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Thank you for your great response on the pre-opening form submission. As we were struggling with few merchandising, so here are the final: WINNING TEAM PRIZES Desert Champions Trophy 500 AED - Carnity Account Credit for each participant. Carnity's Winning Certificate for each team member. Social Media campaign for winning team with pictures. Part of "Desert Champions" User group on the site. Entitle to use: Winner of Desert Champions Trophy 2021 in signature. Carnity Weatherproof Safety Flag Carnity Metallic Weatherproof Sticker Carnity Cap Carnity T-Shirt

Dear friends Please note convoy numbers for today. @Gregory, @JAISROCK, @qaiser ijaz, @Hitham mohamed, @Max Beloenko, @Vaibhav, @Daniel Rodas, @hasan hamadeh, @MMansoor, @Pacific, @Zixuan Huang - Charlie , @Looper, @Thomas Varghese @Russ We will use Chanel 1 for radio. Myself, @GauravSoni, @Craig Finlayson and @Anish S will manage recoveries if any. We will call you out if we need more help. Experienced members will be tested today on churned up tracks at the back of the convoy. Please deflate to 15 psi for regular tires, and 12 psi if you have all terrain tires. Deflator, compressor, flag, shovel and a programmed radio are mandatory for this drive.

congrats @Prakash Anoop👍

The FJ Cruiser is of course a fantastic offroader, and with the Toyota reliability you cannot go wrong. Just make sure you get one that has not been abused too much in the desert. You are better off looking for a stock unmodified model that has only seen malls and the occasional dirt track I had an FJ before and bought it with 250,000kms on the odometer and it still ran super smooth. Just make sure it has received proper maintenance. Ask for the service history !

Fantastic post trip report @Ale Vallecchi as always, perfectly captured our Saturday morning marathon!

Well done @Prakash Anoop. Very much deserved. You are constantly improving, and surely will enjoy the new level a great deal.

Thank you. This week is going to be an epic week for me. 3 drives.

Yup lost already one flag as thought hand tightened is good enough..I guess quick release soln! seems better ..been using it only for couple of months so while seems good I hope it will stand the test of time.

Me going 200km/h, The guy in Nissan Patrol behind me

I am always inspired by your amazing trip reports Ale @Ale Vallecchi 👍

We expect each team to finish within 3-4 hours, but due to any unforeseen situation your team might extend to 6-8 hours, so keep good amount of buffer for such events, as it's not a regular off-road drive.

This is a fair question - for everyone who doesn’t know my name, it’s Mayank. Thank you @Gaurav & @Frederic for your guidance and knowledge so far. It’s been an absolutely enlightening experience. @Islam Soliman 🙏🏽 - can’t wait to get on a heavyweight LWB drive with you soon.

Dear @Rouaj. Please go through the trip report on the Absolute NB drive you joined last weekend friday. It is important you keep checking the drive threads you join We have a sequential promotion for members from NB to Fewbie and so on. Right now you are a newbie as you have successfully completed Absolute NB and you are allowed to join newbie drives. If you feel you have the experience to get to fewbie level, do a self declaration for getting yourself promoted.

I didnt know that, however I choose fewbie is it possible?

That's a funny story: As a European (who had never seen an FJ Cruiser), i moved to Saudi Arabia in 2012 and found this wonderful blue FJ which was an American Import with a bit of miles on it, but zero offroading history. On the first weekend i took it into some sandy area (not really dunes) and though i was deflated, the car got stuck in minutes. Soon, some locals approached me and tried to get the car out (blip blip was unknown to me back then..) And suddenly one of the locals got inside the car and asked "where is the 4H lever" to which i had to admit this car did not had it and i assumed this was because the FJ was permanent 4x4. Long story short: my nice Blue FJ was a 4x2 model (yes not a 4x4). 😅 Kept it anyways as during that time i was not in a club and only went camping and BBQ ing with friends on nearby flat areas with gentle dunes, so with some deflation i could manage. Sold it in 2014 as i moved back to Europe for a year, and only came back to Middle East in end of 2015 and bought my little Pajero in 2017 here in Dubai.

Congrats @Prakash Anoop

Congratulations @Prakash Anoop!

Congratulations @Prakash Anoop

Thanks @Frederic.

I get my insurance the same day I inspect the car in the RTA and in the same office, so I haven't have any issue with that.

Thanks @Ale Vallecchi for the great drive and report. Couldnt continue due to some other commitments, but enjoyed the picturesque and scenic areas we crossed and the ridges we rode...smoothly flowing through , although i had done the same area on our previous ride. But ..isnt "defection" too strong a word for a poor guy succumbing to familial pressures , and going for some mall crawling ?? 😂 Looking forward to the next adventure!!

@Looperand @Rawadyou've been added. RSVP is now closed.

@Chaitanya D Confirmed. Thanks for adding me 🙂

Congratulations @Prakash Anoop

@Islam Solimancan we know the meeting point please.

Yes I am in. Thanks a lot @Chaitanya D

Hi @Prakash Anoop congratulations

@Islam Soliman can u pls add me to WL

Hi, can you please add me to the waiting list

No doubt a fixed mount will be long lasting and bear the brunt of off roading, especially with a heavier flag pole. One should always tighten the pole with a spanner or wrench, hand tightened poles (especially for the heavy AOR)tend to loosen on the drives which will damage the threads @M.Seidamhas used the sticky whimps for quite a long time on all levels .

Have to concur with @Foxtrot Oscar. I've been using the 9 foot plexiglass AOR flag with the single suction cup. While the fit of the cup is solid as long you provide a clean flat surface, after 20 drives, the threads on the suction cup have worn out from the weight of the flag causing stress at the joint. I've since moved to a fixed mount with a quick release 3-way split flag.

I beg to differ, I don’t know how many AOR flags and suction cups I lost coming through the ranks I personally think the AOR flagpole is too heavy for the suction cup . the flag always starts to slip , even at newbie level I had sticky whips too….also a pain in the derrière 🤣

Have been looking for this option....best input I could get is to get it screen printed ..not really convinced if it will stand the time.

I am using this one for almost a year now , super light , easy to handle , no issues ( stick on clean glass and pull )

@Mark DolmanI used the AOR suction cup initially but it pretty quickly drove me crazy with how often it would slip and I even had one snap altogether (which they did replace FOC to be fair). Eventually I went with the plate Alex mentions above on the rear corner of the truck bed and it’s perfect. Just remember to keep all of the bolts that come with the flag when you purchase it as you’ll need those.

Hi @Mark Dolman You can get a AOR suction cup with a flag, which is pretty sturdy till IM drive when it tends to fall off . Another light weight and good option is a sticky whimps off road flag, comes with double suction cups and light weight flag that holds well. Both don't need any mounts , and come with their suction cups. Friends @Alex Raptor , @Russ, @Dodi Syahdar who drive a raptor, could help in guiding you with regards to flag mounts for raptor

Not really related.. Do we have a way to order our 'own' flag? I am looking for a while an Italian flag 🇮🇹 but not able to find one

Drive Brief Get ready to explore low level star shaped dunes in the glorious red sands of Tawi Nizwa. These wonderful dunes offer the opportunity to practice some more advanced off road driving skills and perhaps some steep climbs. It is the perfect training ground for mightier dunes that lie just across the road. General Info This drive is organized in full compliance with the COVID19 guidelines. We expect every member that joins this drive to read the below information and strictly follow the guidelines in order not to jeopardize anyone's health, and to ensure safety on drives. MUST READ AND TOTALLY AGREE: COVID19 Precautions Ban from Carnity Off-road Club Two Way Radio Guidelines Drive Details Level: Newbie and Above (All Levels) When: 30th October 2021, Saturday Meeting time: 03:00 pm (SHARP - Without any exceptions) Meeting Point: https://goo.gl/maps/hJyBe99yh1Lsfy6F7 Type of Car: Any proper 4x4 with front and back tow hooks and 8-10 inches of ground clearance. What to bring along: Loads of water, snacks (for yourself), smiles, face mask, rubber gloves, enthusiasm, willingness to learn and your own compressor for tire inflation. Approximate finish time: 6:30 PM Limited Spots Available: Limited to 12 cars only. RSVP will close on Thursday - 9 AM. If the RSVP is full and you wish to join, please mention your name on the drive thread to add on the waiting list. Latecomers will be returned back - without ANY EXCEPTIONS. Members without RSVP will be returned back - without ANY EXCEPTIONS. Please withdraw your RSVP, if you aren't joining, so your spot can be taken by others. Repeated no-show members after RSVP will have their account suspended for a month. PLEASE RSVP ON THE BELOW CALENDAR EVENT

Congratulations @Prakash Anoop 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

Confirmed 👍🏼

Thank you for the honor @Ale Vallecchi. I only followed you.

Exploration Drive from Al Ghail to Al Zubair - RAK to Sharjah Report "If you find all your roads and paths blocked, He will show you a secret way that no one knows" - Rumi Since the start of this drive we have been finding our path blocked: first the very access from our meeting point to the entry along the pylon track, secondly a brand new road being build in the middle of the first sabkha, then several fences blocking our way through the second segment of the drive, between Biyatah and the planned exit point. Nonetheless, we always found a way around, and endured, what turned out to be the longest drive, in terms of overall duration: 5:38 hours, from 6:41AM to well past Noon. A good deal of time, in truth, was spent while assisting @Rawad's car, in the attempt to fix its 4WD, blocked in the 4L gear it had used to get itself off a crest. Somehow a cable had gotten damaged, and in spite of @Rob H's best efforts, it was impossible to make the car get back into normal driving mode. Recovery was eventually called, and Rawad managed to reach safely first the garage then home. Profuse thanks go to Rob, who always comes through as a magician, whenever a mechanical problem arises. Your help has been invaluable. The drive saw a couple more defections along the way, with @Jorge Stepniak Felippe having to exit early (at the same location as Rawad) due to his passengers not feeling well, and @Sunil Mathew who did complete the first segment of the drive (still quite a long one, lasting for the first 4:20 hours overall), but had to leave due to time constraints. The first section of the drive, as someone mentioned, offered us the possibility to cross what appeared to be different continents: African bushy savannahs, Australian rugged Outback, and Emirati's sand deserts. The main feature of this first part was the serial ridge-riding of the longitudinal dune field just north of Al Ghail, where we ploughed our way through the soft tops, mostly in a north to south direction, and zipped back up the narrow sabkhas in between the cordons, to reach the next ridge, and repeat this simple but fun drive plan. Having exhausted this area's possibilities, we entered the low plateau that separates this mostly flat region from the village of Biyatah: this is an area of massive red colored slip-faces, kissing the white sabkhas and yellow longitudinal dunes to the east, where animal farms and local's tracks separate the plateau from the first foothills of the Ajar Mountains. The driving here is mostly technical. Truth be told, we had to take as many open tracks as possible, in order to make up for the time spent early on in the drive. Upon reaching Biyatah, we crossed E55 through an underpass, and entered the drive's second segment. A rugged plateau of soft round shaped dunes and some fun riding longitudinal dunes, dotted with ghaf trees gathered in small shady forests, with occasional farms popping out on the horizon. The first part of this section was the most fun. The second half of the itinerary turned out to be interrupted by new and less recent fences (all unmarked), which blocked our passage toward the last field of longitudinal dunes that I had planned to cross. We had to manage the drive as best as we could, across a very mixed terrain, with quite a lot of vegetation (actually making for great camping places) and some soft sandy dunes. Fortunately we found a way to reach the planned exit point, on the road between Bataeh and Al Zubair. We concluded the day with 3:34 hours of moving drive (put of the total of 5:38 hours), covering 82.4 Km, at an average moving speed of 23Km/h. Great thanks go to @Thomas Varghese for his precise Second Lead, to @GauravSoni for anchoring the convoy (and assisting Rob H in the mechanical work), and to @Mario Cornejo for taking up the Sweep position after Jorge's exit. Very well driven all other members: @Sunil Mathew, @Rawad, @Jorge Stepniak Felippe, @Looper, @JeromeFJ, @Russ and @rob, hoping you found the exploration satisfying, if not entirely relaxing 😅. Looking forward to seeing you all again. Have a great week ahead.

Charlie - thanks for that. At the moment we have space on the Absolute Newbie drive.

Hi @ayra Shihab, I see that you have no prior experience with Carinty, hence you will need to join the Absolute Newbie drive on Friday morning, if you have prior off experience you can declare to the drive lead during the briefing. The drive on this Friday seems to be full, but leave your comment in the post, and drive lead may still include you if there are drop-outs

Congratulations @Prakash Anoop 👍🏼

Congrats @Prakash Anoop

Congratulations @Prakash Anoop

Rear tow points replaced now