Morning Fewbie Desert Drive - Countdown to Ramadan - Sweihan - Abu Dhabi - 12 Mar 2023

[Varun Mehndiratta]

Drive Plan

Weather is fast changing and ofcourse Ramadan is just around the corner. A fun fast paced drive through the awesome dunes of Sweihan, before the commencement of Holy Month of Ramadan. For many of us might get tough to travel all the way with Ramadan fasting as well later once weather gets hot, so let’s make the most of it. 
 

Over last month already executed two FB drives covering very diff elements of off roading. 
- Drive through Murquab to Solar Park was about long beautiful side slopes and going up and down some smaller sized dunes. What an awesome convoy we had - we crossed Murquab, Lisali, lakes to end up at Solar Park.

- Last one in Qudra to Ghantoot was about maintaining a pace while maneuvering through varying terrain - long range, tech, while exploring ourselves on some nice ridges. It was an aspiration drive for me being planned over last 6 months or so - thanks to convoy we covered more than 60Km while travelling through all facets Qudra region has to offer. 
 

- Having already reached Ghantoot, the next is an obvious choice to cross the borders and enjoy Sweihan. The focus on this one is going to be on expanding our climbing skills and what’s better than Sweihan steep and high dunes to explore this element of off roading. 

General Overview

We request every member that joins this drive to go through the below information and strictly follow these guidelines, etiquettes and responsibilities.

MUST READ AND COMPLY

• Offroad Flag Guideline
• Two Way Radio Guideline
• Off road Driving Etiquette's
• Emergency details for all off-roaders
• Off Road Driving - Roles & Responsibilities

Drive Details

Level: Fewbie & Above

When:  12th Mar'23, Sundary.

Meeting time: 6:15AM (SHARP - Without any exceptions).

Meeting Point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/pNyskmokem8hL2ef8?g_st=iw

Type of Car: Any  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, enthusiasm and willingness to learn. 

Approximate finish time: 10:30AM

THIS IS A COMPRESSOR ONLY DRIVE. PLEASE DO NOT SIGN UP FOR THIS DRIVE UNLESS YOU HAVE A COMPRESSOR. ANYONE ARRIVING AT THE DRIVE WITHOUT A COMPRESSOR, FLAG, PROPER SHOVEL AND DEFLATION KIT WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO JOIN THE DRIVE. ALL TOW POINTS WILL BE CHECKED BEFORE DEPARTURE. 

LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE:

• Limited to 10 cars only. 
• Latecomers will be returned back - without ANY EXCEPTIONS.
• Members without RSVP will be returned back - without ANY EXCEPTIONS.
• 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 below calendar

 

[Varun Mehndiratta]

Wow we have some super fast fingers... Thanks all for superb response to the drive, we can easily make another FB + convoy out of this RSVP list and still have some more on WL.  Ofcourse, Sweihan is always special. 

Really good to see some usual suspects 😉, some old friends who i havent driven with in some time 🤘 and some new FB faces for the drive - may the force be with you 🤪🖖.

We are in for some great fun with all the awesome riders and machines - needless to say the best of the best terrain UAE has to offer.

PS: This weekend - have some special surprise for this drive - detail will follow. And its not @DP1011 , Deepak wrangleramazing bfast delicacies and @Looper's tried and tested tips to avoid repeated loops 😘.Though i surely wont mind either of these too. Thanks both for joining in to support the drive. 

In due course, we have a long WL and surely wont be able to accommodate all. So. please make sure that if your plans change, please update the RSPV at the earliest. 

 @Beide Worku and @Ashutosh Garg noted that you are already added to @JeromeFJ drive this weekend in Sweihan too. Please confirm your interest. Ofcourse, always happy to have you on the drive.

@Juan R @Gok Krish @Bravoecho @Krishna R  @PETELCZYC PAJERO - luke @Mark B @Gary F @Ishak @Andrei S @Anoop Nair

WL (not in any order) - @lucas amat @Bashar Beasha  @Murtaza Bhuria @MohamedSherif @Pieter Potgieter @Mahmoud Taha @Ahmad Nerat @Jessica Lambert @Jona @Beide Worku @Ashutosh Garg 

Have a happy week ahead and looking forward to see you all this sunday. 

[Varun Mehndiratta]

Dear Sand Sailors

Since we have a good number of experienced drivers in the drive. I have extended the convoy to 12 drivers. @lucas amat and @Murtaza Bhuria you have been added to the drive. Please confirm your availability. 
 

Still we have 9 drivers on WL of which 6 drivers with this as their first drive for the weekend. So in case of change in your plans, please update RSVP asap. Thanks for your understanding. 
 

[lucas amat]

Hi @Varun Mehndiratta

Thank you, I confirm. See you on Sunday! 🥳

[Varun Mehndiratta]

Ahoy Sailors

Hope just like me you are having a crazy week 😀 and looking forward to let go some steam in Sweihan - somehow Sweihan tastes even better after a hectic week at work 😀

I believe we more or less have the final convoy, in case someone still has some doubt, please evaluate and update the RSVP asap. 

I am almost done preparing my plan. 

Plan is that there is no plan - we'll enter the dunes and just have fun, jumping from one play area to another, one bowl to another and will try to reach the exit at around 11am.

So make sure you have your running gear set  as with dunes so awesome, i feel the need, the Need For Speed..🙂 yeah ignore it, soemhow Sweihan gets me all charged up. ...😂😂

Some Pre-requisites for the drive. 

1.  Ensure your vehicle is in perfect shape.

2. Ensure you have all the off road gear as required at this level, nicely strapped/secured in your vehicle. 

3. It’s a demanding terrain and would need your full focus. So please ensure you are well rested - as per top notch astrologers this Friday night is most auspicious timefor any kind of party/celebrations and Saturday post 10 should be completely avoided 😀

4. In general it’s not a drive which passengers will cherish. So unless convinced about your and your vehicle climbing ability - avoid passengers - will also keep your mind and vehicle light. 

5. Be on time and plan for possible early morning fog (though it’s much better in general now). 

@Juan R @Gok Krish @Krishna R @Gary F @lucas amat @Murtaza Bhuria @Mark B @PETELCZYC PAJERO - luke @Ishak @Anoop Nair @DP1011 , Deepak wrangler @Looper @Bravoecho @MohamedSherif 

WL - @Beide Worku @Jona @Ashutosh Garg @Bashar Beasha @Pieter Potgieter @Ahmad Nerat @Mahmoud Taha  @Jessica Lambert @Julian Patterson
 

[Varun Mehndiratta]

Btw looks like another drive full of black and whites (grey Jeeps  don’t really help much) - @Looper and @Anoop K. Nair thanks for RSVPing and bringing in some shiny bright colors to this convoy 😀

[Varun Mehndiratta]

Dear Sand Sailors

Here are the final details for the drive. In case of any issues, feel free to contact me on this forum or on 050 4430 882. 

Meeting Time : 615am.

Meeting Point : https://maps.app.goo.gl/pNyskmokem8hL2ef8?g_st=iw  you will find a gate next to the meeting point. It’s an automated gate and should open when car gets close to it - it’s a Royal Heritage Gate which just looks out for some respect, so just be polite with it and it will open up. 😀

Expected End Time : 11am

Radio Channel : 4

Convoy Order - We have a long convoy with good mix of experience, so we will follow the platoon concept in this drive. Those who have been on my drives, I am sure have experienced this before - for others will share the details during the briefing. 
 

1.. Varun - Rubicon with a mystery color

2. @Ishak in Black and White Pajero will be SL. 
3.   @lucas amat in his Grey Jeep Cherokee 

4.  @Anoop Nair  will be our 1st platoon leader bringing safety element with his yellow Jeep.
5.  @PETELCZYC PAJERO - luke  It’s black and white Pajero. 
6.  @MohamedSherif in Wrangler

7.  @Looper in yellow wrangler will be CF and our 2nd platoon leader.

8. @Murtaza Bhuria In his Pajero.

9. @Gary F in white wrangler sand runner. 
10. @DP1011 , Deepak wrangler will be our 3rd platoon leader, brining in some shades of grey with his Rubicon.
11. @Krishna R in his Xterra finally breaking the Pajero/Wrangler sequence. and it’s not black nor white 😀

12. @Bravoecho in his beautiful Safari
13.  @Pieter Potgieter in his Wrangler

14.  @Mahmoud Taha in his awesome Xterra

15.  @Gok Krish in his shiny new 392 will be Sweeping the convoy and will be our 4th platoon leader. 
See you all tomo morning. 

[Varun Mehndiratta]

We still have 5 WL, anyone who drops out now will owe a nice treat to waitlisted drivers. All drivers in convoy above, please in case you have change of plans, announce it on forum marking the ppl below, so that they can assess if they can still join in. 

 WL in order

 @Jessica Lambert

 @Julian Patterson

 @Zed

 @Beide Worku

 @Ahmad Nerat

[Krishna R]

@Varun MehndirattaConfirmed and charged up.

my adrenaline is so high now itself that I am gonna struggle to sleep tonight😜

[Zed]

32 minutes ago, Varun Mehndiratta said:

We still have 6 WL, anyone who drops out now will owe a nice treat to waitlisted drivers. All drivers in convoy above, please in case you have change of plans, announce it on forum marking the ppl below, so that they can assess if they can still join in. 

 WL in order

 @Mahmoud Taha

 @Jessica Lambert

 @Julian Patterson

 @Zed

 @Beide Worku

 @Ahmad Nerat

with @DP1011 , Deepak wrangler & @Looper managing, i thought this was going to be split into 2 nice convoys 😅