COVID19 Compliant - Morning Newbie Desert Drive - Photo Hunt: Qudra Scenic Sites - Dubai - 30 Apr 2021

[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 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 Offroader 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.

 

MUST WATCH: NEWBIE VIDEO BRIEFING

 

Drive Details

Level:  Newbie and above (All Level)

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

Meeting Point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/M9ASgjVyJqa7Yg2c7

Action Plan: We'll target a few scenic sites in the Qudra basin, hunting (armed only with keen eyes and long lenses) for large herds of gazelles and the occasional oryx, fantastic rock formations, natural desert springs (where water flows from nowhere) and stubborn trees popping from the scorching sand. A relaxing, scenic drive, to start the weekend in the most peaceful way. Myself and Angela @Foxtrot Oscar will take turns leading the convoy, each resting our eyes while the other looks for the best photo ops.

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

Approximate finish time: 10:30 AM

P.S. Only join if you have a compressor to inflate your tires after the drive.

LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE:

• Limited to 12 cars maximum. 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.
• Members that do not confirm the terms of the COVID requirements will be removed from the RSVP list.
• 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 CALENDAR 

 

[Ale Vallecchi]

Dear Desertnauts.

Most of us, even the youngest of our members, have been in Qudra at least once. Yet, this is an area that keeps reserving surprises, for those who are willing to stay away from the weekend's crowds, explore its further reaches, and look carefully around them, especially while driving at a leisurely pace.

Hence, we'll combine all of these necessary prerogatives - staying away from the crowds, exploring the farthest reaches, looking around with keen eyes, and pacing ourselves at a pleasant and unhurried Newbie level - to offer a new type of drive in the already abundant Carnity's bouquet: the Photo Hunt.

The targets of our hunt will be both moving and still: gazelles (usually gathering in large herds) and oryx (more secluded and solitary), will be moving on a stage made of fantastic rock formations, magical pools of water springing from the sand, or ghaf and acacia trees (lonely or in small groups) silhouetting against the white sand dunes.

You don't need to be a professional, or a very advanced amateur, photographer to participate and enjoy this drive. Any camera will do, as the subject will be more important than the tools we'll use. The only rules that we'd like to enforce are that photos/films are 1) taken either from inside one's car or while standing next to it, NOT gathering in groups around the subject; and 2) no portraits are taken of any group of passengers (only individual portraits may be taken, but one subject at the time, while the rest of the convoy waits for their turn inside or next to the cars). These rules will be enforced to prevent gatherings, and anybody breaking them will be exited. We will stop long enough, if necessary, to allow everybody to take their shots, but only following the above rules.

With this in mind, I would like to thank @Lucas Neo, @Russ, @Sunil Mathew, @Niki, @aaron kamall, @Soumya Saklani, @TT_Dubai, @Anoop Nair, @samamara, @Desert Dweller (Jamy) and @Foxtrot Oscar (Angela) for signing up, and wish you all a great week ahead.

[samamara]

Thanks @Ale Vallecchi - really looking forward to it! I hope to see some of the owls people have been spying a lot of these days, in addition to the amazing gazelle and oryx 😍. 

[Sunil Mathew]

Thanks @Ale Vallecchi for your pre-drive write up as usual, to evoke extra interest in the drive...this is going to be my second drive with you, after my debut newbie drive on 16th (Profile name - Aragon, changed it last week to my real name)

2 questions here...

as the drive is going to be "relaxing, pleasant, unhurried" , i am planning to bring my family (wife + 2 kids) along. I hope that is fine for the drive, and we can take family photos 🙂

how close are we going to be, to the  wildlife ? Will a 55-200mm lens do, or do we need something with higher range to capture them?

[Ale Vallecchi]

20 minutes ago, Sunil Mathew said:

Thanks @Ale Vallecchi for your pre-drive write up as usual, to evoke extra interest in the drive...this is going to be my second drive with you, after my debut newbie drive on 16th (Profile name - Aragon, changed it last week to my real name)

2 questions here...

as the drive is going to be "relaxing, pleasant, unhurried" , i am planning to bring my family (wife + 2 kids) along. I hope that is fine for the drive, and we can take family photos 🙂

how close are we going to be, to the  wildlife ? Will a 55-200mm lens do, or do we need something with higher range to capture them?

Hi @Sunil Mathew (formerly known as Aragon). No worries for bringing your family. For wildlife shots I would at least bring a long lens, as I cannot guarantee how close we can get to the animals. 

See you on Friday. Thanks. 

[samamara]

16 minutes ago, Ale Vallecchi said:

Hi @Sunil Mathew (formerly known as Aragon). No worries for bringing your family. For wildlife shots I would at least bring a long lens, as I cannot guarantee how close we can get to the animals. 

See you on Friday. Thanks. 

We don't need to get super close to them @Ale Vallecchibut if you could manage to ask a few oryx to stand silhouetted against the sunrise for us, that would be great 😂😂😂!

[Anoop Nair]

Well written @Ale VallecchiLooking forward to this Friday..

[TT_Dubai]

Ciao@Ale Vallecchiit is fab that your drives have themes running through them and I am looking forward to seeing this new side of Qudra. It will give me a good excuse to dust off the SLR and the telephoto lens! p.s. my Wrangler has been non cooperative on a few drives (i) clutch disintegrated coming down Faya on Rahindad's drive requiring a flatbed to the workshop and (ii) went into limp mode climbing Fossil Rock last week at Frederic's drive requiring an early exit. It's at the workshop (again)... Therefore, am taking my wife's LC200 this weekend (in case it matters for your convoy list). Cheers!

[Ale Vallecchi]

4 hours ago, TT_Dubai said:

Ciao@Ale Vallecchiit is fab that your drives have themes running through them and I am looking forward to seeing this new side of Qudra. It will give me a good excuse to dust off the SLR and the telephoto lens! p.s. my Wrangler has been non cooperative on a few drives (i) clutch disintegrated coming down Faya on Rahindad's drive requiring a flatbed to the workshop and (ii) went into limp mode climbing Fossil Rock last week at Frederic's drive requiring an early exit. It's at the workshop (again)... Therefore, am taking my wife's LC200 this weekend (in case it matters for your convoy list). Cheers!

Hello @TT_Dubai. Good to know you have new wheels. Just make sure the LC200 complies with all the requirements of an off-road drives (especially sturdy tow points front and back, clearance, flag, and possibility to switch off the electronics). Looking forward to seeing you on Friday.

[Lucas Neo]

Looking forward to the drive!

I have a quick question on the air dam of my Jeep Wrangler JK. I just noticed that one side of the air dam is drooping because the hinge which holds it in place is broken. Should I get the air dam removed before the drive?