Story and Photos by Martin Bissig

ALULA, SAUDI ARABIA - Rumbling and churning, the climate generators pump cold air into the scorching desert. At 35C in the shade, a trendy couple enjoys a cup of decaf soy latte cappuccino with a slice of carrot cake as the cold breeze blows over their backs briefly before disappearing.
The setting is emblematic of Saudi Arabian opulence, where anything may be accomplished despite constraints of cost, common sense, or sustainability. The country is completely dedicated to tourism on both the domestic and international levels, despite having just recently opened up to foreigners and as a travel destination. After all, it also has so much to offer: a wonderful fusion of art, history, culture, and nature. Now they're hoping to entice daring tourists to the desolate and exceedingly dry region around Alula.

Above: Cycling past historic buildings that have been off limits is truly a thrill.

After road cyclists, mountain bikers are the next demographic to focus on. We are told that there is a "huge potential" for growth. But are there any trails as well?

"There aren't very many, but there's a huge potential." This prompts us to embark on a search. The quest for mountain bike paths in the Saudi Arabian desert.
A loud knock is heard at the door of the container house in the dead of night. A pickup truck driven by our tour guide Ian comes to pick us up. I crouch in the car with Anita Gehrig, a former rider on the Enduro World Series, and BikeTriall World Champion Tom Oehler. We eat muesli, which Anita had prepared the night before. We drive for about an hour through the night to get to "The dead camel."
A few metres in, we come across the camel's bones, which explains why the area is known by that name. We work our way up and over slick, in places quite steep rock formations after having to crawl across the sandy desert floor. No markings or signs can be seen in this area. Ian did some scouting on his own and discovered this trip. These boulders have not come into contact with rubber compounds very often, if at all, outside his mountain bike tires.
The sun is just peeking over the horizon, giving the morning sky a warm yellow-orange hue. On the red rocks, Tom feels completely at home. While Anita follows him, he nose-wheelies down the steep hills and hops over little gaps. In the middle of the barren desert, the sensation of riding a bike arises for the first time. If you look behind us, you'll see a magnificent landscape, as Ian has pointed out: "Perfect for riding up and down the mountains. A huge potential!"

Above: Cyclists enjoy rides under desert arches.

As we get back to the car, we pack up the bikes, and Ian drives us to the next destination. The sands of the desert are dwarfed by a massive granite arch. They ascend the rock behind it, and Anita and Tom's silhouettes stand out. I get some unique images that have never been captured here before. I need to ask Ian what's causing all those tire tracks to appear on the sand. Turns out that two weeks ago, at dusk, in front of the granite arch, there was a symphony concert complete with five-star catering. There doesn't appear to be any outcry in Saudi Arabia about the fact that a two-lane asphalt road was constructed in the middle of the desert for this very purpose. Getting privileged guests out into nature as fast and as easily as possible without sacrificing comfort is of utmost importance. What about trails for mountain bikes? They are completely absent from this area.

Above: Cyclists enjoy the local balloon festival during a ride.

Only a couple of hundred metres away is a camel paddock and some spacious tents. A young man waves as we draw near him. We would hate to decline the offer of tea and dates. The positive reception rapidly dispels Anita's initial reluctance due to her lack of head coverage and her wearing short sporting clothing. Even though they don't speak the same language, the three brothers' warmth is immediately apparent.
Having a local to tour around is the best way to see the sights. Abdul has a really large garden, and that's where we first meet. In order to show us around "his" city, which he calls home, Abdul grew up in this area. He also offers us tea and pastries in the cool of the day, so that we may continue our explorations with renewed vigour as we ride under the shady palm and orange trees.
The first stop is the city's Old Quarter. We bike on sandy paths, past crumbling city walls, the afternoon sun casting a mystical glow over the entire area. Abdul recalls the fun he had in this area when he was a kid.

Above: Saudis are both welcoming and curious about the cyclists that come to their country.

To enter the historic district, we dismount and must push our bicycles. The area’s architecture is reminiscent of the tourist's vision of an Arabian village. There are also plenty of tourist traps selling fake antiques among the Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks. Beautiful to look at and capture on camera, but real life is always different. We preferred the crumbling ruins over Disney World's pristine replica of an old town. Any authentic places to ride a bike up a mountain? Lost again today, unfortunately. But, Ian promises that we will be hitting the trails as soon as tomorrow.
Even though we have had little success in finding trails thus far, lady luck appears to be on our side the next morning. At dawn, we arrive in time to see the beginning of the annual Balloon Festival. Riding up the next rough hill requires quickly unloading the bikes from the pickup. In a matter of minutes, the wind had blown the brightly coloured hot air balloons our way. The international community of balloonists shares my excitement at the prospect of photographing bikers against this rare backdrop. We load the bikes back onto the pickup and head toward the trail centre.
We leave the main road in the middle of the desert and drive a few minutes to a parking lot, where we unload our bikes. The nicely shovelled paths may be seen from this vantage point. They traverse only a few hundred metres of barren, ruddy hills. The paths are in almost pristine shape so far. We were informed with great pride that the paths were constructed with mountain bikers in mind. It's unfortunate, though, that they weren't made by mountain bikers. Regrettably, the curves are too tight to allow for a genuine sense of flow. The back tires slice through the sloppy terrain like a hot knife through butter. Locking the back wheel allows you to move through narrow passages, but it also causes deep holes to open up quickly. It's for the best that the trail centre is still something of a well-kept secret.

Above: Cyclists quickly discover that the Saudi desert is most beautiful at sunset.

The few metres of trails would likely become unrideable in a very short time if there were more traffic here. Builders' enthusiasm, however, remains high. The trails are supposed to be extended back there because, you guessed it, there's "huge potential" in all of this.
At a restaurant, Ian describes a peculiar structure. An otherwise deserted cube-shaped structure constructed entirely of mirrors. The glass palace hosts concerts by international superstars for the area's wealthier visitors. It is obvious that we need to witness this with our own eyes. However, there is a minor catch: the area is heavily gated off, and entry is restricted to those who have purchased event tickets or booked a night at one of the adjacent high-end hotels.
At the gate, Ian convinces the guard that our rendezvous with Ahmed is urgent. When you say "Ahmed," who do you mean? Camel driver Ahmed, of course. Let's go ahead and enter. When we round a tiny pass, the sun is reflected in the huge mirror cube that seems so unreal.
We unload our bicycles from the back of the pickup and take pictures against the building's reflection. I take mountain biking shots in this unbelievably bizarre landscape, which, to the best of my knowledge, has never been done before. If it weren't for Ian's worried whistling, I probably would have stayed out till sunset taking photos. Of course, our alibi, Ahmed the camel driver, wasn't anywhere close. It is time to escape this bizarre location before security arrives.

Above: Our cycling team get to enjoy the local hospitality.

It's time to come to a conclusion after a week in Saudi Arabia. Everybody we've met has been incredibly welcoming, generous, and warm. We have sampled the finest dishes of the Arabian Peninsula, seen ancient tombs and ridden our mountain bikes in remote areas rarely visited by other cyclists. It was a week packed with new experiences, but also with stark contrasts that had us scratching our heads more than once. All of us believe that the place may be worthwhile if you can stomach the opulence of a luxury vacation. To us bikers, though that simply isn't good enough. There's no use in flying far for a few metres of trails. Despite its huge potential.

Above: Time to relax after a wonderful time enjoying Saudi Arabia's great potential for cyclists.

JUST THE FACTS
The cycling team:
Anita Gehrig
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Hh7PoskapWkEsS196
The Swiss Gehrig is the other half of the famous Gehrig twins. For a long time, Anita raced professionally, and she even finished on the podium at the EWS. After hanging up her racing shoes, she and her twin sister Anita opened a hotel in the Swiss Mountains https://www.twinsmtbracing.com/

Tom Oehler
https://photos.app.goo.gl/fuEw64Pkt6RMYnB57
The Austrian BikeTrial World and European Champion is well-known for his thrilling international trial shows and breathtaking mountain bike movies. To put his superb trial riding technique to use, he seeks out technically difficult trails.
https://www.instagram.com/tom_oehler

Martin Bissig

https://bissig.org/portraits

The Swiss photographer has a reputation for being one of Europe's most widely published specialists in the genre of outdoor photography. He has worked with clients from all around the world in the biking, outdoor, and tourism industries.
Martin’s websites: www.bissig.ch - www.instagram.com/martinbissig