COVID 19 Compliant - Morning Newbie Desert Drive - Mahafiz - Sharjah - 29 May 2020

[Srikumar]

Welcome to the COVID 19 "new normal" lifestyle with restrictions and precautions for everyone safety.

Moving forward and respecting authorities guidance all desert drives will be done under strict control.

No Gathering | No Briefing | No BBQ | No Eating Together | No Touching | No Hugging

MUST READ: Not following these rules and precautions = Not allowed to drive.

We are only allowed to drive through the desert, as we are driving on the road now. So we will only do the desert driving just by sitting inside our cars at all the times and leave the drive without socializing or coming close to each other.

Just like before we like to continue our desert drives through out the year, but this time we need your immense support to understand the strict control and to help everyone follow them all the time.

For members who are fasting, they can break their fast discreetly and convoy will be stopped during that time and until they offer their prayer.

How to maintain "STRICT" Social Distancing

• Meeting point will be set slightly (100m - 200m)  inside the desert track.
• So, that you individually deflate your tires on the tarmac before reaching the meeting point.
  • While deflating tires, stop cars 10 meters away from any other car.
• Drive signup on calendar will be closed on Thursday morning by 9 AM.
• Convoy numbering and briefing will be posted here on this drive post before 6 PM on Thursday.
• All participants need to read & acknowledge the briefing by clicking "Totally Agree" reaction 
• Switch on your radio when you reach the meeting point on the set frequency advised by the trip lead in the critical briefing here.
• Once everyone reach to the meeting point, everyone stay inside the car at all the times.
  • Trip lead will do the roll call, convoy numbering recap, critical briefing over the radio.
  • Any suggestions or issues will be discussed over the radio too.
  • You can also speak to other members through the radio only.
  • So please make sure that your radio battery is fully charged.
• Once all set, trip lead will start the drive as before.

Refusal and Recoveries with Social Distancing

• Every drive will have 1 lead Marshal and 1 or 2 supporting senior members/crew.
• Whenever there is a stuck or refusal, only Marshal / Senior Member / Crew is allowed to handle the situation.
• Everyone else including the stuck car driver, stay inside the car - AT ALL TIMES.
• Marshal / Senior Member / Crew is only allowed to step out to access the situation and do the recoveries:
  • They will wear mask and gloves at all times when they are outside their car.
  • They will try to help self recover through the radio guidance.
  • If not they will use required recovery gear and do the needful (shovel, tug or winch, as required).
  • If at any time Marshal require help, then only you are allowed to step out by wearing face mask and gloves at all times.

Drive completion and inflation

• Now, there will not be any gathering or sitting down together for food-break like before.
• Once drive is finished, after reaching the tarmac, everyone is requested to move away 50-100 meters before starting their inflation.
• For drivers having no compressor, can head to the near by fuel station.
• If drive is ending at a place where there is no fuel station near by, then trip lead will inform in advance so that drivers having their own compressor can join only.
• Now Strictly no more sharing of compressors, radio, shovel or any recovery gear, at any times.

Mandatory things you require to attend the drive

• Face mask - at least TWO face mask is needed in case one get damage or fly away.
• Disposable rubber gloves - at least two sets are needed.
• Wear face mask and gloves at all the times, when you are out of your car.
• Carry plenty of hand sanitizer and object sanitizer (spray).
  • Use your sanitizers generously, whenever you step out to help or recover.
  • Sanitize your hands before getting back into your car.
  • Sanitize your recovery gears, if you have used them.
• Fully charged radio - without any excuse - No radio = No drive.
• Shovel - Must for every car, to do little self recovery
• Safety flag - Must for every car, like before
• Compressor - If joining the drives that is ending far from the fuel station.

Mandatory precaution that you need to take at all times

• Do not step out of your car UNLESS/OTHERWISE advice by Marshal / Senior Member / Crew.
• No shaking hands, hugs or touching each other.
• No sharing of food, drinks or recovery tools.
• If you are not feeling well, please stay at home and take a lot of rest.
• If you have travel in last 14 days, then please do not attend this drive.
• If you feel unwell during the drive, please let trip lead know so he can plan an early exit.
• Not more than 3 pax in a car and if all 3 aren't living together, then they should wear the mask inside the car too.

Drive Details

Level:  Newbie and above - NO ABSOLUTE NEWBIE ALLOWED.

When: 29 May 2020, Friday.

Meeting time: 7:00 AM (SHARP - Without any exceptions)

Action Plan: Morning drive till about 10:30 AM

Meeting Point: Mahafiz -  https://goo.gl/maps/n9Hfccra6uQaaGqh9

Type of Car: Any proper 4x4 with front and back tow hooks and 8-10 inches of ground clearance.

What to bring along: Loads of water, snacks (for yourself), smiles, face mask, rubber gloves, enthusiasm and willingness to learn.

Approximate finish time: 10:30 AM

End Point: ADNOC Station - https://goo.gl/maps/hGg82AoRqUjn73WA8

 

LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE:

• Limited to 12 cars only. RSVP will close on Thursday - 9 AM.
  • 1 Lead Marshal + 2 or 1 Senior Members + 9 or 10 Members.
  • If the RSVP is full and you wish to join, please mention your name on the drive thread to add on the waiting list
• Latecomers will be returned back - without ANY EXCEPTIONS.
• Members without RSVP will be returned back - without ANY EXCEPTIONS.
• Please withdraw your RSVP, if you aren't joining, so your spot can be taken by others.
• Repeated no-show members after RSVP will have their account suspended for a month.

 

PLEASE RSVP ON THE CALENDAR

 

[Rahimdad]

Hi @Nacho, since you are on this drive I will bring your rope set along with me. I thought you were travelling, hope not out of Dubai as you need to quarantine yourself if you travel abroad.

[Nacho]

1 minute ago, Rahimdad said:

Hi @Nacho, since you are on this drive I will bring your rope set along with me. I thought you were travelling, hope not out of Dubai as you need to quarantine yourself if you travel abroad.

Hi @Rahimdad! I was only travelling for this last long weekend, and only to Fujairah! Perfect for the rope! I will bring the money with me. (by the way, i sent you a whatsapp, not sure if you've received it).

Thanks!

[Gaurav]

Must watch before the drive

 

[bunty_and_pops]

Hi - I see all drives have reached their limit. Pls let me know if anyone drops out or a space becomes available. I can do Newbie/Fewbie morning or evening. Hope all is well. - thanks. Ali (BUNTY_and_POPS)

[Srikumar]

Radio Frequency will be   Carnity Channel 1: 446.00625 MHz. 

Please make sure to bring your two way radio and have it set to this frequency.

 

Convoy Numbering

1. Rahimdad - Pathfinder
2. Asifk - Pajero
3. Janarthan - Humnmer H3
4. Andy_macdxb - Pajero
5. Shiju Manuel - Pajero
6. Srikumar - XJ 
7. Jose Martin - Pajero SWB
8. Szymon - Montero
9. Lorenzo - Patrol Y62
10. Mikhail - Prado
11. Sertac - JGC
12. Nacho - Wrangler
13. Wrangeld - TJ

[Wrangeld]

7am in Sharjah and almost everyone was ready and waiting for our adventure to Fossil Rock. If the Police stop you getting to the meeting point on time that's certainly acceptable  ... and even more, if you happen to be the drive lead

Otherwise  ... you're keeping other people waiting, and in my opinion (and it's just my opinion) that's not. One of the potential advantages of the new video briefing is that we can get going quicker than before, so please, please respect the rules. It's hot in the dunes these days ... ok rant (almost) over. RTFM. 

Back in the sand, and as a passenger I had the privilege of @Jeepie sweeping the convoy which was led by @Rahimdad and @asifk in second lead so we knew we were in for a great drive. 

On the way to Fossil Rock there are some lovely wide dunes, some technical challenges and some nice descents to test the newbie drivers. And it looked like everyone had their driving heads on this morning after a break due to COVID. With excellent leadership and driving discipline, we reached the first play area quickly and without incident. Time for @Shiju Manuel and @Lorenzo Candelpergher to show what they have learned and experts like @sertac @Srikumar and @Rahimdad show us all how it's done. 

With Fossil Rock in our sights we moved on towards the rock through some increasingly technical dunes and not surprisingly we faced our first challenges of the day and our first refusals, reroutes and a pop out. 

Thanks to everyone @Jose Martin @Szymon Stankiewicz @Mikhail Lukichev and @Nacho for the patience waiting for these refusals and stucks to clear. The reward was reaching the bottom of Fossil Rock in good time to allow for an unrushed decent. This would be a good moment for @Janarthan and @andy_macdxb to enjoy a sharp descent.

The wind, rain and lack of drivers at the top of the rock meant that the start of the descent was sandier than it has been in the past. It's no easier but slightly different ... and the key instruction remains the same whenever 4 low, 1st gear. As anyone who did not put this into action will no doubt have learned the lesson, 4 low means 4 low. 

With everyone down, a request was made for more playtime at the base of the rock. I have a principle to which I try to work 'if in doubt, don't'. And this morning sort of validated that as we had a second pop out which took the play time and a little more to solve ... which @Rahimdad and @Srikumar handled with aplomb particularly as it was a pop out on both rims. 

Pop out sorted, we exited to the gas station to reinflate. 

Thanks to all for an extremely well handled drive, for keeping to the rules, for bringing your humour and help and adding to the learning we all get each time we venture out. 

See you soon in the sand.

[Lorenzo Candelpergher]

Dear @Wrangeld and @Srikumar thank you very much for your help in fixing my pop-out. I particularly appreciated your extremely careful approach towards health & safety, constantly reminding not to take risks while the car was lifted, while digging under the wheel and while handling the tire during inflation. Of course thanks also to @Rahimdad for leading the convoy and taking us to the play area, which was indeed quite fun.

The view from fossil rock was beautiful (next time I'll take the drone!) and the descent indeed quite an interesting new experience in 4L 1st gear. 

I'm attaching our route today. For those who fancy how I got it, I used Pathaway on my mobile. I find it pretty cool: total distance 17.7km, 3h 7min total ride time (including stops). 

 

[andy_macdxb]

First Carnity drive for me today. Really enjoyed it, thanks to all veteran drivers for their expertise and guidance. Currently removing back bumper from Paj. Fun! 

[Janarthan]

Indeed, it was a great drive. I really enjoyed it. I will try to join upcoming newbie drive with my own vehicle. I have been learning a lot as copilot, but the feel behind the wheels is awesome. I would like to thank everyone on this group.