COVID19 Compliant - Morning Fewbie Desert Drive - Mahafiz to Faya via Fossil Rock - Sharjah - 12 Feb 2021

[Varun Mehndiratta]

Thanks all for a wonderful drive... Fog did change @Lorenzo Candelpergher's song Ride of Valkyries to Highway to the Danger zone....in any case both are awesome and so was the drive with it's super cool soft sand, crazy fog and beautiful slide slopes. It was my first drive around Faya area and I truly enjoyed the bowls it offers. Surely not as huge as Sweihan but than that's what made it more fun and less intimidating .(the sheer size at Sweihan was a bit intimidating for me last week). 

Wish I could continue further but for this stupid flag - wasted a lot of drive.time for all (Sorry for that, especially to @N@ved and @Rahimdad who had to track it), distracted me to be crested on that basics of dune (my first crest with Carnity) and worst it made it not so safe to continue without it for extended drive. Must have been an experience towing down a wrangler from top of Faya.. @Matt.T hope just a small glitch, keep us posted.

Thanks to @Ashy for the tuck and regularly highlighting the challenges ahead...

Imran - looking forward to the video of the drive.

Thanks all for the overall wonderful experience.

 

 

 

 

[Lorenzo Candelpergher]

@varunmehndiratta I also had a long lasting fight with my flag suction cup mount, which was constantly detaching and distracting me.. Then I finally resolved to get myself a proper mount, fixed on the roof bar, where my flag could be tightened and untightened with a spanner at every drive.

Since then, my flag problems disappeared. The only issue, now, is that from time to time I forget the spanner on the roof 😂😂, typically at the end of the drive.. 

Edited February 12, 2021 by Lorenzo Candelpergher

[Varun Mehndiratta]

54 minutes ago, Lorenzo Candelpergher said:

@varunmehndiratta I also had a long lasting fight with my flag suction cup mount, which was constantly detaching and distracting me.. Then I finally resolved to get myself a proper mount, fixed on the roof bar, where my flag could be tightened and untightened with a spanner at every drive.

Since then, my flag problems disappeared. The only issue, now, is that from time to time I forget the spanner on the roof 😂😂, typically at the end of the drive.. 

Yeah really need to find some soln....I use a sturdy bracket installed on the spare wheel mount...thought the issue was with thread of the mount screw, got it changed as well last week....will check tomo perhaps some mismatch in threads of flag and mount screw...

[Rahimdad]

@Lorenzo Candelpergher I could not believe it was your first lead. The confidence with which you managed the whole drive is like you've been doing it forever. 

@N@ved is learning faster than anyone with his humble approach and willingness to help. @imranaasghar81 that rig is amazingly long and I hope you don't need to drive with it on the road. It is as masterful as your driving skills and I enjoyed watching you as we conquered all the dunes. @Ashy is fast following the footsteps of @Brette and proving the JGC to be a contender for one of the best off-roaders. Knowing the challenges posted in handling the JGC they are exceptional drivers to manage the JGC the way they do.

@Yusuf Esaf managed his Y62 as a copy and paste from @Lorenzo Candelpergher. What an opportunity for him to learn from the best. I am sure with a couple of more drives behind @Lorenzo Candelpergher will bring put the best in @Yusuf Esaf. @Matt.T was totally cool and calm and handled every challenge with finesse. It was wonderful to see his Jeep glide through the sands as if it was no challenge to him at all. Sorry to hear about your clutch, hope its sorted out soon.

 @Mikhail Lukichev was driving in the wake of churned up sand left by the front of the convoy. At times we were left with some difficult sections to handle, but he kept my love for Prado alive just by the way he handled the drive. I have had a chance to be with him over several drives and I appreciate the way he has learnt and grown within our community.

 @Paul Zeitoun already knows my fan status for the Ram 1500. The way he handles his ride only makes me curse myself for not going for one when I could. He and his girl friend ended up at the brunt of our jokes, but they handles the jokes just as well as they took on all the dunes on the way.

 @bassel el rafei was a bit unlucky with his brand new Pajero transmission heating up. But he did manage most of the dunes well for the best part of the trip. The Mitsubishi people it seems blamed it on bad programming which they resolved. But knowing the Pajero in the dunes they are undecided about the gearing, so learning manual shifting through the triptronic system is one solution to avoid the auto.atic shifting the vehicle unnecessarily and causing transmission to heat. Another solution would be to put a good fan on the transmission to keep it cool.

@varunmehndiratta is always a pleasure to watch with his Jeep. Unfortunately the only issue we had this weekend was with the flag disagreeing to stay married to the car. She just asked for divorce and jumped from the moving vehicle on every little argument they had. Although it seems to be a good clip on the rear wheel to screw the flag in, but somehow it just didn't feel like staying on.

I loved the challenge on this drive with the fog not clearing up until 10 am. Driving in the fog was the highest challenge for this drive and it was fun watching everybody doing so well.

[Matt.T]

@Rahimdad nice words and thanks I'm sure I'll sort it this week.

Was great watching your demonstration on self extraction to the super safari guy. Good we could help a fellow offroader into the bargain.

[Lorenzo Candelpergher]

Dear @Rahimdad,

You are very right in highlighting the great performance by @Yusuf Esaf in 2nd lead.

Whenever I looked back in the mirror his Y62 was steadily behind me. Having the chance to follow another Y62 is surely an opportunity and @Yusuf Esafhasn't missed this chance.

His drive was always clean and precise, and he followed carefully any instructions for small reroutings when needed. The best reward for me, however, was to see his simile from ear to ear everytime he pulled down the window to have a word... 

His Y62 has a great future in the sand with Carnity. 

[Yusuf Esaf]

Thank you for the encouraging words. It is always a pleasure driving with you@Lorenzo Candelpergher. Very few know, this wasn't the first lead drive for him. I had the opportunity to be with him on his first. 

Oh boy! wat a fantastic lead he is. Extremely Calm yet he will take you on those crazy dunes like a cake walk. If you really wish to test your limits, you have to be on the drive with him. A lot to learn the way he maneuvers his V8 across the dunes with such ease and finesse.

@Rahimdad I loved your humor and your calmness on giving instructions everytime someone had a refusal. The way you pulled out the VTC out of the tight space was a learning experience. Looking forward to be on more drives with you.

@Matt.T did an extremely great job on his first fewbie. He seemed to drive like a pro. Hope you get the clutch fixed and will see you soon on the sands.

@imranaasghar81 we are waiting for the final cut of your recording. You pulled up well with your FJ.

@Ashy did great as a CF as well as a sweep.

For the grand finale  @Matt.T @imranaasghar81 @Ashy and myself witnessed the most terific recovery ever done by the legend @Lorenzo CandelpergherPulling out the wrangler with his beast in those tough dunes of Faya all the way to the tarmac. As I said before, this is gona be remembered as the 'Legends of Lorenzo'.

Way to go guys, way to go @Carnity. Sheer example of Leadership and team work.

Edited February 13, 2021 by Yusuf Esaf

[Matt.T]

So this is what the Clutch Plate looked like, plus see how hot the flywheel had got!! Was scored too so got it skimmed. Was back out today with Wrangled 

[Imran Asghar]

Evening all!

It's taken a week but here it is! 

I really hope you enjoy the 360 video and feel free to subscribe so you get alerted when I post future videos! 

Today's drive I'll post by next Saturday or sooner fingers crossed..

@Lorenzo Candelpergher @N@ved@Rahimdad @Matt.T @ashim @Ashy@Brette @Yusuf Esaf@Paul Zeitoun @Mikhail LukichevLukichev @bassel el rafei @varunmehndiratta @Carnity @Thomas Varghese

Edited February 19, 2021 by imranaasghar81

[Yusuf Esaf]

Amazing edit bro. Loved the title😁 @imranaasghar81