Morning Fewbie Desert Drive - Skill drive series - Side Sloping - Al Faqa to Solar Park - Dubai - 9 Dec 2023

[GauravSoni]

Dear Dune Surfers,

The Drive name says it all, the idea of this drive is to practice the skill and enjoy the thrill of side sloping.

This drive is the reboot edition of the Skill Drive Series which had been posted in previously for Ridge riding, criss cross and Technical terrain navigation. 

Side sloping is an important skill while navigating the desert. This technique is very fun and addictive, but it needs to be executed with a clear mind and a good experience with the behavior of the car. That is the main reason why this technique is only used from Fewbie level onwards.  It is very critical to understand how gravity works and as we always says: " DO NOT FIGHT GRAVITY ". this applies to this technique most of all. 

As the names suggest, we would be focusing on the  skills of Side sloping on long range dunes during this drive

we will be driving in the long range dunes as much as possible.

We will be taking the longer route from Al Faqa to Qudra with some technical patches to traverse between long range dunes hitting every long side slope in safest way possible.  

Drive Time is expected to be 3 hours . 

Make sure you come with a full tank, Car in good conditions, recovery gear for this level (Radio, Flag, Deflator, Compressor, Kinetic rope and Soft shackles). Recovery points should be checked and in good conditions.

It is preferable for the cars to have a front bash plate (6mm or more) to keep the radiator protected

Let us know If your vehicle is lifted more than 4 inch of OEM stock height as your 4x4 center of gravity will be high, and you need to factor this accordingly while doing side-sloping.

MUST READ AND COMPLY

• Environmental Policy
• 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 and Above 

When:  9 December 2023, Saturday.

Meeting time: 6:45 AM (SHARP - Without any exceptions)

Meeting Point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/biAsWXt2iGNYwaFSA?g_st=ic

Exit Point: near Solar Park Innovations center ( depending on drive time)

Type of Car: Any proper 4x4 with front and back tow hooks and 8-10 inches of ground clearance and Bash Plates

What to bring along: Loads of water, snacks (for yourself), smiles, face mask, rubber gloves, enthusiasm and willingness to learn.

Approximate finish time:  10:45 AM or early

P.S. Only join if you have a compressor to inflate your tires after the drive.

 

LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE:

• Limited to 10 cars only. RSVP will close on Friday - 1 PM.
  • If the RSVP is full and you wish to join, please mention your name on the drive thread to add on the waiting list. 
• 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 THE BELOW CALENDAR EVENT

 

[GauravSoni]

Welcome dune surfers!

@Mahesh_ @Dan S @Waqar Sarwar @Gautam Banka @Faraz94 @Marek_was003 @Sreenath G @Deepak Eswar

it’s been sometime that we revisited and rebooted the Skill drive series.. as the drive topic suggests, we would be having a close look at a very important and essential skill of side sloping… please ensure you are rested and Cara ready for the drive tomorrow morning. 
please be on time and deflated and ready to move by 6.45 AM.. 

please check again the Google pin location, it should be on a sabka on an internal road from Faqa to Solar park. We have instances of drivers going towards Qudra Damac hills in past… 

 See you all tomorrow morning!

 

[Dan S]

1 hour ago, GauravSoni said:

Welcome dune surfers!

@Mahesh_ @Dan S @Waqar Sarwar @Gautam Banka @Faraz94 @Marek_was003 @Sreenath G @Deepak Eswar

it’s been sometime that we revisited and rebooted the Skill drive series.. as the drive topic suggests, we would be having a close look at a very important and essential skill of side sloping… please ensure you are rested and Cara ready for the drive tomorrow morning. 
please be on time and deflated and ready to move by 6.45 AM.. 

please check again the Google pin location, it should be on a sabka on an internal road from Faqa to Solar park. We have instances of drivers going towards Qudra Damac hills in past… 

 See you all tomorrow morning!

 

Hi Gaurav, I assume that we can easily take the following road without deflating, is that correct? 

[GauravSoni]

Hi @Dan S , it’s an open sabka… you can drive through it!! 

[GauravSoni]

Guys,

Here is the convoy order for the drive 

 

Radio channel 1 : 44600625

see you in few hours!

 

[Gautam Banka]

Hi Gaurav. My car battery seems to have some issue, not starting the car in 1 attempt. I will drop out to avoid any further problems during the ride and delaying the convoy. Apologies for the drop out 😢

[Marek]

I was not expecting 15 degrees in the morning, to be fair...

But we had a lot of fun. Thanks guys! Some of the photos turned out really "dramatic"

I think for the next drive we need a high speed camera and somebody to take pictures of me as well!

I'll be uploading more into our gallery as soon as I figure out how to find it...

[Mahesh_]

Hi @GauravSoni

I wanted to express my sincere gratitude for the incredible opportunity to serve as the second lead in the convoy. It was a first-time experience for me, and although I felt a bit of pressure, the learning gained was invaluable.

I especially appreciate the guidance you provided on side sloping in manual drive mode. Controlling acceleration, managing momentum, and understanding gas pumping were skills I hadn’t mastered before, and your patient instruction made it a memorable learning experience.

Navigating the new trail added an extra layer of challenge, and despite its brevity, the drive distance proved to be the perfect canvas for acquiring a few tricks of the trade. Thank you for cultivating an atmosphere that promotes ongoing learning.

Greetings fellow desert enthusiasts! As we engage in same drives, we're getting to know most of the team members, fostering a sense of comfort, and looking forward to more adventures together.

[Sreenath G]

Reflecting on the drive last weekend, a standout moment was mastering the side-sloping technique. This off-road driving skill involves intentionally tilting the vehicle while navigating slopes, requiring a delicate balance and precise control. Key points learned include assessing the terrain for potential hazards, careful tire placement, and maintaining a slow, steady pace for optimal control. Just like in life, side-sloping taught the importance of balance, anticipation, and skillful navigation through challenging landscapes. 🚙✨  Big shout out goes to Marshall @GauravSoni for teaching us in his unique way the entire technique was amazing 👏👏🤝. 

Special thank you to @ Charlie for his incredible support. Thank you buddy.

Thank you for the fellow convoy members for patient and wonderful drive. 

@GauravSoni I'm looking forward to the crisscross skill, learning drive soon. 

[Sreenath G]

@GauravSoni @Charlie@Charlie@Charlie@Charlie.  The pop-out reason was valve issue. fixed it.👍

The wiring issue on the battery terminal is also fixed.👍

Edited December 11, 2023 by Sreenath G