COVID 19 Compliant - Full Day - Fewbie Desert Drive - Dubai Crossing: Lahbab to Qudra - 15 Jan 2021

[Islam Soliman]

32 minutes ago, Ale Vallecchi said:

Dear Desertnauts.

Welcome to the first Full Day drive of 2021. Those of you who drove in Liwa, at the beginning of December, are already acquainted with these types of drives. For both these more experienced drivers, as well as for those who will do their first  Full Day drive, a few notes about what to expect.

Concentration will be a mandatory requirement on this drive. Usually, on a half day drive, concentration starts to ebb after around 3 hours. You may have noticed that refusals and stucks often occur toward the end of the drive. In this case, while we will be able to take a break to lunch and refuel, we will expect drivers to remain alert and concentrated for much longer. There is no secret for this. It's just something each will have to work on, and train (to increase one's ability to concentrate). Being able to sustain longer drives will come in very handy in the occasion of long treks, cross-country trips, camping excursion to other countries (Oman, Saudi, etc.), so we feel it's something which an experienced off-roader should be able to develop.

Water and refreshments are also important. Be sure to have enough to drink (losing 2-3% of your body water leads to a significant loss of attention, energy and clarity of mind), and bring dry sugars to nibble on (dates are the preferred snack of long-trek drivers across the Sahara, but cookies should do as well), and we'll help you along the way by taking a few breaks, to stretch, and take your hands off the wheel (ideally, if we were on a long Saharan trek, tea would be served during these breaks).

Drive's breakdown will take us from Lahbab to Skydive, in the first half, and from Lisaili to Solar Park, or Qudra (depending on convoy's behavior). Throughout the drive we'll check our tires' pressure more than once, and of course we'll stop at a gas station to refuel (no extra jerry cans are needed). I will let you know if I identify a suitable restaurant where to stop for lunch, or I'll recommend that each brings his own lunch, which we'll take, if necessary, in the desert, just before reaching Skydive, and crossing over to Lisaili.

As mentioned in the drive's post, we'll drive through every possible terrain, from sabkhas to technical areas, from small sand bowls plateaus to long range dunes.

I will get back to all of you on Thursday, with the final information about the drive. 

@Foxtrot Oscar, @Kalahari (welcome back!!), @Ken Hüüdma, @Athula Dharmadada, @Thomas Varghese, @Ahab Shamaa, @Yasas Dharmadasa, @AlexPol, @Joe Biju Joseph, @Arda Yagcioglu (is your car sorted out since our last drive?), @VipinShetty and @sri ganesh, I look forward to seeing all of you on a chilly Friday morning in Lahbab. Have a nice week ahead.

 

Yes @Alphin Aloor.I am sorry about this, and look forward to seeing you soon in the future. Thanks a lot.

@Ale Vallecchi very excited about the cross-country long trips.. hopefully the curse is lifted and we are able to arrange for one soon

[Ale Vallecchi]

16 minutes ago, Islam Soliman said:

@Ale Vallecchi very excited about the cross-country long trips.. hopefully the curse is lifted and we are able to arrange for one soon

Yes @Islam Soliman, Oman would be great, and Saudi is on my radar soon. 

[sri ganesh]

18 hours ago, Ale Vallecchi said:

@sri ganesh I have added you to the drive. See you on Friday morning. 

Thank you so much Ale! Look forward to it!

[Islam Soliman]

41 minutes ago, Ale Vallecchi said:

Yes @Islam Soliman, Oman would be great, and Saudi is on my radar soon. 

Count me in

Edited January 11, 2021 by Islam Soliman

[Arda Yagcioglu]

Dear @Ale Vallecchi the radiator and hose, I got it all fixed and sorted. But unfortunately I will have to drop myself from this full day drive, as I have to be attending another family event. Thanks

[Thomas Varghese]

52 minutes ago, Ale Vallecchi said:

Yes @Islam Soliman, Oman would be great, and Saudi is on my radar soon. 

@Ale Vallecchi count me in too

[Ale Vallecchi]

14 minutes ago, Arda Yagcioglu said:

Dear @Ale Vallecchi the radiator and hose, I got it all fixed and sorted. But unfortunately I will have to drop myself from this full day drive, as I have to be attending another family event. Thanks

Sorry to hear that @Arda Yagcioglu. Hope to see you next time. 

[Ale Vallecchi]

21 hours ago, Francois Germishuys said:

Please add me to this drive waiting list, this will be my second drive for the weekend. (Still no confirmed drive for the weekend though, I'm also on the waiting list for 16th Intermediate ....)

Dear @Francois Germishuys. If you are still without your first drive this WE I can add you to this one, following Arda's dropping out. Please confirm and I'll add you. Thanks. 

[Francois Germishuys]

1 minute ago, Ale Vallecchi said:

Dear @Francois Germishuys. If you are still without your first drive this WE I can add you to this one, following Arda's dropping out. Please confirm and I'll add you. Thanks. 

Hi @Ale Vallecchi yip looks like im not wanted over there 😜. Yes pls add me here for my first drive. 

[Thomas Varghese]

Just now, Francois Germishuys said:

Hi @Ale Vallecchi yip looks like im not wanted over there 😜. Yes pls add me here for my first drive. 

see u for the drive.