Casual... Sunday Al Badayer

This drive started as one of those simple relaxed Sunday runs. Just me and my buddy heading into Al Badayer for an easy crossing through the dunes without any particular plan. Well… “relaxing” is probably questionable. We started taking it easy, following smooth lines and cruising across the softer dunes, but little by little the challenge escalated until we found ourselves trying to reach the top of almost every dune in the area. The sand was extremely soft. The heat is now drying it rapidly and conditions are changing week by week. To keep the cars floating properly we dropped tyre pressure down to around 10 PSI, which made a massive difference throughout the day. Because of the soft terrain, smooth steering inputs became critical. No aggressive turns, no sudden corrections, especially near the crests. The goal was to avoid stressing the tyre shoulders too much and reduce the risk of debeading in the softer sections. Overall, the drive turned into one of the most enjoyable runs we’ve had recently. Good weather, great terrain, challenging climbs, and just enough unpredictability to keep things interesting. And as always, the day ended the right way, at our favourite local restaurant in the area, sitting down for seafood after hours in the dunes. One final note. During the drive we collected 63 empty plastic bottles from the desert. Sixty-three. Shame on you. You know who you are. Take your trash with you. Better yet, take someone else’s too. If all of us do a little, these places stay beautiful for everyone. Drive safe, respect the desert, and enjoy the ride.