Leaderboard

Dear Carnity desert wanderers. @Rinelle Sanaani, @Gregory Perkin, @Febin Frederic, @Tbone, @Shiju Manuel, @Anish S, @Islam Soliman, @Biju Abdul, @Mehmet Volga and @Christian Andras Welcome to next Saturday's drive. As usual, just a few words about the possible itinerary. We'll move from 2 December Cafeteria to reach Pink Rock and climb on the cool morning sand to the other side of it, where a solitary oil rig stands guard to a lower outcrop of Pink Rock, called Fennec Cave. After that we should circle back on the other side of the Rock, and direct ourselves toward Big Red's direction, driving on a low plateau, which extends in the direction of both Nazwa to the west, and Badayer to the South. The skills required to handle the drive include mostly side-sloping, managing the ins and outs of small bowls, while keeping the convoy's relatively calm pace. Considering the quality of the drivers who have signed up (there are no new Fewbies in the list) we will brief the younger members about the execution of crossing ridges, and we'll try to practice this skill, where it will be safely possible to do so. Make sure, especially the younger members, to have all the necessary tools for this level of drive (a good shovel, tow rope possibly with soft shackles, functional and rated tow points, both front and back). Please be aware that lacking this minimal equipment (especially the tow points) will constitute a reason for disqualification from the drive (even at 5:00 AM). More info about the itinerary will be provided closer to the day of the drive. In the meantime, enjoy your week.

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 Off-roader 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: Intermediate and above When: 21 Aug 2020, Saturday Meeting time: 5:00 AM (SHARP - Without any exceptions) Meeting Point: https://goo.gl/maps/W358fNc3VeoEdtmY6 Action Plan: Long range dunes, side sloping, ridge riding and crossing 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 an Intermediate. THIS IS A COMPRESSOR ONLY DRIVE. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A COMPRESSOR, PLEASE DO NOT SIGN UP FOR THIS DRIVE. IF YOU ARRIVE AND HAVE NO COMPRESSOR YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO JOIN THE DRIVE. Approximate finish time: 09:00 AM LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE: Limited to 8 Intermediate drivers maximum. RSVP will close on Thursday - 9 AM. 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 below 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. Drive Details Level: Fewbie PLUS and above - (Min 5 Carnity Fewbie Drives are required to be eligible for this drive). When: 21 Aug 2020, Friday. Meeting time: 5:00 PM (SHARP - Without any exceptions) Action Plan: Evening drive till about 09:00 PM Meeting Point: Al Faya Entrance - https://goo.gl/maps/HsSq452jU12yrATu7 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), smiles, face mask, rubber gloves, enthusiasm and willingness to learn. Approximate finish time: 09:00 PM End Point: Fossil Rock PLEASE RSVP ON THE BELOW CALENDAR

@Sara EL FANIDI @Hardik Mody @Kailas @Ammar Naji @Sinol @Vijaysekhar @Sajit Modiyil As some of you would be joining us for the first time after last week's Absolute Newbie Drive, please ensure that you have the following for this weekend's drive. 1. Deflator 2. Tyre Pressure Gauge 3. Flag 4. Radio (buy the one's with a display as they are easy to program) 5. Compressor (as we would not be exiting near a gas station) 6. Shovel (Donot buy the foldable ones) - You get good deals at Speedex and Sharjah Industrial area. Ace is another option but probably more expensive. The below thread mentions where you can get the above items. For programming the radio, please go through the below post which contains a video demonstration on how the programming is to be done. You will need to program all the 5 Carnity Frequencies on the radio. Please program in advance during the week and not before the drive as that would make the entire convoy wait. If there are any queries or questions please post them on this drive or on the above mentioned topics and we would definitely assist you.

OMG, my dear FJ-twin-brother, how I am going to survive alone without you in the Jeep-Xterra-Pajero pack...?😱😱😱 Ostia!!

Different ways of crossing sand dunes Throughout the Carnity Offroad briefings you might have heard the terms "straight up and straight down", "side sloping", or "criss-crossing", and these are basically different techniques that we use in desert for crossing the sand dunes. Each come with its own risks and by learning and understanding the technicalities behind them i hope we can all learn faster and get more confidence in executing them. I hope below tutorial gives a more clear understanding on the subject and we can use it for future reference. 1) Straight Up - Straight Down Carnity Offroad Level: Newbie and Fewbies Description This technique is one of the very first we learn to apply when learning offroading. The trick is to approach the dune straight up with "JUST" enough momentum to make it through, but not too much to damage bumpers or cause a jump. One should always take into account the resistance that the sand offers based on different areas, and even more on different seasons. Most sand dunes have two sides - The windward side, which is the side where the prevailing wind blows on, and can be recognized by the wavy lines of the sand. This is the side where we ride on because the sand is more compacted and firm to drive on. - The slip-face side, this the softer backside (smooth side, no lines) of the dune which is generally not recommended to climb on, but this technique can later be learned as you advance through the off-road levels (slip-face attack). How to tackle It is advisable to start off at the bottom of the dune with applying a decent amount of power, and start letting go of the gas once you have climbed 75% of the dune. By that point the momentum should carry you further, and as soon as the car front wheel touches the crest, leave the gas completely or apply a bit of gentle braking when needed, to let you slide on other side of the dune safely. In fact the perfect technique is finding that right amount of momentum that you don't even need to apply brakes on the other side. Some gentle blips of throttle can help at the top to push you over the edge, as you learn and master this first step. If you run out of momentum going upwards to cross the dune, do not worry or panic, this is called a REFUSAL. Gently reverse and slowly come back in a straight line as you have climbed up. Announce on the radio that you have a refusal. Reverse up far enough so you can take a second attempt but this time with a bit more momentum. Risk Level: Low to medium. Approaching too slow will increase refusal and might cause stuck at the crest. Approaching with excessive speed might damage the bumpers or cause a vehicle to jump. Apply gentle throttle and slowly increase after learning. Take note that every dune is different and each approach will need to be made slightly different in terms of speed. Associated Risks: If you approach the dune too fast, more likely you will cause the bumper damage because your reaction time will be reduced substantially at very high speed. 2) Side-Sloping Carnity Offroad Level: Fewbie and upwards Description This technique is very fun and addictive, but it needs to be executed with a clear mind and a good experience on 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. When you approach a dune that you want to side-slope on, you need to carry enough momentum to get you through. This does not necessarily mean FULL throttle, because that depends on the type of dune. As soon as your car is on an incline, it will have the natural tendency to try to come down. The more momentum you carry, the further you will get. It is extremely important that you do not fight this by going higher up the dune at that point, but to steer down in a smooth way. Braking at this point is also very dangerous. While doing side sloping try to choose smooth path as possible and avoid stepping on rock, bushes or bumps that can bounce you and disturb the whole balance and tip you off or result in dangerous fish-tailing or tire pop-out at high speed. EVERY MOVEMENT OR ACTION YOU DO WHILE SLIDE-SLOPING NEEDS TO BE DONE IN A SMOOTH WAY, SUDDEN BRAKING OR EXTREME STEERING CAN LEAD TO ROLL-OVERS. Best practice: Always visually mark the entry and exit of the dune that you wish to do side sloping on. Stick to the initial plan as far as possible and exit safely. If you are new to this, then watch and observe how others have done before and try to replicate that as much as you can. The best thing to keep in mind is to think about "HALF MOONS" What i mean with that is that you should never make 90° turns during any kinds of these activities, but make smooth half moons during approaching dunes or crossing them. Risk Level: Medium. With proper training and guidance you can eliminate the risk of a roll-over for 95%, but one should always be aware of the risks involved and take all measures possible to minimize these. Keep both hands at the steering wheel and your full attention on the view ahead. Do not get distracted ! Associated Risks: If your vehicle is lifted more than 4 inch of OEM stock height then your 4x4 center of gravity will be less, and this will increase the risk of roll-over or flip by 50%. Same goes for bouncy (non-standard/rated) suspensions. 3) Criss-Crossing Carnity Offroad Level: Fewbie and upwards Description Criss-crossing is the art of riding the ridge of the dune and crossing over to the other side. Also here it is vital to understand that the approach towards the ridge, as well as the crossing over needs to be done in a smooth, half moon way. So basically you approach the dune along the length, you can stay on the ridge for as long as you want, but don't lose momentum at this point, or you will be crested lengthwise in the exact middle. Now the trick is to choose the right point at which you cross towards the other side. This feels scary at the beginning, but soon you will get the hang of it, and cross ridges without panicking at all. Make the criss-cross movement again in a half-moon method as seen below. Below picture shows the right and wrong way to criss-cross a dune. On the left side you will see that the approach is smooth and as soon as you cross over to the other side you gently steer down. Braking at this point is again very dangerous. In the right-side scenario, the angle of approach is very sharp, and during higher speeds this can result in a roll-over. EVERY MOVEMENT OR ACTION YOU DO WHILE CRISS-CROSSING NEEDS TO BE DONE IN A SMOOTH WAY, SUDDEN BRAKING OR EXTREME STEERING CAN LEAD TO ROLL-OVERS. Risk Level: Medium. With proper training and guidance you can eliminate the risk of a roll-over for 95%, but one should always be aware of the risks involved and take all measures possible to minimize these. Keep both hands at the steering wheel and your full attention on the view ahead. Do not get distracted ! Associated Risks: If your vehicle is lifted more then 4 inch of OEM stock height, then your 4x4 center of gravity will be less and this will increase the risk of roll-over or flip by 50%. Same goes for bouncy (non-standard/rated) suspensions. 4) Hill Climbing While this technique is not immediately necessary to cross dunes, climbing a mighty big dune will bring some fun and adrenaline in the equation. At first, you might feel intimidated and not sure if your car can handle this. With the right techniques at hand you can at least make a safe attempt and see how far you can get. This technique can be practiced from Newbie level onwards on small hills, and later you will learn to approach taller dunes from Fewbie level and up. Again it is extremely important to make a smooth "half-moon" circle at the top. If you run out of momentum and come to a standstill, DO NOT attempt to make a turn, but put your car in 4LO, and slowly reverse down the dune while keeping your wheels straight. The low gearing will help you in keeping that slow pace. As you begin to learn this, it's always advisable to make a smaller U-Turn to learn how your car reacts and how your mind reacts when you take the first turn on top of dune. This needs to be done with confidence and without any doubt or fear, so that you don't brake on top and do the complete U-Turn without braking and in a very smooth manner. Practicing on small U-Turn will build your confidence and after 5-10 small U-Turn attempt you can try higher and higher by understanding your vehicle dynamics and limitations. Risk Level: Medium. With proper training and guidance you can eliminate the risk of a roll-over for 95%, but one should always be aware of the risks involved and take all measures possible to minimize these. Keep both hands at the steering wheel and your full attention on the view ahead. Do not get distracted ! Associated Risks: If your vehicle is lifted more than 4 inch above OEM stock height, then your 4x4 center of gravity will be less and this will increase the risk of roll-over or flip by 50%. Same goes for bouncy (non-standard/rated) suspensions. Safety of all offroad enthusiasts is the most important thing. This is an extreme hobby that brings confidence, thrills, and people together as a family. We can only do whatever we can to make all safety instructions clear and concise but in end it's up to the offroader behavior to understand all risk and associated risk involve and enjoy safely. Open for any questions or comments !

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 When: 22 Aug 2020, Saturday Meeting time: 5:00 AM (SHARP - Without any exceptions) Action Plan: Long range dunes, side cresting, principles of ridge riding and crossing Meeting Point: 2nd December Cafeteria 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 THIS IS A COMPRESSOR ONLY DRIVE. WE WILL STARTING 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 COMPRESSOR YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO JOIN THE DRIVE. LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE: Limited to 10 Fewbie and above drivers. RSVP will close on Thursday - 9 AM. 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

Congratulations @Lisa Pemberton 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.

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 and Above (All Levels) When: 21 Aug 2020, Friday. Meeting time: 5:00 AM (SHARP - Without any exceptions) Meeting Point: South Qudra Entrance - https://goo.gl/maps/YLUXK8PfEmShhjc86 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), smiles, face mask, rubber gloves, enthusiasm and willingness to learn. Approximate finish time: 09:00 AM End Point: (Depending on convoy performance) Solar Park THIS IS A COMPRESSOR ONLY DRIVE. PLEASE DO NOT SIGN UP FOR THIS DRIVE UNLESS YOU HAVE A COMPRESSOR. ANYONE ARRIVING AT THE DRIVE WITHOUT A COMPRESSOR, FLAG, PROPER SHOVEL AND DEFLATION KIT WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO JOIN THE DRIVE. ALL TOW POINTS WILL BE CHECKED BEFORE DEPARTURE. LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE: Limited to 12 cars only. RSVP will close on Thursday - 9 AM. 1 Lead Marshal + 1-2 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. 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 THE BELOW CALENDAR EVENT

@Srikumar can you please remove me from the waiting list.. I already got a slot in the fossil rock drive. Thank you...

@Ajiesh George Kannankara you have been added to this drive now.

Hi Ale... thanks for checking on this.. I have a garage preparing the bash plate and should be ready to install it during this week and fix the bumper too and trim it for more clearance so all should be sit before Friday (hopefully).. thanks again and looking forward for joining you and the rest of the Carnities on Friday as planned

Dear @Islam Soliman, thanks again for joining the drive. I just would like to ask you a question: have you been able to fix your front bumper from the last drive? I was informed that during last Friday's drive a few clips came off it, and some plastic parts broke, so the bumper may be slipping back off, if not properly fixed. I prefer to ask this now, while you may have enough time to sort out the problem, and come with the car in 100% working shape. Thanks a lot for understanding my preoccupation, and look forward to seeing you on Saturday. Have a great week.

Dear @Chaitanya D, @muzamil hussain, @Tero Vallas and @David Ortells sorry you could not made the list, but you will be respectively from #1 to #4 in the waiting list. I will update you if something opens up. Thanks a lot for your patience.

Thanks for the props @topgear @Chaitanya D @Vineeth John Joseph @Brette! You guys are the best!

Congrats @Vineeth John Joseph

THE DAY OF THE LONGEST DRIVE (so far) The day started while it was still night, with 22 beams from 11 cars pointed at the flat vast plain of Northern Faqa. It ended almost at noon, 2 cars shy of the initial convoy, near the tarmac just before Bab al Shams. During the almost 6 hours of the drive we rode the long range dunes of the north-west part of Faqa, got deeper into this area navigating a few small bowls, stretched our cars' legs onto the sabkhas on the way to Solar Park, exited 2 cars on the tarmac, and continued through the western Qudra area, before a couple of stucks in soft sand convinced us it was time to call it in. In the end, we drove 94.5Km, in 5:51 hours (4 hrs of which moving), at 16Km/h average speed (24Km/h while moving), starting from 3 meters of altitude to climb as high as 142 meters in the middle of Faqa. The highlights of the day: the convoy snaking its way among northern Faqa's many lonely trees (hence the drive's nickname The Arboretum) navigating Faqa's deeper bowls on the way out to the sabkha, with no other choice but going forward and not getting stuck, due to a base plate almost coming off one of the cars, and just skirting the ground by a mere few inches the bonus drive through the long range dunes, and clay mud flats, of Western Qudra a mixed convoy, ranging between brand new Fewbies and more seasoned Intermediates, moving in good synchronicity, without major delays, other than for the couple of mechanical issues we encountered along the way (the afore mentioned base plate coming apart, and a gear box not engaging in 4-Low when needed). Great thanks go to @Tbone, @Kalahari and @Najeeb Mohammed, the more senior members of the group, for their support and efforts during the drive. Congratulations to @Jeandre Bezuidenhout, @Taha Elghuel and @Biju Abdul for showing great control of their cars (hoping that Biju's plate gets sorted out without any issues). Very well done @Mehmet Volga, @Rajeevan Vickneswaran, @Shiju Manuel and @Janarthan: you are very solid and reliable Fewbie drivers, who should only look forward to more fun and success on the hot UAE sand. Thank you all for the drive, and hope to see you soon out there. Have a great week.

This is a good photo of the situation. My son was like how long do you intend to keep me in this lopsided position 😅 This is the view from the car.

Frederick, you are an amazing leader and person, it was an honor to follow you this morning. the whole group was awesome, i have to admit carnity is the best club i joined. looking forward to meet all of you again ✌️😃 Guys. anyone has the videos for our sand side dunning ??

Hi all thanks for the great drive today. Indeed, I struggled a bit with the manual today but I knew what I was getting into when I chose manual. Thanks everybody for the patience and special thanks to @Gaurav & @J J for the support today (driving and mental 😀😀) Nice to see you again @Arun Mathew here are some photos from me as well

Guys, what an awesome morning drive again ! Thanks for the company. It was so nice to see sun rise behind the mountain and desert. @Gaurav, good work again ! Thank you for your advices regarding hill climbing. Photos added also to gallery.

@J J, thanks for the quick tug on the crest. You did very well today 👏 See you soon in the sand ✌️

Good evening apologize for the late reply too this is quite worthy topic of discussion As unintentionally many people doesn’t cross their mind how important it is. Actually i purchased my Xterra already registered with two colors white/black from previous owner. So nothing other than transfer was required. after I searched and contacting the previous owner about how is it done it turned out it’s much easier than ever . Down load the Dubai Police App go to services choose criminal services then change vehicle follow each step by filling appropriate info pay fees you will be notified for approval then you have to go to change the registration card ( mulkeya ) for the new entry of new colors For more clarification you can dial the police call center and get the words direct from them. Best Regards And drive safe

@Ale Vallecchi pls add me to wait list . Gone in less than 60 s😱