat of the mid-day sun but didn't want to drink it but still had plenty of water with us anyway.
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I then rode ahead of my dad to get a shot of him riding up the mountain side. I love this photo, makes him look like something straight off the cover of "Motorcycle Diaries" Laughing

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And then he rode ahead of me to get some shots of me coming up as well. After reaching the summit we stopped again to take some more photos and take in the breath taking scenery. It was fantastic, right up untill the moment my dad's phone rang when someone was calling him from work on his day off. Poor sod.
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After riding down the other side of the mountain humming to myself "She'll be coming round the mountain when she comes" we reached another border post complete with Omani military. After speaking to them briefly in my limited Arabic we didn't even have to show our passports and shot off across another shale covered valley to reach another border post to pass into Ras Al Khaimah.

This was where it started to get interesting, we were low on fuel, thirsty and desperate to dive into the sea in RAK but low and behold the border guard came out and told us in broken English we weren't allowed to cross. After seeing that he was struggling i tried to use my best Arabic I could and we found out there were some serious political issues and they couldn't let us past but let a local in his truck through quite happily. After much pleaing we decided we didn't have much of a choice but to ride back up the and down the mountain back through Dibba and take a slightly different route back to Dubai which meant riding through Dhaid and Masafi.

Obviously we weren't happy about this at all so pressed on all in one go and covered the mountain without stopping for a break and reached Dibba, filled up with petrol and dived into the water.
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We then just got our heads down and rode through the mountain roads to Dhaid which thankfully had been rained on so we got utterly drenched with spray being flicked up from other cars. It was the most beautiful feeling in the world! We stopped in the Dhaid market for a can of RedBull and then rode all the way back to Dubai only to find 35 knot winds and sand being blown all over the road. If you ever have the chance to ride through a sandstorm, don't fucking do it. It hurts. A lot!

The last stop.
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All in all it was quite a hard ride and despite being utterly shattered at the end of it i've never felt such a massive sense of achievment. Hope you enjoyed boys and girls. Thumbs Up

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wizzzard wrote: Imagine God just stopping by, tidying your front room up and then quietly letting himself out again. Statisticly more likely to happen than Korn being on here.

Andy C · Tree Seeking Missile Joined: 26 Apr 2005 Karma :

looks like a well good day out!! you no longer in the UK?
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99 RS125 --> 02 SV650s --> 03 Speed Four --> 92 RXS100 --> 93 CB400sf --> 01 CB600f Hornet

quacker_boy · Cuddle Bitch Joined: 06 Sep 2005 Karma :

Cheers Andy it was awesome, glad someone finally replied Laughing

Nah i'm just back in Dubai for a holiday at the moment, i come back to UK next Saturday though.
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wizzzard wrote: Imagine God just stopping by, tidying your front room up and then quietly letting himself out again. Statisticly more likely to happen than Korn being on here.

thegubner · World Chat Champion Joined: 25 Mar 2007 Karma :

Brilliant, that looks a great day out.

Kel · Borekit Bruiser Joined: 24 Nov 2006 Karma :

Looks like a good day out, I'm jealous!

Wouldn't mind being able to bugger off abroad and find somewhere decent to ride in nice weather!

Kel

quacker_boy · Cuddle Bitch Joined: 06 Sep 2005 Karma :

Cheers Andy Thumbs Up

Kel, all you need is a dad enthusisatic about biking and your parents to bugger off and move somewhere nice! Laughing

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wizzzard wrote: Imagine God just stopping by, tidying your front room up and then quietly letting himself out again. Statisticly more likely to happen than Korn being on here.

Kel · Borekit Bruiser Joined: 24 Nov 2006 Karma :

I'll have to suggest that! Very Happy

My Dad would love a bike again, not sure that my Mum agrees though!

Kel

Andy levitt · Crazy Courier Joined: 03 Jun 2006 Karma :

Thats one of the best storys ever lol. I would love to do somthing like that. Great post! Cool

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Speedfight 50 -> Honda NSR 125 -> Y reg YAMAHA YZF R6 -> 08 YAMAHA YZF R6 -> Honda CBR1000RR
Theory test Done 4/6/07
Practical test Done 21/12/07

michael j · World Chat Champion Joined: 14 Jan 2006 Karma :

Sounds like you had a right laugh. Did you hire the XR there? Probably going over there again soon and my brother in law has sold his cr250 so will need to hire a bike to hit the desert with ( the SL is pretty good but has its limitations (and has been replaced by a Bentley Continenental GT Rolling Eyes

).
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Ducati 996

tatters · Exxon Valdez Joined: 05 Jan 2004 Karma :

Nice adventure report Very Happy

Would love to take my XR650R out there would be at home storming across that terrain.
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Past:NRG50,AF1125(x2),NSR125RR,ZZR250,CX500,VFR400,KR1S,ZZR600(x2),CB400N,YZF1000(x2),KH125,Z200,FX400R,CBR954RR(x2)GPZ500S,GT550,VFR750F(x2),RD350N,XR650R,CBR600F,CB250,KDX250,YZF750R,CRM250,400EXC,KLR650,TTR600RE,DR350S,R100GSPD,RGV250,VMAX1200,DL650,KZ750 Present:G650XC,C12,CRF450X,1190ADV

quacker_boy · Cuddle Bitch Joined: 06 Sep 2005 Karma :

Nah Mike the XR is my dad's own. He's had it just over a year now. Bugger, sucks he's sold the bike mate. I'm sure he won't mind you driving the Bentley to compnsate. When are you coming out again?

Yeh Tatters the XR loved it and althought the front end washed out a couple of times on the flat stuff you could get the hammer down and just gun it and get the tail out Laughing

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wizzzard wrote: Imagine God just stopping by, tidying your front room up and then quietly letting himself out again. Statisticly more likely to happen than Korn being on here.

Andy C · Tree Seeking Missile Joined: 26 Apr 2005 Karma :

yea would trade my bike for an off-roader if i could get to do things like that one it!

You still in exeter chris when your in the UK?
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99 RS125 --> 02 SV650s --> 03 Speed Four --> 92 RXS100 --> 93 CB400sf --> 01 CB600f Hornet

quacker_boy · Cuddle Bitch Joined: 06 Sep 2005 Karma :

I am indeed mate, you'll have to get your silly arse down there one weekend or vice versa. I'm easy Thumbs Up

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wizzzard wrote: Imagine God just stopping by, tidying your front room up and then quietly letting himself out again. Statisticly more likely to happen than Korn being on here.

..... · Quote Me Happy Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Karma :

Cheers, enjoyed that Thumbs Up