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Thank you all for joining @Deepak Eswar@Shiju Raju@Srilakshman Karthikeyan@Issam Atra@Vishnu Ramankutty@DP1011@Abhilash Kottakkal@Faraz94@Shiboo Kr@Haneef Thayyil@DTG@Ben Williams@Anish S @Imteeaz and flying sweep @Hisham Masaad ! We had a great morning, and the weather was actually quite doable (better than expected). I focused a bit more on the technical driving this time as in my opinion this is crucial in becoming a good all-round off-roader. Apart from the few refusals and couple of stucks which are totally normal, we covered good ground and various terrain. We practiced lots of straight crests, tight corners, and some basic side sloping. You guys did great ! I was delighted with the great support of @Imteeaz, @DP1011, @Anish S,and @Hisham Masaadwhich makes these kinds of drives really enjoyable and whatever challenge we faced, was quickly sorted with a smile. My initial plan was to drive towards Murquab, but considering the timing and the various areas that were scattered with bushes, i decided against it and looped back towards the Love Lakes entry track, where we exited. See you guys soon in the sand again !

Thank you @Frederic. It was such an amazing drive, a number of deep drops, a number of manoeuvres, a number of straight crests, everything was beautiful and a great learning experience. As always, @DP1011was very supportive alongside @Hisham Masaadcoming out of nowhere and always on the lookout 👀😅 Thanks for the lead @Imteeaz, it was truly enjoyable to follow you and trying to keep up Pace 😀 Last but not the least, thanks for the tuck and being supportive @Anish S♥️ see you all soon, in the dunes 😎

Thanks @Frederic. Truly, that was a wonderful drive. Every drive with @Carnity is a new learning experience and an opportunity to understand my vehicle more closely. Big high-five ✋ to @Hisham Masaad @Imteeaz @DP1011 @Anish S for your extended support and assistance .

Thank you @Frederic and the great team for the wonderful experience, it was amazing. 🤗

Great drive led by @Looper, you drive quite differently when you are leading, pretty much a different person in the same yellow looper jeep, and an impressive 25km/r of 80km route, consists of different terrains, But I must say it is never easy to catch up with a SWB car with 2850mm WB Pathfinder😶. Good work! @Theo09 this is definitely not a standard FB drive but you coped with it very well. I was concerned that you may tackle some part of the drive too rough, being a first time FB with faster pace, But you handled it exceptionally well, never fought gravity yet had no refusal except a popout that was partially due to the low profile tire. You should take a look at the jacks and jacking points of your vehicle, 18inch rims have higher possibility of pop out but the possibility can be lowered with skills. @Fabien Monleau Thanks a lot for managing the centre and rescuing me with your magical winch, it worked just like a charm! @Juan R Pleasure meeting you for the first time and thank you for the perfect sweep. Had 2 occassions that the airbag jack was used, it works just fine, except it is as heavy as a spare!💣

@Frederic @Hisham Masaad @DP1011 @Imteeaz @Anish Sthank you very much for your guidance and support...the drive was great....and sorry for the flag again. I will find a solution before the next ride...looking forward for the next one...

@Looper WOW WOW!!! What an introduction to the Fewbie level it was!!! Was that a classical Fewbie drive? Action from the 1st dune to the last dune - absolutely no time to even blink my eyes! Definitely a step up from the newbie level, enjoyed the faster and smoother flow/ pace of the convoy..., refusals, pop outs and other issues are quickly dealt with... and the radio communication from everyone was 1st class - clear and precise - like A380 Pilots! Just when I though the drive was over as we quickly cruised over the open plain, you pulled a magical surprise - I wont forget "Little Sweiham" for a long time... hell man that was insane - well at least for me! How did I... ...we get through that??? What did I take from the drive: I lost the track 1 or 2 time on the side slopes - and quickly remembered not to fight gravity as this was embedded in my mind from all the previous pre-drive briefings. I steered down regained my momentum and just came back up to regain my position! Thanks to @Rk ram for giving me the space to do this! @Chaearly in the drive made a very important comment to follow the track exactly as we passed through a challenging area, it stuck with me for the rest of the drive - which served me well! (for future drives also). Really had to concentrate to make sure I kept up with the pace... and not allow the convey to stretch-out (one of my weaknesses...). OK, let the week begin...!!!

Congratulations @Mark B 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 Fewbie Plus drives are required within last 6 months for Intermediate promotion. 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

Congratulations @FERNANDO SYRIO for reaching the Fewbie Plus 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 PLUS Drives Attended (Indicative) Minimum 10 Fewbie drives are required within last 6 months for Fewbie Plus promotion. What you'll learn Advance dune and sand reading Advance recovery techniques Rocking and crawling to make path Learn to flatten/compact soft sand patch Self recovery from crest Advance side sloping and long hill climb Advance ridge riding and criss crossing Advance control over technical dunes Slightly faster pace desert driving FULLY control and avoid fishtailing Never fight or challenge gravity Skills required Enthusiastic and positive attitude Willingness to learn and help others Extremely attentive and focused while driving Car Worthiness Any 4x4 vehicle with low range gearing Suitable approach and departure angle Bash plate and skid plate protected 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, Fewbie and Fewbie Plus drives Forum participation Active participation on the forum Share drive experience + feedback Share drive pictures in the gallery Post trip report after the drive

I'm back mate! Hope to see you soon!

Thanks Davie 😬😬😬 Thank you mate looking forward to it 😎😎 Nice one mate, yes definitely looking forward to it

Congrats Fernando!!! Well done! See u at the next drive!

Great drive @M.Seidam it was amazing how fluid we got as a convoy; once in the technical terrain, the dunes matched perfectly entering into long range dunes. Easily one of the better night drives I’ve been on and I’ll look forward to the next great to catch up with everyone @Joji varghese@Sunil Mathew @Senthil Kumar and @Rajiv Sam

Excellent drive doc @M.Seidam, really enjoyed the fast pace, the bowls, innumerable criss cross/ switches and climbs… the technical area was also pretty intense , More so for me and my car, trying to save my bumpers and fuel tank guard 😀 ( lost one during a previous tech drive, going over a bush sand mound !!) … Great to reconnect again with all fellow drivers, and to engage in post drive chit chat @Joji varghese @Benjamin @Senthil Kumar and @Rajiv Sam

Thanks @Looperfor organizing the drive and for taking the decision to extend the drive a bit through Little Sweihan. It was rewarding to see the smooth sand after quite a bit of vegetation. @Cha@Fabien Monleau, than-you for the support and good to meet you for both for first time. Un plaisir de te connaître

Drive Report Highlights : 1. After the sudden heavy rain and hail in the afternoon I expected to face ponds at the side of the road and to drive on soaked sand . However that was not the case at all and to the contrary it seems that the heat evaporated every drop. 2. The meeting : by 8:45 pm every one was ready for the “reverse drive “ looking forward to break though the darkness safely. 3. The route : west to big red we headed straight north east and it didn’t take us long to realise the consistency of the sand soft like how we wanted it to be. Turning south now to ascend gradually climbing big red from its northern side and negotiating its nasty bowls at top descending its south side and back north and east in multiple loops.once on the eastern flat side we entered the “ dark side of the moon “ to drive technical and super technical far east and then back toward the midway between the 🐊rock and big red to attack the slip faces now in in and out bowling with switching in pretty fast pace till we we reached pink rock climbing it from behind ( not the usual way we do ) . From there descending the ramp that we always used to ascend it . Once down we boosted the drive continuously till back to big red for a final attack before the exit. 4. No ropes , no shovels . Just couple refusals which was self recovered amazingly . 5. The convoy : super amazing adhering to the rules of desert night drives and always safe. 6. The Drivers : Honestly I have to say every one did more than great and many times the radio was silent as every one was in max focus especially in the super fast boosts . Big thanks to @Joji varghese as the perfect second lead . Same goes to @Benjamin for his coordination and excellent clear communication as always . Also lot of thanks for @Rajiv Sam the “ lone wolf “ at the back keeping a vigilant eye on the pack . Also It was great pleasure driving with @Senthil Kumar and @Sunil Mathew who joined us at the last moment. I enjoyed this drive and it was one of my best night drives so far . Thank you all again and wish you pleasant week ahead Cheers Seidam

I'm seeking expert advice on enhancing my off road driving experience. Currently, I own a 2023 Fortuner and have been participating in newbie drives with Carnity. While I find these experiences enjoyable, I personally believes there may be some adjustments necessary to enhance the convenience and elevate my performance for upcoming advanced drives. Currently I’m always worried on descending hills because of the ground clearance. Here's a list of basic alterations which comes on my mind, though I'm unsure of their importance: Skid Plate Lift kit for improved ground clearance Furthermore, I'm concerned about the impact these changes might have on my showroom warranty. I've only had the vehicle for four months. If I had discovered this off-road driving pleasure earlier, I would have chosen a more capable 4X4 vehicle with superior ground clearance from the outset.

Thanks @Looperfor all patience and advices.

Hey @Vishnu Ramankutty You’ve brought up a good topic here, and my reply below is based on other new model fortuners I’ve seen performing in the desert. The NO1 weak point on these cars is the massive front bumper, similar to the Montero Sport. And it will be the first part that receives damage eventually. Adding a front bash plate underneath the stock bumper will help but won’t give you a permanent solution. That brings us to the following options: 1) Replacing the front bumper with different design bumper. This is a possibility but not cheap. 2) Lift kit. Will give you a bit more extra clearance which will help saving the stock bumper. You can combine this with a bash plate. 3) Trimming stock bumper. Is possible on the Montero Sport, see @Abhilash Kottakkalhis mod. Not sure if same works on your car. I would advise you to approach a couple of shops (can’t name them here but you can ask other off-roaders on your drive) and check with them what your options are.

Congratulations @FERNANDO SYRIO well done!

Congrats @Mark B.. see you soon in the new level!

@Mark D - So finally the raptor is back into action ! Good to see you Mark and catch up sooon in one of the drives !

Thank you so much @Gaurav and @Davie Chase. Very happy to notice how much I’m learning with all of you.

Congrats @FERNANDO SYRIO enjoy the pace and new rank

Please listen to @Davie Chase how guiding the FJC getting out of his sideway stuck . Brilliant

While I planned for a bit more long-range dunes, it turned out to be mostly a technical drive. Having said that it is impressive to note that we drove about 82km at 25.5 kmph moving speed. I must say the end few min was the highlight of the drive when I pushed the limits in the Little Sweihan area and just kept quiet because I knew better not to jinx the concentration of the team. When I thought that the convoy was out, I opened my mouth to express my astonishment at what the convoy did. Alas it was a dune too soon and we had a couple of refusals. We did only half the planned track as you can see below but I am glad we still did it because i was in two minds and was actively considering going direct towards the exit track. Otherwise, the track was a bit bushier than I remembered from last month and took a bit more time to come out of the greenery. Thanks to @Cha, @Fabien Monleau and @Juan R for managing the convoy. For a first-time Fewbie drive @Theo09 you were exceptional. Also, a big shout out to @Rk ram, @FERNANDO SYRIO, @Saverio Arena & @Cristian for your flawless participation in the drive. A map and few stats from my gps recording:

Thank you @Mark Byes was really great drive, I personally enjoyed, and wish I can another one tomorrow morning. The team was up to the level of the drive, and allowed me yalla push and enjoy. Nothing could be better than a great SL @Waqas Parvez, @DP1011 holding and connecting in the centre, and @Gary F watching our back, and strong convoy @Mohit Gurnani you did very well, @Bravoecho @Alphin Aloor @Ahmad Nerat @Stumpy Paj @Krishna R did not hear you names, means you did great, and @Jaro Tuzinsky nice to meet you after long time, and nice to see you looking for the high dunes only to get crested 😂. In summary, drive was good fun and good time. Look forward to see you again in sand. Nice weekend

Thank you everyone! Look forward to fewbie! @Looper see you Saturday for my induction! Thanks to all my newbie leads! @Gaurav @Islam Soliman @Ale Vallecchi @Hisham Masaad @Frederic @Brette @Chaitanya D