Braving the Empty Quarter

Holla Trails’ owner Nic Jordan will be among the first people to cycle across the world’s largest sand desert this month.
Jordan, who joins expedition leader Alex Harris and Justin Mcleod, will cycle on fat bikes through the Rub’ Al Khali desert, known as ‘the Empty Quarter’. The desert takes up most of the southern Arabian peninsula.
The team will brave a distance of 1200 kilometres in just ten days on fatbikes (bikes with large wheels for riding on snow or sand).
Harris, a renowned explorer, athlete and public speaker, was the first person to cross the desert unsupported on foot and aims to be the first to cycle it with Jordan and Mcleod.
The team will face scorching temperatures, averaging in the mid forties centigrade as well as hardy sand dune landscapes with scarce cover.
Despite the daunting task, Jordan did not hesitate to join the adventure after meeting Harris last year.
“We spent some time together last year at one of our races in the Wild Coast. Harris and I are were out running and I asked him what was next, seeing as he had already done some amazing world firsts,” said Jordan.
Harris mentioned the Empty Quarter adventure and invited Jordan to join him. Along with Mcleod, the three will ride ten hours every day for ten days to complete the journey from Salalah in Oman, to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
The cyclists will be accompanied by a support vehicle as well as a photographer to capture the expedition’s progress.
“Harris asked if we wanted to go without support, but we opted for it as we did not want to add the trouble of carrying all our gear and water to make the journey,” said Jordan.
Jordan believes the expedition will be something completely new. Although he does own a fatbike, riding on the desert sand will be another challenge altogether.
“I have almost been too scared to take it down to the beach because I will know how hard it is going to be,” he joked.
Having put weeks of training in at Holla Trails, he feels he is as prepared as he can be for the gruelling adventure.
“I think I am good to go. Once you survive the first three days, you get stronger from there. I have done some long events, you just have to keep on riding, it becomes a mental thing.”
Along with a steely mental resolve, plenty of water and food will be needed to make the journey.
The team leaves for Dubai on Saturday and will begin their journey from Salalah on Tuesday.