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

[asifk]

Wonderful drive this morning, thanks @Rahimdad for the driving tips and everyone for a great time. Attaching a couple of pics and our route - i use the Ardhi app. 

[asifk]

3 hours ago, andy_macdxb said:

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! 

If interested there’s a thread on this subject- my rear bumper was twisted a couple of drives ago, so i installed a skid plate which solves the problem : 

 

[Mikhail Lukichev]

Just before steep descent

[Jose Martin]

Hello everybody,

it was a very good drive! Please find attached some pictures.

[Rahimdad]

Trip Report

I know it is too late as @Wrangeld has already put his thoughts for this drive in words and that is a hard act to beat.

I was excited just to be able to attend the drive after all the tough times I have had recently, and I was even more excited to maybe reach a bit early and have a little fun, but the Sharjah Police for some reason even after the curfew time had blocked the one road I was trying to use. They delayed me along with the few other cars trying to use the road, only after a little over 20 minutes did the cop car move and allow us through without a word exchanged, so really don't know what it was all about. This meant I was about 10 minutes late instead of my early arrival as anticipated. Kindly accept my sincere and humble apologies for delaying everybodies fun in this hot weather. Guilty as charged.

As we were about to start it was brought to my attention that @andy_macdxb did not have a radio which put me in a difficult to send him back after having made it to the drive for safety reasons, however a quick help from @Mikhail Lukichev with his spare radio meant I was saved from this task. However keeping the Covid19 safety in mind I would appreciate it if everyone carries their own equipment, and in case of radios please take help if required to buy and set them before the drive to avoid any further delays. It is not advisable to share any equipment, food or drinks in these trying times, although this goes against everything we have been standing for in the club pre-Covid times. Once this Covid19 threat is eliminated we will be falling back to our nature of giving and sharing, but each one of us carries the responsibility to follow the Covid19 restrictions to their best.

So thanks to @Srikumar for putting me in lead, I had @asifk as my second lead who did really well and the distance he maintained was perfect as he was not too close at any time and not far behind to loose me either. Behind him was @Janarthan who manged the whole drive with ease except for the last part, more dirt on that later in my report. @andy_macdxb was next followed by @Shiju Manuel and @Srikumar who was my centre forward. Than came @Jose Martin. @Szymon Stankiewicz, @Lorenzo Candelpergher, @Mikhail Lukichev, @sertac, @Nacho and swept by our very own @Jeepie. Since it has been over 2 months when I last lead a drive I started with some simple easy tracks to get used to the ups and downs of this terrain. Luckily this is one of my favourite terrains and once in I can lead a newbie, fewbie and at time an intermediate drive also. Just love this place, maybe not as much as Sweihan or Liwa or any tracks laced on the Al Ain highway, but you get the point.

As I picked up the pace through the second part everyone kept up and since it was getting too quite I turned to our first play area. I was surprised to see everyone do so well, my pick of the day on the play area would be @asifk who managed to do it twice, as per my understanding it was his first time to do a sidey, he manged it nicely, not to high, not too low and well controlled at all times, he never seemed to be hassled by the maneuver. My second pick of the day goes to @Szymon Stankiewicz as with his Mitsubishi Montero sport he manged it so well, 10 extra points for him driving his Montero sport like that. Moving on we managed to reach to the power lines, from here things got interesting. We had a refusal and a pop-out which was well managed by @Srikumar and @Wrangeld. later we had some refusal in the same area so I made an alternate path, Everybody made it through and soon we had reached and crossed the power lines.

As mentioned by @Wrangeld the dunes became more challenging all the way to the base of Fossil Rocks, but once everybody had crossed the difficult section everybody reached the top of Fossil Rocks to enjoy the serene atmosphere on top, With a quick brief we were descending the Fossil Rocks one by one with @Wrangeld to keep the traffic moving at the right pace. To my surprise I saw 3 beautiful ladies hiking down Fossil Rock on foot in what was already a hot day, as I reached the bottom I sparked a conversation with them and discovered they were air hostesses from Emirates Airline. As I appreciated them for the hike down in the heat, they were surprised how our cars could come down that way. One of them was interested in joining and buying vehicle suitable for light off-roading, camping and some beach trips. She has taken my number and I am waiting for her to call or Whatsapp me in order to suggest her to join Carnity. My only concern was with @andy_macdxb coming down as it seemed too fast and uncontrolled at times, I would highly recommend you to please understand your vehicle better. When i checked you were in 4 HLLC instead of 4 LLLC.

Heading out after everyone had made it safely to the bottom there was a blaring on the radio to continue by playing on the left for 10 minutes. Against my better judgement the true off-roader took over and checking with @Srikumar I accepted the proposal. After a few tries the inevitable happened. This is the time to dig on dirt which I had spoken out earlier in my intro. @Janarthan in the H3 made it almost half way and took a sharp U-turn hitting the bump in the dune at the bottom, this resulted in a bent facial and a pop-out. Since it was in deep soft sand and in a slight slanting position we had to back him up slowly to a flat ground. As @Wrangeld mentioned it had popped out from both the exterior and the interior rim so our first part in trying was unsuccessful. Soon @Srikumar did what Gaurav bhai would have done, he removed the stem from the tire valve, kicked the tire till it was really soft and cleaned the rim from both the front and the back. He connected the most powerful air compressor and within 2 minutes it had popped in from the front first and within seconds the rear part also came on. Since we were going to drive on a track we left it inflated at 25 psi. This was the most comfortable part which lead us to the closest road, this prompted us to remove the flags before touching the road. As we hit the road we slowly drove to the Adnoc pump and started inflating to head back home.

It was time to say good bye with a lot of gratitude to all for adding to this exciting trip and everyone is looking for their next adventure off-road. Such positive energy from all levels gives us extreme strength to carry on. Until next time I bid you farewell.

[Wrangeld]

@Rahimdad - what an amazing report, adding so much color it brought it all back once again. We all miss that essential Carnity warmth (and I am not talking about the desert here) which is denied to us because of COVID, but this report feels like a big Rahimbahi hug just hit me. Thank you. The little details you pulled out here as well help us all learn - I, for one, hope for notthing more than to see you soon in the sand. 

[Rahimdad]

@Wrangeld cannot thank you enough for your enthusiasm, efforts, support, intelligence which you bring to Carnity. Such a positive influence and very calculated and mature thinking along with the freedom with which you present your opinions. We highly appreciate your advise and points to improve and will definitely be trying to implement them on the coming drives. Moreover I would like to thank you for keeping with the Covid19 safety rules set by Carnity, but everytime I am inclined to hug you all again. We are waiting in anticipation for the day when it will be safe to give a hug again. I saw a plastic curtain with hand space from both sides used by some Canadians to give their loved ones the hug they deserve. Can anybody arrange for these, I would really like to use them on drives.

I promise to be the old grandmother.

[Lorenzo Candelpergher]

Dear all, 

I was eventually able to find the time to edit a short video of our ride. Don't miss the play ground at 3'00" and the final descent from Fossil Rock! 

 

[Gaurav]

@asifk @sertac @Mikhail Lukichev @Jose Martin

Please upload your drive images in the drive gallery

https://carnity.com/gallery/category/201-newbie-mahafiz-sharjah-29-may-2020

[Srikumar]

@Lorenzo Candelpergher well done. Some excellent video editing skills