Afternoon Fewbie Plus Desert Drive - Rush Hour: Again - Dubai - 18 Mar 2022

[Tom B]

Hi @MMansoor, I couldn't help but notice your rather smart bumper yesterday. I think the time has come for me to do something about mine. It's starting to get quite battered on the corners and I am interested in installing a cut away style like yours.

Would you be able to Whatsapp me the place where you got it done? Hopefully they may be able to sort something similar out for me and my LC. My no is 0504845306. cheers.

[Gregory]

A great sequel to the first rush hour drive, and we hope to participate in many more @Ale Vallecchi As mentioned, thanks for posting the drive, as it can be a challenge to get onto the correct level of drive when booking opens, due to the demand. 

@Looper @Pacific thanks for the support. Good weekend everyone 👍

[topgear]

Amazing drive and beautiful terrain. Weather was windy, sunny and we managed to witness the transition into dusk as we wind down the drive to exit after 2 hours of nonstop excitement. Thanks @Ale Vallecchi for putting this together and support team @Pacific and @Looper and the rest of the great convoy. Very high standard with minimum issues 

i had fun following @ASAD. and thanks for your recommendation

[Ale Vallecchi]

Rush Hour: Again - Drive Report

"Whether one moves slowly or with speed, The one who is a seeker will be a finder" - Rumi

Surely each driver set out seeking something, with this Friday afternoon drive. Relief from the working week's pressure, excitement to start the weekend, distraction from the routine of professional or family life, simply enjoying nature and the open spaces. Whatever each was seeking, surely we found it moving fast. 

The drive started at the exit point of the previous edition, on Faqa's sabkha, and proceeded in reverse, toward Solar Park, via the southern region of the Faqa plateau, through a couple of technical areas separated by grass carpeted sabkhas, across "Little Sweihan", and finally north toward the planned exit. As announced, we did find a very soft step of sand on top of the ridges, being partially rearranged into almost a "dome" shaped obstacle by the changing winds (this time returning to their prevailing north-west to south-east direction). However, contrarily to my expectations, the new shape of the ridges did allow some approaches from the hard-faces, which we made mostly in the first part of the drive, yet most of the drive saw the convoy cross from the slip-face, as planned. 

The main differences from the first edition of Rush Hour were not only the reverse direction, but also the length of the convoy, 2 cars longer than the previous one. This factor, summed with the hinderance of the soft ridges, gave us a few more challenges, which resulted in a couple of stucks on ridges, and a couple more refusals then the perfect first edition. However, since all drivers were at the top of their skills, and the convoy managed to move at an amazing speed, we also did stop for a refreshment and a stretch a couple of times (for a total stoppage time of 18 minutes, all things considered), Vs. the no stop drive we did the first time (only 1 minute of stoppage time). This "excess' of confidence, caused us to miss the 60 kilometers target by just 1 Km, while allowed us to beat the speed record by 1 Km/hr.

Very good Second Lead by @Waqas Parvez, followed skillfully and fearlessly by @Ahmad Shaker (welcome to Fewbie Plus), then @Gregory, @Tom B, @Fabien Monleau, @ASAD., @Charbel, @topgear and  @MMansoor, all moving with considerable speed, even more remarkably due to the long wheel base of each of their cars. Great support provided by @Pacific in the middle, and @Looper in the Sweep.

After the clock stopped us at the 2 hour mark (of which 1:42 moving), with 59Km driven, at an average moving speed of 34 Km/h (29 Km/h total), the day ended with an extension, until dusk, for another 20 Km, covered in 37 minutes, from the outskirts of Solar Park all the way to the Bab al Shams exit track.

Thanks to all the rush seekers, and hope to see you soon in the sand.

[Waqas Parvez]

@Ale VallecchiThank you for giving me the opportunity to take the second lead. I enjoyed the pace of the drive and am sure we all learned how to control our pace and switch dunes at high speeds. I am looking forward to Rush Hour 3! 🙂

@Looper@Pacific thank you for the support

[M.Seidam]

19 hours ago, Ale Vallecchi said:

sand on top of the ridges, being partially rearranged into almost a "dome" shaped obstacle by the changing winds (this time returning to their prevailing north-west to south-east direction).

Thanks @Ale Vallecchi for mentioning this , it’s important info to know 🙏

[Ahmad Shaker]

Thank you @Ale Vallecchi it was a great experience

I believe every time i drive with you i learn something new 

I can't wait to take my second adrenaline dose 😅😅

[Pacific]

10 hours ago, Ahmad Shaker said:

Thank you @Ale Vallecchi it was a great experience

I believe every time i drive with you i learn something new 

I can't wait to take my second adrenaline dose 😅😅

Good to have a perfect recipe after 3 week break, a 2 hour rush hour drive, felt the feeling of happy hours. Enjoyed to core ,gushing adrenaline with speed and precision. Glad to see familiar faces and good to familiarize with unknown.. 

[MMansoor]

@Ale Vallecchi thanks for the wonderful drive, it was really a rush hour. A good start for the weekend.

@Pacific and @Looper thanks for your support.