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Was it a FB+, perhaps more than that. I remember my first Intermediate drive more than two years ago and looking back now, frankly it might not have been this intense. At that time it was super intense no doubt about it. So in that regard it trumps an IM drive as well. Would I change anything from what we did today for a FB or IM drive? - nah, nada nothing changes. It's just an experience, either we chose to cherish or choose to forget about. I tend to keep it for the record and it was a damn good drive for my 200th entry in to the stats. Technically it is 196th drive per se; as there are 4 "drives" that aren't drives as such we will get to it in a month. I think; I will celebrate 3 years and proper 200 drives together with @Carnity in September this year. Coming back to today's drive in my mind there are 4 parts of the drive. Part one: when we started from our starting point we were supposed to head straight ahead, however looking at many many extra long wheel based cars it was prudent to go 10'o clock from the starting point to find some long range dunes. We did well in the start. While it is bushy as a river bed, yet we did find a lot of long range dunes to navigate and we were able to manage a good pace. As I mentioned at the start of the drive, speed was the objective and whatever we find on the way is a bonus. Few refusals here and there did hamper the flow a bit but we all know it is part of the game - nothing can be done about it. Part two: After our first break we started our second part of the drive and in this part we reached the first Sabkha. Towards the end we were supposed to play on some long range dunes but the gps caused some navigational issues. While we did exactly as I planned back at my home; I was having the issue with Gaia GPS to pin point accurate position. Perhaps the phone was too hot to handle so it was hanging a bit. I was at some level driving in the blind and I faced this issue a couple of more times. Part three: After crossing the first Sabkha it was the first technical area followed by long range dunes in this section. By the time we reached to the long range dunes I was lost, as my gps hanged again. I had basic idea where I was but it would have been much better if I knew where exactly I was as I did not want to deviate much from my planed track. If I had better idea we would have played a bit more there. We in the forth phase of the drive cross the second Sabkah to reach Little Swaihan. there was an unfortunate incident but luckily it was not serious. We did a couple of things in this part; for the first half we drove in some super technical areas and towards the exit I kept to edges of the area to find some lost pace that we were looking for. We finished the drive on the dot 9:30 as planned. Thank you all for joining this drive. Thanks @Jaro Tuzinsky for an excellent second lead and @DP1011 for sweeping the convoy.

“When the going gets tough, the tough keep going”… I think we can split up this drive in two parts . The first part we had a good run and seemed even perhaps to good to be true, with all you guys pushing the throttle superbly and the flow was virtually uninterrupted. Perhaps i became a bit greedy as we were pretty close to the famous chimney aka “The eye of Sauron” and i was imagining a photo shoot with the entire convoy in front of it. Here is where part two started: Sauron fixed it’s gaze on us and started to draw us closer and closer, through portions of extremely soft terrain. We were blinded by its gaze and realized the only way out would be to work as a team and with the team we had today was so helpful through every step and stuck. From @Davie Chasesimultaneously wielding the shovel and winch to warn off Sauron’s attacks, to @Emanuel parking his Pajero a couple of times on a crest with the clear intent of taunting Sauron even more 😜. All kidding aside, I’m glad we made it out with big smiles as this kind of drives don’t happen often but they provide stories to remember, and we have learned not to taunt Sauron, but to steer clear and bow with respect. Brilliant first Fewbie drive for @Abhilash Kottakkal with fantastic attitude and always ready to help out. @Ben Lee, @Cristianwho drove fantastic today and helped out where they could, @PETELCZYC PAJERO - luke and @Emanuelproving that the Pajeros are indestructible in hostile territory, @Adam Jamesand @FERNANDO SYRIO trying to stay afloat on the shifting sands in the back, and @Davie Chaseas my superstar mate to get us all out of this mess. I guess most of us took a nap after reaching home and even after showering there still seems to be sand lodged in awkward places 😂. See you all soon for the next adventure!

Thanks Doc @M.Seidam , the last 1 hour was exhilirating! 👍🏻 Got to test my new skid plate surfing dunes & ripping ridges 😁 There were some sticky situations, but with ideas generation and teamwork we overcame all these obstacles and glad everyone exited safely. @Rizwanm2 was great 2nd lead, amazing that he continued & persevered after the pop-out, managing to catch up the Marshall with just 15psi 👍🏻 @Senthil Kumar great meeting you bro and good driving, hope you get the front hook fixed.

Well, what an excellent adventure. 2hrs 40 of Smooth riding following by a few hours playing in the sand 1-200m from the exit. Lesson learned, never go near that giant solar tower as it is bad luck 🤣 Thanks to everyone for the patience and help digging, winching, snatching. All in all great fun 🙏🙏 Special thanks @Fredericand @Davie Chase for leading us (out!). @Ben Leeand @Emanuelthanks for offering and taking my friend as a passenger for second half. The official count for animals was 8 gazelle and 'like a million' camels. 🐪 Hope to see you all again in the sand soon. 😎👍

Great drive @Looper! Despite some green start you managed to take us to clean dunes in second half of the drive!! CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR 200th! WAS HONOR TO BE PART OF YOUR MILESTONE ACHEIVEMENT! and was pleasure to see all known faces! See you all soon in desert guys🤞!

Dear friends @Rizwanm2 @Senthil Kumar and @Zed Thank you all for joining the drive last night and as a matter of fact it was a different style to cross and navigate three major grids in the dark in a “ straight line “ kind of route except crossing the tarmac and the major play areas at faya and big red which we couldn’t leave them without looping and climbing around them 😄 pretty fast . we had couple of crests and one unusual pop out which took us in total to stop for almost one hour to deal with them. Otherwise it was so enjoyable the drive especially in the big red which became one of my favorite spot recently in the night . We exited on time around 12:33 am with big smiles on the face of all of us. Special mention to @Zed who came all the way from so far to share the passion and also you were our savior recovering me and Rizwan in some tricky crests 🙏 . till we meet once more take care and see you soon in the sand InShaAllah

@Looper yes Buddy it was I remember it well, and today was super soft, but the guys did amazingly well, it was just a great spirit of adventure and patience, could not have asked for a better convoy they were simply the best today.

@Davie Chase and @Frederic , the today’s drive was a true class for me on how to lead a convoy with kindness and patience. I think almost all of us got stuck or refusals at the higher temperature of the day and you were there to support us with NEVER loosing the good sense of humor and always in a positive way. It was an amazing role model and this drive will be recorded in my memory. All my respect and gratitude for you 🙏🙏🙏🙏.

Thank you @Zed for your feedback it’s always a pleasure driving with you always . And yes we crossed the last grid ( pink to red ) in the last hour which was the booster of the night .

Thanks @Frederic and @Davie Chase, was good to see you in action. I have Fred’s words ringing in my ears, ‘if you aren’t getting stuck, you aren’t learning’ well we all had quite the lesson today. See you all on the sand soon.

@Frederic well as Luke and Emmanuel have already stated that was sure an adventure. Going from a free flowing 2.5hr jog in the early morning to a 6.5hr marathon thereafter , but wow what a 6.5hrs. We had some super technical, and extraordinarily soft sand to contend with and everyone to a driver drove exceptionally. We had the lot today, from Multiple stucks at the same time, to much use of the Ruby's winch, some creative rope work and of course the good old shovel was well utilized. Busiest C/F role I think I have had since joining Carnity support team, but man oh man was it fun and I learnt heaps as we had to think on our feet to recover so many cars in so many tricky and soft situations. Everyone ended the drive with a smile on their faces, it was a hard one but was a pleasurable one, look forward to the next adventure and learning experience. The whole convoy showed extraordinary patients today which is commendable and also a trait of a carnity team member so well done to one and all. @Emanuel you did a fantastic job in S/L polishing the lines of our mentor and lead @Frederic always a pleasure to drive with you and your silver Pajero. @Abhilash Kottakkal for your first Fewbie you picked a good one lol and you handled it extremely well so congratulations and weel done. @FERNANDO SYRIO you were brilliant in the sweep giving Fred and me constant feedback on what was happening at the rear and keeping us all together, great driving as well keep it up and look forward to seeing you on an Fewbie plus soon @Ben Lee great driving in tricky conditions don't remember you having any stucks or refusals, well-done mate @Cristian excellent driving too, and good comms on the radio when you had a couple of issues that always helps as it makes the recoveries so much easier great job. @PETELCZYC PAJERO - luke hope your passenger is feeling better and we did not scare her too much fantastic driving and radio comms as always mate so thanks and appreciated the tug when the Ruby sank in during winching operations (of which there were many) so thank you my friend for coming to my rescue. @Adam James well done to you as well, you drove the wheels off of the FJ and taught me something about 8 track that I did not know, love to learn so thanks and great to drive with you. All in all what a way to spend Saturday morning in the sand with likeminded people that work well as a team and turn every situation into a learning experience. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did and have a fantastic rest of your weekend. :):)

Absolutely thoroughly enjoyed this drive. As @PETELCZYC PAJERO - luke mentioned the first part was fast and challenging while the second part was hard work in many other ways. Thanks a mil @Frederic and @Davie Chase and everyone else with stucks and such. Not many Czech's around so it was a pleasure to have Martin on board for a while. Enjoy the rest of the weekend and we'll all sleep well tonight.

Yes, you should definitely turn off the power at the source as a precautionary measure. This provides an additional layer of safety in case any issue arises with the compressor, switch, wiring or any other components.

So I can turn off the power at the source, if I have any problems with the compressor/switch/wiring etc I can turn the power off. I aways try to ensure there is multiple ways to make any powered accessories as safe as possible.

Dear Friends @Zed@Rizwanm2 @Senthil Kumar it seems that we are supershort convoy tonight which makes the mession faster, easier hopefully and flexiable . please be on time at Khatam roundabout meeting as above mentioned . take care and see you tonght inshallah by 8 pm sharp

I couldn't ask for more on my first fewbie drive...that was pure cocktail(still hungover). Seen, been and learned a lot from so many tricky situations, stucks, refusal... @Frederic @Davie Chase thanks for leading us. We salute your efforts.. Thanks everyone for the support, looking forward for the next adventure.. see you all in sand soon...

Congratulations on your 200th drive @Looper. I sincerely enjoyed todays drive as it was a part of the area I have not been before. As for being frantic I can attest to that after going through all my driving records it was the fastest average speed that I’ve recorded over a drive. Bring on a super IM category after todays spirited drive 😁

Some Drive Stats v

Nicw drive today Loopa! Got up to 81km 😂😂😂 good to see everyone out!

missed opportunity for pajeros in 2nd lead and 2nd last next time see u all tomorrow

We request every member that joins this drive to go through the below information and strictly follow these guidelines, etiquettes and responsibilities. MUST READ AND COMPLY Environmental Policy Offroad Flag Guideline Two Way Radio Guideline Off road Driving Etiquette's Emergency details for all off-roaders Off Road Driving - Roles & Responsibilities DRIVE DETAILS Level: Fewbie and above When: 19 Aug 2023, Saturday Meeting time: 5:30 AM - Sharp (Without any exceptions) Meeting Point: https://goo.gl/maps/AnPJify1oMAsW2nu7 Action Plan: Starting in Murquab, making our way South towards Faqa Approximate finish time: 9:00AM 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, enthusiasm and willingness to learn. Recommended off-road gears: Walkie-talkie radio and off-road flag (MANDATORY), plus tire deflator, tire pressure gauge, compressor, walkie-talkie radio, off-road flag, shovel, first-aid kit and fire extinguisher. LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE This drive is limited to 10 cars only. RSVP will close on Friday - 12 PM. If the RSVP is full, you can add your name to the waitlist, once anyone drops, you will be moved to the RSVP list. RSVP will close a day prior to preparing a convoy 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 CALENDAR

The last 200 m is one of the most technical areas in Dubai deserts. I remember our final day on leaders lead @Davie Chase and you led us out. No doubt it took so much time to get out.

Drive Plan Hello and welcome to a new series of a different kind of night drives where our intention is to drive in more or less in a "stright line" from north to south direction. In this first episode the plan is cross three major grids in the deep darkness. the first grid from Khatam to mountain Feya. the second across sweidan till second december cafe and the third across pink rock all the way south to big red where we exit. expect all sort of unseen obstacles ( Black ) confronting us and the game is to overcome it with tight negotiation to maintain the straight line "not widely broken" and here comes the challenge which entails tremendous skill, effort with vegillence and discipline ( Furious ). obviously "the straight line rule" doesnt apply on tarmac crossing and off course in case of emergency exits. Please make sure to check your Vehicle readiness and gear properly from now. till then wish you pleasent week and stay tuned ! MUST READ AND COMPLY Environmental Policy Offroad Flag Guideline Two Way Radio Guideline Off road Driving Etiquette's Emergency details for all off-roaders Off Road Driving - Roles & Responsibilities Drive Details Level: IM and above (all levels) Meeting time: 20:00 Friday (SHARP - Without any exceptions) Meeting Point: https://goo.gl/maps/bTygPuk8fW7VD4ex8 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 and willingness to learn. Approximate finish time: 00:30 Saturday P.S. Only join if you have a compressor to inflate your tires after the drive. LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE: Limited to 10 cars maximum. RSVP will close one day before the event 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. Members that do not confirm the terms of the COVID requirements will be removed from the RSVP list. 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 below calendar

How about the privilege of "Auto RSVP"?? 😈😈😂

I think that the summer crew should be able to RSVP for drives at 6:58pm in winter time 😁

Woohoo 2nd lead

Good morning Guys ! @Emanuel@Abhilash Kottakkal@Ben Lee@MohamedSherif@Davie Chase@Cristian@FERNANDO SYRIO@PETELCZYC PAJERO - luke@Adam James@Joji varghese Please find the planned convoy list here above. We will be using Channel 4- 446.081 Mhz Make sure to bring your offroad gears as per your drive level. See you all tomorrow morning !

I had a look at a 6g74 today and it is possible with 2 custom pulleys, and 2 new belts. The water pump is a 2 belt pulley so you need to make the bit that runs off the crankshaft to be smaller to make the fan spin faster and the bit that runs the steering needs to be bigger to compensate for the extra speed. You will also need a bigger alternator pulley as it also runs from the water pump pulley. AC compressor is fine as it runs on a separate belt and doesn’t route via the water pump. So totally doable if you could be bothered do some math and get a couple of custom pulleys made. Personally, I’d ditch the viscous fan and go electric and free up a few valuable horsepower. If you’re worried about the electric fan failing, you could always go for a dual fan system so even if one breaks you still have that airflow. Electric also gives you the advantage that it can be thermostatically controlled for everyday driving with the option of a switch for constant operation when you’re sending it.

If fan clutch is not engaging when 70% heat gauge rises, that means fan clutch is surely not working. Technically there is no way to 100% test fan clutch getting fully engaged at high temperature, other than this absence of loud gushing noise. So it's time to either change the fan clutch (expensive route), or make it direct (cheaper route) as 9 months out of 12 months are hot in Dubai. Also its your off-road vehicle that will have better engine cooling with loss of 2-5 hp and few ml of extra petrol. Example: full tank mileage of 325 km might become 320 km, if you are keeping a precise log. I'm running direct clutch fan since 5 years and my exhaust makes more noise on road and highway than direct clutch fan. If I have an option to double my clutch fan speed by spending extra money, ill do that too.

@Fredericmy sincere apologies to not to show up today, my alarm went off 😌😌