Caffeine Cruise: Destination Jebel Hafeet

With a new year comes a new set of events in the Cafe Rider calendar, and the first one on the list had to be a Caffeine Cruise! 

This time, we decided to head to Al Ain, specifically the peak of Jebel Hafeet. Before Jebel Jais and a number of other more obscure sections of twisty roadway gained attention, Jebel Hafeet was the crown jewel of riding/driving roads in the UAE. It still remains a fantastic stretch of asphalt with stunning views, which is why we made it our destination for this particular cruise. 

With both the date and the destination set, the excitement began to build and was very quickly dampened by repeated rain showers during the days leading up to the cruise. Fortunately, the forecast cleared up at the last minute and we could keep our plans in place. 

Early winter mornings get really chilly in Dubai and the morning of January 29th was no different. Temperatures read 11C and yet about 30 riders showed up to the Cafe for quick coffee and a safety briefing. At 6:30 a.m. we hit the road. 

Our route took us on, then off the main Al Ain road. We had opted to run through Shuwaib, a slightly more scenic part of the country, before turning back towards the city of Al Ain. 

A stunning sunrise greeted us as we left Dubai. Two fuel stops, some lovely UAE countryside and many roundabouts (Al Ain is the "city of roundabouts") later, we reached the base of Jebel Hafeet. 

Both the views and the way the road snakes through the mountain cannot be exaggerated. Hairpins, tight corners, sweepers and steep elevation changes awaited our convoy...and we enjoyed every second of it! 

We reached the peak around 9:30 am. With three hours of riding time behind us, everyone took the opportunity to stretch their legs and warm up with some hot Cafe Rider coffee and light bites. If you're wondering about the temperature at the peak, it was.... 11C! 

All in all, it was a brisk and scenic cruise to and up one of the UAE's favorite  mountains. A big thank you to everyone that joined us and we hope to see you all on the next one!