Jefy Posted March 7, 2020 Report Share Posted March 7, 2020 6 minutes ago, Frederic said: I’ve seen two types of drivers so far. People that have joined the club, took some time to got through most of the posts and information to get themselves familiarized, and people who just click on “going” without having the slightest clue on what they’ve signed up for. I guess we can all guess which type of persons will learn this skill the quickest... Offtopic, I vote for a closed discussion group for the higher ranked members to discuss/ address all kind of things. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalahari Posted March 7, 2020 Report Share Posted March 7, 2020 Thanks to the organizers again - after a long day and some challenges towards the end of the trip, they stayed patient and made the right decisions. I thoroughly enjoyed the trip - learned a lot about my car and what can be done in these dunes. And a fabulous sunset from Fossil Rock to end the day. I did find a convoy of 23 cars a bit of a challenge, as the cars at the back had some churned-out tracks to navigate - maybe around 10 cars in a convoy should be good? But great that the group is growing, with a LOT of activity on Friday. See you next Friday!!! 6 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emad Malaeb Posted March 7, 2020 Report Share Posted March 7, 2020 (edited) Hi all, very big thanks for Mr. @Gaurav and @Emmanuel @Rahimdad for the fantastic day we spent yesterday .i really enjoyed the experience which I learned, see you next week. Edited March 7, 2020 by Emad Malaeb 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmanuel Posted March 7, 2020 Report Share Posted March 7, 2020 3 hours ago, Emad Malaeb said: Hi all, very big thanks for Mr. @Gaurav and @Emmanuel @Rahimdad for the fantastic day we spent yesterday .i really enjoyed the experience which I learned, see you next week. @Emad MalaebI would have been glad to be part of this drive, but the thing is that I wasn’t here yesterday afternoon 😂. Maybe you wanted to say thank you to @Xaf, @Wrangeld, @Jeepie and/or @Ale Vallecchi who were here to support @Gaurav and @Rahimdad? 2 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chaitanya D Posted March 7, 2020 Report Share Posted March 7, 2020 6 hours ago, Xaf said: Good morning everybody. I hope everybody reached home safely. It was a challenging sunset yesterday. Off-roading is a team sport, the bigger the team, the more challenging to manage. I want to stress out 3 things that are important in my opinion to keep the process streamlined. 1- Radio If you have bought a radio, please take the effort to read the manual or Fred's guideline how to program your radio. Or take the effort to come 10 minutes early and talk to one of the other drivers if you need help. 2- Deflating Lowering the tire pressure is essential for driving in the sand. Off roading is a sport/ hobby that needs some investments, we don't expect that you arrive with full recovery gear on your first newbie drive. In my opinion, the cheapest investment you should invest (Financially and a bit of your own time to read/ watch YouTube instruction) is a DEFLATOR. There are different ways to deflate your tire. Do your own research and make a choice. What I did/ do when I have a new deflator, I test it! I drive to a gas station, check if the air pump is working and I test my deflator. Test the gauge, see how much it is reading. (Not every gauge is calibrated the same, so the gauge might over/ under- read.) Inflate my tires again and drive away. So I feel comfortable with my new gadget. But this is my technique. The same counts for the radio, if you have bought new equipment and you don't know how to use it, please arrive 10 minutes early and ask one of the other members to help you. 3- Open communication As I said, this is a team sport. Don't be afraid to ask any questions. If you are ashamed to ask a question in front of a big group, ask the question direct to one of the more experienced. There are no stupid questions, only stupid answers. This also counts for during the drive, please communicate. Hearing is a sense that is effected by stress. If you get stuck, or in any uncomfortable situation, hearing is the first sense that will deteriorate. Thats why the communication over the radio is essential. Talking to each other pulls you out of this tunnel vision so we can guide you. Hope to see you all on the next trip. Sorry but can I add something, as a newbie it's too early for me to make suggestions!:-)) When new drivers sign up and are asked about which car they drive, tow hooks and prior off road experience , along with this it would be better to provide them the exact thread advising on what is needed as a newcomer. Just to make it point they read it and be aware because sometimes they may read other discussions/threads on carnity which are of interest. 2 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederic Posted March 7, 2020 Report Share Posted March 7, 2020 14 minutes ago, Chaitanya D said: Sorry but can I add something, as a newbie it's too early for me to make suggestions!:-)) When new drivers sign up and are asked about which car they drive, tow hooks and prior off road experience , along with this it would be better to provide them the exact thread advising on what is needed as a newcomer. Just to make it point they read it and be aware because sometimes they may read other discussions/threads on carnity which are of interest. This is actually mentioned on every drive post: 2 1 4 "Go as far as you can see; once you get there, you'll be able to see further." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Wrangeld Posted March 7, 2020 Popular Post Report Share Posted March 7, 2020 (edited) Afternoon (Evening) Drive Maliha The UAE is at time a stunningly beautiful country. As @Jeepie @Ale Vallecchi and myself raced across from Sweihan to Maliha yesterday (worried we might miss the start of the drive because we would be too late) I could not help but to marvel and think how privileged we are to be in this part of the world. Carnity has proven to be the best way for us to get out of the city (we are guaranteed at least one trip out a week) and see a bit of the beautiful countryside. Having exited from Sweihan deflated (in more ways than one – read the report for more details if interested), we had first to find a garage to inflate and fill with gas, and empty other fluids (TMI! I hear you cry, but these are the practicalities of a full day driving 4x4!) before hammering our way East in the hope we would get to Maliha before the convoy left. All three of us had seen the sign up list for the drive and felt that a little more experience might be appreciated, if not needed, and wanted to be there for the seniors, just in case. If nothing else, we thought, if the track is churned up, we might help a few people reroute a meter or so. Even if we had arrived too late for the convoy, the truly spectacular countryside we saw would have made the journey worthwhile. The route through which we were guided by Ms. Google was stunning. Arrive on time we did, and with more than enough time to hear a part of the briefing and be arranged by @Gaurav and @Rahimdad into the gargantuan convoy. I think this is the largest single convoy of which we have been part. You almost had the feeling as we set off that that @Xaf at the end would start moving as @Gaurav at the head of the convey hit Fossil Rock. But I am a little ahead of myself. Fossil Rock was a long, long way off. The drive started off well, with everyone navigating the first dunes and descents well. @Ale Vallecchi took up a position as second lead, @Rahimdad was the centre forward, we played in midfield and @Xaf acted as sweeper. The first ‘play area’ was reached without incident (well, where we were in the convoy it was in any event) as we traversed across a wide area with smallish dunes either side and a few tester descents. Just about every driver @Kalahari, @Emad Malaeb @sebin @Chaitanya D, @balaji0007, absolute newbie to more experienced @Jolly Abraham was handling both the pace and the challenges well. As I remember my first drives, the most challenging part was keeping the power, but not too much, going as you get to the crest and over without knowing what is on the other side. From what I could see (and where I could see it) just about everyone @Jamy B., @yusufwas handling the challenges very well. By the time we reached the second play area a few experienced newbies felt confident enough and wanted to try their hand at slope sliding. This skill is one the real adrenalin buzzes as well as being useful for navigating dunes at more advanced stages. Then we began the journey to the foot of Fossil Rock. The hope was for the convoy to get the experience of climbing a large hill, engine screaming, bumping over the sand with the end result the sight of sunset from the top of Fossil Rock, before descending to the road in the dwindling light. Instead, we were treated to an pre-season night drive. In the growing dusk, and because the technical dunes close to the foot of Fossil Rock were so churned up by the traffic ahead of us, the back end of the convoy suffered multiple refusals and stucks. Nine cars had made it to the top. Congratulations to @Ale Vallecchi, @balaji0007, @Kalahari, @Chaitanya D, @sebin, @Emad Malaeb, @Nizam Mohammed, @Shahab Khan who all made it to the top. As the light faded, they were led down the other side of the hill by @Rahimdad. For the remainder, it being no longer safe to try an ascent, we turned around and ‘enjoyed’ a night drive. Thanks for waiting for us guys 😂😂 - it's great to know you've got our backs!! Seriosly though, making sure everyone gets home saely is a key principle of the Carnity values. No doubt this was explained by @Rahimdad as he made sure the summit reachers reached the Adnoc. No doubt later than expected but with confirmation it was ok to leave , they made their way home. I do not think we can pretend that for the rest of the convoy this was the easiest way out of the dunes. Despite everyone’s best efforts, and a lot of effort was spent by Gaurav, Xaf and Jeepie to bring everyone out, we did have a few more stucks along the way. @Anish S, @Najeeb Mohammed, @Alexander Sarte, @Anvar Sadath Bekal, @Dale Panganiban - Fabrication, @Shiju Manuel, @E.C. TAN, @sheri, @Sherif Hamed I am glad to say that you all kept your cool in what was a very different situaiton and eventually, everyone was accounted for and we rolled our way off to the Adnoc station where everyone filled their tires and stomachs with Aloo Paratha from @Rahimdad before making it back home, possibly a little later than expected. Does that sort of experience count as two newbie drives? I have no idea, but for anyone wanting to experience 4x4 it was a great lesson on car control and that things don’t always go to plan, but no matter the situation, when you’re with a group like Carnity no one is left behind. Perhaps, at times yesterday direction was given a little more firmly than is usual, and there was not enough congratulaiton and celebration for the people who had got themselves out of sticky situations, but this was a relatively unusual situation – normally we end the drives with a debrief, relaxed chat together and share a few stories and bites. Here we can give feedback to the leadrs and @Gaurav can give hints to drivers about what might make the experience more enjoyable or easier next time. For myself and Jeepie it was the end of another full Friday in the sand, and frankly, even though we had been up since 4.30, I would not have it any other way. When things like this happen it’s all part of the experience and helps remind us that this is a team event. We are literally all in it together and hope that with this experience everyone still had a great time. See you soon in the sand. Edited March 7, 2020 by Wrangeld 7 2 2 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Rahimdad Posted March 7, 2020 Popular Post Report Share Posted March 7, 2020 @Wrangeld well put, I could not have written a better report if I tried. Truly yesterday tested our patience, skills and judgement. Can't thank @Wrangeld, @Jeepie and @Ale Vallecchi enough for being so thoughtful to come rushing to our assistance. @Xaf was also very cool, calm and helpful during this whole drive. @Gaurav bhai although posted the afternoon drive but was there to support @Frederic drive in the morning but had the presence of mind to check the list to make sure all made it out safely after the last 2 really tough hours. Hats off to a brilliant team effort. 5 1 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Gaurav Posted March 7, 2020 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted March 7, 2020 Thanks @Ale Vallecchi for very competent second lead and joining after the morning drive. @Chaitanya D @Grenville Mark Stuart Wright @sebin it was lovely driving with you all and thanks for lovely pics. @Xaf "BRILLIANT" points mentioned and raised over Radio, Deflation and Communication. I like to reiterate what @Frederic mention in a slightly different and a blunt way: If you really need something, you will find a way (read, search, ask, google, try, experiment etc.) If you really don't need anything, you will find an excuse: Oh, site is too confusing, not loading. Do you have whatsapp group? Do you have an app, FB group? Why don't you sell stuff? Nobody called me I am always busy UNFORTUNATELY some people come with a mindset to drive off-road like to be a NASA space scientist without reading a single page or a book. Ask them to read the basics and attend a briefing to "LISTEN" and they start browsing their phone, moving and looking around as briefing is for Marshals and not for them. All they just want is quick fame video and images for their social media without understanding the basics, technicalities, skills, risk and associated threat involved. @Xaf we do have an internal closed discussion group for Moderators, Marshal and Crew, so when anyone reaches to that level they will be added to that Mod group for discussing behind the scene topics and brainstorming. @Kalahari thanks for your valuable suggestion and we do take note of such inputs very carefully. @Emad Malaeb I love your offroading spirit and passion to learn things to advance with a right mind set. Please keep it up and you will enjoy lot more adventures in different parts of UAE. @Chaitanya D nobody is too new or too old to make constructive suggestions here, as that's why we are growing at such an amazing pace with help of each and every new and old member and/or offroader valuable inputs and creative feedback. @Wrangeld I have no match to write a beautifully capturing trip report like yours but I will add few important points being a trip lead of yesterday's drive. Thanks everyone for showing up on time, that has been changing lately to be almost perfect and this really help us plan, start and run drives as per set schedule. This also help all 30+ offroaders to start the drive with a happy note rather than holding 30+ convoy for one person delay (not fair). We have recently started leaving the late comers behind and I highly suggest all our marshals to continue doing that for better planning and execution of drives with the limited time in hand. I can see lot of absolute newbies joined recently and I highly advise them to start reading off-road related topics, advises, blog post here so that they can learn and enjoy off-roading without breaking bumpers, bones and confidence (most important). If you have any doubts, feel free to ask on offroad forum, if its been discussed before someone will point you in the right direction, if its not, your curious question will help thousands other in the future. So be a curious offroader than just a deflate and go types. Offroading in this country is probably the best weekend activity I have found that offers a lot of freedom, adrenaline, showing new places, meeting new faces, make new friends and explore new areas from a different vantage point that has no match in reality. If you get the basics of offroading right at newbie and fewbie level, you practically have whole life to enjoy the offroading with the best skills and safe knowledge. So in short, having a little patience in beginning goes a long way to let you know this extreme sport and hobby with better clarity. @Xaf rightfully mentioned that offroading is a team sport than just one man show-off contest (at least with Carnity) so that you will/tend to develop lot of trust on your team while off-roading. Marshal, Crew and senior member driving at different positions in a convoy plays an important role to keep the whole convoy safe and moving at all times. With the same team spirit and teamwork we scale massive dunes, conquer impossible challenges and have an extreme dose of adrenaline but with a confidence and peace of mind that we are backed with a competent and trust-worthy team. For the absolute newbies who have joined us yesterday for the first time, you must have seen bit of extreme side first, which we usually witness very rarely like once or twice in a year. As an inherent nature of off-roading you should be always ready for such unexpected delays and always learn to retreat if things aren't working as expected. I really appreciate and thanks everyone personally to hold their grounds and act very sensibly, maturely and cautiously until we manage to contain the whole situation. Taking absolute newbies to a night drive was not at all part of this drive, but it happened so because of continuous stuck and refusals due to extra soft sand that caused expansive recoveries. As soon we realized that we all cannot make on top of fossil rock, before it gets dark we decided to retreat. With the convoy split of all experienced drivers reaching on top VS all absolute newbies at the foothill of fossil rock we left with limited support and going back was quiet time consuming with more recoveries and refusal in the dark. I fully understand the fear, anxiety and inconvenience you must have faced when you were stuck in the dark, but due to limited support, situation and number of unprecedented recoveries at the same time it took us little longer than usual to reach you with a help. I appreciate your understanding and apologies for not reaching you any sooner as 12 out of 14 cars had stuck/refusals at the same time. Thankfully we all came out together to a safe track with an hour or two delay. Many thanks to @Wrangeld for taking the roll call of each and everyone while we sweep and combed that piece of desert 3 times before leaving. Hopefully some of you got a fair chance to learn new tricks for self recovering on your very first off-road drive. Looking forward to seeing you all soon in the sand with bigger and better appetite for more thrilling adventures. 6 3 4 3 Let's root for each other & watch each other grow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shahab Khan Posted March 7, 2020 Report Share Posted March 7, 2020 Greetings to all the members who joined on last Friday . It was my first experience with you guys and I must say it was one of my memorable moments . As per the instructions I bought the Motorola transceiver recommended by @Rahimdad and the other fellow member ( sorry forgot his name ) the shovel , the pressure gauge and Electric air pump and the aerial . Thanks to all of you and really impressed by @Gaurav driving skills And I am all set and fully equipped to join you guys once again for more fun drives. Regards @Shahab Khan 2 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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