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DRIVE REPORT When all those pieces fall into place.... The morning came with a bit of a breeze, and a lot of good company. I was supported by @Rahimdad today which is always a blessing, and seeing that he enjoyed himself in the back all morning, even if there was some shoveling to be done, made me realize that these drives are sometimes rare and when they occur you have to count your blessings. With @Lisa Pemberton as my second lead, we started off the morning by climbing Pink Rock, and venturing a bit on the back side to go all around it. It might be hard to tell but I am not sure if this drive went well because Lisa was in second lead, or if Kieran was next to her 🤣.. Just kidding. You never struggled anywhere, gave me enough space to find clean tracks, and was the perfect sidekick to this drive. @Sajit Modiyil you are finding your way in the Xterra, and together with @Mohamed Seidam those Xterras are proving their worth in this terrain ! @SureshVNair you drive very well, and the few cases where you had small refusals you remained calm and got yourself out of the situation easily. Very well done ! @Kailas and @Andrei who always bring some color to the convoy drove really well too, and slide through the terrain with much hiccups. @Mohamed Seidam your communication and relaying the information towards the back of the convoy is wonderful. Keep it up ! And you were the first on scene together with Kieran to help out @Lisa Pemberton on her valve core, glad to see that kind of attitude ! @Ammar Naji you managed the terrain really well in this terrain, and the self recoveries I saw you doing were always with utmost calm approach and gentle throttle which is perfect for any self recovery, but especially when having a heavy powerful vehicle. Really impressed ! @Tamas Hoffmann and @Rizwan Waheed I have put your vehicles together in the convoy as they are resembling each other. That is a trick I sometimes use to help the driver imitate the same driving style of the vehicle in front which can make it easier to get through the terrain, but at no point did I feel you guys were struggling and you both drove super smooth ! Keep those Gen3 Pajero coming ! @Dagdag Sofiane and @andy_macdxb both with the bigger Pajeros were doing just totally fine in the back of the convoy, digesting whatever terrain I took them through. Really impressive guys ! @Hennie Schoeman your Willy's and you were also sliding through the terrain, and carrying a big smile all morning. Keep it up ! @Abu Muhammad with your Sequoia being a gentle driver who took the car over every terrain, you really impressed me today, but since I know you had your first personal training from our Guru @Rahimdad there is no doubt you had the perfect introduction and we will be seeing you more often ! Take care and see you soon again ! We have drives every week. All of them are different, all of them carry a signature. Today thanks to this amazing convoy we covered almost 30km with 15 vehicles, which is pretty good I'd say ! See you guys soon in the sand ! PS @Rizwan Waheed below some information on the radios and the models we use and recommend. The Crony/Motorola MT777 or the Baofeng UV5-R is a perfect choice and these can be easily programmed with below tutorial.

Fantastic Fewbie Fun Leaving home in the middle of the night, when it is only just Friday morning requires a real commitment so it's always amazing to see the drivers arrive on time so we can get going quickly and enjoy the planned route. Leaving early meant that after our briefing, we did get a chance for a short time of dark running. It's a completely different experience to drive in the dark, and while the sun rises - evidenced by the first problem faced with three cars all stuck in the same pocket. @Jeandre Bezuidenhout found his own way out, @Heisem needed a little tug and @marks also managed to self recover and we were on the way again. Today's way took us through some of the longest stright dune ranges available in Dubai and were a great chance for some experimenting with slide sloping, climbing and control of the vehicle in soft sand. Everyone, from @Nivin to the sweep handled these dunes well - although, our poor sweep did need to fight his way through some really churned up sand at times as the FJ crew chewed up everything in front of them. Entering the technical dunes we saw that this type of challenge is still a worry for many drivers. Long sweepeing dunes are all well and good, but we cannot stay away from the technical always. Practice makes perfect, and we need to practice these more in future. Nor can we ignore that criss crossing is a difficult skill to master and it caught out many today. @Nivin had an absolutely perfect crest, @Islam Soliman had to be recovered, and from a distance it was clear to see that even the FJ crew of @David Ortells @marks @Christian Andras and @Heisem were not at their most comfortable approaching this type of challenge. But that's partly what the Fewbie drives are about. As Craig @h1fny said at the end of the drive (maybe not in these words), it's about the accumulated experience of drives and doing different things on them that makes each drive more fun. As a new Fewbie, @Nabil Bishara you did a great job with the speed and the complexity of the drive. Somehow, even though we have quite some refusals and stucks (thanks again for digging me out so I could recover) we were not standing by for any of them for too long, and I am delighted that new proper shovel owners got the chance to use their new tool [you know wo you are!]. Covering more than 40km in total is a testament to the quality of the convoy and the willingness to make this a fun and exciting drive. We were even blessed with reasonable temperatures throughout. I also think that the extra 15km drive to get to this starting point is more than justified by the chance to get into such fantastic sweepeing dunes so quickly. The only downside, if that can be called a downside is that the white sand is difficult to read in the high sun and at the end of the drive anyone without sun glasses was finding it more challenging to see where we were headed. As ever, big, big thanks to @Jeepie and @Brette for amazing support on the stucks and throughout the drive. Excellent second lead by @Nivin and a flawless sweep by @Jeandre Bezuidenhout. We were all lucky to have such a great support team on the drive, dealing with every challenge, quickly, calmly and carefully. See you soon in the sand.

TRIP REPORT It was a day of side slopping in the massive play areas that Mahafiz can offer. As I reached the meeting point at 4:45 AM, there were already 4 cars getting ready for the day's action with the remaining cars trickling in by 5:00 AM. After the briefing, we headed our way into the desert under the guidance of our headlights till the break of dawn. The terrain of Mahafiz is not what it used to be about 8 months ago. With all the cloud seeding in April and May the desert has turned into a Jungle with bushes and plants at every step of the way. This results in a more bouncier ride compared to nearby Tawi Nazwa. But through this bumpy terrain you arrive at some amazing play areas that only Mahafiz can offer. @Vineeth John Joseph was performing the duties of second lead for the first time, and he almost nailed it by maintaining adequate distance and rerouting the convoy as needed. It was good to see @Nitin Mohan back after a long time, and his initial hesitation to push his Prado had all but disappeared as the drive progressed. Though initially doubtful on whether to attempt the side slopping seeing the enthusiasm of the entire group he decided to join the party. @Ashok chaturvedi impressed with his Pajero and he was a very good sport to try his hand at side slopes in the play area. And ofcourse once he got the taste of it he along with Nitin were queuing up to take turns at the play area. Well done guys. @RaYan E though you felt your car was a bit under powered today, but for me you provided the real highlight of the day. Your self recovery by listening to the instructions and crawling out of that position was truly beautiful. Offroading offers lots of challenges with hill climbs being a small portion of it and as you gain experience you would realize that having the most powerful car is not everything. @Ajiesh George Kannankara your Patrol is not an easy beast to tame, but you manage it well. Keep practicing and you will start to enjoy the black beast even more. The wrangler boys @Javier Lucero @Ilya Golubinsky @Edgar @Miguel Ibarbia @Pancho enjoyed the play area the most as they were able to stretch their legs. Some impressive climbs with Javier, Ilya, Edgar and Pancho crossing over the play area dune and going to the other side. Well done guys. Finally, a big thanks to both @Tbone and @Janarthan for helping out in recoveries and for getting the convoy moving as smooth as possible. Hope you guys enjoyed. See you next weekend on the sand.

Wonderful Drive at Al Qudra. Thank you @Wrangeld @Jeepie @Brette. Started recording a bit late Well Done Everyone! See you soon on Sand IMG_6643.MP4

Good evening Everyone Today early morning and while heading toward our meeting “ deflation “ point I was asking my self how am I going to enjoy being a CF ( center forward ) effectively and responsibly. It turned out that little pressure makes me work out It safely. It was an honor ! More than a skill I am making my best to develop and sharpen in the setting of off road drive “ COMMUNICATION “ . As the day progressed the convoy was going smooth and nice even with couple of stops either for refusals, stuck or waiting to connect the front with the rear of our 15 vehicle blessed convoy rounding the pink rock. @Frederic and @Rahimdad Thank you for the help and support during this amazing trip.and to all of you guys each by his name thank you for making this day so wonderful and at ease al along. I am really honored to drive with all of you . Take care and looking forward to join you once more in another adventurous ride. Cheers and drive safe 🌷🚙 P.S : I will post later few videos and pictures

Fantastic days fellas. Really enjoyed it. Great leads and great action. High five ✋🏼

Great fun this morning! Absolutely loved it! Thanks for the extra care, advices and patience and see you next time. I'll post some pics later 🤙

Super route and great driver support from the Carnity pros as always. After 6 wks away overseas, best thing about being back is getting into the desert for a morning drive. After struggling to get up the pink rock twice I realised I hadn't deselected ASC, which is total rookie, but also a good reminder that when you're out of a routine, even for a short while, the basics need to be remembered. Thanks again F and RB. Awesome work all.

What an awesome drive today! I had a slow end to deflation when the valve in my last tire wouldn't close fully and I had to remove and replace it. Fortunately I carry a few spares with me, but this is the first time I've had to tackle this issue. After removing the valve, reinflation is necessary and here is another reason why you should have your air compressor with you. I'm super happy with my TJM MeanMother which literally makes inflation a breeze. I enlisted the help of @Mohamed Seidam and we both learned a new skill today with the support of @Frederic and @Rahimdad. This is one of my favorite things about driving with Carnity; you have a pool of collective knowledge to learn from and I come away from each drive having picked up more tips and techniques from the leads and other drivers. Today was the second drive I've had with no refusals and we had some great firm sand for most of the drive allowing the convoy to keep momentum with very few refusals or stucks. I had the pleasure of the company of co-pilot @Kieran McKeown , and owner of the Carnity club's infamous Duster mascot, who has been temporarily out of action due to an injury. He has been itching to get back into the driver's seat especially as I have been taunting him on a weekly basis since I was promoted to Fewbie level and today insisted he address me by my title of "Second Lead" at all times . I'm sure i will pay dearly for all the teasing as soon as he gets his Duster up and running in the convoys again. Thanks to all the drivers for being part of a great start to my weekend and as always to @Frederic and @Rahimdad for your patience and support. Already looking forward to the next drive.

😂😂 Hey man, of course they were seatbelts, we come from Sweden, our other car is a Volvo XC90, you know Volvo invented both the seatbelt AND the child seat...?

Thank you everyone for the drive.

Agree - great drive with about 500 ridges and criss-crossing. Thanks @Ale Vallecchi and @Javier M for the winching!

Fantastic drive today and high level at that ..from @Ale Vallecchi . The first half started off as a teaser to tight and technical dunes , but the second half was such a joy with a Friday brunch consisting of only criss crossing and long range ridge riding Easily my best carnity drive till date. Thanks for the second lead post in the second half Ale . @Kalahari always a fun personality to drive with and @Javier M good to meet you - that's a mean machine you have there . Some pics in the gallery . See you all next time

Exciting drive this evening in Faya ! Thank you @Frederic and @Jeepie / Mariann (Do I spell right ...) managing the drive professionally, once again ! @Febin Frederic your help was really needed and advices valuable. See you on sand soon again.

Good Evening, It was a great drive today morning.Thanks @Frederic & @Rahimdad My co-pilot was able to capture some great moments, have saved them in the gallery. @SureshVNair good job in getting out from refusal, check out the gallery. Also got a nice shot of @Abu Muhammad driving down smoothly followed by @Rahimdad diving down the hill. Thanks guys

@Frederic and @Rahimdad thank you for a great drive today morning.... loved the smooth curves and the ups and downs... the soft sand areas made the drive tricky and as always learning everyday more. Thank you for the guidance and support.

@Srikumar was a pleasure to drive again under your watchful eyes. Loved every bit of it 👌

Thank you everybody for the drive and fun...Today, i was looking forward to learn and practise recovery with tow rope, however i ended up using it on myself 🤣. It was a different and very technical terrain with lots of challenges that we coped well with, there was lots of opportunities to enhance our skills. It was nice to see @Shamil after so long. Thank you @Emmanuel for your amazing leadership and @Shamil @Roshan Abraham for your assistance.

@Frederic thanks again for the smooth drive this morning. I enjoyed every bit of it, especially climbing up the pink rock. Having a friendly team makes a big difference as well.i am thinking of investing in a max traks for convient self recovery. Let me know your thoughts on that whenever you are free. @Rahimdad Cheers for all the rapid support. Definitely added alot to my off roading experience. Looking forward to seeing you again ☺️

As a one time exception I have added you after drive RSVP is closed. Just because I understand you were Absolute newbie till few hours back and still need some time to understand how drives get booked here. Thanks for wonderful second lead today morning, see you in the evening.

Gaurav / Vanessa thank you for a super first drive. Enjoyed the same and was fun and well organized.

Dear @Frederic Thank you for the feedback it’s definitely encouraging and it was my pleasure to be part of this amazing convoy. I must admit that the private lesson with @Rahimdad made a big difference. I too hope to see you guys soon. Take care and have a good weekend everyone.

Thank you @Frederic @Rahimdad for the excellent early morning drive.

Dear @Emmanuel thanks for leading a very good drive N we really enjoy the path n group... see u soon

Hi @Gaurav Which vehicle are you bringing for this drive? - Lexus GX 460 - 2016 Do you have any prior offroading experience? If so, where? - Very little near Fossil Rock, Khawaneej Are the front and back towpoints of your vehicle is in perfectly usable condition? - Yes.

Join us to explore Al Qudra Desert to find what's beyond Qudra lakes And learn the art of offroading in a versatile playground for your first off-road adventure. You will learn to self-drive your vehicle 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 vehicles having 8-10 inches of ground clearance and (MANDATORY) Front and rear tow hooks (MANDATORY) It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to drive alone for the first time 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 vehicle modifications. 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. Learn More About: Carnity Off-road Club STRICTLY: For ABSOLUTE NEWBIE who are driving for the first time with Carnity. MUST READ AND CLICK TOTALLY AGREE ON THE BELOW COVID19 PRECAUTIONS TOPIC MUST WATCH: NEWBIE VIDEO BRIEFING Drive Details Level: Only for "ABSOLUTE NEWBIES" or first timer with Carnity Off-Road Club When: 4 Sep 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: Deflator and Pressure Gauge, 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 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE: Limited to 15 members 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 or members who are not on the RSVP will be returned back - without ANY EXCEPTIONS. Please cancel you RSVP if you cannot make it, so your spot can be taken by others. PLEASE RSVP ON BELOW EVENT IN THE EVENT CALENDAR

Thank you @Srikumar and them of Marshall. Indeed it was a good day and full of fun. Till next time

Just my point of view after everything has been said by everyone. The smiles and excitement from all participants makes it worth waking up at 3 am. @Frederic thank you for allowing me to support your drive. Loved the route this morning knowing it could be any level but toning it down to Newbie. Very nice route and amazing well managed by all. My pics have been updated in the Gallery. https://carnity.com/gallery/category/286-newbie-pink-rock-sharjah-28-aug-2020

Hey @Gaurav & @vanessa, Thanks for your guidance and assistance. Very well structured drive & excellent professionalism. Although the last stuck drained me out, it was a good learning experience. Hopping to meet you frequently. Cheers,

Dear Gaurav and Vanessa, Thanks a lot for that life changing experience. Being an offroad enthusiast in India it has taken me 9 years in the UAE to have had this experience in the desert. I am in awe of your high level of professionalism, expertise and skill in the way this drive was organised for Newbies. I enjoyed getting stuck and your tactful guidance in getting me out. Kudos to Vanessa and Gaurav Hope to keep meeting you more often at the drives

@Ali Abas Ali please note that this is compressor only drive. P.S. Only join if you have a compressor to inflate your tires after the drive.

I will change your RSVP and you can drive then for whole drive

Suction cup is good enough for light weight flag pole. If you are using heavy pole the one which is available in ACE hardware requires a proper fabricated bracket bolted to your vehicle.

Dear Mr Gaurav I enjoyed the morning Drive it really unique experience thank very much for leading the trip I want to join today evening could you please add me to the group for today evening?

Hi Christian no worries, as long as they wear seatbelts 😜

@Sajit Modiyil if you are driving in desert it is very important to replace the oil before the maintenance intervals. The normal operating temperature is 65deg to 80deg celsius. But while offroading it is a different story it reaches to 80 to 95deg and sometimes beyond that when you push it hard. As a rule of thumb every 15deg increase in operating temperature above 80deg cuts the life of fluid to half. For example if your car manufacturer requires to change the fluid at every 45000km under normal driving condition and if you are a weekend off roader it is very important for transmission to be serviced at every 30000 km to keep your transmission healthy. Always use recommended fluid specified by Nissan in owners manual.

No worries. No problem. Enjoy the ride. Any last time cancellation i am in dubai and can make it

We will provide you with the spare radio for the first drive, then you need your own radio from second drive onward. For deflator and gauge you can pick from any tire shop or fuel station. If you can't then deflate with key (time consuming) and come 15 minutes early, please.

DRIVE RSVP IS CLOSED NOW Here is the final convoy list Gaurav Pajero tjsingh Pajero Miro Pajero Probir Mukherjee Land Cruiser Dagdag Sofiane Pajero Tamas Hoffmann Pajero Foxtrot Oscar Xterra Shaaz Sha Jeep Wrangler Arun Mathew Jeep Wrangler Ilya Golubinsky Jeep Wrangler Pancho Jeep Wrangler Topgear FJ Cruiser @tjsingh @Miro @Probir Mukherjee @Dagdag Sofiane @Tamas Hoffmann @Foxtrot Oscar @Shaaz Sha @Arun Mathew @Ilya Golubinsky @Pancho @topgear Please be on time, sharp at 5 PM, little early is always better. Please tune to Carnity Channel 1 - 446.006'25 freq. Deflate your tires to 15 PSI as soon as you reach to the meeting point. Be inside your car - AT ALL TIMES - after the deflation. FOR YOUR AND YOUR VEHICLE SAFETY PLEASE WATCH BELOW MANDATORY VIDEO WITHOUT ANY DISTRACTIONS.

DRIVE RSVP IS NOW CLOSED @Christian Andras will be my second lead tomorrow, slightly altering the tracks upon my instructions, and communicating to the rest of the convoy to inform them of any bumps, tricky parts, bowls. @Mels Wolf will be our center forward, keeping the convoy together, and being the first at the scene to initiate recoveries and help out over the radio. @Jeepie will be our sweep, keeping the convoy moving and help out with recoveries where needed. The drive plan is to start off at the 2nd december cafeteria and take a left towards direction Faya. This track takes us through strange terrain with lots of trees and black sand. This area is not the most difficult terrain but will be PERFECT for taking some scenic shots. Once we pass this terrain, we will take the roundabout the cross the road and head towards Faya. The plan is to approach Faya from a less used side, and enjoy the bowls that are surrounding Faya, also known as "The Saddle". Please make sure to bring all your gear as per Fewbie level, and set your radio to Channel 2 (446.03125Mhz). Looking really forward to this one ! See you !

Has anyone been recently to dragon mart please? For the mount is it recommended to get the sticky whips?

Thanks @wrangled and all. It was a bit daunting driving in the dark for the first time but a lot of fun - also loved the pace. Look forward to more drives !.

hello Gaurav, am driving a jeep Wrangler sport 2 doors and no prior offroad experience. regarding the radio and the deflator is that mandatory as i didnt get these items yet. andbya both tow points are in good condition regards

Thank you so much @Srikumar, @Gaurav, @Frederic @Shiju Manuel....for the recommendations and advices which helped me to clear my confusion and to get a better idea which engine to get. Other than the engine oil, since it will be 120K service, i am planning to also change the gear box oil, differential oil, transfer box oil and the coolant...For these consumables i was thinking to get it from Al Habtoor.....Any recommendation will be highly appreciated.

DRIVE RSVP IS CLOSED NOW Here is the final convoy list Gaurav Pajero Ali Abas Ali 2007 4Runner V6 Sherif Adel White Wrangler, 4 doors Model 2013 Jason Johnson 2005 jeep wrangler tcarrimjee Nissan Patrol 2017 Silver ImranAliKhan 2019 Nissan Patrol - "Please watch the briefing video" Senthil Kumar Nissan Patrol 2014 White colour jodha singh shekhawat Nissan Xtera 2013 Abhilash Nair Pajero-2016-White Adith Lobo Prado 4.0 V6 2017 Vanessa8580 Pajero @Ali Abas Ali @Sherif Adel @Jason Johnson @tcarrimjee @ImranAliKhan @Senthil Kumar @jodha singh shekhawat @Abhilash Nair @Adith Lobo @Vanessa8580 Please be on time, sharp at 5 AM, little early is always better. Please tune to Carnity Channel 1 - 446.006'25 freq. Deflate your tires to 15 PSI as soon as you reach to the meeting point. Be inside your car - AT ALL TIMES - after the deflation. FOR YOUR AND YOUR VEHICLE SAFETY PLEASE WATCH BELOW MANDATORY VIDEO WITHOUT ANY DISTRACTIONS.

LAST REMINDER @Sarath OK @Imran Ali Khan Kindly introduce yourself and provide the following information: Which vehicle are you bringing for this drive? Do you have any prior offroading experience? If so, where? Are the front and back towpoints of your vehicle is in perfectly usable condition? FOR YOUR AND YOUR VEHICLE SAFETY PLEASE WATCH BELOW VIDEO BRIEFING WITHOUT ANY DISTRACTIONS I will personally ask question from this video brief before the drive and if you cannot answer them, you will be watching this same video again on the meeting point and holding the whole convoy by causing 15 mins delay.

RSVP is now closed Dear @Foxtrot Oscar, @Mehmet Volga, @Jolly Abraham, @Anish S, @Roshan Abraham, @Lorenzo Candelpergher, @Jorge Stepniak Felippe Here is our convoy numbering for tomorrow : 1. Emmanuel (white Xterra) 2. Foxtrot Oscar (White Xterra) 3. Mehmet Volga (Grey Pajero) 4. Jolly Abraham (Grey Fortuner) 5. Anish S (White Pajero) 6. Roshan Abraham (Red Pajero) 7. Jorge Stepniak Felippe (White Jeep) We will be using Carnity Radio Channel 5. I changed our meeting time to 5:15 AM. Please note that the mention "sharp - without any exception" is still valid. Also, please make sure that you all have the required off-road gear for fewbie level. See you tomorrow everyone !

Hi @Gaurav i have changed to Mobil 1 engine oil two weeks before as per your advice, its bit costlier but i could feel the difference in engine noise and no over heating in off roading. Thank you.