Leaderboard

I was about to call @Ale Vallecchi. The boring lead with no stucks, but @Gaurav bhai called shotgun on that. @asifk your good deed is really well worth any drive. However it is always the case for over heat specially during the summer. It would be good to do some research and add an additional gear oil cooler. Also start experimenting by going lower PSI on your tires. The less the resistance from your tires the less the stress on the engine and gearbox.

Thanks for wonderful and detailed trip report @Veedooshee. You and @VipinShetty really surprised me yesterday as being two new newbies with relatively heavier car failed to get crested in the whole drive, where I was waiting for an excuse to teach Matti and Colin. Of course @Carlos Fernandez being slightly older newbie and with SWB wrangler has no chance of stuck if you two in front are doing so good in flattening all the crest. Luckily and thankfully you gave all of us that one moment to train and then plenty more to revise it properly, lol. Everyone drove very nice and hope everyone enjoyed the lead too with a tiny twist of night drive. Thanks @Gregory Perkin for the responsible second lead. Thanks @Nacho and @E.C. TAN for amazing sweep and keep on updating me of the drive progress. Thanks @Colin Jordan for center forward, you had a very nice questions on tow rope recovery and that's how one should reason out things while learning to understand fully. Your tow rope and shackles are good, let's start putting them to good use now. Thanks @Matti Brockman for second center forward and plenty of digging and tugging support, please sort your shackles as your rope is perfect. And keep using them more often to advance your learning.

I made my final decision for selling the Grand Cherokee and Getting a Xterra after my ministry of interior`s(wife) approval. I am actually not %100 decided if i should go for a Xterra or a FJcruiser. But i am more close to a Xterra. I have few questions, i will appreciate it if you guys share your experiences with these cars or any other car i should look at? - Should i go for 2014-2015 50.000 - 60.000km pristine condition Xterra Off Road around 50.000-55.000AED or getting 2012 Xterra Off Road above 100.000km for 35.000AED. All the cars have full Nissan service history. I can pay more for 2015 car but if 2012 model above 100,000km car still good enough, why i will pay more. Another option 2009 Xterra Off Road above 200.000km is too old to purchase? - When i come to FJ Crusier i can get 2012-2013 manual gearbox ones. Is manual gearbox good to buy? Generally other off road cars manual ones are going more expensive but FJ Cruiser manuals are cheaper. Any reason? - Is FJ Cruiser worth to pay more over a Xterra?

Congratulations @Tbone for reaching the Intermediate Level with Carnity Offroad Club. As per your recent drives, you have shown tremendous progress and well deserve this new offroad rank. Looking forward to seeing you growing further and helping others to learn the art of offroading in a safe environment. Keep up your great contribution on the forum and get socially involved in the newbie and fewbie drives to impart your knowledge. Once you have all the gear required, you are most welcome to join the Intermediate Level Drives with Carnity Off-road Club. P.S. Trip lead might deny your participation if you don't have required off-road gear. Intermediate: Number of drives 10 (26 regular drives) Level of drives Willingness to learn + Enthusiasm + Basic dune & sand reading Off-road gear Flag, deflator, tire gauge, shovel, fire extinguisher, medical kit, radio, compressor, tool kit, tow rope Drive teamwork Help in recoveries under Marshal / Crew supervision Drive posting/joining Join newbie, fewbie & intermediate level of drives only Forum participation Active participation on forum. Share drive experience + feedback on forum and pictures in gallery + drive and route suggestions Forum participation and helping with community spirit is recommended for faster upgrades at all levels. Please make sure your Carnity user profile is always updated with all the Emergency contact details.

Congratulations @Kalahari for reaching the Intermediate Level with Carnity Offroad Club. As per your recent drives, you have shown tremendous progress and well deserve this new offroad rank. Looking forward to seeing you growing further and helping others to learn the art of offroading in a safe environment. Keep up your great contribution on the forum and get socially involved in the newbie and fewbie drives to impart your knowledge. Once you have all the gear required, you are most welcome to join the Intermediate Level Drives with Carnity Off-road Club. P.S. Trip lead might deny your participation if you don't have required off-road gear. Intermediate: Number of drives 10 (26 regular drives) Level of drives Willingness to learn + Enthusiasm + Basic dune & sand reading Off-road gear Flag, deflator, tire gauge, shovel, fire extinguisher, medical kit, radio, compressor, tool kit, tow rope Drive teamwork Help in recoveries under Marshal / Crew supervision Drive posting/joining Join newbie, fewbie & intermediate level of drives only Forum participation Active participation on forum. Share drive experience + feedback on forum and pictures in gallery + drive and route suggestions Forum participation and helping with community spirit is recommended for faster upgrades at all levels. Please make sure your Carnity user profile is always updated with all the Emergency contact details.

Congratulations @Remco Snoek for reaching the Fewbie Level with Carnity Offroad Club. Based on your last newbie drive you have demonstrated skills required deserving this new offroad rank. Looking forward to seeing you growing further and helping others to learn the art of offroading in a safe environment. Once you have all the required off-road gear, you are most welcome to join the Fewbie Level Drives with Carnity Off-road Club. P.S. Trip lead might deny your participation if you don't have required off-road gear. Fewbie: Number of drives 10 (16 Newbie + Fewbie drives) Level of drives Willingness to learn + Enthusiasm + Basic dune reading Off-road gear Flag, deflator, tire gauge, shovel, fire extinguisher, medical kit, radio, compressor. Drive teamwork Observe recovery from a safe distance and offer help when needed Drive posting/joining Join newbie and fewbie level of drives only Forum participation Active participation on forum. Share drive experience + feedback on forum and pictures in gallery Forum participation and helping with community spirit is recommended for faster upgrades at all levels. Please make sure your Carnity user profile is always updated with all the Emergency contact details.

Both cars are good. But I find, FJ has more off road capability. And is a Toyota car. So definitely more reliable than Nissan. Over this few months of around 12 off road drives, I have never seen any Toyota car giving Heating issues. The same goes with the Toyota's I have seen with my friends. But FJ comes with high price. e.g. 2015 Xterra price and 2012 FJ is same. FJ need more initial amount. So if i have to advise from the amount of money putting on off road car then Xterra is an ideal option over any other off road vehicles exist. Regarding- The X-Terra prices you had mentioned, I am sure you will get it at much negotiated prices than the mentioned in ad's on dubizzle. Good luck.

With the tremendous increase in the number of COVID cases in the UAE, we all have to be responsible while off-roading. Failing to abide by any single precaution at any time during the drive, will result in an immediate ban from Carnity Off-road Club. ZERO TOLERANCE First offender - 1 Month Ban. Second offender - 3 Month Ban. Third offender - lifetime ban and report to authorities. COVID19 PRECAUTIONS 2.0 All Carnity off-road drives will be LIMITED to driving only: No Socializing and gathering allowed at any time. No break for taking photos, breakfast, smoking, etc. No exchanging of off-road or recovery gears. Wear a mask at all times, while outside your vehicle. For passengers restrictions, follow RTA or NCEMA guidelines. All passengers should be inside the car, at all times. Maintain a minimum of 2-meter social distance at all times. Sanitize your hands and recovery gear after use. PS1. If you and your passenger cannot sit inside your vehicle for 3-4 hours please DO NOT JOIN CARNITY DRIVES. PS2. A Member who has RSVP the drive is RESPONSIBLE and LIABLE for their passenger's compliance. PS3. The above precautions apply to everyone irrespective of their vaccination status or schedule. PS4. You can confidentially submit the photo of any offender by sending an email to [email protected]. How to comply Read the drive post before arriving at the meeting point, so that you know your convoy numbering and radio channel. Arrive at the meeting point and switch on your radio to the pre-set frequency of the drive. Stop your vehicle at least 10-20 meters away from each other. Deflate your tires, while wearing a mask, and then go back inside your car. All briefings will be done on the radio now, so pay full attention to a briefing for your own safety. After the briefing, fall in your convoy position just before the drive starts. While driving if you get stuck, announce on the radio and be inside your car at all times. Trip lead and/or support will guide you on the radio for self-recovery or tow-rope recovery. While there is a stuck or a refusal, everyone else supposed to be inside their car at all times. You can only take a bio-break during the drive, by requesting trip lead permission. Once the drive is over exit out to inflate by maintaining 10-20 meters distance from each other. While inflating, only the driver supposed to be out and with the face mask at all times. After the drive, you can talk on the radio for any feedback, suggestions or help you need.

This drive is organized in full compliance with the COVID19 guidelines. We expect every member that joins this drive to go through below information and and strictly follow these guidelines in order not to jeopardize someone's health, and to ensure we can keep organizing these drives safely. MUST READ AND TOTALLY AGREE: COVID19 Precautions MUST READ AND TOTALLY AGREE: BAN POST Two Way Radio Guidelines Every Offroader brings his own radio, programmed to the frequencies described in below advice topic. We will not share spare radios or program your radio on the drive. If you need assistance in programming the radio, post a topic on the Carnity website with your questions and we will help you out. Make sure your radio is fully charged. It will be your only way of communication while driving. Before buying, please carefully read below advice so you are informed properly on which model / cost / shops... No radio = No drive. It is an essential tool and you should make sure you bring it on every drive and learn/practice how to use it. Drive Details Level: Fewbie and above - (No Newbie Allowed) When: 10 Jul 2020, Friday. Meeting time: 5:00 AM (SHARP - Without any exceptions) Meeting Point: Solar Park Pylon - https://goo.gl/maps/N6DVvggsNYBP9FuS6 (24°46'23.2"N 55°21'15.8"E) Action Plan: Morning drive till about 08:30 – 09:00 AM Type of Car: Any proper 4x4 with front and back tow hooks and 8-10 inches of ground clearance. What to bring along: Loads of water, snacks (for yourself), face mask, rubber gloves, enthusiasm and willingness to learn. Please also make sure you have all the equipment required on board as a Fewbie. THIS IS A COMPRESSOR ONLY DRIVE. WE WILL STRATING AND ENDING THE DRIVE AT THE SAME POINT, WHICH IS NOT CLOSE TO AN AIR LINE. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A COMPRESSOR, PLEASE DO NOT SIGN UP FOR THIS DRIVE. IF YOU ARRIVE AND HAVE NO COPRESSOR YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO JOIN THE DRIVE. Approximate finish time: 08:30 – 09.00 AM End Point: Solar Park Pylon - https://goo.gl/maps/N6DVvggsNYBP9FuS6 (24°46'23.2"N 55°21'15.8"E) LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE: Limited to 12 cars maximum. RSVP will close on Thursday - 9 AM. 1 Lead Marshal + 2 or 1 Senior Members + 10 Members. 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. Members that do not confirm the terms of the COVID requirements will be removed from the RSVP list. 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 CALENDAR

This drive is organized in full compliance with the COVID19 guidelines. We expect every member that joins this drive to go through below information and and strictly follow these guidelines in order not to jeopardize someone's health, and to ensure we can keep organizing these drives safely. MUST READ AND TOTALLY AGREE: COVID19 Precautions MUST READ AND TOTALLY AGREE: BAN POST Two Way Radio Guidelines Every Offroader brings his own radio, programmed to the frequencies described in below advice topic. We will not share spare radios or program your radio on the drive. If you need assistance in programming the radio, post a topic on the Carnity website with your questions and we will help you out. Make sure your radio is fully charged. It will be your only way of communication while driving. Before buying, please carefully read below advice so you are informed properly on which model / cost / shops... No radio = No drive. It is an essential tool and you should make sure you bring it on every drive and learn/practice how to use it. MUST WATCH: NEWBIE VIDEO BRIEFING Drive Details Level: Fewbie PLUS and above (Min. 5 Fewbie drives with Carnity.com) When: 10 Jul 2020, Friday. Meeting time: 4:30 PM (SHARP - Without any exceptions) Meeting Point: Camel Race Track - https://maps.app.goo.gl/7do7vc1px3BgZmB36 Type of Car: Any proper 4x4 with front and back tow hooks and 8-10 inches of ground clearance. What to bring along: Loads of water, snacks (for yourself), face mask, rubber gloves, enthusiasm and willingness to learn. Approximate finish time: 8:00 PM End Point: Dubai - Solar Park / Qudra P.S. Only join if you have a compressor to inflate your tires after the drive. LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE: Limited to 12 cars maximum. RSVP will close on Thursday - 9 PM. 10 Fewbie PLUS and above drivers. 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 CALENDAR

You’ve left the Hummer behind and see what happens now !? Hahahahaha just kidding buddy well deserved, you’re a genuine asset to any drive ! See you soon with a shovel in your hands 😆

No luck with the Nativa ? What's the status ? @Emmanuel drives the basic Xterra and it goes everywhere. Adding a cruise control is not easy, and i am personally not a fan of the aftermarket stuff for obvious safety reasons. Adding a rear difflock is a Nice To Have option for self-recovery. You can get ARB lockers but honestly you can perfectly go offroad without rear difflock. I would keep the extra money and spend it on good tyres, proper maintenance, and offroad gear such as compressor, ropes, shackles, etc... (or even maybe a winch ). I have a RD on my little Pajero, but not on the big Pajero vanessa is driving. Which is a mystery because it is the 3.8 Gold Edition model and virtually all Pajero 3.8 have the RD. I was told this car was a Oman or Qatar import, but not sure about that.

That’s a wise decision I guess... 😉 About your XTerra options, t’s hard to say as it will depend on other parameters like : taken (or even abused) off-road? General condition? But if the 2012 is clean, I would go for this one. Anyway I would recommend to drive-test both of them.

Congrats @Remco Snoek

Congrats @Kalahari

Step one is done. Actually there are some cars out there i dont want to miss but since i want to keep my plate number i will first sell this one. https://dubai.dubizzle.com/motors/used-cars/jeep/grand-cherokee/2020/7/5/future-classic-gcc-jeep-grand-cherokee-40--2/https://dubai.dubizzle.com/motors/used-cars/jeep/grand-cherokee/2020/7/5/future-classic-gcc-jeep-grand-cherokee-40--2/

Thanks @Gaurav and the rest of the leadership team. Your patience to allow us to experience challenges week after week (and sometimes learn the hard way!) is amazing. Your sacrifices every weekend is noted and the new crop of excellent leaders are testament to your ability to transfer your skills. Thanks @Rinelle Sanaani - your time is close as well!

Gefeliciteerd ! Under the skilled wings of @Asif Hussain you’ll be reaching new heights soon !

Congratulations @Kalahari! Well deserved new rank 🙌

Super deserved ! Well done!!

Congrats - enjoy the new level.

Dear fellow Desertnauts. While we wait for the group to take its final form, I would like to remind all of those who have registered, and who still wish to, that the drive is reserved for FEWBIE PLUS. This means more experienced fewbie drivers, indicating those who have at least 5 Fewbie drives under their belt. If any of you does not satisfy this requirement, kindly remove yourself from the drive, so that others may join. The Marshals and I will double check this status, and proceed accordingly with confirming or amending the drive's group. With this in mind, I would like to introduce you to the drive's geography. We will set out to explore an area that for most of you will be unknown: Al Lisaili. I have driven past it many times, while on the way to Faqa, but never knew this region, hidden behind Dubai's major cameldrome and its connected camel farms, would be able to offer such an interesting off-roading ground. We will follow the track under the pylons until we'll be able to go past a very long and well hidden camel race track. We then will proceed to enter a very technical area of dunes with soft sand, through which we will finally reach the more open, long range dunes, where the fun will begin. We'll cross many dunes, with some ridge riding, on much firmer sand than at the beginning. Our goal is to go as far as possible, in the direction of Al Qudra's Solar Innovation Center, while keeping the track under the pylons nearby, on our right, so we may exit as soon as the dark sets in. While you start savoring the drive, I wish you all a great week.

Good point about the Manual FJ Cruiser. I have seen them during my time in Saudi but i dont know if the gearbox ratios are good for the typical offroading style we have. They are cheaper and is good thing to consider. Do not forget the FJ cruisers Achilles' Heel: which is lack of visibilty all around, and lots of dead corners @Ale Vallecchi has complained about this before. I would go for a slightly older Xterra with the simple reason that you can probably easily find one which has never been offroad. Xterra is often used as mall crawler or commute to school vehice, so those are clean examples.

Wow all the talent in one convoy. From the capable helping hands of @Frederic and @Wrangeld to their amazing recall in terms if trip reports to the ever famous video from @Yousef Alimadadi. Felt like I was there with you guys and share the excitement through your words and video.

Great video! Thanks for sharing

Congratulations @Kalahari. Well deserved 👍

Well done congratulations 👍

Congrats Remco. Saw some of your videos from the Abu Dhabi drive. Your drove very well.

Congrats @Kalahari !!!!

Bravo @Kalahari. Well deserved

Gefeliciteerd Remco.

Hi @Tbone I am delighted for you and to be able to share my congratulations on this new rank. Lots more fun to look forward to now. Digging, ropes, helping people out of trouble. See you soon in the sand.

Congrats @Tbone long waited and well deserved.

Hey @Kalahari this was pretty much inevitable in my view. You really know your sand. Looking forward to more drives with you in the future.

Wow .. congratulations @Kalahari... well deserved sir..

Congrats @Tbone! More Xterras in intermediate level 😁

Well done @Tbone!!

@sertac if budget is not a problem then go for ones with full service history with agency- either FJ/X terra. If you are on a tighter budget then think of older Xterra ( 2010 and earlier you can get for <15k- depending on the condition, preferably the off road edition if you could get). I would opt for one without mods, no bumper cuts, and get it checked from a proper reliable garage before the deal and adjust the price according to the work needed to get it fit and fine. Test drive both FJ and Xterra as they are similar same spec wise , except for the FJ Xtreme model. You might feel one car more comfortable to drive than the other, which can help you to decide. FJ are more likely to be abused in desert than the Xterras in general.Good luck with your purchase!

Well done @Ale Vallecchi you finally got the award of "Boring Drives" without any stuck and tow rope. It should probably be the highest award for any trip lead, but we don't recognize that as we love getting stuck to learn new stuff, lolololol. Really well done Ale, for perfect planning and leading the whole convoy with good pace, excitement and safety. @J J you are fantastic in giving rightful tribute to Ale with Ale Ale Ale Ale song in your drive video. Very creative.

What you all have gone through yesterday was a part and parcel of the infamous Shuwaib area that start right behind Iftar bowl and spans to few kms with treacherous vast desert. I wont say this area is jinxed as many offroaders of my era use to call it, but this area is well known among offroaders community to test your patience, skills and teamwork. We have had endless incidents and issues in the same area that whenever we step there, we know that we are going to get into some serious action today. It's very unfortunate of tow hook breaking due to sheer negligence as it broke with gentle tug, that means it has never been checked properly for integrity before. @Srikumar and @Wrangeld every promotion thread has this line, so now it's time to implement firmly and start sending drivers back, who don't understand the importance of acquiring off-road gear as basic as shovel. @Jeepie heartiest congratulation on successfully completing your first independent drive lead under Marshal supervision and that too in such a tricky terrain plus without any prior navigational research and planning. Really well done. It is so nice to read that we have so many great contributors and team player than just silent observers who stand up to the occasion to help and support when the need arise. Well done @Kalahari, @Tbone and @Rinelle Sanaani

Thank you all for a great morning in the desert! @Frederic showed his skills of getting unstuck and was great to be able to help the convoy use the easier path. I was surpoprised that for the first 2 hours I could ride with the windows open...it is a very different experience and nothing like an afternoon nap to recover from the short night sleep We covered 36km and did some serious dune climbing to test our cars' limits @Wrangeld your Jeep is great and so compact. Thanks for all the help @George Francis sorry that we were too fast at times, I was keeping my eye on you and Frederic enjoy your Saturday

Amazing video !!

Join us in exploring the Al Qudra Desert to see what's beyond the lakes, and learn the art of offroading at the same time ! This area is a very versatile playground for Absolute Newbies on their first offroad adventure. If you have already driven in sand before, then you can learn more from experts having decades of off-roading experience in the UAE. This area offers a good mix of playable long set of dunes and broad ridges to test your off-road control. Drive is open for all 4x4/4WD/SUV/AWD vehicle having 8-10 inches of ground clearance and front and rear tow hooks. You can bring your family, friends and kids, but if you are absolute new to sand offroading we advise you to drive alone first to learn off-roading without any distractions. What you'll learn: Introduction to off-roading Desert driving basics and etiquette Desert driving tips, techniques, myth and best practices Off-road and safety gear familiarization and recovery procedures Vehicle orientation, risk analysis, deflation and outdoor safety advice First time with Carnity Off-road Club: Please share your vehicle details - Make, Model, Year. Do you have any prior off-road experience? Confirm your vehicle has front and rear tow hooks / eyelets. Why should i join? We will teach you how to self-drive off-road safely and learn the best offroad driving and recovery techniques. If you have already driven in sand before then you can learn more from experts having decades of offroading experience in the UAE. This area offers a good mix of playable long set of dunes and broad ridge to test your off-road control. Can my vehicle do this ? This drive is open for all 4x4/4WD/SUV/AWD vehicle having 8-10 inches of ground clearance and front and rear tow hooks. If in doubt please first announce your questions on the drive thread so we can advise you further. Any stock 4x4/4WD are most welcome, you don't need any modified vehicle. Can i bring passengers ? Yes of course, but if you are absolute new to offroading it is better to drive alone first to avoid any distractions. STRICTLY: For ABSOLUTE NEWBIE who are driving for the first time with Carnity. MUST READ AND AGREE - COVID19 PRECAUTIONS MUST WATCH: NEWBIE VIDEO BRIEFING Drive Details Level: All Levels When: Jul 10, 2020 Friday. Meeting time: 5:00 AM (SHARP - Without any exceptions) Meeting Point: Al Qudra - https://goo.gl/maps/ZgS2Gqam9PcsxWR48 Type of Car: Any proper 4x4 with front and back tow hooks and 8-10 inches of ground clearance. What to bring along: Loads of water, snacks (for yourself), face mask, rubber gloves, enthusiasm and willingness to learn. Approximate finish time: 09:00 AM End Point: Qudra Parking - https://goo.gl/maps/eV6UEio13s97pKSp8 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE: Limited to 15 cars only. RSVP will close on Thursday - 5PM. 1 Lead Marshal + 2 Senior Members + 12 Members. 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. PLEASE RSVP ON THE CALENDAR

Superb , many congratulations @Tbone. Just wondering what Tbone means ?

@Tbone Congrats bro . Well done !!!!

Check this one. It's well within your budget @sertac. https://tnydu.biz/DOyebd

@desertdude it's an industry MYTH that you are referring to and I have done my extensive research based on calculations and data before suggesting this. Viscose clutch fan direct will take max 2-5 hp additional and won't scream or howl as you are mentioning. I am using direct clutch fan since 5 years, especially for off-road vehicle with older cars - that's the bestest and bomb proof solution to keep borderline 4x4 run cooler. On the contrary 4x4 will loose tremendous HP if its overheating or "RUNNING WARM" as oppose to less 2-5 HP used by clutch fan. Bigger tires probably slows down more by adding several kg extra weight on all 4 axles than this clutch fan load. Offroad tires makes more noise on highway than this fan clutch howling (so called). I was like you too scared of all these before going this route and I havent "noticed" any big change in noise level or climbing faya from front face, before and after this change.

Almost a year ago to the day, I arrived in the UAE. It was part of my plan to be driving 4x4 as one of the benefits of moving from the serene, calm surroundings of the Netherlands, where news starts with headlines like "Today the level of the River Maas Rose by 2mm". A group of close friends gave me and @Jeepie the gift of a dune bashing session as our going away/wedding present. We invested the money in our little TJ (along with a whole load more) and have not looked back since. Waking at 'oh my lord o'clock this morning', as Carnity drives are starting earlier to avoid some of the summer heat, sort of made sense. More so, once we found ourselves in the dark at the entry point to Mahafiz with our intrepid companions all looking for early morning thrills. Deflating in the dark holds new pleasures even for experienced drivers (as I found out when I could not locate the valve to reinsert the stem) so we had an early inflation as well, but were soon underway with @Frederic in the lead. I think that around this area, we might rename the drive from Desert to Jungle drive. The amount of greenery is incredible. It makes for a bumpy drive and a challenge to find a smooth route. The convoy, however kept great pace and discipline until @George Francis wavered approaching a crest and got stuck. We considered digging, but a quick tug made more sense and we were off ag ain to find a few play dunes. Watching the drive along the way it was great to se how both Newbies and Fewbies on the drive are developing their skills. @Jorge Stepniak Felippe did very well as second lead, @Rajeevan Vickneswaran has excellent control of the Wrangler and @Mehmet Volga and @Yousef Alimadadi both are getting to grips with what having all that power means in their Pajeros. @marks and @Leo Francis probably need just a little more time with their vehicles to get to grips with its capabilities. As @Frederic mentioned, we cleared the route towards Fosil Rock in good time that a decisiiin to continue to Faya was inevitable. Seeing the other Carnity convoys along the way of @Ale Vallecchi and @Javier M is an incredible reminder of what this club stands for and why the early starts make sense. Seeing that members grow to leaders and teachers is the essential DNA of Carnity. Everyone out there today has the opportunity if they want to be more involved. Everyone has the same chances. It's not often that can be said about a club with established members and structures. Driving on past our club members, we made it to Faya and most made it to the top. Those who did not can take the learning for the next time out, when inevitably you will. Today, taking the conditions and route into consideration was at Newbie+ level and everyone did themselves proud. Myself and @Jeepie enjoyed the limited sweeping needed and another beautiful morning out in the desert. Here's to more morning and evening adventures and celebrating a year of membership in Carnity in the Winter. And ... in case you are wondering, yesterday's news in the Netherlands "Man Bites Dog" See you soon in the sand.