YOU think your jeep has what it takes? Deep in the desert, 100 kms away from Riyadh is your ultimate challenge. Embrace it if you will - "The Pyramid" as the shabab (young men) of Riyadh call it. It is a 60 degree, 400 meter sand dune that separates the heroes from the wannabes. Getting to it is not easy. Only sport untility vehicles or pick-up trucks dare to travel on the stretched 30 kilometer dirt road that leads to the pyramid from the Thumama area, north of Riyadh. The location draws hundreds of fans from all walks of life in Riyadh who love to skid in the desert as a sport or hobby. Some of them come for the fun; others come to show off, and some want the glory of reaching the top of the pyramid. You might want to consider beefing up your SUV's engine before you decide to take the challenge. Standard SUVs, even the most powerful of the V-6 engines, shy away from climbing the pyramid as some shabab are content with only reaching half way up.
Abdullah Al-Fahhad, 18, says he's been coming to the location every week for the past two years. "My buddies and I were told of this location after we used to go to other places in the desert. We come here to practice sand dune climbing and challenge one another," he said. Abdullah's SUV, a 2006 Toyota, has been modified so it does not have any difficulty climbing up steep sand dunes like the pyramid.
"I installed a special sports air filter and new spark plugs as well as spark plug wires. I also made some changes to the exhaust system," he continued. The sports air filter provides better air intake to the engine. As for the spark plugs, they provide better igniting when the fuel is mixed with gasoline to produce better torque. All in all, the modifications to his engine have cost him SR2,000. He said that the spare parts were imported from the United Arab Emirates and were installed in some of the city's workshops.
Another Saudi who made his way all the way to the top of the pyramid said that he installed another engine in his jeep for better performance. "I installed a V-8 engine which is a Caprice SS. I wanted more power. But I also had to make a lot of other changes so the engine would adapt to the gearbox," said Faisal Al-Shayidi. He said the modifications, which also included special springs, shock absorbers and tires cost him over SR20,000. "It was worth it," he says. He also advised other amateurs who want to take up the hobby to ask people in the field about what parts to install before making a decision. Al-Shayidi says the sport also comes with many dangers. "Inexperienced drivers can easily flip their cars or turn them over if they are not careful. I've seen cars that were turned over before," he said.
Paul Hersting, a Dutch national, says he comes every weekend to the pyramid with his friends to enjoy the weather and skidding in the desert sand with his four-wheeler dune buggy. "This is the best place in this area," he said, adding that he comes early in the morning and leaves at sunset. His dune buggy, which he purchased second hand, has a 650cc engine which has been installed in the vehicle, replacing the standard one. "A non modified dune buggy would go up, but with difficulty," he said.
He also said he changed the tires, but prefers using dune buggies instead of jeeps when skidding in sand. "It's more fun," he said.
Naif Al-Mindeeli, another Saudi making his way up the pyramid on his four-wheeler, said he's been practicing for two years now. He prefers driving his four-wheeler to using his jeep because in a sudden breakdown, the jeep will cost more to fix than a four-wheeler. He also said that he had seen many people getting injured as they skid in the sand with their cars. "I once saw a guy over turn his jeep and injure himself," he said.
All who take on the challenge, whether using their SUVs or four-wheelers, have to pass by one of the stalls that fill air before leaving the area. The reason for that is tires are deflated when they go up the steep hill so they do not get stuck in the sand. Filling up air for vehicles has made a profitable business for some. "We charge SR5 per vehicle to fill up the air in all four wheels," said Muhammad, one of the locals at the bottom of the pyramid. "I get around 100 to 200 customers every Friday," he added.