Morning Fewbie Plus Desert Drive - Nahel - Abu Dhabi - 8 Apr 2023

[Krishna R]

Crazy fog guys. drive safe

[Gurcharan Mehta]

Hey, I am at the location, but not seeing anyone. 

[Abdul Basit Khan]

Started by 4:30 from Ajman, reached Ras Al Khor Petrol Station for Fajr Prayer. My plan is to reach by 6:30 at meeting point.

BATTERY DEAD. no support, nothing. Shops opened around 8:30, fixed the new battery but missed the drive.

Thankfully it happend on the Petrol Station not in the desert. 

Feeling disappointed. ☹️

[Zed]

1 hour ago, Abdul Basit Khan said:

BATTERY DEAD. no support, nothing. Shops opened around 8:30, fixed the new battery but missed the drive.

I plugged my OBD Bluetooth after today's drive... and me too will need to buy new battery today (see below screenshot) 🫣 *lucky it happened AFTER the drive and not inside the desert 🙈

 

[JeromeFJ]

Thank you for joining the drive today. Despite the fog, everyone was at the meeting point more or less on time. Except @Abdul Basit Khan (see above), sorry for that, always disappointing when something happens just before the drive, but as you said, better have this issue on the road than in the desert. Hope to see you soon in another drive.

The drive was smooth and fluid, thanks to the excellent level of the drivers. We had our fill of high climbs, large bowls, elevated ridges in the first portion. The second portion offered large dunes, with a lot of space, perfect to push a bit and let these engines roar.  These parts required not only a powerful car, but also a precise driving and and accurate selection of line. All of you managed very well. 

After a small break under the shade, (yes, nice trees in the desert), the last portion was more relaxed, still very enjoyable through virgin dunes and soft sand, a bit technical, finishing on the sabkha, and reaching the exit track. No shovel, no rope, barely a few refusals, well done all of you !

@Krishna R thank you for the 2nd lead, always watching and rerouting when needed. @Zed, nice to see you after a long time, than you for the support from the middle. @Gurcharan Mehta, nice opportunity to test that new car in desert condition, @Pascal, excellent driving as usual, @KAMALIO, thanks for joining after that Tropic drive, @Amr Aydin, very reliable sweep as usual, thank you. Always good to have both of you in the drive (Sophie, waiting for the pics ;)).

Enjoy the rest of the weekend and see you soon. Pls post your pics and/or feedback.

 

[Krishna R]

Thank you @JeromeFJfor organizing such a lovely drive in Nahel. The terrain was new and refreshing with literally no cross tracks and we enjoyed the tranquil dunes with amazing bowls.

The fog was slowing us enroute to the starting point but every one made it almost on time and we did not have to wait for anyone. Except @Abdul Basit Khanwho informed that he couldn't make it due to car issues.

With a quick briefing, we entered Nahel and immediately the big dunes started rolling in. The middle part of the drive was pumping with huge dunes and big bowls. The lines were simply superb and the pace was consistent.

Post the break, we entered a meditative state of driving with no radio chatter and just flowing with the dunes. Finished the drive with a sabkha full of camels and called it a day  

Thank you @JeromeFJfor the SL. It was great following your lines especially the technical portions  

Thank you @Zed for the CF support and your witty banter on the radio. Always a pleasure driving with you. I can see you are loving the Hemi more with every drive. The LC is gonna become your mall crawler.  

Thank you @Amr Aydin for the sweep support. Sadly, you and @Zeddid not have much work today  as the convoy was driving brilliantly. After all, it was a no shovel drive.

 @Gurcharan Mehta Amazing drive. You handled the heavy LWB beast wonderfully. No stucks and followed us everywhere. You make me feel bad for selling my infiniti qx . I should have given her another chance

 @KAMALIO It was great meeting you and hearing your jeep with the Borla. You and @Amr Aydin were just eating up the desert in the back. 

 @Pascal Great stuff as always. Climbing like there's no tomorrow. Almost a perfect drive except for a crest where you surprised us with your amazing self recovery. Jerome announced on the radio that we have to shovel you out. I shut down my engine, opened the boot to take my shovel and heard on the radio that you were out. My mouth was just wide open as to how you could manage getting out of that crest, that too within a minute. Kudos  

All in all, was a fun drive made even more enjoyable with a brilliant convoy. A fewbie plus drive in a new terrain, that too with high climbs and steep drops, was completed with zero stucks, very very minimal refusals, zero shoveling and zero tugs says a lot about the calibre of the lead and the drivers. 

Looking forward to seeing you in the sands again guys.

Until then, Keep calm and Ramadan kareem!