COVID 19 Compliant - Morning Fewbie Desert Drive - Lahbab to Qudra Marathon: Part 1 - Dubai - 29 Oct 2020

[Ale Vallecchi]

This drive is organized in full compliance with the COVID19 guidelines. We expect every member that joins this drive to go through below information and strictly follow these guidelines in order not to jeopardize someone's health, and to ensure we can keep organizing these drives safely.

 

MUST READ AND TOTALLY AGREE: COVID19 Precautions

 

MUST READ AND TOTALLY AGREE: BAN POST

 

Two Way Radio Guidelines

• Every Off-roader brings his own radio, programmed to the frequencies described in below advice topic.
• We will not share spare radios or program your radio on the drive. If you need assistance in programming the radio, post a topic on the Carnity website with your questions and we will help you out. 
• Make sure your radio is fully charged. It will be your only way of communication while driving.
• Before buying, please carefully read below advice so you are informed properly on which model / cost / shops...
• No radio = No drive. It is an essential tool and you should make sure you bring it on every drive and learn/practice how to use it.

 

Drive Details

Level:  Fewbie and above

When:  29 October 2020, Thursday

Meeting time: 6:00 AM (SHARP - Without any exceptions)

Action Plan: IMPORTANT NOTICE - This is the first leg of a "marathon" drive, from Lahbab to Qudra. This first part will take us as close as possible to Dubai Skydive. The second leg will take place in the afternoon, departing from nearby Murqaab (just across the Dubai/Al Ain Road), from where we plan to reach the Qudra area, through Lisaili's long range dunes. This first part of the drive will cover a little visited area, from Lahbab, through some low, more technical dunes, to large, very enjoyable string of red sand bowls, then down to either Margham or Skydive, depending on hoe the drives evolves. Finesse driving, side-sloping and some dune crossing will be practiced throughout the drive.

Meeting Point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/xd5Zhkx4EP9UtM567

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), face mask, rubber gloves, enthusiasm and willingness to learn.

Approximate finish time: 10:30 AM

THIS IS A COMPRESSOR ONLY DRIVE. WE WILL END THE DRIVE AT A POINT WHICH IS NOT CLOSE TO AN AIR LINE. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A COMPRESSOR, PLEASE DO NOT SIGN UP FOR THIS DRIVE. IF YOU ARRIVE AND HAVE NO COMPRESSOR YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO JOIN THE DRIVE. 

 

LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE:

• Limited to 10 Fewbies and above drivers. RSVP will close on Thursday - 9 AM.
  • 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 BELOW CALENDAR 

 

[Islam Soliman]

Pls add me to WL

[Jihad Hachem]

hi please add me to waiting list, thank you

[Alexander Alcala]

Hi @Ale Vallecchi, The Google shortcut for the meeting point posted in the invitation is not working for me.  It takes me to Dubai as an Area, not to a specific point. Would you please be kind and check it.  Thanks in advance

Edited October 26, 2020 by Alexander Alcala

[Ale Vallecchi]

17 hours ago, Islam Soliman said:

Pls add me to WL

Hello @Islam Soliman. You'll be #1 on the WL. Thanks

17 hours ago, Jihad Hachem said:

hi please add me to waiting list, thank you

Hello @Jihad Hachem. You will be #2 on the WL. Thanks a lot.

[Ale Vallecchi]

1 hour ago, Alexander Alcala said:

Hi @Ale Vallecchi, The Google shortcut for the meeting point posted in the invitation is not working for me.  It takes me to Dubai as an Area, not to a specific point. Would you please be kind and check it.  Thanks in advance

Hello @Alexander Alcala. I have just updated the meeting point. Please check if it works now. Thanks a lot. 

[Alexander Alcala]

Hi @Ale Vallecchi.  I tried now and it is giving me a proper point in the map.  Thank you.

[Ale Vallecchi]

Dear Desertnauts.

It's time to build the expectation for this Thursday's drive. Better yet, drives. In fact, as mentioned in the post, this has been conceived as a marathon, to be executed in one whole day. Considering the diversity of the terrains, however, it has been divided into 2 parts: the first one from Lahbab to as close to Skydive as possible, and the second part, from Murqaab, across the Dubai-Al Ain highway, to the Qudra area (with Solar park as the minimum objective, and Qudra Parking the ideal finish point.

The first part of this marathon will take us from the low, yellow dunes of Lahbab, through a technical area, to a string of red sand low bowls (very playable), and, time permitting, through a second technical area, all the way to the very nice open dunes stretching between Margham and Skydive. This area presents a couple of tricky, no-go, points, where driving it's forbidden, as marked by some "skull and bones" signs, near an oil and gas installation, and impeded by the endless metal fence surrounding one of the Royal Villas. These same "no-go" areas make this drive not so common among any other off-roading club, which is a plus for us at Carnity. We may share this terrain, if at all, only with locals, engaging in the art of falconeering, or herding camels.

The second half of the drive, will see a change of terrain, starting on a yellow sand mix of technical and open dunes, then across a small sabkha leading to a sand track cutting across a very treacherous area of technical dunes, eventually ending at Lisaili's white sand long range dunes, stretching all the way to Solar Park, and to Qudra proper beyond.

Given the variety of terrains, the driving skills required will be practically all inclusive: finesse driving, controlled straight crossing, side sloping, both low and high, as well as criss-crossing and occasional ridge riding (especially in Qudra).

With this, I welcome to the drive @Javier Lucero, @Athula Dharmadada, @Anand Nataraj, @Abu Muhammad, @Senthil Kumar, @Yasas Dharmadasa, @RaYan E, @Alexander Alcala, @Tamas Hoffmann, @Sinol and @Foxtrot Oscar. 

More details to follow on Wednesday evening. Enjoy your short week. 

[Abu Muhammad]

Thank you @Ale Vallecchi looking forward to seeing you and to be part of this nice drive. 
 

 

[Piotr Kolodziej]

Hi Ale, could you please add me to the WL?