the desert isn't all flat

ilm_zero7

if you ever fancy a climb and a half in a furnace - try this. agony and brilliance all in one ride.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/172145676

a dawn start in Sweihan and a 170+km jaunt to the massive Jebel Hafeet - awesome, but the ride back to a finish in 43 degrees was hellish

video here - the views from the top of this lump which rises up out of a flat/rolling terrain are staggering
http://kev001.smugmug.com/Videos/Videos ... et-640.mp4

Cleat Eastwood

cor nice vid - what great roads to ride on - some of those places look almost as desolate as Crewe. What was that descent like in the heat, did it it cool you or make not much diffrence - it looks scorchio.

ilm_zero7

going out was stunning, beautiful dunes, and a lake. plus we were lucky to be in fog, so covered in moisture, but as we started the climb all that had burnt off - and we were drinking like crazy.

The Jebel Hafeet Mountain Road is about 12 km, rising 1,219 m, with 21 corners and three lanes (two climbing and one descending). The Jebel Hafeet Mercure Challenge is an annual road cycling competition taking place somewhere in January. National and international riders take part in climbing the 8% average ascent of the mountain

the ride down temperatures were not an issue, as I was focussed solely on staying away from the solid concrete walls, and almost ran out of road twice.

check out this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmvJ59kF ... re=related