Superheroes and sea urchins masquerade along Sheikh Zayed Road as Dubai Ride awards up to Dhs10,000
By Dubai Currents Staff2 min read
Thousands of UAE residents turned Sheikh Zayed Road into a cycling circuit for the day, many of them in costume. For the first time, prizes of up to Dh10,000 were on offer in four categories: best overall bike, most creative theme, best family costume and best group costume.
A tribute to the UAE
Filipina expat Shiela Labilles used her only day off to adorn her bike as a homage to her adopted homeland. A domestic worker in the UAE, she finished work late the previous evening and spent the whole night decorating her bicycle. “In the morning, I carefully took apart the pieces of decoration and loaded up the cycle in a taxi. Once I got here, I put the decorations back together and completed the ride,” she told Khaleej Times.
At the back of her cycle was a stack of books, each labelled with something the UAE helped her do — dream, study and achieve success. It was topped with a graduation hat and degree, and beside it stood a house. A banner holding photos of her children read: “Dubai is my road, UAE is my wings.”
Having worked in the UAE for more than 12 years, she said the country had helped her care for her three children. “I am a single mother, and it was a hard decision to leave my children behind,” she said, her voice choking. “But it was one that helped me provide for them. Now all of them are teenagers and one of them has graduated from school. I am very proud of them.”
Halloween spirit on wheels
For Al Ain residents Rina and Camille, the ride was an extension of Halloween. Rina decorated her cycle with a giant spider and wore a hat with a skeleton on it, while Camille dressed as a bumble bee. “It is our first time participating in the Dubai Ride and we loved it,” said Rina. “The vibe is amazing and we really loved being among so many awesome riders. It made our drive from Al Ain worthwhile. We will definitely come back next year.”
One group rode as happy sea urchins. Superheroes were common — from Iron Man to Superman, many cyclists flaunted their prowess. Another group paid tribute to the Ati Atihan festival in the Philippines with vibrant decorations. One rider came as a sunflower.
Whatever their outfit, the cyclists of Dubai Ride were plainly there to enjoy themselves and absorb the event’s fun atmosphere.
