COVID 19 Compliant - Morning Fewbie Desert Drive - Solar Park - Dubai - 10 Jul 2020

[siddharth maheshwari]

Hi @Wrangeld please put me in the waiting list . Also i see some duplicate entries. 

Thanks 

[Wrangeld]

10 hours ago, Wrangeld said:

Looks to me like you are in. Bring your shovel. 

You are #1 buddy

@Denizzalbayrak you are #2

@J J you are #3

@Denizzalbayrak @J J @Tbone looks like you are all signed up for the drive with @Srikumar so I will remove you from the waiting list for this drive (as you cannot drive in two places at the same time).

10 hours ago, siddharth maheshwari said:

Hi @Wrangeld please put me in the waiting list . Also i see some duplicate entries. 

Thanks 

As we juust removed everyone else in the waiting list ahead of you as they have a drive on Friday, @siddharth maheshwari you are now #1 on the waiting list. 

[Tbone]

28 minutes ago, Wrangeld said:

@Denizzalbayrak @J J @Tbone looks like you are all signed up for the drive with @Srikumar so I will remove you from the waiting list for this drive (as you cannot drive in two places at the same time).

As we juust removed everyone else in the waiting list ahead of you as they have a drive on Friday, @siddharth maheshwari you are now #1 on the waiting list. 

Hi @Wrangeld, I listed myself in the other drive just as a plan B and we have informed that over there that once we get a confirmation for this drive we will pull back. So, kindly keep me in the waiting list if possible. 

[J J]

43 minutes ago, Wrangeld said:

@Denizzalbayrak @J J @Tbone looks like you are all signed up for the drive with @Srikumar so I will remove you from the waiting list for this drive (as you cannot drive in two places at the same time).

As we juust removed everyone else in the waiting list ahead of you as they have a drive on Friday, @siddharth maheshwari you are now #1 on the waiting list. 

Same here @Wrangeld , Pink rock is a Plan B.

[Wrangeld]

13 minutes ago, Tbone said:

Hi @Wrangeld, I listed myself in the other drive just as a plan B and we have informed that over there that once we get a confirmation for this drive we will pull back. So, kindly keep me in the waiting list if possible. 

OK Tbone - noted, but I think that with your new status, the likelihood is that you would be offered some more responsibility on the Newbie drive Friday: and ... if you look at who is signed up it's pretty much all Fewbies!. 

Will keep you and J.J. updated and note that Pink Rock is plan B. Let's see if enyone needs to drop out. 

[Wrangeld]

@AKR @Rajeevan Vickneswaran @RohanH @Janarthan @Anish S @Mehmet Volga @Lorenzo Candelpergher @Jorge Stepniak Felippe @Foxtrot Oscar @Chaitanya D @Magellan(@Brette)

Great that you all signed up to the Fewbie drive on Friday.

The plan for the drive is to assemble at Solar Park Car Park and make our way into the dunes to the South of Solar Park and then if time allows explore a little in the direction of Al Lisali. I will post more details later in the week on the plan and what type of drive I hope it to be - today's message is all about safety. 

Last weekend there was a lucky escape from serious injury when a tow point on a vehicle being tugged came loose and flew into the vehicle that was tugging. It reminded us again how important it is that everyone MUST check the integrity of their tow points, because, frankly, we may not be so lucky next time. 

We will be cjecking tow points before the drive on Friday, as well as checking that all drivers are carrying with them all the compulsory "Fewbie' equipment [if you really need to look at this again, check out the message from @Gaurav when you were promoted]. 

Drivers that do not have tow points or this basic kit on board will not be allowed to drive. 

For the avoidance of doubt, a flag and pole means there must be a flag on the pole, a shovel is a shovel.

Secondly, dress code. If you are sitting in the comfort of your air conditioned vehicle, flip flops and shorts might seem OK to you. They are a lot less practical when you are standing or kneeling in the burning sand. You'll also be asked not to drive if you are not wearing the right clothes. 

Otherwise, I am looking forward to a drive that will excite, challenge and energise. 

See you soon in the sand

[Wrangeld]

@AKR @Rajeevan Vickneswaran @RohanH @Janarthan @Anish S @Mehmet Volga @Lorenzo Candelpergher @Jorge Stepniak Felippe @Foxtrot Oscar @Chaitanya D @Magellan(@Brette)

Briefing #2 - SOLAR PARK

The move, change in pace and different types of obstacles faced when moving from Newbie to Fewbie is sometimes under estimated. At Newbie you learn the basics of how to get over a dune safely, how to behave in the sand and the start of how to control your vehicle. 

At Fewbie, the expectation is that mind and vehicle will be stretched - challenging you as a driver into situations you might not have been before, situations where you feel more uncomfortable and helping you understand the characteristics and potential of your vehicle. To put it more succinctly: fewbie is not about using more power, it's about using the power you have more effectively. 

Solar Park includes some technical dunes: Small dunes, closely packed where you need to take care not only to avoid getting stuck but also avoid the hard sharp bumps in them - and longer range dunes, which provide plenty of opportunities for sideys.

As well as sideys, the hope is that we can start to learn the techniques for and get some practice with ridge riding and criss-crossing. For many Fewbies this is quite scary. To make the day more fun for everyone, here's a few thoughts on what you can do to make your time in the sand more fun: 

• IF THIS IS YOUR FIRST OR SECOND FEWBIE DRIVE- You'll need all your wits about you and need to concentrate. Think carefully if this really is the ride on which you want to bring the whole family. We want to give everyone the chance to drive as much as possible and good focus usually means less potential for refusals, stucks, and other incidents.
• IF YOU ARE A MORE EXPERIENCED FEWBIE - These drives are a chance to hone your skills, control your entry and exit points better, make sure you use enouch, and not too much power. 
• DON'T FORGET YOUR EQUIPMENT - Please see my previous post
• COMMUNICATION - The rules are clear, bring a fully charged, audible device with you. If your radio is not working, you are not driving. The second rule is slightly less clear. Use the radio. It is the only way you can tell a lead that there is a problem: whether that is a refusal a stuck or 'can you please help me get through this obstacle. Do not be afraid or ashamed to inform the convoy leader that you need some assistance. Seniors are on the drive to assist. If we hear nothing, we assume everything is OK. 

Why bring these up? The sand is incredibly soft in the summer. Recoveries are part of the game, we all know that, but we all also know that we really want to be moving more of the time than recovering. These little points should help us all keep moving. 

See you soon in the sand. 

[Mehmet Volga]

@Wrangeld thank you for such a beneficial briefing. This one will be my first Fewbie drive and I'll try to keep all in my mind... 

[Tbone]

On 7/6/2020 at 9:14 AM, Wrangeld said:

OK Tbone - noted, but I think that with your new status, the likelihood is that you would be offered some more responsibility on the Newbie drive Friday: and ... if you look at who is signed up it's pretty much all Fewbies!. 

Will keep you and J.J. updated and note that Pink Rock is plan B. Let's see if enyone needs to drop out. 

Thanks Wrangled, you can count me out on this one. 

[Janarthan]

Hello @Wrangeld, I am dropping out too. Will join the newbie drive.