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COVID19 Compliant - Morning Newbie Desert Drive - 100 Drives Celebration: Fun in Qudra - Dubai - 9 Jul 2021


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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: 5:00 AM (SHARP - Without any exceptions)

Meeting Point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/JmktsxXrpfie3SgLA

Action Plan: After finding out this week will be my 100th drive with Carnity, I chose to celebrate this occasion with as many members as possible. Hence I was given permission to post 3 drives, one for each rank, and have fun with those who will sign up, across 3 of my favorite routes. This one will take us across Qudra, through its most scenic locations: all kinds of dunes, and animals, trees, rock formations, lakes.

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: 9:30 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 

 

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  • Frederic changed the title to COVID19 Compliant Morning Newbie Desert Drive - 100 Drives Celebration: Fun in Qudra - Dubai - 9 Jul 2021
  • Gaurav changed the title to COVID19 Compliant - Morning Newbie Desert Drive - 100 Drives Celebration: Fun in Qudra - Dubai - 9 Jul 2021

Dear Desertnauts - @FARAZ MOHAMMED, @Damiru Dharmadasa, @James Thorn, @Jason Grima, @Yawa, @Alexander Holodny, @shu yang, @SUNIL KUMAR, @Senthil Kumar - Welcome to my 100th Carnity drive.

While I usually provide a detailed preview of the drive, this time the briefing is simple: have fun, and enjoy together the most beautiful parts of Qudra. There will be dunes, of course, as well as animals, trees, rock formations and lakes. We'll start easy, using the basic off-roading skills, progressing to slightly more complicated terrains, based on the convoy's behavior. Bring your cameras, as we'll try to make this a more photographic drive then others, taking some time to shoot some of the sights we'll drive by. 

The next instructions will include the details of how to reach the meeting point (which is a little tricky), and the convoy order. Until then, enjoy your week.

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Dear Desertnauts.

Here's the latest update about tomorrow's drive.

First of all, the meeting point is a bit tricky to find, when following Google Maps. I'll try to explain better. From Qudra's Last Exit, please take the road to Bab al Shams Resort (first right at the Qudra roundabout, coming from Dubai). Upon reaching the first roundabout, take the second exit, to reach this point:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/oeXzNh6zySDJZ7Hf9

Once passed the bike track, please reach the meeting point by taking a right dirt track through the sabkha, as posted below, until you reach a construction camp, where I and/or one of the other Seniors will be parked.

Once at the meeting point, start deflating to between 13 and 11 PSI, depending on your tires. We will be tuning in on Carnity radio channel #3 (446.031)

We'll leave as soon as deflation is complete, in an easterly directions, to cross a short patch of technical dunes, with the goal of reaching the long-range dunes of Qudra north, and side-slope back and forth through this area. Having done this, we'll move back west, through more technical terrain, looking out for gazelles and groups of trees, until we'll reach, once again, a set of long range, tall dunes, where we'll finally find numerous rock formations, and natural pools.

Our convoy order will be the following:

@Senthil Kumar will be Second Lead

@Alexander Holodny at #3

@YOGG30 at #4

@Damiru Dharmadasa will be #5

@SUNIL KUMAR at #6

@Jason Grima will take place #7

@Kailas will be the Center Forward 

@FARAZ MOHAMMED at #9

@Super Safari Girl will be #10

@Yawa at #11

@James Thorn will be #12

@shu yang will drive at #13

@TT_Dubai at #14, and 

@MUHAMMAD Kashif RAZZAQ will Sweep the long convoy.

See you all tomorrow, sharp at 5:00 AM. Have a nice end of the week.

 

 

Screenshot_20210708-135530_Maps_2.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

100 Drives Celebration: Fun in Qudra - Drive Report

When I am silent, I fall into that place where everything is music – Rumi

First of all, sorry for filing the report with much delay, due to my travelling overseas. I have been busy with business and family matters and have just been able to write up the usual recount of my latest drives.

While July 9th and 10th anniversary weekend’s main theme was enjoying my drives with as many Carnity members as possible, to celebrate a milestone I never thought of reaching (100 drives, incidentally, on my birthday’s weekend), two more things, of no less importance, became a common thread that wove my itineraries together: to bring on new challenges, and enjoy long stretches of silence, during the drives.

Since friendly camaraderie, new challenges, and enjoying the silence were shared with all drivers, throughout this triple outing, I will write a similar report for all 3 drives, with just a few specifics, referring to each.

Friendship and the feeling of being part of a family are the traits that distinguish Carnity from other off-roading clubs. Hence, I was blessed for having part of this enlarged family with me during my birthday and 100 drives’ weekend, sharing the pleasure of driving on surprisingly pristine sand with as many fellow off-roaders as possible. On top of that, the huge number of wishes I have received from members in the last few days has been heart-warming. I couldn’t have asked for a nicer birthday and milestone’s celebrations, filled with fellowship and fun.

Now, on with the part regarding raising the bar, and offering new challenges. All the three drives were upped and pushed beyond the average level of difficulty and skills expected from each rank. So, the Newbie outing slowly became a Fewbie, the Fewbie was pushed at least to a Fewbie Plus, and the Intermediate one turned into an Exploration Drive.

In the Qudra Newbie drive, starting from the big farm/villa (cum security, chasing after the early coming drivers stopping at the roundabout exit), after enjoying the sunset on the nearby low dunes, we immediately attacked the long-range dunes, with ever higher side-sloping, running west to east, and back. When this first playground ended on the first technical area, we pushed through the tighter dunes, to reach an area of small bowls and canyons, from which we reached an unusually “green” area, with many Ghaf trees. Then on again, across the higher dunes of central Qudra, managing well a few steep climbs and escaping deep bowls (not without a couple of stucks, and some more advanced maneuvers). Considering the strength of the convoy, I used the tall and long cordons bordering the southern Qudra bike track, to launch into some ridge riding, and criss-crossing. At first on and across large, hump-back dunes, progressing slowly toward slightly sharper ridges, and higher crossings. All went well, with the exception of an early exit onto a slip-face’s small and hard bump, which caused a pop-out, and induced a few of the following cars to also exit early, on the same bumpy area. Lesson learned about following too closely, and not exiting on the safer, gentler, hard face of the dune. The remain if the drive was spent south of the bike track, in that beautiful area leading to the Solar Park’s pylons, with plenty of tall, wind-swept cordons, lonely trees, clay rock formations, and a variety of playable, as well as technical dunes. A small mechanical problem prompted the convoy to exit a few minutes early, yet with more than the planned itinerary behind us. An overall great performance by the convoy, rising higher than my expectations, even in facing and overcoming the few technical issues we had during the drive. Well done to @Senthil Kumar, @Alexander Holodny, @YOGG30, @Damiru Dharmadasa, @Jason Grima, @FARAZ MOHAMMED, @Super Safari Girl, @Yawa, @James Thorn, @TT_Dubai, @Daniel Yang, as well as to @Kailas and @MUHAMMAD Kashif RAZZAQ for their great support.

The drive lasted a long 3:58 hours, covering 61.6 Km, at an average speed of 15.5 Km/h (and 26Km/h while moving).

In each drive, silence was loudly heard most of the time. Except for my briefing, redirections, and driving tips, all three itineraries had prolonged spells of no communication whatsoever. This is usually the sign of a drive proceeding super smoothly, during which the convoy falls into a perfect, yet silent, rhythm, each member both exploiting their skills to perfection as well as enjoying the route, its landscape, and the performance of the rest of the convoy.

What a pleasure it was to celebrate with as many of you as possible, all rising to the challenge, fully enjoying our beautiful desert. Thanks to all and see you soon in the sand.

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Thanks for the lessons @Ale Vallecchi and a great drive ! Happy belated birthday and all the best on your travels ! See you on a drive soon! 

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