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Dear Desert Drivers, Last checks and updates for tomorrow morning. Meeting 6:30 am at https://goo.gl/maps/cV6h7wBMa7DobRVE9 The convoy order will be We will use radio Channel 4 There is rain tonight in the North of the Emirates, but it looks like it will avoid the area of the drive. Probably the only consequence for us will be a cooler weather, but I will keep watching. Enjoy the evening, take as much sleep as you can, and see you tomorrow morning !

Dear Desertnauts as promised, find below tomorrow's convoy order: @PETELCZYC PAJERO - luke in Second Lead @FERNANDO SYRIO at #3 @Ale at #4 @Maheshwar C.S. #5 @Sammy Six #6 @Theo09 at #7 @Simon D at Center Forward @essam ibrahim at #9 @Misha Puskar #10 @DEEPAK ESWAR at #11 @Ahmad Quadri at #12 @Hashem Rihan #13 @Sebb at #14, and @DP1011 , Deepak wrangler in Sweep. The Carnity Radio Channel will be #3 (446.056). Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow morning at 8:00 AM (please reach a little earlier so we may depart timely).

Dear friends Ron.P @Ron.P Waqar Sarwar @Waqar Sarwar Tom V @Tom V Parliament @Parliament Michael Chattle @Michael Chattle Rk ram @Rk ram DanielN @DanielN Premjit Vappala @Premjit Vappala Andrei S @Andrei S george charbel @george charbel Joji varghese @Joji varghese Gok Krish @Gok Krish Karthik Raptor @Karthik Raptor Kailas @Kailas Note the following Please be on time and bring all your passion for off-roading and a Full fuel tank as much as possible. Deflate your tires to 12 psi for all terrain tires and 15 psi if regular tires Please ensure your programable radio is on, fully charged and set to Channel 1 (446,006). Briefing will be done before we start moving Please ensure everything in the car is tied down and there are no moving objects Please check all car fluids, tow hooks, and ensure no hanging parts below the chassis. please ensure you come with a full tank (as much as possible) in addition to all mandatory gear for this drive level specially your 1. tire deflator, 2. pressure gauge 3. compressor, 4. safety flag and 5. radio. (NO FLAG or RADIO = NO DRIVE) Meeting point is as below at 7.15 PM , 4 by 4 road off Nazwa Road https://goo.gl/maps/NjBkdRiyDXGMhMHR9 For night drive 1. Use high beam and fog lamps - check you aren't glaring others 2. Follow the track taken by car in front exactly 3. If you miss track - Do not venture further on your own Convoy List as below

Fantastic @PETELCZYC PAJERO - luke! Yes I want it! Thank you so much!

@FERNANDO SYRIOI will bring spare flag and suction cup if you need

Dear All, the meeting point is updated Dropped pin https://maps.app.goo.gl/NT8pE1VDfXcTnx328?g_st=ic Please confirm your presence for the drive. @Chris Wing please confirm if would like to join the drive. I can add you as confirmed.

Good morning, I do not have previous experience as a driver but I was on a desert drive with my husband as a passenger several times. I'm done with videos and looking forward to tomorrow!

@GauravSoniconfirmed

Confirmed

Confirmed

@GauravSoni Confirmed

Confirmed, thanks

Dear Desertnauts, due to work commitments, I don't have much time to prepare the briefing. All the more reason to go out there tomorrow afternoon, and let out the pressure. It will be a precision driving adventure, with mostly, if not exclusively, tight technical dunes, all the way around te "Eye of Sauron" (AKA as Dubai's Solar Tower). The new desert landmark will be always lurking from the convoy's right flank, and our goal will be, even more than in previous drives through this treacherous area (i.e. the "infamous" Leaders' Leads, and the Eye of Sauron's inaugural drive last month) to navigate the crests, twisting and turning along their lines, with utmost engine control, limiting the bursts of power perhaps to exiting a few sand bowl. Please note that the meeting point will be around the roundabout midway toward Solar Park from Qudra's gas station. There will be a break in the guard-rail, from which we can access the starting point, just next to the pylon track. The convoy order will be the following: @Fabien Monleau in Second Lead @Mahmoud Taha at #3 @Ali Abas at #4 @Pacific at Center @Senthil Kumar at #6 @Chris Wing at #7, and @Rob S in Sweep. The radio channel will be chosen on the spot. Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow. Have a great evening.

@FERNANDO SYRIOno worries see you tomorrow 👍

Confirmed...!

confirmed

@GauravSoni confirmed

Thank you @Mike M., it has been a while indeed. I hope your hand is not too bad. Hopefully we will have soon another opportunity. @Juan R, noted, thank you for informing. Next time hopefully

@Mike M., you are next in line for the wait list. I can add you if you are still interested. Please confirm

Got it. Many thanks!

Dear Desertnauts, in preparation for Saturday's drive, a few notes to prepare yourselves. First of all, the meeting point will be just off E14, in front of the entrance of the National Guard's barracks, just inside Abu Dhabi territory (hence watch for speed cameras and remember not to exceed the speed limit as I know you would in Dubai). The area is technically still Ghantoot, but you will reach the meeting point driving in the direction of Al Faqa, hence away from Ghantoot. Just follow the Google Maps or Waze directions, and you should have no issues finding it. The terrain, as described in the drive's announcement, is made of low dunes, many of them long range, with firm sand (most of the time), and presents various highlights, such as palm groves, clay rock formations, and possibly oryx herds. We'll drive around the dunes, make sure we know how to cross them straight on, possibly do some riding on flat top ridges, and perhaps practice some more advanced skills, based on the convoy's response. I will give a detailed technical briefing about all the necessary skills and security provisions just after the start of the drive, so all members, including Absolute Newbies will feel comfortable. I will issue the convoy order tomorrow, just before the drive, after I evaluate a couple of possibilities, based on drivers' experience and type of car. The radio channel will also be announced tomorrow. In the meantime, have a great end of the week.

Noted @Stan, thank you @Ahmed Wagdy, you are next in line. Are you still available and interested ?

Hi @JeromeFJ, yes I am available and interested. Thank you very much

Hi @JeromeFJcan’t make it at this point. Looking forward to joining next week. Have a nice drive

As you can see, we have a long waitlist for the drive on Saturday morning, and unfortunately, I will not be able to accommodate everyone. I will take max 2 cars in addition to the limit (1+10+2). Check your agenda and if you are not sure to attend, please let me know or remove your RSVP, to avoid having empty spot on Saturday morning. So currently @Bashar Beasha @Stumpy Paj @Abdul Basit Khan @Juan R @Joseph Raju @Gary F @Glenn W @Sayed Bilal @Frans M @Ahmad Nerat confirmed attendees. No need to confirm again, just let me know if you cannot make it. @Bravoecho @Stan Waitlist #1 and #2 for a first weekend drive accepted. Please confirm you are still available and interested. Thank you for your understanding

Congratulations @Ignacio Quindóson the promotion.

I remember the time when we were Fewbie drivers @Varun Mehndiratta…. Fortunate ones to have experience it firsthand…. I believe this is one skill that every off-roader needs to master.. as there is no other alternative to the tried and trusted Blip Blip…. @Gaurav

Title of the drive should be - Who dares wins!! as for a session on blip blip all will come out Victorious 👍 Great initiative @GauravSoni and have fun all.

Dear Sand Sailors Thanks for joining in for the drive today. It was a beautiful Sunday morning and your company made it for an Epic drive. I have been planning this route for a long time and as it was supposed to be, needed some really courageous drivers to make it through. Thanks a lot for your energy and patience that kept me going. All (other than @Sayed Bilal) were there at the meeting point well before time and by 7am we were already set to roll. As it turned out, conservation area had built a nest around our planned route and it had eggs so we diverted our track. and after a quick briefing were rolling towards our planned destination. First half of the drive was pure bliss with almost silent radio and whole convoy elegantly tip toeing through vegetation, smoothly sailing through the side slopes and enjoying themselves on long beautiful ridges. Passing by Emperor’s lake and crescent lake, within 1hr 45 min we crossed the mid point with min refusals and believe only stoppage being need to reinflate@Juzer Gandhi Pajero. Very nicely driven Juzer, just a bit more responsive on radio and do get your Tyres checked (and plz spare tyre of same size is mandatory requirement at this level). It was thereon that the real fun started. In endeavor to avoid some vegetation as we entered the tech patch we had our first long stoppage - and out comes @Ahmad Nerat smiling ear to ear, celebrating his first pop out - loved your attitude throughout the drive my friend, you brought in amazing energy to the drive. Thanks to all, we fixed it in no time just to realize that upset from being relinquished from SL position, @Frans M car was up for some revenge time. And what followed next was a continous battle between a few good men and this machine. Ofcourse the battle cry from LC angered other cars as well and we had flurry of stucks and refusals that continued till the end. Ofcourse the courage of Frans couldnt have been shaken and @Karthik Raptor was redefining the term patience at every step. All refusals were handled smoothly and all stucks self recovered using at most shovels. Very well done and thanks for your support Karthik and thanks to @Tharun Kumar V as well for extending his support whenever required. Finally, just 5 min late (than planned), we managed to find our way out Victorious and being the only FB convoy to have completed this route (at least to best of my knowledge over last year or so). Though the terrain appeared easy, the vegetation, soft sand, continous mix of tech and long range ensured it was a test of patience, determination and skill set of each driver - and you all did really well. Ofcourse I didn’t make it any easy by shuffling the convoy order continuously - which again you all handled it really well - minor stucks and refusals are expected with these changes. @Ishak and @Frans M thanks for nicely executing the SL position. @Pranjal Varsani1 @Mark B you both had perfect drives, very well done. @Gary F it was a real Gladiator performance 👍 @Rajat Verma - seems the experience of handling NCR ROADS during your break, kept you in sync with bumpy dunes. Very well driven. @rohit kumar you have come a long way in your handling of this machine since we first met. Really good job. It was surely a thrilling drive - true to the theme, the Cheap part of the title I leave it you all to decide 😀😀. Thanks again for joining in for the drive, hope to see you all sometime soon.

Sorry guys, i won’t be able to join u tomorrow…please remove me from the convoy.. thank you

@GauravSoni apologies for this late notification; due to last minute family commitment, i will need to drop out from this drive. Have lots of fun gents. Cheers

Hi all. I still have not left the office, and won't be able to be in Nazwa by 7.15pm - I work in Abu Dhabi - I have to drop out

@JeromeFJ, I’ve removed myself from the drive earlier this morning. Can’t make it unfortunately. Enjoy and hope to see you on the next one

Thanks for consideration @JeromeFJ but I am opting out from driving this week as I sprained my hand yesterday night. Would love to drive with you soon though as it has been a while! Thanks again

Hi @Chaitanya D, unfortunately gonna withdraw from the drive as I sprained my hand yesterday night and wouldn’t wanna risk it to make it worse. Was looking forward for the night drive. Until the next one…

Unfortunately work commitments came up! Will see you guys on the next drive - Was looking forward to exploring this new location Have fun!

Hello, Thank you for accepting the waitlist request. However, I'd need to drop off unfortunately due to some urgent work. Have a fun drive!

Hi @GauravSoni I am kind of under the weather from yesterday, not taking a risk, so withdrawing. See you on the next one.