Afternoon Fewbie Desert Drive - Tawi Nazwa - Sharjah - 22 Apr 2023

[Looper]

Tawi Nazwa is a popular spot for both off-road enthusiasts and casual drivers looking for some fun in the desert. It is the backyard of tradesmen who take their guests for a quick half hour drive in the desert in the name of dune bashing. It's no surprise that every sand dune is going to be churned up by the end of the day, as visitors push themselves and their vehicles to their limits.

Just like Gaurav, it has been a while since I was here on a drive. The last time I was here was in June of 2022 with Dr @Chaitanya D, and it was a magnificent drive. In that drive I was quite surprised how untouched these dunes were and on this Saturday afternoon drive, exactly what I wanted. However, it seems that even this relatively secluded part of the Tawi Nazwa hasn't been immune to the influence of tradesmen and their guests.

This afternoon was a bit warm and to be frank I was not used to it for some time now. After a quick briefing we ventured into the dunes. From the get-go we encountered churned up tracks, and the objective was to get a smooth driving tack while avoiding those bumpy cross-tracks. As we kept driving in the desert, we kept increasing the pace of the drive and when we reached one of the first tall dunes, we were driving quite fast and smoothly. From there we went to conquer Big Red. We did reach more than three fourths up there as well. But there was an issue with the engine of @Thejas so we all came back to the ground, and we could exit him safely. There after we practiced few sideeds before we called it a day.

The track here at Tawi Nazwa can be intimidating and can be fast paced. We had very few refusals and all of you did an excellent job keeping up with the pace. I hope you enjoyed the drive as much as I did at the helm leading a remarkable convoy.

@Mohit Gurnani: You did quite well on your first Fewbie drive. You quickly lost your uneasiness and rose to the challenges of a Fewbie Drive.

@Parliament: You are ever excited to do more all the time. Your enthusiasm can be infectious. Just keep driving and you will have many, many chances.

@Thejas Uthran: You drove your Trailblazer very well. However, in the end it faced some issues. Please keep us posted on how you manage after you exited the drive.

@Misha Puskar: Few refusals here and there but they are part of the game. You were fantastic in your handling of your car and drove very well.

@Senthil Kumar: You were the anchor in the middle, and I was extremely impressed with your handling of the refusals. You gave very clear instructions as to how to manage refusals. I was quite relieved at the front knowing you were handling the convoy at the back.

@Juan R: Four of four, you have been my constant companion on all my leads. Sometimes knowingly but most of the time unknowingly you have driven with me in the lead on all last 4 of your drives. You drove as usual very well and I hardly ever hear from you.  

@Rk ram: This was our second drive, and you had an impressive drive as far as I am concerned. You could manage the refusal on top of Big Red quite well and drove well throughout the drive.

@george charbel: Back-to-back third drive together. You are ready for the next level when the time comes.

@premindra rajaram: Glad to see you back as well and you did an excellent job at the back.

@Bashar Beasha: Thanks for being the back managing the responsibilities of the Sweep, which is as Gaurav mentioned earlier is an especially significant role intimating the lead on the movement of the convoy and managing the refusals behind the center-forward.

@Gaurav: Thanks for being the 2^nd lead and more importantly being the guide in my journey from being an absolute newbie till now leading drive. It gave me immense sense of confidence you being there in this drive.

Finally some stats of the day:

[Thejas Uthran]

Good morning everyone,had a nice drive yesterday until my car’s engine malfunction light went on.After my exit I inflated the tyres and called my RSA insurance for roadside assistance and they sent me a tow truck within forty minutes and took my car to my mechanic in Sharjah.It was all hassle free and smooth.I have driven in this area four or five times earlier but this is the first time my car had a problem,hope it’s not a major problem.Anyway looking forward to drive in the same area again after my car gets fixed.Special thanks to Gaurav and Gautam@looper for assistance and guidance.

[Chaitanya D]

Well done @Looper. No doubt in what you have achieved , leading drives now. Commendable dedication to come again and again , week after week. Now is the time to nurture that special experience- every time you lead you will learn something new .

best wishes all the way to the top 👍🏼

[Rk ram]

thank you for the lovely drive.... @Looper@Gaurav. 

looking forward for more fun and learning ....

 

Edited April 23, 2023 by Rk ram

[Juan R]

It was a really fun drive @Looper.  Really enjoyed it.  Thank-you !  Looking forward to being there again  with you for your 5th drive as lead.  

 @premindra rajaram @george charbel@Rk ram it was nice seeing you and driving with you again.

Also good to meet some new faces.  
 

Thank-you @Senthil Kumar, you made it very comfortable following you.  
 

Thank-you for the sweep @Bashar Beasha and thank @Gauravfor the support.

 

Hope to see you soon again

[Bashar Beasha]

Thank you @Gaurav and @Looper for the ride, and for giving me the opportunity to sweep.
Excellent drive.