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Exploration Biyatah to Al Ghail (RAK) - Drive Report Work in the invisible world as hard as you do in the visible - Rumi At one point during the drive a question came, asking if the nature that we were crossing is typical of the RAK region. The question stemmed from the fact that while driving along the highway, the dunes that line its length do not betray the abundance of vegetation, nor the different shapes the desert takes, and which we were fully immersed within. An invisible world was disclosing itself in front of us, with each crossing, each climb and each sharp drop. The drive ended up being divided in two halves. The first, from Biyatah's meeting point to the mid-point, was slow and extremely technical, through multiple cordons of longitudinal dunes (the very long ones with soft sand on all sides, including the top), where suitable crossing points were to be found in between sharp and narrow bowls hidden behind what appeared to be the dunes' crest, but were instead just steps up toward the actual ridge, of soft, moving sand. Most refusals in this terrain were experienced while reaching the dunes' tops, and crossing over the crests' soft ridges. Up to this point the pace was a slow, yet unavoidable, 12 Km/h. The second half of the drive, once reached the first sabkhas, and turned south-east toward Al Ghail, was more exhilarating and fast paced, with multiple ridge-riding the more accessible crests of the lower and more open longitudinal dunes. Plus, a short night drive, across the last "savannah-like" sabkha, to reach the pylon track's exit. At the end, this second half allowed us to compile a final 21 Km/h average moving speed, which speaks volumes of the speed at which we zipped along the last dunes. Great and diverse vegetation, beautiful open views, local farms and roaming camels, and a remarkable sunset were salient features of this very scenic and diverse drive. In the end, we went for 56Km, in 2:36 hours of driving, and only 30 minutes of breaks. All drivers did well: @Sunil Mathew provided a very clean Second Lead in such a challenging environment. @Shaaz Sha was a very attentive and careful Sweep. Once @Russ had his rope out, there was no putting it back, guaranteeing all the tugs of the day were made, with great care, by his monster truck. Great driving and support by @Thomas Varghese (precious help in sorting out Charlie's battery issue), @Charbel, @Anoop Nair and @Humayun Ghias, who all did great in all kinds of terrains (slow or fast). BTW, I hope that @Zixuan Huang - Charlie managed to reach the garage safely, and have his battery checked. If all is good, you are welcome to join this weekend's upcoming drive, in a similar area of RAK. If not, it'll be for another time: we were all sorry to see you go before the start of the drive. Well done everybody. Looking forward to seeing you soon again.

Dear All, Here is the latest update and answer to many of your questions. @Usman Basit @Joseph Sebastian @Shehzada Umer Naseer @Muhammed Saeed @Super Safari Girl @Zed @Savio Fernandes @Stav @Danish Mohammad @Ahmed Wagdy @Tom V @WaYan @Enrico Biscaro @Paul Zeitoun @Noel Garcia @Rsjiv Samuel @Joji varghese @topgear @Alain Canivet-Abikhalil @Christopher Assal @Raman_Dbx @Senthil Kumar @Richard Franks @Junaid Iqbal @Adnan Halepota @Hitham mohamed @Premjit Vappala @Jerry Han @Sudhanva Sonawane @Trekado @Sara EL FANIDI @hasan hamadeh @qaiser ijaz @Ahmed Abdelsalam @Morshedi @jodha singh shekhawat @Wrangeld @Srikumar @Chaitanya D @Alex Raptor @Tbone @Lorenzo Candelpergher @GauravSoni @Frederic @Asif Hussain @M.Seidam @Mehmet Volga @Jeepie @Janarthan As we have now 50+ cars so we will split into 4 convoys by tomorrow evening and announce here with your meeting points at different locations around the Qudra area. Meeting time will be at 4 PM for all convoys to start and after an hour of drive, all convoys will meet at the set destination point by 5 PM. As the final set destination point is slightly inside the desert so all exits will be managed by trip leads followed by a marked easy flat-track route. After reaching the set destination point, no one should venture alone as the entire area is surrounded by tricky dunes. There will be multiple options if anyone likes to leave early before 9 PM accompanied by trip leads only to the nearest track from where you can switch on google maps to head out. Early and late leaving options: 7 PM - Lead by @Janarthan and support by @GauravSoni 8 PM - Lead by @Tbone and support by @M.Seidam 9 PM - Exit - @Mehmet Volga @Jeepie @Janarthan 10 PM - Late Exit - TBA 11 PM - Last Exit - @Frederic @Srikumar @Gaurav Question and answers: Yes, you can bring shisha. Yes, you can bring ready food or snacks, as BBQ is not mandatory. What else to bring: Camping chair, table, or mat for yourself. (No camping). Bring your LED camping light if you have one. Bring a football, softball, sand toys, slides, or anything for kids to play with. There will be a well-lit area for kids to play the whole evening. Fully charge radio, torch, music playlist (USB or in the phone with Bluetooth). Precautions: Bonfire on sand is not allowed. If you like, you can bring the pit in which you can do the bonfire. Wear closed shoes to avoid critters and creatures bite at night. Maintain a 2-meter distance while setting your chair/mat. Wear a face mask at all times. NO TRASH TO BE LEFT BEHIND.

Thanks @Ale Vallecchi for allowing me to join this drive with short notice, it was new terrain for me and certainly some tight tricky spots to manoeuvre in and squeeze through in my truck! It was pleasing to be able to help out with the recoveries (and inflate @Zixuan Huang - Charlie Charlie’s tyres before he’d even touched sand 🤣) which made an interesting drive even better. The mountains in the distance and the setting sun behind us were amazing sights! Great driving by all and see you soon 🌵

OK, first of all ..Thank you @JAISROCK for shaking up this , otherwise dormant Jeep Wrangler forum 👍.. My "upgrades" are quite cheap, as i am a firm believer in the Carnity Philospohy of "Keep it stock" ...so no lifts, no reservoir and bypass shocks, no large tyres, no re-gearing etc. mainly because i dont have the money 😂😂 1. Auxillary Fan -300AED - Added a fan in front of the radiators - This helps a bit in technical drives where the car speed is very slow and the radiator doesn't get enough air draft. 2. Low temp thermostat (open at 75 Deg) - 250 AED - This helps in making the best of drive breaks and lets the coolant cool down below 95 deg , which is the temp at which the stock thermostat closes. The above 2 semi-mods gave me a lower coolant temperature by at least 5 deg , and some breathing time until the stock fan decides itself to switch to high speed (i think somewhere around 116 deg??..not sure) 3. Tyres - This one could be termed as a "downgrade". I bought the car with 285/70-17 tyres on it. It was rubbing against the sway bar and i felt there was loss of power when you needed to do steep climbs in short distance. I changed to the so called Carnity tyres - Yoko Geolandars - 265/70-17 and i could feel a marked difference in the grip as well as power.

Great midweek drive, new area, beautiful scenery, different vegetation , totally unexpected terrain for me, which demanded a different style of driving all throughout. Technical but not the style we normally do between tight dunes. Here, the challenge was to avoid tree stumps, sand mounds with hard bushes, varied vegetation and on top of it - soft sand and slip faces!! Also , a spectacular view of the sunset on a sand dune horizon...priceless!! Thanks @Ale Vallecchi for organizing such a different/creative drive, after a long gap. I remember seeing a similar drive notification way back , but could not sign up due to some reason , probably it was rated as fewbie or something while i was a newbie. Thanks to @Russ our recovery champion for the day, who gave me a quick tug on a longitudinal crest , and @Shaaz Sha for the sweep. Good to drive with all other fellow drivers, and see you soon. And happy to see that @Zixuan Huang - Charlie has sorted out his battery issue ---- a tint off bad luck yesterday, you missed the drive!

Thank you @Ale VallecchiVallecchi for a great drive as always, I enjoyed the technical areas a lot and tried out my new high profile tires. Thank you for the sweep @Shaaz Sha Always nice to hear the raptor at the back @Russyou were lighting up the track for me towards the end of the drive. Pleasure meeting the rest of the convoy as well!

my reditt discoveries.

Davie Chase @Davie Chase Raman_Dbx @Raman_Dbx salah2u @salah2u Vaibhav @Vaibhav Alexanderrr @Alexanderrr Shyam Menon @Shyam Menon JAISROCK @JAISROCK Felix Obst @Felix Obst Hitham mohamed @Hitham mohamed qaiser ijaz @qaiser ijaz Johannes Roux @Johannes Roux The weekend draws inexorably closer and with it the chance for excitement on this special Saturday drive to hone your technical skills in the dunes of Qudra. With a convoy of 11 plus the excellent support of @GauravSoni and @Alex Raptor it's a long convoy, so we will play around a bit with numbering and challenges so that those at the back are not always the ones fighting the soft sand and tough conditions. Bring your A game to the desert, however. As I said before, technical is a challenge that can overwhelm - and we don't want that - because once you're in a technical area, there's no magic wand we can use to magically get your car out of the dunes. But you all knew that before you signed up for this. @GauravSoni jokes that he is bringing lunch and dinner with him: if you have plans for Saturday that are essential and you cannot be late, while we will try to get out by 10am, on this type of drive there is a high likelihood that we finish late. See you soon in the sand.

Dear Friends S Jacob @S Jacob Pierre de Maigret @Pierre de Maigret Aisha S @Aisha S Charbel @Charbel ShereenMK @ShereenMK John Vanderbleek @John Vanderbleek Miguel Codes @Miguel Codes Karthikeyan Govindarajan @Karthikeyan Govindarajan Josh T. @Josh T. Mohammed Mansoor @Mohammed Mansoor ( Subject to being promoted to FB) Meeting point is updated in the drive thread and the event calendar. We will try to cover as much as possible in this fantastic area and head towards Nahel. Please make sure you (well rested) and your cars (well prepped) are in the best of their conditions as we might be pushing hard at some places - hard doesn't mean long climbs and big bowls, can be small super-soft dunes at places where your driving skills might be tested. Convoy list will be updated soon. Always feels exciting to drive in Sweihan

Really enjoyed going from point A to B. Never felt achieving your target is so exhilarating

Thanks @Ale Vallecchi for the wonderful terrain. I always wondered when driving though Emirates road about what is beyond those alluring dunes, now we know 😀, Such fresh breath to the usual drive routines. Especially the initial technical section was really gripping. Really loving the exploratory drives (this is my second), hopefully we will have more soon. To all the fellow wanderers, it was a pleasure driving with you.. See you soon on sand..

Anybody wish to join, unjoin, change mind please do so anytime before 1 PM, 14 Oct, Thursday. So that we can finalize all convoys by 5 - 6 PM tomorrow.

Added to the drive if not too late. One car/two ppl.

@Gaurav since there are options for early leaving, I have just added my self to the drive.

Hello team, can you share the upgrades (interior & exterior) you have done in your car and the benefits you're getting from it? As a newbie, this will really help us guage the pros & cons of that particular upgrade and may help us decide to go for it in the future. If you have photos, much appreciated Looking forward...

@Ale Vallecchi I really enjoyed the drive. Even my car was telling me I had done justice to him by making him perform tasks for which he was made. I felt proud I could follow you from point A to B in my car without much hiccups. I believe my car was designed and made to be a true offroader and as his driver could make him do just that. Some people find pleasure in making their cars fly in the air but to actually make the car stay on the ground on bumpy tracks is more challenging than making it fly. I felt proud when I saw my boot still intact after going through all the bumps. BTW how as a lead do you really assess which path to take when going through rough terrains like this full of bumps and vegetations? Really amazing. The places you exited on the longitudinal dunes really kept me wonder how did you know where to exit when checking the map, the convoy behind you and the terrain ahead of you? I checked each place you exited and immediately understood you were right at every instance. There was no other place you could drive on and exit and make us exit safely too. Amazing.

I dont want to jinx myself by saying this... so far , my stock bumper is safe ...but i just got into the intermediate level...so 🤞 how do you monitor the "fluctuation" ? Is it just by the needle guage? If YES, the fluctuations will be very minor and you may not be able to recognise it, it could just remain in the centre within a range say 10 degC. I use an OBD scanner permanently connected and showing me the temp in digits through an app on my phone. So there is always fluctuation. Coolant temperatures are rarely constant on a desert drive. I toyed with this idea when i had the rubbing issue with my 285 wide tyres, but then the advice i got was that once installed, the tyres will not rub the sway bar, but your wheel fender flares/arch may hit the tyres during full compression of suspension. To prevent that , YES, you will need a lift ...so i saw the entrance to the rabbit hole of mods...turned back and ran for my life!!! (Or you need to change to those thinner flares, which i dont like the looks of)

Its amazing to see a variety of car make, model and year joining the community. I am looking forward to meeting you all and learn from each other! Cheers!👍👍👍

Without a lift and with stock plastic bumper - it scoops sand and breaks. Ask anyone and they will tell you that they have changed one bumper at least. I am running on my 4th. Now a Rubicon Steel bumper. That too scoops sand in it’s only plastic part the number plate holder.

Dear @Niki this is great news!! Very well deserved promotion, into a position of responsibility that I am sure you'll be able to manage with great competence, and the enthusiasm you have always shown throughout your path forward. See you soon out there with your new stripes.

For Jeep JL the first and must do upgrade or mod for desert driving is the rear bumper. Change to a AOR or cut off the rear bottom part and relocate the number place. Many a bumpers have been lost to the sand scooping.

Hi look forward to Joining on the weekend, Please see details below... vehicle details - Make, Model, Year. Land cruiser - Vxr - 2021 Do you have any prior off-road experience? No prior experience Confirm your vehicle has front and rear tow hooks / eyelets. Yes Confirm your vehicle has minimum of 8 inches of ground clearance. Yes Cheers, hacky

@Niki congratulations for a well deserved promotion.

@qaiser ijaz if you are looking for beautiful desert scenery, you can join with no hesitation. I've done this drive before, and will sign up for a second time this Saturday !

Just back from break, and catching up on everything I've missed. This is up there! Supremely well deserved @Niki - your presence in the drives always inspires confidence, and here on the forums you're the voice of reason with some of the finest photography of our drives.

Hi @Brette, Looking forward to our drive too . My car is a 2018 Pajero 2 door. It has front and rear tow hooks and ground clearance is more than 8 inches. No prior experience at off-roading

Wrangler sports 2019. I have no prior off-road experience. Looking forward meeting you all on Friday!

Hahaha, there’s a reason we have so many members here. Usually after 1-2 drives it gets you hooked for life and it’s not just about driving in the desert but also meeting up with new people every week that eventually become dearest and close friends. The desert gives and takes and I’ve been very thankful for her teaching me all these things.

Good question, I would advise the following: Before the drive: - All fluid levels (coolant, oil, etc) After the drive: - tyre pressure (35psi). - engine bay, look for any loose hoses, leaks. - air filter. Remove the sand by tapping it gently on the floor. Replace the filter every 15-20,000 kms If you take the car to a carwash (no need to do this after every drive), but when they lift the car you can have a look underneath to see for any leaks or broken rubber bushings. Most important of all: get to know your vehicle better and talk to your mechanic and tell him you are off-roading with this vehicle and he should inspect drive shafts, suspension, and fluids more often.

Thanks everyone for the help and support, I have reached the destination safely, and will sort out the issue. Take care and enjoy. *Update: Changed the battery and the car is back to normal. Will not miss this weekend✌️

Team Carnity is the driving force behind Carnity Off-Road Club. Most off-roaders peak and plateau. Team Carnity exists for the ones who refuse to. It is the backbone of this club - the group of off-roaders who keep the drives running, the standards high, and the community growing. Not because they have to, but because they have chosen to commit to what Carnity stands for. The grading structure gives you a clear, transparent path to grow into that role. Each rank is earned through three things: your Capabilities on the sand, your Contribution to the community, and your Commitment over time. There are no shortcuts, but there is a roadmap - and every step of it makes you a more complete off-roader and a more trusted leader. The further you progress, the more you shape how this club runs. Senior ranks come with real responsibility, real recognition, and a genuine place in Carnity's long-term direction. This is where participants become leaders, and where leaders become the reason others keep coming back. If you have been looking for the next chapter of your off-road journey, this is where it begins. SUPPORT TEAM You are the backbone of every great drive. The Support Team is the entry point into Team Carnity. It is also where you demonstrate the one thing that no training can teach: whether you are genuinely built to give and help others. Not everyone who joins the club belongs in Team Carnity, not because of skill but because of character & natural personality. The Support Team is where that personality becomes visible. What This Role Actually Is You are responsible for making sure no driver feels alone, lost, or unsafe on a Carnity drive. That is a bigger responsibility than it sounds. In a convoy of 15 vehicles spread across 2 kilometres of desert, the Support Team member is often the person who spots the struggling driver, the vehicle drifting into bad terrain, the member who is quietly panicking. You are the safety net that good convoy management requires. This is also where you learn how a Carnity convoy works from the inside: the briefing structure, the radio protocol, the recovery choreography, and the people management. Everything you observe and practise here becomes the foundation of everything above. Eligibility Minimum 10 Carnity drives completed after your Intermediate grade promotion. What We Observe After your application, we review your history and then observe you across multiple drives with multiple different Marshals. We are not watching for skill - we are watching for character: Do you help before being asked? Not every time. But consistently. The person who walks to the stuck vehicle before anyone calls them. Do you stay calm when the drive gets complicated? Recovery number three on a hot day, with 12 people watching. How do you move? Do you contribute between drives, not just during them? Forum posts, group chats, helping a new member understand a route. The giving that nobody sees. Do you look for ways to make the lead's job easier? Anticipating what is needed, not waiting to be directed. Do you bring warmth to struggling members? A new driver on their third drive, embarrassed about getting stuck. How do you treat them? The Honest Test Ask yourself: do I genuinely enjoy being part of a team that makes things work for others, or am I here primarily to progress to the next level? Both feelings are natural and human. But only the first belongs in Team Carnity. What You Do On Drives Support second lead, center forward, or sweep roles as directed by the lead. Assist with stuck vehicle recoveries calmly, efficiently, with good humour. Monitor members at the back and middle of the convoy. Bridge communication between the lead and rear when a radio is needed. Help with convoy assembly, briefing setup, and post-drive grouping. Minimum 6 Newbie or Fewbie drives per quarter to remain an active Support member. Progression to Advisor Progression to Advisor is by invitation only. We reach out to you. You do not apply. The invitation comes when multiple different Marshals have independently observed genuine, consistent, unprompted value-giving across multiple drives and when the answer to this internal question is yes: "Would I want this person behind me when something goes wrong in the desert?" There is no fixed timeline. Some Support members receive the invitation after one season. Others take longer because their drives are less frequent. What matters is the quality of what is observed, not the speed of accumulation. Equipment Required Safety flag, tyre deflator, tyre pressure gauge, shovel, fire extinguisher, medical kit, walkie-talkie radio, air compressor, rated recovery rope, 2 rated shackles, GPS, floor jack and jack board, tyre repair kit, toolbox, tie-down straps, vehicle fluids. ADVISOR This is where a skilled off-roader becomes someone who develops new off-roaders. The Advisor level is the most significant transition in your entire Carnity journey. The skills that got you here: driving capability, desert knowledge, and community presence are all necessary, but you need a lot more to progress further. What you are developing here is something different: the ability to make other people better. What This Rank Means Being invited to Advisor means we believe you have the maturity, passion, and instinct to carry this off-road community's gold standards forward to new off-roaders and help develop the next generation of off-roaders. You will always carry the Advisor title regardless of the rank you eventually reach. It stays with you because the values established here: patience, accountability, and genuine care for developing others, are the foundation of everything above. The Evaluation Period: 2 to 3 Months Before Leaders Lead training begins, you continue supporting drives across different Marshals. This is not a waiting room; it is an active assessment of one specific quality that the Support period could not fully reveal: "Does this person initiate things without being asked?" Do they spot a problem in Slack and try to fix it? Suggest an improvement to how something works? Contribute to a community discussion without being tagged? Help a struggling member before anyone else notices? You can start taking up a briefing under the lead's guidance. You can start managing the convoy during the break, while everyone does the side slope attempt safely. You can start giving drive feedback to specific drivers after the drive is over. Leaders Lead Training - Three Sessions Leaders Lead is the most comprehensive desert leadership training available in the UAE off-road community. It is conducted by a Crew member, in a small group only, exclusively for Advisor-level members. Session 1 - The Terrain Advanced sand reading and terrain assessment across all conditions. Route planning: scaling, safety exits, terrain sequence, group capability mapping. Navigation tools and GPS setup for leading a convoy, not just driving it. Session 2 - The Convoy Leading, recovering, and managing 10-20 vehicles under pressure. Radio protocol and rear-to-front communication architecture. Decision making under load: when to push, hold, recover, turn back. Reading the convoy - identifying the struggling driver before the problem becomes a recovery. Session 3 - The People Managing different personalities, skill levels, nationalities, and expectations in one convoy. Giving and receiving feedback that makes the whole team better. The honest destination conversation - what Expert and Marshal actually look like day-to-day. The Cultural Shift That Starts Here At the support level, the motivation was giving back what you received. That served its purpose. "We are not looking for you to 'pay us back' for your training. Your debt is zero. We are inviting you to build the next generation of Carnity." At the Advisor level, the frame shifts permanently: Before Pay it forward Lead when ready Help the team From now on Build a leadership legacy You become ready by leading Develop the next generation Supervised Leads - Transition Phase Minimum 2 partial leads for daytime Fewbie drives under Marshal or Crew supervision. Minimum 4 full daytime Fewbie drives under Expert, Marshal, Senior Marshal or Crew supervision. After each supervised lead, your progress is acknowledged publicly within Team Carnity. You can extend beyond these minimums - there is no pressure to rush the transition. The First Independent Lead After Expert promotion, you commit to scheduling your first independent lead within 30 days. Not because we are counting, but because you owe it to yourself to move from learning into ownership without a long gap. No judgment. No evaluation. Full support. Your Mentor Marshal shadows your first independent lead silently. No judgment. No evaluation. Full support. Carnity Contribution Required Exclusive commitment to Carnity off-road club from this stage onwards. Minimum 6 drives supported per quarter. Active forum participation to earn Carnity points for subscription renewal. EXPERT You are responsible for developing off-roaders. Expert is not the finish line - it is the starting line. Every drive you lead from here is a development session for someone else. Every member who builds confidence because of your calm, your knowledge, and your presence in the desert - that is your contribution. Not the drive count. The people you shape. The Expert Journey - Three Phases Expert level offers a structured journey of three distinct phases, each with a clear purpose, a different set of challenges, and a natural trigger for progression. This structure exists to continuously sharpen your leading expertise and develop you into a well-rounded, capable, and respected desert leader, someone people naturally trust, follow, and look up to. Phase 1 - Foundation (Leading 1-10 Drives) Build consistent, calm convoy leadership Phase 2 - Growth (Leading 11-25 Drives) Find your direction and own your domain (interest) Phase 3 - Legacy (Leading 26-40+ Drives) Develop drivers, build systems, shape the community Phase 1 - Foundation Leader (Leading 1-10 Drives) Purpose: build the confidence and consistency to lead any Fewbie convoy safely and calmly. This is not the phase for experimentation or ambition. It is the phase for safe execution. Your focus is clean, safe, reliable convoy management. Every drive you lead should leave every member more capable and more confident than when they started. What you focus on in Phase 1 Clean convoy movement: pace, spacing, positioning. Safe decision making: when to push, when to pause, when to recover. Briefing quality: clear, calm, comprehensive. Reading your convoy: who is struggling, who needs watching, who needs reassurance. Radio discipline: information flows, no noise. The 5th Drive Identity Check-In Around your 5th independent drive, your Mentor Marshal has a 15-minute personal conversation with you - not about drive performance, but about identity: "What kind of driver developer do you want to become? What are you enjoying most? What have you found hardest?" This is not an evaluation. It is the beginning of your Phase 2 direction. Your mentor Marshal, listens and gently guides you forward towards the direction where you will enjoy the most. Phase 2 - Growth Leader (Leading 11-25 Drives) Purpose: develop your identity as a driver developer and own something real within the community. Phase 2 is where many Experts have historically felt the need for more growth and direction. The challenge has often been the same: repeating similar drives and roles without a clear sense of progression. This phase is intentionally designed to address that by bringing in new purpose, variety, and opportunities for evolution. The Rule of Thirds: Drive Variety Out of every 3 drives you post, rotate across these formats. Not a strict quota - a guideline to keep the drive interesting and your growth real: Teaching drive: standard Fewbie or Fewbie Plus lead. Your core contribution. Develop member confidence, build new capability, practise patience. Your craft. Exploration drive: smaller convoy or selective drivers to scout new terrain. Your own growth and thrill. You are also building route intelligence for the community. Sweep or support drive: ride in the back of a Marshal's convoy. Decompress, observe, learn without front-seat pressure. When you become a lead and then support, it opens new dimensions for you to observe, learn and enjoy. Why the Rule of Thirds matters Leading 15 identical Fewbie drives in a row does not develop you - it processes you. Variety is not a luxury. It is what keeps the work meaningful and growth real. Domain Ownership: Your Specific Contribution Around drives 11-15, your mentor Marshal guides you toward owning one domain within Team Carnity. This is not a badge or a title - it is a real responsibility that only you carry: Route Intelligence: maintain the GPS route library, review and retire routes, document new terrain. Recovery Knowledge: document recovery incidents, identify patterns, build the learning library. Member Progression: track members stuck at a grade, flag them to the right lead. New Lead Pipeline: manage the supervised lead process for Advisor candidates. Drive Quality: monitor drive patterns, spot what is underserved, and bring recommendations. Your domain becomes part of your identity within Team Carnity. You are not just an Expert. You are Expert [Name] - Recovery Lead, or Expert [Name] - Route Intelligence. This is how you introduce yourself. Post a 2-3 line domain update in your Slack channel once a month. Make ownership visible. Phase 3 - Legacy Leader (Leading 26-40 Drives) Purpose: transition from developing drivers to developing the community itself. In Phase 3, the question you ask yourself before every drive changes. It is no longer "how do I lead this well?" - it is "who in this convoy am I developing, and what capability will they leave with today?" What Phase 3 looks like You think ahead of the convoy: predicting problems, controlling energy and pace. You mentor 1-2 upcoming Support members or Advisor candidates personally. You design and lead themed drives: recovery clinics, dune reading sessions, navigation challenges. You build out your domain ownership: not just maintaining, but improving and innovating. You are observed by Marshals for the qualities that define Marshal readiness. Expert-Designed Themed Drives Phase 3 Experts can propose drives with a specific development objective: you design the briefing, the terrain, the learning outcome. Your mentor Marshal reviews and approves. Examples: Recovery skills focus: every driver practises a specific recovery technique during the drive. Dune reading clinic: stops and discussions at key terrain features. Night drive with navigation challenge embedded. Multi-terrain route with progressive difficulty sections. Beyond technical skill drives, Phase 3 Experts can also design experience-led drives that build community connection: Drive & Trek, Picnic Drive, BBQ Drive, Sunrise Breakfast, Wadi & Rock Walk, Stargazing, etc. At Phase 3, you are not just leading a convoy. You are designing experiences. This is where you actively practise the craft of developing drivers, creating meaningful learning moments while keeping the drive engaging and enjoyable. It adds purpose to every drive and depth to the knowledge you share. Rest Is Part of the Marathon After every 20 drives led, your mentor Marshal checks in: "How is the pace feeling? Do you want to take a breath?" This is not a sign of weakness. It is endurance management. Pause Status: if life gets busy with work, family, travel, you can formally pause for 1-3 months. Your rank, domain, points, and community standing are fully preserved. You can pause and return with your contribution intact. The 6-Week Check-In If you have not led or participated in a drive in 6 weeks, your Mentor Marshal will reach out personally - not as a reminder, but as a genuine conversation. This community notices when you go quiet. The Marshal Pathway - What We Are Looking For Marshal promotion requires a minimum of 40 drives led as Expert. Drive count is the threshold, not the criteria. What moves an Expert toward Marshal is observable over time: Decision maturity: calm, consistent choices under desert pressure. Developing instinct: do you naturally grow the people around you, or only focus on your own lead? Domain contribution: what have you built that outlasts any single drive? Convoy control consistency: across terrains, group sizes, skill levels. Handling difficult situations: struggling drivers, ego management, crisis response. Community depth: forum, Slack, meetups, beyond the drives. Quarterly Pathway Conversation Every 3-4 months, your Mentor Marshal has an informal 20-minute conversation: "What have you enjoyed most lately? What has felt hardest? Here is one thing that would move you toward Marshal - and here is why." This makes the pathway feel walked with timely guidance and support. Benefits at Expert Level Full Carnity ecosystem access - no subscription fee. Carnity points through forum contribution, redeemable for subscription renewal. Access to all drives in the Manage tab. Advisor forum, Team Carnity Slack, WhatsApp community. Invitation to all Advisor meetups and campfires. MARSHAL You are responsible for developing leaders. The quality of Team Carnity runs through you. Every Expert who grows into a great leader, every drive that goes out safe and comes back with 12 more confident drivers, every new member who decides to stay in this community - at some point, a Marshal made that possible. What Marshal Means Marshal is the pinnacle of on-ground leadership in the grading structure. Marshal is much beyond a seniority badge. It is an operational and developmental role with real responsibility for the quality of what this community produces. You develop Experts. You govern the pipeline. You shape the standard that every drive is held to. And you do all of this while continuing to lead drives that push into terrain no Expert can access yet. How Promotion Works Marshal promotion is by invitation from Crew and Senior Marshals, based on sustained contribution and community feedback. It is never automatic, never based solely on drive count, and never requested - it is recognised. Minimum threshold: 40 drives led as Expert. The criteria that actually matter: Decision maturity: calm, rational, consistent under maximum desert pressure. Developing instinct: you naturally grow the people around you, not just manage them. Convoy control across all conditions: terrain, group mix, skill range, weather. Domain ownership: you built something as an Expert that the community still uses. Difficult driver management: patience, creativity, and effectiveness with struggling members. Community depth: your contribution goes well beyond your own convoy or drive count. The Marshal Journey - Two Phases Phase 1 - Mentor (Leading 40-70 Drives) Own all levels, develop your Expert cohort Phase 2 - Principal (Leading 70-100+ Drives) Govern the pipeline, shape community standards Phase 1 - Mentor (Leading 40-70 Drives) Purpose: take full operational ownership across all drive levels and begin formal development of your Expert cohort. What Marshal Phase 1 adds Lead all drive levels, including exploration and recce drives to new terrain. Conduct the 5th drive identity check-in with every new Expert in your cohort. Conduct the quarterly pathway conversation with each Expert you mentor. Trigger the 6-week check-in for any Expert who goes quiet. Mentor the full Advisor-to-Expert pipeline - your relationship with candidates during the 3-4 month evaluation period is the most important they have in Team Carnity. Invite Advisors to take up on briefing, convoy management and feedback task on your drives. Drive types available at Marshal Exploration drives - lead a small senior convoy to scout new terrain for future club use. Recce trips - independent route planning and terrain assessment in new areas. Multi-level drives - managing a convoy spanning multiple member grade levels simultaneously. Splitting Newbie drivers in front led by Marshal, followed by Fewbie drivers led by Expert. Phase 2 - Principal (Leading 70-100+ Drives) Purpose: shift from operational leadership to community governance and pipeline quality. Sign-off authority on Expert domain handovers - validate transitions when domains change ownership. Input into Leaders Lead training content - bring field observations back to improve what is taught. Formally approve new GPS routes before they enter the active route library. Assess and advise on Advisor evaluations - your view of readiness carries significant weight. Contribute to the annual community health review with Senior Marshals and Crew. Developing Your Experts - What Good Looks Like The measure of a great Marshal is not the drives they lead. It is the Experts they develop who go on to lead 50, 100, 200 drives and develop others in turn. Every Expert you develop who goes on to lead 100 drives and develop others in turn - that is your real legacy. Senior presence on regular drives: Once a month, join a regular club drive as a participant - not as a lead, not as an evaluator. The purpose is presence. Being visible in the day-to-day life of the community you helped build keeps the connection between senior leaders and developing leads real. The Alumni Track For Experts or Marshals who are genuinely exhausted by the operational grind but still love this community, the Alumni/Mentor Track is available now: No drive posting required. Join a drive once a month as a passenger or alongside a new Expert - observe and give informal feedback. Attend Advisor meetups and campfires as a community elder. Retain rank, community standing, and Carnity points. This track preserves your knowledge, respects legacy, and keeps long-serving leaders connected to the community without excessive fatigue. It is not stepping down. It is stepping sideways into a role that sustains the marathon. Benefits at Marshal Level Full Carnity ecosystem access - no subscription fee. Carnity points through forum contribution. Access to all drives in the Manage tab. Commission structure on Desert Driving Courses and Private Desert Drives. Exploration and recce drive access. SENIOR MARSHAL You are responsible for developing Marshals - and for keeping this community's soul intact across time. Senior Marshal is the ultimate rank in Team Carnity. It is not a drive count milestone. It is a recognition given when the community is ready to acknowledge that this person has given something exceptional and lasting to the next generation of off-roaders. What This Rank Means Your primary contribution is no longer operational. It is cultural. You are the keeper of what Carnity actually is, and your responsibility is to ensure it stays that way across generations of new leaders. You have led 100+ drives. You have mentored Experts who are now Marshals. You have seen this off-road community at its best and navigated it through its hardest moments. What you carry now is not just knowledge - it is the DNA of this great off-road community we have built together. Your measure is not the drives completed. It is the Marshals' creation. Selected by Crew based on exceptional sustained contribution across 100+ drives led and multiple years of community service. It is recognised with the highest honour. The qualities observed across years, not months: A mentorship legacy - Experts and Marshals who directly trace their growth to you. Cultural stewardship - you embody and protect Carnity values when nobody is watching. Innovative contribution - a drive format, training concept, or community system you originated. The bond you have built - members across all levels who trust you, follow you, and remember specific drives you led. Exceptional decision quality under the most demanding desert conditions. Senior Marshal Phases Phase 1 - Cultural Guardian (Leading 100-150 Drives) Own the quality of what Team Carnity produces Phase 2 - Legacy Builder (Leading 150-200 Drives) Shape the community's direction and future leadership Phase 1 - Cultural Guardian (Leading 100-150 Drives) Purpose: own the quality of every Expert promoted, every Advisor trained, every drive led under the Carnity name. Annual review of Leaders Lead training content - bring field observations into what is taught. Final sign-off on Expert promotions alongside Crew. Conduct one observation drive per quarter with a new Expert candidate - riding as passenger, assessing readiness for Marshal. Shape the Advisor evaluation framework - your standards define what Carnity looks for. Host or co-host at least one Leaders Lead session per year. Phase 2 - Legacy Builder (Leading 150-200+ Drives) Purpose: shape the direction of the community itself - not just the people within it. Participate in the annual community health review with Crew. Define and maintain the Carnity DNA document - the values, language, and standards that define what this community is. Mentor the Marshal cohort directly - your mentorship reaches up, not only down. Originate at least one new drive format, training concept, or community initiative per year. The Legacy Question Once a year, ask yourself: "Who have I developed this year - and who are they developing?" When you can answer that with specific names and specific stories - when the person you mentored goes on to mentor someone else, who then mentors someone else - your contribution has compounded beyond any single drive or single season. That compounding human chain is what Senior Marshal is for. That is the legacy. The Annual Community Health Review Once a year, Senior Marshals contribute to a review of Team Carnity's health alongside Crew: Where are Experts in their phases and where is the dropout pattern this year? What has the desert taught us that our training does not yet reflect? What does the community need now that it did not need two years ago? Which Experts are ready for Marshal, and why? This is not a formal committee. It is a conversation between the people who know this community most deeply. The output is a set of adjustments: training, language, structure, etc, that keeps Carnity relevant and strong. What Success Looks Like Members across all levels look to you not because of your rank but because of who you are when you are in the desert with them. You have left this community measurably stronger, more capable, and more deeply connected than you found it. The drives you led will be forgotten. The leaders you built will not. Benefits Full Carnity ecosystem access - no subscription fee. Carnity points through forum contribution. All drives including exploration and recce. Commission on Desert Driving Courses and Private Desert Drives. Strategic input into club steering direction alongside Crew.

Congratulations @Davie Chase 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 Basic 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 Forum participation Active participation on the forum Share drive experience + feedback Share drive pictures in the gallery Post trip report after the drive

Congratulations @Davie Chase enjoy the new level!

Hi @Looper this is interesting. I didn't expect this on a Wrangler. Thanks!

You have been added my friend

can’t wait to drive in Sweihan for the first time ever!

Hi @sertac please add me to waiting list , first drive

OK sounds good! I was coming to support Sandra but I'll just ride with her instead. See you then

allow me to share the maintenance schedule I use for my car (as a fellow novice who has this passion sparked since joining Carnity) - i was one of the few that read the owners manual and it did have recommendations for routine maintenance based on type of driving (including offroad). Am thinking your Jeep owners manual will have the same and then you can quickly put together a schedule similar to below (i got this from the owners forum). Hth and soon you'll be doing work on your own car (hopefully through choice )

Many thanks here @Frederic! Actually when I started off-roading, I begun to get interested on knowing more on maintenance, transmissions etc. All stuffs that makes my rig off-road capable at least. i have never done this before on my Pathfinder family car. Didnt even check the fluids unless the mechanic tells me every 5/10 maintenance period. I even liking this car better than the new primary family car Nissan Exterra. I dont know, i feel off-roading is addicting?;) do you share the same?

https://carnity.com/gallery/category/758-fewbie-sand-to-mountain-rak-21-may-2021 https://carnity.com/gallery/category/468-newbie-boxing-day-sand-rak-26-dec-2020

Dear Magnificent Seven Davie Chase @Davie Chase Raman_Dbx @Raman_Dbx salah2u @salah2u Vaibhav @Vaibhav Alexanderrr @Alexanderrr Shyam Menon @Shyam Menon JAISROCK @JAISROCK Delighted to welcome you to the technical skills drive planned for Friday Saturday. I will be supported by two of our most experienced drivers, meaning we can give some close attention to all attending, and we will have vehicles in the seniors that have the same sort of dynamics as the vehicles on the drive: I have an SWB Pajero - not quite a jeep, but similar. @GauravSoni has a LWB Pajero - not quite an LWB Jeep but close enough @Alex Raptor has a Ford 150 Raptor - same in scale as a Y62 The plan is to find some technical dunes in the Qudra area and spend a good few hours practicing driving through these difficult patches of dunes. We will get stuck - so you will get the added benefit of being able to practice endless self recovery!

Fog is always an uncertain weather condition depending on multiple factors. But since we are still facing warm weather, by delaying the start of the drive to 7 AM we would be extending it to 11:00 AM where we most likely have overheating cars. Hence the drive start timing for October month is kept at 6 AM. In the event of fog, the Lead would keep Safety in mind to decide whether its safe to drive or not and if necessary even delay the drive. Also, drives in November would start at 6:30 AM.

Hi @Vaibhav you are welcome to join this drive. As for your eligibility for promotions, you may self certify based on previous experience and we can see on the next drive how this looks. Support - Carnity.com

Congratulations @Gilbert Khalil well done and well deserved... your journey is progressing very well..👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

well done @Gilbert Khalil

Hi @Gilbert Khalil, great going... heartiest congratulations for the new level.

WOW, very nice skill development theme @Wrangeld Looks like you are prepping them for serious, prestigious, one and only upcoming challenges quietly.

@Frederic thanks for the info. I am now driving with an “open” CAT as part is unavailable. I do get a single gunshot sound when change from 1st to 2nd at 6k RPM. I hope it doesn’t start a 🐪 race on my next drive!