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COVID19 Compliant - Morning Intermediate Desert Drive - Fossil Rock to Big Red Express - Sharjah - 7 Aug 2021


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Wow, that’s a lot to take in. Spent maybe 20 minutes reading everything carefully. 
First, AMAZING drive! I enjoyed it a bit too much, I think my passengers got sick due to my urge to try and climb as high and I can and keep up as much momentum going up, and perhaps the young 22 year old trying to show off to his friends, (yes I had 3 other people with me 😅). 
Second, great driving everyone was very enjoyable, I loved climbing Al Faya from the back, kinda reminded me of area 53. 
Finally, wish I could have continued but alas, didn’t want anyone puking in my car 😂.  
 

I do have some comments of my own if I may be so bold to voice them. I’m sure everyone would appreciate them. 
@varunmehndiratta I will commend you on finding a clean path when we sadly left @M.Seidam and @Ashok chaturvedi behind. @Dodi Syahdar was on my tail the whole time and I was driving very aggressively, great job I’m very impressed usually I’m the one stuck to @Dodi Syahdar tail, @Abu Muhammad I thought you got stuck a couple of time and to my surprised your beast and your skills in the desert paid off great job. @Francois Germishuys I saw you and your beast having a lot of fun in the back, especially with those new shocks you out in, hope the ride was smooth. Also let me know how they felt if they are worth it, or maybe If I should invest in the 2.5s. Also I have a couple of awesome pictures for you. I’ll post them when I get them (my passenger took them)
I couldn’t see much of what was going on in the front so I don’t have anything to say. 


@varunmehndiratta I won’t leave anyone in the desert especially when nature calls, it would be kind of embarrassing to tell the story of how you got left behind in the desert while doing your business🤣🤣. Next time drive your car to the place you want to water the plants 🤣 instead of walking there the person behind you will wait for you, so will the convoy. 

I’m not going to comment about what should have been done or what went wrong I thing everything was clearly stated by everyone. I’ll be positive and focus on the good things 😃


Overall amazing drive @Lorenzo Candelpergher I loved every moment, every time I drive with you the fun just gets more and more intense, (except for my first IM drive with you, where I almost wet myself from the sheer difficulty and excitement, that drive I will never forget that drive.) 

 

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 Hilarous moment.. when someone requestsd to be allowed to use the 'Mens room' deep in the desert and response came... if he finds one to let others know.. also make sure to flush after. 😁😉

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29 minutes ago, Ashok chaturvedi said:

 Hilarous moment.. when someone requestsd to be allowed to use the 'Mens room' deep in the desert and response came... if he finds one to let others know.. also make sure to flush after. 😁😉

I requested it 😂 and in the desert as I stated before, the men’s room is everywhere 😂

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@Shehab Alawadhi thanks mate, looks good. 

16 hours ago, varunmehndiratta said:

@Francois Germishuys just noted that it's your last drive...if the reason is something like what happened on the drive --- seriously dude,.you kidding us? Such thing happens in all team sport.. If something else, wish you all the best and surely will miss you at the end of convoys - I guess all drives we did together you have always been at the end with your lovely ride..looking after us all. Hope to see you sometime on sand, cheers..

Hi @varunmehndirattano mate, got other plan for the summer, might return after will see….. 

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16 hours ago, Lorenzo Candelpergher said:

Dear @Francois Germishuys, the one on your flag was a joke.. I guess you didn't get it.. 😂😂. Usually all those who have a falling flag ask for permission to remove it, whereas you asked for permission to fix it.. So I made a joke saying you "ignored" my instructions to just put the flag away, concluding that it was anyway better to be safe than sorry and you had it fixed in no time.. I see no reason for you to get upset! Keeping the flag up can only be commended. 

Regarding my comments about the sweeping position, I have no reason not to believe, as you say, that you plainly had no chance to realize we had lost two cars. @varunmehndiratta's explanation further supports it. 

This is not the point, however, and you seem to have missed the context of my comments, which were meant to address the overall issue that I keep on seeing in recent Intermediate Drives among big dunes, ie the fact that, when someone in some mid-convoy position has a stuck or a refusal during a climb, convoy order keeps on being lost beyond reason, with chaos as a consequence: cars from behind overtaking and continuing the climb, with no or delayed announcing of the problem or simply ignoring it. This leads to split convoys, lost tracks, etc, exactly the same dynamics we witnessed today. 

I invite you to read my comment again and to realize that it wasn't written as a specific critique to YOU as such, but as a general comment about the problems that originate with poor convoy discipline and the fundamental function of sweeping in these circumstances. I was indeed taking today's case as an example to make my point: convoy discipline in the specific case was not followed, and the result was that two cars in trouble were left behind. Neither the car in front, ie @Lakshmi Narasimhan nor the car behind, ie @varunmehndirattarealized and announced the problem nor stopped to wait for the troubled cars to recover. 

In fact, @Lakshmi Narasimhanhad just climbed up behind my tail as I had come back to help him overcome the difficult spot.

When I came back, before leading @Lakshmi Narasimhanup, I had made sure the convoy was all toghether, Sweep included.

What happened next is that apparently @M.Seidam followed but had a refusal on his way up, circled around and reattempted multiple times, while the rest of the convoy, five cars, inexplicably, must have inadvertently climbed up along a different route, thus leaving the two cars behind with all five drivers not realising what had just happened. As improbable as it may sound, this may have happened and I don't question it. 

@varunmehndiratta is probably right when he says there was a bit of delay when the convoy restarted while he was on a bio break: I remember joking about it while circling around to check the situation. 

All of this, however, again proves the point that excessive distance, poor or no radio communication, no visual checks on the car behind and in front, overtaking or unintentional rerouting caused a split convoy. 

@Francois, you are right when you say nobody asked you to intervene. In fact you are an Extreme driver, not an Advisor and it was probably my mistake to even give you the responsibility to be Sweep, as supporting roles are meant to be for Advisors, who have been specifically selected and have experience in undertaking the role. 

Having said this, you did your part as Sweep today, communicating well and frequently whenever required. If you want me to be specific on a feedback about YOU today, I'll say that I felt you were often driving too far back behind @Abu Muhammad roaming around (a temptation that comes to all when in sweep), but I'll say also that you were often helpful and present, for which I even thanked you in my post (you must have missed that).

In the past you have been always very open and vocal in sharing your comments and criticism (often quite direct, not to say harsh) towards your fellow drivers. I'd expect you to be equally open to receive some comments and potentially even criticism from the Drive Lead, as the purpose is never name shaming but always, and only, giving all participants opportunity to reflect on what happened and learn from it. 

I am sad to read you were upset by my comments, but I stand by them, even more now that I had the chance to explain better what they meant. 

I'm equally sad by your decision to leave Carnity and wish you best of luck and fun in your future Desert adventures. 

@Lorenzo Candelpergher Yeah i clearly didn’t catch that joke ? 😂

I hope that next time you will be able to make a better choice for the sweep as pointed out in your clarification that i’m not cut out for it as i’m of a lower rank and not capable enough to support your drives (funny though as I was sweep in your last extreme drive) and mostly only do sweep since I've started with Carnity…..not sure how my rank matters one day and the next it doesn’t, but it made it into your clarification in anyway, i dont see how it was relevant to the day’s events…..

Just to add to the issue you have with my rank, I'm at Extreme rank and was promoted from previous rank by Carnity, i must have been seen as someone capable enough for the promotion, I did not request for it, I also chose to remain at this rank as i’m comfortable there, I’m not currently in a position where any upgraded rank will work for me as I don't want to take on any further commitments which I cant meet. So with that said I find your comment about my rank irrelevant and of bad taste as it does not all of a sudden make me a better driver/ sweep if i have a higher rank… but i guess pulling rank when trying to make a point helps to fluff up the story line….

I also got a funny feeling when reading your initial report that there is more to play here and not just the Sweep issue of the past weekend but a more fundamental issues you have with me and what I've contributed before and i was right, your clarification summed it up nicely, so I guess I can also point it out here, I have on many previous occasions voiced my opinion/ helpful criticism of other drives and some drivers to improve the whole driving experience here at Carnity and it was mostly well received, these observations was clear and straight to the point, no jokes or issue I had to clarify later, maybe something you should consider when writing your next trip report? 

I’m always open to comments and criticism and if I have to take one on the chin like a champ and learn from it, then so be it, it’s always welcomed, however I failed to see how your initial drive report reflected any useful information about me other than jokes? and a sensationalized observation which did not contain the actual summary of events which you felt needed such an elaborative clarification and comments from the involved drivers to support the initial report….. maybe this was the way your report should have been written in the first place not to create unnecessary confusion and “upsetting” some drivers…

A learning curve for all it seems now. 

No hard feelings, i’m sure we will drive together again (with me somewhere in the middle). ✌🏼

Thanks for reading and seeing it from my point of view. 

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Dear friends 

It’s not my style not to leave a positive finger print after any drive. but after all what has been back fed already from all our fellow drivers and from our lead @Lorenzo Candelpergher from comments and clarification in an attempt to understand the dilemma of the split convoy I hope it became clear to every one what had actually happened . if I am pointing a finger of blame on some one then it’s me and no one else. I have been appointed this responsibility to support and advice the lead as well as all the participants to ensure they enjoy it safely.

in my opinion the spark ignited a chain reaction from the moment I said we can move in acknowledgment to the lead while @varunmehndiratta vehicle was on my left side without realising that he was not in his car and the rest you know . 
 

you never know the thing unless you are doing it from your heart , leading a convoy in the desert is ain’t an easy job and from our duty is to help ease his/ her stress by keeping the flow fluid and smooth to the best we can ( I am not talking about stuck and refusals ) by effective and clear two way communication with acknowledgment always. 

I loved the drive and I enjoyed every bit of it even when I was “ lost in the middle of no where “ 🤣 I knew it was for a reason to understand it and learned it better than ever.

I would like to thank you Lorenzo @Lorenzo Candelpergherfor your fantastic lead , patience tolerance and sporty spirit .love being in your drives .

also to all of you guys no matter what happens we remain friends and the smooth small golden  particles always unite us intact .

special mention to @Danish Mohammadwho proved to be courageous and better driver despite your stuck/ pop out at the end . Also @Lakshmi Narasimhan I got the chance to drive behind you twice in a week time in the same drive level with the same lead style so if you allow me to comment it .it’s far better despite a stuck and couple refusals that you didn’t struggle much to clear it . We all need practice from time to time to ultra fine it for a better glide 😉

@Ranjan Das I don’t know why I keep thinking of Lorenzo when I see your new rubicon . Something mysterious about this rubicon , your crest was awesome in the beginning you did very well buddy . 
 

@Abdul Rahman AK it was pleasure meeting you for the second time hope your wheel issue is sorted out . I guess till you existed you were fine apart from a minor refusal .

@Ashok chaturvedi I was in front of you driving so the 🎤 I hand it to you to comment on mine , however my rare mirror  gave me your best ever reflection 👍 sad to learn you are leaving 😔

for  the rest of the back guys @varunmehndiratta@Shehab Alawadhi @Dodi Syahdar @Abu Muhammad @Francois Germishuys

i guess you all had your fare share of fun .

 

take care all and see you soon inshallah 

 

 

Edited by M.Seidam
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5 hours ago, M.Seidam said:

it was pleasure meeting you for the second time hope your wheel issue is sorted out . I guess till you existed you were fine apart from a minor refusal

Same here, I wish I could have continued... on a very comic note 😂: missed out the most mysterious things happened later on this drive... which finally is resolved with your clarifications and acceptance of the blame... ✌️😜

Hope to see you again! 

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