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Trip report - woke up to a beautiful Friday morning full of anticipation and nervous energy. The only thing to calm my nerves was that either @Frederic or @Srikumar will be by my side. Reached the meeting point to see the petrol station full. After a few minutes we were asked by the attendant to move out which we did. Within a few minutes we had reached the deflation point and filled in place. Everybody was patient during the briefing and seems like they picked up all points as we hardly had any refusals and no stucks. After the deflation @Srikumar had the convoy numbering ready. As we took off with some easy track and slowly build up the difficulty level. It was easy for me to up the level as everyone was applying what was discussed during the briefing. There was a little drizzle which refreshed everyone. We came across Our play area and decided to stop for 10 - 15 minutes, but having fun didn't realize how quickly time flew. Our break towards the end was blessed with so many good food, drinks and refreshment we were spoilt for choice. We also reviewed and tried to recap and understand how we applied the briefing to pur advantage during the drive. With prayer time close we had to pack up and headed to the petrol station. A lovely drive with lovely people, looking forward to many more with you all.

@Pickey Singh you are a lovely person with a pure heart. I tried my level best to save you by using scare techniques. But you had set your mind and ignored all my warnings. Check with your doctor I'm sure he'll confirm that the sand bug has bitten you. You're officially addicted to sand driving.

After last week's drive in the fabulous white sand of Faqa, its time to change the terrain a bit and move to the famous red sands of Bidayer. This drive is for Fewbies and above. Expect plenty of side sloping, criss crossing and ridge riding in some of the most amazing dunes that this terrain has to offer. When: 31 Jan 2020 Meeting time: 6:45 AM sharp, convoy will move at 7:00 AM Where: Bidayer Shops GPS Coordinates: https://goo.gl/maps/Nb2AP376K1BRFrK28 Level: Fewbie and above Type of Car: Any proper 4x4 with front and back tow hooks and 10 inches of ground clearance. What to bring along: Snacks - whatever you like with little extra to share -, water, liquids, smiles, stories, enthusiasm and willingness to learn. Approximate finish time: 12:00 PM Please RSVP the below calendar event.

Nostalgic moments/ memories of yesterday's "Newbee" drive ... thoroughly enjoyed 😊 A "Special Thanks" going out to Rahimdad/ Sri to have comforted us like children ... it boosted my confidence. Indeed looking forward to more such enjoyable moments with a lovely set of "extended family" members. "Hip hip hurray" ... to the organizers - keep up the GOOD WORK !!! Cheers, Warm Regards !!!

Too bad I missed this one, due to a bad day start. Looking fwd to see you and all new faces soon next week. Actual fun just starts with newbie drives and more you hang out more fun you gonna sign up for. Life is too boring for tarmac for 7 days, half a day off-roading should be under every doctor's prescription.

HaHaHa !!! Rahim bhai, doctor will take a lot of time to diagnose the "sand bug" but I accept it deep down ... through & through - an "Outdoor" guy. 🙏 Thanx for your compliments ... will retain it !!!

We have these days where we seem to have most brilliant and funny ideas in the shower, either related to life, love, cars, or anything that comes into your mind at the time and that you probably wanted to note down. "Shower Thoughts" are very popular on reddit.com and i feel Carnity should not stay behind. So let's share them and have some fun with it ! I'll hit off with those: * A ton of cars is actually less than half of a car.... * The more serious a relationship gets, the more casual it gets.. * Socks are basically portable carpets... * Somewhere out there is a graphic designer who designs the patterns of bus seats and is proud of his work... * The object of golf is to play the least amount of Golf.

What it would like to be a multi billionaire. You buy a few houses you like, all the cars you like l, clothes watches phones etc etc and then buy your family the same then your friends. But then what do you do. You don't really have to work anymore and you don't have to worry about money anymore. Then what do you do? You've all the toys you wanted to and played with them as much as you wanted to. I would get bored of being so rich. And then I understand why people like bill gates live so simply and donate so much money because if you hear anyone rich and who is a decent person they say the biggest satisfaction comes from giving back to the community and the people. At the same time I also understand all the crazy shit some people do. Simply because they are bored and do pretty much anything they like. We think what if I could xyz. They think it but also have the ability to do it. So they do

Upon reaching the meeting point and realizing that @Javier M and @Srikumar are not making it, i realized that I would have to step up to a sweeping role. Although this is not the first time I have sweeped, I knew I would have to be very attentive on this drive. I was anticipating a difficult day ahead since there werent any senior members besides @Frederic who was leading. So as the drive commenced, I rolled up my sleeves(mentally), ready to get down and dirty with rescues, shoveling and basically gearing up to all kinds of recovery methods. But what happened instead was - a very smooth drive whereby the radio was barely used since everyone managed like PROs!! We had 2 pop outs and those were the only occasions where we actually stepped out of the cars and caught up with the other drivers. Kudos and a major shout out to @Frederic who effortlessly, led the convoy, keeping the skills of the drivers in mind, due to which we were able to tackle the trail quite comfortably and I think i speak on behalf of all the drivers. Thank you for the detailed write up as usual @Wrangeld, it is always a pleasure to read trip reports of such fun filled days as you paint a beautiful picture through your words.

Al Qudra Desert is a very good and versatile learning ground for absolute newbies for their first time desert driving thrilling experience. If you have already driven in sand before then you can learn more from experts having decades of offroading experience in the UAE. This area offers a good mix of playable long set of dunes and broad ridge to test your off-road control. Drive will start with detail briefing, followed by 2-3 hours of driving in sand dunes and then break for refreshment over a feedback and assessment session for each offroader. All first timer absolute newbie drivers will receive a detailed briefing before the drive starts to learn the basics of desert driving, techniques and etiquette. They will also receive the safety advise, recovery procedures, best practice and debunking the myth of desert driving. Newbie briefing will end with an individual advice on your 4x4 vehicle gearing, tire pressure, traction control and SRS options to enjoy your first desert drive thoroughly and safely. When: 31 January 2020, Friday Meeting time: 6:45 AM, the convoy will move at sharp 7:00 AM Where: Solar Park, Dubai GPS Coordinate: https://goo.gl/maps/YH1SWQYNFiMjyaPW7 Level: All levels (Absolute Newbie and Newbie). Type of Car: Any proper 4x4 with front and back tow hooks and 10 inches of ground clearance. Plan: Drive, train and enjoy till about 11:30 AM What to bring along: Loads of water, snacks, smiles, stories, enthusiasm and willingness to learn. Approximate finish time: 12:00 PM - (much before Friday prayer) Friday Prayer Mosque: The Endurance Masjid - https://goo.gl/maps/SXmkx2jntnK85DzB7 MUST READ: First off-road drive checklist Off Road Driving - Roles & Responsibilities Off road Driving Etiquette's Off-road Convoy Rules Off roading - Everything you need to know Please RSVP on the below calendar.

This is or someone else who is not yet member. He drives Paj 2010 3.5 Now below are some of issue he faces There is Vibration from back of the car between 80-100 Kms and there is some sort of propeller sound Post 100 to 120 There is no vibration, after 125 and above there is vibration in the steering wheel What can be possible cause ?

Is there an afternoon drive planned? 😇, sweeping at home blablabla, might not catch up the morning drive.... 🙃

Fantastic terrain choice and perfect for anyone interested in learning the basic off-roading skills !

Some tyres are bad right from the start. Have them checked out at a proper tyre shop.

A ton of people is just 10-15 people Why we all pretend to sleep before we sleep

Tyre are new 2019 - Only Six months

Then check the condition of the tyres. Might have developed some uneven surface

both vibration and Noise dies after 100 Kms

Does the sound increase with the speed or does it disappear? If it increases it could be a case of failing bearings or noise from tyre. Swap the tyres with the front and see if the sound from the rear reduces.

It's one of the best place to get freshly baked ideas without any boundaries. And most of them dies as soon as you walk out. I actually wanted to buy huge Petrol tanker once: To use after 20 years, but later realize how ineffective its additive chemicals will be after 20 years of sitting in one place. If you replace Will Smith in "I am legend" plot what will you be doing most of the time when you discover that you are the last men left in your city/country? I started with cars & money, then to drinks & foods but after a minute I realize that I will be done with all these stuff in first 3 days...... then what.....? I will pursue my long lost hobbies - photography, building something special like car or house, shooting aero/gun whatever is available. Build some giant communication device to reach others or help others. If like Airbnb idea renting your car is legal and possible in UAE, will you rent your car to a complete stranger? Me: No.

I enjoyed this too.....

Sorry I missed this trip I had to go to Brazil for work 😫

On Wikiloc you will find many hiking trails in Wadi Sena. I also found a few offroad drive tracks: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1DU0dIVAXZWAc0ELSeBoxKYhwD_DV9Gz0&usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/open?id=1xQ1Zvy1BKJNTDkgfNZfWYwqiB9WW5DNY&usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/open?id=13UGjCLNTEhjareoRr3Smzfg_XzeQQvLf&usp=sharing Note: I have not driven or tried these. Just got them through Wikiloc.

Thanks Gaurav. That is great intel and advice. Appreciate this

I went during summer. But temperature once climb up was pleasant. Lots of wind and beautiful scenery. I think, you can visit place as your convenience. I went there first time and alone. I would recommend to drive carefully and during day time only. Your car with lower gear will be a good advantage while drive downward slope. Its good place for trekking as well.

Go as far or as top as you are comfortable of doing a U turn and come back. Record the track so you can come back safely to tarmac. If any of the vehicle hear the bottom scraping noise, mark that as a limit and find a sweet spot near that area. Rocks and mountains usually mark there strength with rough and narrow path to climb up, if vehicles are stock (not lifted) then you got to take mountain offroad with a pinch of salt. Advice all drivers to hold steering with both hands and thumb position outside the steering wheel. Deflate to 25 PSI to have better traction on loose boulders as 35 PSI will spin tires faster. Carry warm clothing as on mountain it does get 5-10 degrees more cooler than city.

I’ve had the pleasure of helping recovering a V12 AMG wagon last year in my backyard. The guy went into the sand without deflating and as soon as he got himself stuck he starting revving like a maniac and dug himself in, still thinking that he needed more POWER to get himself out. We started shoveling with a few guys and he was just standing there shouting « how can a G Wagon get stuck.... do you know how much I paid for this car »!?! pic below is from a Gulf News Fun drive where I got a déjà vue feeling when seeing it 😄

Thanks Gaurav. Greatly appreciate. will definitely post the experience. Once I get on the off road track., how far do I need to go in order to find a decent spot to camp? As i mentioned above we do not want to go too deep or high as of now.

You can do off-roading here through out the year. When summer kicks in June - Sep/Oct we switch to night drives and they are equally fun, exciting and relaxing to break from hectic schedule. Same goes for camping too, that nights are quite cooler in desert that you can easily plan bbq and camping session. Do share your wadi sena experience and feedback, whenever you make it.

Thanks Chirag and Gaurav. The time is short to do a recce now but that you for your offer. Will take this up in our future trips. But will be guided by your advice. There will be 2-3 cars but none of us are very experienced off roads to we do not plan to go very high up just heat so will cam closer to the base. Any ideas on that? Also.. can I do camping and off-roading till April? Does the weather permit?

I'm actually game to do a recce trip, as its been long time we have done mountain drive here. @Asoke Sen if you want to go before your planned date, just to explore the area and see if it fits your camping criteria, I can accompany you. Thanks @Chirag S. for the heads up and finding this place.

The first time I actually saw a BMW X5 was in the sand behind big red accompanied by a similarly new for that time G wagon. In another defunct club one of the members ride was a G and he went every with it and no I'm not talking about Big T although he also had one.

Hello Ashok, Sorry for late reply. Google map will take you till the bottom of the Wadi Sena. Once you will reach there, you may not find any indicator for Wadi Sena. It's better to approach local resident for starting point just nearby google point. I hope you went to wadi's before. Since, it’s not all tarmac may require typical off road experience at the time of climb and back. You should have good engine to support you especially while coming back. Pl avoid to drive in early morning or evening. It is very beautiful point once reach and this is best time as well. No washroom, groceries, basic amenities once reach top. Pl bring water, food etc. Once reach, very beautiful Mother Nature throughout drive till Wadi Seder. if you want, any further details, pl let me know.

Fun. Reminds me of hours spent mud plugging in the UK. It's very different to sand, and the tress are a real hazard to the bodywork - with a $180k car I am not surprised he used spotters to make sure that the car did not get damaged. I am interested to know if anyone has actually ever taken a relatively new G-Wagon off road here in the UAE (I am sure that they do, but in my short experience I never saw one yet!) I learned my off roading in a SJ413 - probably one of the most capable (and under-rated) off road vehicles ever to hit the hills so seeing the Jimny reminded me of the fun I used to have in them. And the CarWow guy - he does a few Car Shows includng one where we has '7 days' to find a client their dream car within a budget.

Hello Chirag, Hope you are well. Since you have been to Wadi Sena, would greatly appreciate your suggestions. We are planning to go here for a day long camping. The Google Map location takes me to a small settlement with few houses around. Is there any place which is more secluded The below pic is what I see as per google maps. Anything else we need to be careful of? Thanks so much

This carwow dude is going to squeeze as much YouTube content out of the G wagon as he can to pay for it from YouTube videos.

This is true for many small / light aircraft.

Friday started with the confusion of @Frederic speeding by us on the A66 as we made our way to the meeting point. As he was supposed to be on the way to Fossil Rock to meet @Rahimdad and @Gaurav there was a moment of doubt that we were going the right way. One thing learned about @Frederic during the rest of our day was that he rarely goes the wrong way geographically or in the excellent leadership of the drive. @Srikumar, you were missed as much as you, potentially missed the chance to stretch your legs ... we trust the Newbies apprecaited your presence as a result. Each drive it becomes clearer and clearer that this game is all about learning, trust, teamwork and of course having fun. Maybe this is set in stone somewhere in the Carnity Lexicon, however, as a relative newcomer to the 4x4 world I hope what is shared in these words is of value to anyone new to the 'sport'. Bide your time, learn your skills, understand as much as you can about the sand, your vehicle and your driving style. For sure, it's not my role to repeat the content of the excellent trip report that has been posted. @Ale Vallecchi has aready shared what was for a number of us one of the true highlights of the day - myself and @Jeepie were giddy with excitement at seeing those majestic Oryx, so what does this Fewbie have to offer? There's no question, conditions will not be as benign as this every week. As a result, almost without exception, when we got into trouble, putting lessons learned in earlier drives meant that refusals were few, and swiftly dealt with. @Xaf drove with a restraint that allowed the rest of us to plough through, apologies @Adam Marston if a few tracks were left a little 'dirty' ahead of you 🙄. Drives like yesterday are the perfect chance for all of us to put what we know into practice, test the limits a little and not worry that we might be holding up more experienced drivers. Driving on the seat of your pants (just noticing what a strange turn of phrase that is!!) is fantastic, and fun and exhilarating and everything that we might actually seek as thrill seekers and adrenalin junkies (let's be honest, if this was not part of the attraction, we would be staying at home) but if you're on the edge of your capabilities all the time you tend to learn bad habits. Our incredible team of senior drivers give up their time and experience to help us an guide us to that place where we can enjoy the 'game' AND get home safely, which is why the sort of drive we enjoyed yesterday is so incredibly important. Don't get me wrong: we crested as many dunes, cross axeled and side sloped just as much as any Fewbie drive would warrant, just a little more controlled and considered than before. We had time to line up the shot, to aim for the pocket (or more accurately to avoid it), choose our shot. Perhaps that's a feature of having just that little bit more experience and the accumulated experience makes it all feel just a little bit easier, perhaps not. We all learn at different speeds, so it's impossible to say. From my perspective we all learned something in the drive but more about the style of driving and how it impacts on the challenge than through the extreme challenges (although I hope we can post the video of seeing @Tbone come down the vertical slope face of the vertical descent to reassure that @Frederic has balls of steel - after all, he did it on virgin sand! We do, indeed, all have to thank @tjsingh for his perfectly balanced pop outs (one on each side) so we could learn exactly how to handle this because it was the most complex recovery ... @Shamil gave us a chance to see Kinetic ropes in action as well toward the end of the drive (but he cannot be criticised for that in any way as he was just getting back to the group having sorted out pop out number 2 and we were on the way out of the dunes! Knowing @Shamil has your back and is sweeing up the drive gives you a lot of confidence you'll never be left behind. Carnity, you did it again. The values of the club are so deeply embedded in how these events are managed. Please let us know how we can pay this forward.

AFAIK and this is all theoretical knowledge as I've never been in the pilots chair even on one of those full fledged simulators ( would love to though) some aircraft will almost rotate on their own and have a hard time keeping their nose down one they reach V1. Some even have to keep the yoke pushed forward a bit while on take off roll to keep it planted until the right time.

Thank you guys for everyone who made today pleasant, incident free 🙏

The important thing is to get the nose gear off the ground successfully. The rest of the aircraft follows automatically. That's the theory at least, but as I was building hours learning to fly real aircraft, it soon became clear that if you screw up while getting the nose into the air, the rest of the aircraft tends to follow the nose gear into the ground. Funny thing though, the more experience I gained, the more attention I paid to keeping the noise pointing upward during departures- just to keep the rest of the aircraft following the nose downward.

@Nitin Mohan lovely pics. All new members please note we have a sperate gallery for each drive to upload drive pictures. https://carnity.com/gallery

Thanks a lot Sri and Rahim bhai for a well spent Friday morning. Attached some pics I managed to take. Nitin.

hi Everyone it was an enjoyable day meeting you all. Please do upload /share your pictures in the gallery if you haven't done so already. Thankyou Srikumar and Rahimbhai for the impeccable leadership. Cheers Adel (vehicle :h3)

Yeah, I try to be as reaslitic in my armchair piloting as I can while flying my 777-800ER ( in my flight sim of course ) Another thing I failed to mention is wake turbulence specially of the heavies so speration is critical. btw any good (free) source of latest airport charts with SIDS and STARS specially for OMDB and also a detailed tutorial of how to program the 777 FMC I think I've got the grasp of pretty much 80% of it. I can program the route, set performance, Vref speeds, Des forecast, takeoff performance etc etc but there are still many thing I don't understand and the manual that came with it isn't detailed enough.

Hi I Have lexux LX470 Yes tow points are looks good No I don't have any previous experience.

I have just got an urgent meeting at 11 am on this Friday - so I won’t be able to join this Friday - will miss the amazing weather and the drive with all of u guys