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Hello guys, hope everyone had a wonderful drive today. Thanks to @Luca Palanca Falsini for tacking up the task from @Lorenzo Candelpergher and for the selection of the area and terrain. We had very small patches of technical areas where everyone did well and the ridge riding and side slopings were the most relevant part of the drive. Though we had a few refusals and pop outs, everyone (including me 😊 I believe) did really well. Thank you @Dodi Syahdar for your deciplined second lead and you did great managing the beast in the convoy. Thank you @Zed for your support at the time of pop out and was nice to be with you😊. @Alain Canivet-Abikhalilyou were a little low on gas a couple of times, but amazing on the ridge riding part. Well done bro. @Rawad Bahsasyou were having a great time with your Y62, and haven't heard you on radio about any issues, did well @Gaurav Soni,did great as CF today and who am I to comment on you bro 😀👍 As usual did great. Thank you for all your support. @Batuhan Kulac, the G wagon guy, it was nice to see you charging at the slopes and did really good with such a heavy car. Good work bro👍. @Soumya Saklani had some issues with suction cup of the flag initially I hope it's ok now. You did great with your prado . Well done 👍. And finally , my lead 😊 @Lakshmi Narasimhanman you did cool and it was unfortunate to get a pop out at the slop. You managed it really well. 👏👏. Thank you guys and see you soon in the sand. 🙏

No matter what, even if we spent the day fixing 20 popouts, its still a much needed outing in the middle of the week with just enough energy to help us reach the weekend An awesome day that had its challenging moments as well as its relaxing ones specially with some clouds to protect us from the sun Thank you @Luca Palanca Falsini, @Gaurav Soni, and @Shaaz Shafor all the support Here is the link to my GoPro feed staring @Alain Canivet-Abikhalil😄 https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=1kSXh9VxA2Y5T-m1YZIWAt_YaCmfyecBz And here is the trip route clip

Desertnighters, @Nithin Vaidir @Ehab @MUHAMMAD Kashif RAZZAQ @Thomas Varghese @Fabiano Morais @bony raphi[ @Shaaz Sha - late addition ] @Islam Soliman @M.Seidam As we are early off the block (Thursday night - not Friday) I am posting here to give a bit more idea of what to expect on Thursday night. Firstly, this is a newbie drive, and as such it's not going to be too fast paced or challenging but we will be able to have a fantastic convoy of inexperienced and experienced drivers. This is something I love, because it allows the newer drivers to be behind more experienced drivers, allowing them to follow very closely the tracks and hopefully give them the confidence to possibly take some challenges where they might be a bit more reluctant if they were following another less experienced driver. We have a lot more experienced drivers signed up than inexperienced, which is why I think this is exciting. It really means we can have a one on one session throughout the drive. As the more experienced may (and I repeat may, because this is not compulsory) have off road night lights it will mean that anyone worried about having only street lights can relax: For the record, I did almost all my night drives till now with street lights. Secondly, I think we can plan to have a long, but leisurely drive - by this I mean that even tough it will be late in the evening, if all goes well (and why should it not?) because we do not have to worry about it getting too hot, or have to worry about it getting dark we can take the time to follow the whole of the planned route to take us from Murqquab all the way into Last Exit. It's definitely possible if we keep things simple (which I intend to) and we all keep focused throughout the drive. Please bring coffee and snacks with you. Driving in the night is tiring and I don't want additional fatigue to impact on the drive. Post any questions you have here. See you soon in the sand.

My first fewbie drive, my first pre-office ride and I really enjoyed it a lot ! Definitely a different pace but also a big learning curve. Thank you @Luca Palanca Falsini for leading this track and for the instructions. Will definitely watch my fish tailing in the future as well as keeping up with the gas control. @Gaurav and @Batuhan Kulac thanks for the advice and very nice to meet you. @Dodi Syahdar always a pleasure to see you @Lakshmi Narasimhan keep it up bro 🦾 @Rawad Bahsas can't wait to receive your links @Zed you are featured in all my GoPro videos... And thank you everyone, looking forward to see you again.

Refreshing drive today before work. Still sad that @Lorenzo Candelpergher could not make it, however, @Luca Palanca Falsini was a great substitute today! Two pop-outs like last Wednesday are starting to make me believe the desert is cursed on Wednesdays but they do make for some nice learning on how to fix them. Always nice to see @Lakshmi Narasimhan and great meeting you @Alain Canivet-Abikhalil. Hope to see all of you again! Stay safe.

It was well worth the trip coming from Abu Dhabi! 😊 Thank you @Luca Palanca Falsini for leading this trip and @Dodi Syahdar for 2nd lead. This is my 1st Fewbie after promotion and man I saw & learned soo many things today: - witnessed 2 pop-outs 😲 and how to fix them. - a car got stuck on the crest, one of the hardest recovery I think, but good learning how to get unstuck. - a beasty car in front of me spun on the ridge, and my rollover horror flashed back. Lucky for him, he managed to reverse slowly downhill 👍🏻 - if you can't make it to the top, don't force it... some of the ridge riding i steered downwards cos felt the car wouldn't make it to the top. Looking forward to more Fewbie drives, time to invest on that skid plate to flatten the ridge 😁

Copying the previous session post from Mikhail as introduction here: Hello everyone! Thanks for joining us! Since we are going to take some stars photos, we need to have some basic equipment with us. If you do not have something, probably, you will not be able to get desired result. However, equipment list is very basic: 1) tripod suitable for your camera. There is no need to have an expensive tripod, however, if your camera and lens is heavy, sturdy tripod would be handy 2) DSLR or mirrorless camera able to shoot in raw with exposure time up to 20 seconds. If you do not have one, you can try to shoot with a simple point and shoot camera or phone, but lack of settings could be an issue. If you have a camera but not sure if it is suitable or not, feel free to ask here! 3) wide angle lens. Actually, any kit lens should work fine. Do not bring your telephoto lens or a portrait lens this time, we will not use it. Again, if your are not sure what to bring with you, feel free to ask! 4) a bit of adhesive tape would be handy but not mandatory. 5) fully charged battery for your camera. 6) red light headlamp. Red light helps a lot operating your camera and not overstressing your eyes That's it! Kindly let us know what camera and lens you are planning to bring so we can check if it is suitable beforehand. Thanks! Preparation plan: We will be mostly using the Manual mode on the camera. We would advise to have a look at your camera's operating manual beforehand so you are comfortable how to switch over to Manual mode and find the settings that you will need to experiment with: 1) ISO setting. 2) Shutter Speed. 3) Aperture will need to be at its max. setting that your lens can take. (fully open). We will be practicing with various settings and helping you out to determine what works best as per your camera, lens, and personal preferences. The main aim is to learn from each other and enjoy the beautiful scenery and tranquility at night, hence we would ask all members to respect the silence and not to disturb others by driving around with the 4x4 during the session, using bright flashlights, or shouting.

Thanks @Luca Palanca Falsinifor making the drive happening and well supported by @Gaurav Soni and @Shaz Shah. A refreshing mid week drive, even though couple of cresting, pop outs came towards end of the drive, would have been amazing without, good terrain to practice ridge riding. Enjoyed it. Thanks to all friends for the nice drive.

Depends on the car, and tyres, i have bigger tyres on mine than stock and they were rubbing on the inner control arms during a sharp turn (you may not have this issue with your car). The second consideration is that as you raise the car the center or gravity changes, if you get a 2" lift, then a 1" spacer would be how you balance it out (watch out for the wheel travel as it might start impacting your fenders though) Alternatively, you can get new rims with more backspacing or less offset (the popular consensus is that this is better for your driveline in the long run compared you spacers) Normally a lift is used to solve two problems: your wheels are impacting the inside of the fender and reducing your travel to change the ride dynamics of the car It may give you a little ground clearance in the case of an IFS car (like pajeros and FJ) but will do nothing of the sort for solid axle cars like the wrangler. If you want more ground clearance then get bigger wheels (if the wheels start touching things, get a lift and spacers....)

Congratulations @Warren Flay for reaching the Fewbie Level with Carnity Offroad Club. Looking forward to seeing you growing further and helping others to learn the art of offroading in a safe environment. Please make sure your Carnity user profile is always updated with all the latest Emergency contact details. P.S. Trip lead might deny your participation if you don't have required off-road gear. Fewbie: Drives Attended (Indicative) Minimum 5 Newbie drives are required within last 3 months for Fewbie promotion. What you'll learn Basic dune and sand reading Self-recovery techniques Shoveling at right place Crawling out of difficult situations Blip Blip - Coordinate steering and gas control Advance side sloping and hill climb Basic ridge riding and criss crossing Basic control over technical dunes Slightly faster pace desert driving Ability to manage stuck/refusals with radio Learn to control and avoid fishtailing Never fight or challenge gravity Skills required Enthusiastic and positive attitude Willingness to learn and help others Presence of mind and attention to detail Car Worthiness Any 4x4 vehicle with low range gearing Suitable approach and departure angle Off-road gear required Safety flag, tire deflator, tire pressure gauge, shovel, fire extinguisher, medical kit, radio (walkie-talkie), air compressor. Drive teamwork Manage second lead and sweep positions upon request Intuitive and proactive to support Trip Lead Observe recoveries and offer help, when needed Drive Joining Join Newbie and Fewbie drives And Fewbie Plus, after 5 drives at Fewbie level only Forum participation Active participation on the forum Share drive experience + feedback Share drive pictures in the gallery Post trip report after the drive

Congratulations @Joe Biju Joseph for reaching the Intermediate Level with Carnity Offroad Club. Looking forward to seeing you growing further and helping others to learn the art of offroading in a safe environment. Please make sure your Carnity user profile is always updated with all the latest Emergency contact details. P.S. Trip lead might deny your participation if you don't have required off-road gear. INTERMEDIATE Drives Attended (Indicative) Minimum 10 drives are required after fewbie promotion and within last 6 months. (Drives can be a mix of Newbie, Fewbie (50%) and 2 Fewbie plus, depending on your adaptability, learning progress and Marshal’s feedback) What you'll learn Basic GPS and navigational skills Basic tow rope and winch recoveries Extreme side sloping and long hill climb Tall dunes ridge riding and criss crossing Precise control over technical dunes Fast pace desert driving Clear radio communication skills Advance recovery skills Self recover from dune crest Soft sand recovery Pop-out fixing Skills required Adventurous and thrill seeker but in a safe manner Level headed under stressful situations Responsible, dependable and accountable Car Worthiness Capable 4x4 vehicle with low range gearing Suitable approach and departure angle High profile tires Off-road gear required Safety flag, tire deflator, tire pressure gauge, shovel, fire extinguisher, medical kit, radio (walkie-talkie), air compressor, tool kit, rated recovery rope and 2 rated shackles, GPS. Drive teamwork Manage center forward position with Trip Lead’s permission Learn/assist recoveries under Trip Lead’s supervision Re-route convoy and coordination, when needed Learn to lead small portion of Intermediate drive under Marshal supervision Drive Joining Join Newbie, Fewbie, Intermediate and Exploration drives only Forum participation Active participation on the forum Share drive experience + feedback Share drive pictures in the gallery Post trip report after the drive

Well, you will be surprised to know that those pictures have actually been taken from my phone.

Camera: Nikon D7200, Lens is 18-140mm Experience: Absolute Newbie😊

LETS GOOOOOOO!! Thanks to everyone who recommended that I be promoted. Cant wait to hit the dunes again. Might be a bit difficult to fall asleep tonight 😂😂😂 Peace and love Joe

Congratulations @Warren Flay, well done

Congratulations Joe @Joe Biju Joseph, well deserved

Congrats @Warren Flay

Congrats @Joe Biju Joseph

Self Declaration on Previous Experience I have done about 69 drives and currently in Fewbie + level. List of my past drives with date and location is attached. TnqDrive Count.pdf

For night photography i would recommend using the 28mm prime lens. What's the aperture of that lens ? F1.8 ?

I tried a few different cheap brands which all died after 14-15 months right about after warranty period. One of them even after 9 months but was able to get it replaced. I have heard good things about Energizer too (longer warranty but higher prices). From what i recollect since i started offroading is that this discussion passed by few times and Amaron kept coming out as a winner in price vs quality. It also depends where the battery is located (inside the boot or in the engine bay). Heat kills them as in my BMW it was installed in the back of the car and lasted 4 years.

Just checking if any one of you would like to join this Friday Absolute Newbie drive? @Marcin Wronowski, @JamesThorn, @Nitin S

Apologies for the delay. I’m Suresh Menon and I drive 2012 model Toyota Prado, Black. It has both front and rear recovery points. Have done about 50+ drives so far. Hi, need to know whether I can take two passengers as both of them interested to join Carnity and would like to experience the club before joining. We shall strictly follow COVID Protocols.

@Pacific after every pop outs it is recommended to take the car to a tyre shop, remove the tyre that had pop out and ask them to remove the sand inside. This can also lead to wobbling.

Well done @Warren Flay !!

The pictures you post doesn't look like Absolute Newbie

Congrats @Joe Biju Joseph. See u soon in the sand

Mighty well deserved !!

Needing to replace battery. Is there a Mitz recommendation or does anything go? Model 2008 GLS. Thanks 👍

I totally agree with @Frederic, Go for Amaron, u won't regret at all and it's not pricey...

Well done @Warren Flay, enjoy your much well deserved next level. I love the way you self recover in soft patches

Congratulations @Joe Biju Joseph

I also tried the Bosch but only lasted 15 months, also got another brand from a gas station and lasted the same. I only switched to Varta after a couple of years from buying the Mercedes, I was surprised that I only had to change it after 4 years ( it didn't even die, but was getting weak), it is installed in the engine bay as well. But again we can't compare the AGM batteries to standard ones as they are made to last longer and withstand much more discharge/charge cycles, and obviously the price is higher. Mercedes wanted 1200 AED for the 95 ah battery, but i got it outside for 650 aed. The Altima was using a smaller size, if not mistaken was 60 Ah, used to pay 230 aed for it, and usually lasts 2-2.5 years.

Yes it is F1.8.

@Frederic I have used this only few times and very new to DSLR. Canon 750D Kit: 18-55mm Tele: 70-300mm Prime: 85mm Prime: 28mm

Hi @Chaitanya D Im driving a Jeep Liberty with front and back recovery points in good condition. I tried a few weeks back the Absolute Newbie drive but was not able to complete it due to a tire puncture. Bad Luck. Tires are ready now for this weekend, looking forward to join the drive and complete it this time.

Many thanks @Chaitanya D. Will do the declaration.

Hi @SP kALATH if you have previous experience in sand then its completely fine to bring any number of friends and family as far as you comply with COIVID precautions. Usually for Absolute Newbie drivers we highly recommend to drive alone, just to avoid them getting distracted with the passengers, which is not the case with you after 50+ drives. If you like to transfer your off-road experience then you can self declare here in this Absolute Newbie Drive post. You can read more about it here:

Not to my knowledge @topgear

Get an Amaron battery. They are to my opinion the ones that last the longest.

"Better Template" is a subjective thing to ask. Whatever is easy for you to enter data into and which helps track your record is the better template. But here you go with a truncated version of my somewhat not so simple file I made to track my own drives. I made this one for my wife who only did an absolute newbie drive, couldn't go to the 2nd one. DriveDB Sheet and Members Table (in List Sheet) are optional and used when one want to see with whom they are driving most. One can add more columns in the Summary sheet to record their (Gaia) GPS drive data and link to the online version of the same. List sheet is used as validation of the input data & Greyed out columns are automatically picked up. The file is structured in this fashion so that the data input is validated and can be used to make pivot tables / reports if one wants to - of course one might want to enter a lot more data points to be able to do more. Carnity Drive Club_v01.xlsx

Om @varunmehndiratta thank you for tbe advice

@Kailas for the fun filled drive...taking away fears of criss crossing and ridging... And yes it was a pop out, timely identified, thanks all great guys for helping me out. After reaching tarmac , I experienced wobbling, couldn't think anything and fortunately had @Chaitanya Dnumber. He pretty well told me pretty well before I could say about pop out. Drove slowly to home. But after 20 km. That wobbling just vanished and again I was cruising 90to100km. Closer inspection nothing wrong with tie rod, or the link,or the ...but the bracket for my steering stabilizer is worn off. Needs replacement hopefully will get before weekend to join you guys. Thanks Chaitanya for instant help on phone, helped to stay cool. Also thanks @Lawrence_Chehimi for excellent sweeping. Have a great day.

@Chaitanya D: As per the covid protocol, it seems that I need to have a radio to join this trip. However, I'm not sure I don't have a radio yet. Any recommendation where I can buy the compatible radio?

Yes done, thanks . As advised.😊

We will miss your jeep lights which gives us clear night vision ...... but we have another jeep (Farooq) in the convey he will take your position 😉..... hope to see u for next drive