Afternoon Fewbie Desert Drive - 3 Day Emirates Weekend: Part 2: Dubai, Lisaili to Ghantoot - 15 Jun 2024

[ChrisW]

Just catching up on yesterday’s drive - many thanks @Ale Vallecchi, you set a bold plan and we mostly managed to follow you through it!

 

I think that was my longest continuous drive so far with Carnity - and to be honest was hard work; I don’t think I’ve done so many technical dunes back to back. However as always a rewarding experience - both to build confidence in the techniques and enjoy the really unique sights. That was my first time driving up to the Solar Park - incredible spectacle. 
 

Thanks all, really enjoyed getting out there with you all!

 

 

[Ale Vallecchi]

3 EMIRATES WEEK - SUMMARY AND THANK YOU NOTE

A heartfelt thanks to all the members who chose to join one or more of this 3-Emirates Eid weekend series. I had a great time, pursuing my passion for overlanding. Over 3 days we planned and executed one drive in each of the main Emirates (yet by no mean exhausting all the possibilities to be found in Abu Dhabi, which would require a full week just on its own).

Find below a crisp summary of the places we visited and the drives' statistics:

Day 1 - Sharjah: from Tawi Nazwa's farm, skirting Pink Rock, on to "the dune next to Big Red", Big Red itself, across the highway to Badayer, through the main "star dunes", to Iftar and Super Bowl, and onward to reach the exit at Bezhad Ranch (AKA Area 53, AKA Ericson Tower); Driven 85 Kms in 3:28 hours of moving time (total of 4:23 h.), at 24 Km/h moving average and almost 2,000 meters of cumulative climbing.

Day 2 - Dubai: from Lisaili's camel track, across to Murqaab, onto the "road to The Chimney" (AKA Solar Tower), on to Faqa and west toward Little Sweihan, around the military enclosure, to Ghanthoot oryx farms and palm oasis, to exit on the road back to Qudra; Driven 105 Kms in 3:42 hours of moving time (total of 4:29 h.), at 28 Km/h moving average.

Day 3 - Abu Dhabi: from Sweihan Tilal's entry, all the way across the cordons, through the sabkha and very technical dunes to reach Sweihan Pond, and onward across beautiful white dunes dotted with palm groves and sculpted clay rocks, to exit at Faya Road. Driven 77 Kms in 2:52 hours of moving time (total of 4:05 h.), at 27 Km/h moving average.

Thanks again to all the participants (in order of drives completed): @RiadJL (3 drives), @Andrew John Melvill, @ChrisW, @nithish468 (2 drives) and @DP1011, @Emanuel, @Sunil Mathew, @Batuhan Kulac, @Mohit Gurnani, @Cesar Chacon and @Nicolò (1 drive).

See you all soon for another long trek!!