Dune Bashing
Every year through the end of April, droves of people flock to Zulfi, more than 200 kilometers northwest of Riyadh, where adrenaline-seeking motorists drive superpowered cars across steep dunes. Dune bashing, or “Tatees” in Arabic, is an adventure sport that involves driving off-road across challenging desert landscapes, and has long been a popular pastime in the oil-rich kingdom. “This is a popular sport in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf because we have these dunes,” Rabea said. It requires “considerable effort,” he added, but the payoff is “a real rush of adrenaline.” Abdallah Al-Amar, who came to watch the show with his son, said spectators were willing to “travel great distances” for the meets, flocking from all over the country to watch the drivers perform their stunts.
In Zulfi, hundreds of cars and pick-up trucks dotted the sands as far as the eye can see, while nearby a motorist raced up a 350 foot tall dune. Crowds made up almost exclusively of men looked on, drinking coffee and tea on carpets strewn on the sand. Engines roared, crowds cheered and plumes of dust rose with every turn of the wheels. “We wait for this moment all year. We optimize the engine, the car, every single detail,” Rabea said. At the foot of the dune, modified cars and trucks with oversized tires and powerful engines were lined up, waiting to take on the dunes. Their drivers were making final adjustments to the vehicles, preparing to defy gravity racing uphill at dizzying speed. “We practice during daylight, eagerly waiting for the weekend to step away from work, release our energy, and entertain both ourselves and the spectators.”
For many, dune bashing and desert drifting is a passion that began in adolescence. Badr Al-Ghamas, a 33-year-old man from Al-Qassim, began practicing the sport when he was only 15 years old. “For some, sports means to play football or swimming. For us, it’s going dune bashing,” he said with a smile. One experienced drifter, Ahmed Al-Rumi told AFP that drivers modified their cars to improve performance months in advance. At sunset the drivers headed home, leaving behind splotches of oil on the sand and their track marks straight up the dunes.
Sunny Saudi Satire
What is Saudi Arabia’s highest rated sitcom?
How I bought your mother.
I was born in Saudi. I remember a couple things.
The first thing is that every woman had to wear a face cover, so only their eyes were visible.
The second thing is that I always lost my mom in grocery stores.
What was the anthem of Saudi Arabia’s first LGBT pride parade?
“We Will Rock You.”
What do Saudi Arabia and Canada have in common?
It’s legal to get stoned!
April 4th Birthdays
1966 – Nancy McKeon, 1972 – Jennie Garth, 1942 – Marsha Mason, 1992 – Jamie Lynn Spears
1944 – Craig T. Nelson, 1895 – Arthur Murray, 1979 – Heath Ledger, 1966 – Robert Downey,