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Ta-Da!!! Congrats @Thomas Varghese. I'll see you soon with your new and deserved rank. Enjoy it.

Fossil rock at sunset What a lovely afternoon heading directly from work seeking to appreciate the sunset of fossil rock which has a unique view , and definitely not alone but sharing it with you desert wanderers 🌷 In the lead was our flawless lead Dr Chaitanya @Chaitanya D while in the sweep watching our back was brother @Ahab Shamaa and in between a determined convoy which I was impressed generally of its flow and in times I forgot it was a Newbie drive. A later addition to @MUHAMMAD Kashif RAZZAQ made a relatively long convoy more coherent as two central links made the pull forward at ease 😉 not forgetting @topgear who kept vigilance and proper distance as a sec lead 👍 Starting from Our classical shade tree heading east toward the rock looping sometimes and taking turns at play areas . maneuvers set by our lead to insure it’s done in safely manner where safety is of at most priority in this inherently risky leisure sport. I believe that all did good. after that we ascended to the rock and with keeping the precautions in respect every one enjoyed the fascinating sunset after which we headed toward Khetem our exit point and just before getting to the dirt track we got a side way crest of one vehicle that @Ahab Shamaa suggested to use the rope before it becomes pitch black which we totally agreed. In no time was done and we were inflating just before 7 pm where I could imagine finger tips at the screens to hit for RSVP for the next weekend 😄 I wish all of you a pleasant week and thank you all for making this afternoon so lovely like you are always 🌷 take care and see you soon inshallah cheers some pictures in Galary down is a relive and excuse me the last part of the route appears interrupted due to recording pause!!

Dear Desertnauts, as you know by now, I like to alternate different drives, from relaxing (the Newbie ones) to more focused (Fewbie and Intermediates). All of them aim to visit areas which are as "new" as possible to off-roaders (at least from the international community), where it's still possible to find virgin dunes, and a limited number of old tracks. After a few times, even these areas start to look a bit "old" to me: that's when I start to mix things up, pasting a few tracks together, joining dots of two or more previous drives, to stretch the itinerary into a new challenge. This is how this Long Range Patrol drive came to be. A medley of three previous drives: Faqa Arboretum/The Other Side, Little Sweihan, and Ganhtoot Blitz. The philosophy of this drive stems from my old days as a desert guide (a hobby, not a job 😅), when the convoys were driving for days at the time, from place to place, joining dots on the huge map of Northern Africa, doing the best to simultaneously show our visitors all the beautiful sites, and always reaching the next destination in the smoothest and safest way. Hence, this will be a long drive, broken down in 3, or 4 parts (with a short, relaxing break each time), with the goal to find the most direct, yet enjoyable, route, to reach our final destination (either Bab al Shams, or Solar Park). Our driving skills will not be used to "show off", but to overcome obstacles and cover diverse terrains, in the most effortless and effective way. Great concentration, will be required. Water and some food will be necessary, to keep our attention at its peak. We are aiming to cover more than 100Km, on different terrains, mostly skirting the AD border, until we'll eventually veer toward Dubai, and our planned exit points. No frills are planned, but rather, gritty determination will be our most valuable tool. By the way, the drive's title not only explains its approach, but is also inspired by a real life, long gone, group of true explorers. Some of you, in fact, may know their story. The Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) was a reconnaissance and raiding unit of the British Army during WW2. Originally called the Long Range Patrol (LRP), the unit was founded in Egypt, in June 1940. The group was formed specifically to carry out deep penetration, covert reconnaissance patrols and intelligence missions from behind Italian lines, although they sometimes engaged in combat operations. Because the LRDG were experts in desert navigation, they were sometimes assigned to guide other units Check out this link, to know more about the LRP: Long Range Desert Group - Wikipedia. @Niki Patel, @varunmehndiratta, @Mario Cornejo, @Abu Muhammad, @GauravSoni, @MUHAMMAD Kashif RAZZAQ, @Archibald Jurdi, @Tariq Carrimjee, @Rob Harper and @Ilya Golubinsky, welcome to the unit. Looking forward to seeing you on Friday. Enjoy your week.

Well done @Thomas Varghese - you always value something more if you have to wait a bit. Enjoy the new rank.

Congrats @Thomas Varghese!!

@Thomas Varghese congratulations and all the very best!

Congratulations @Thomas Varghese!! So very happy for you!

Congrats @Thomas Varghese

Congratulations @Thomas Varghese. Well earned, but now is the time to put all back and focus on enjoying, improving and supporting drives. Please remember with progress comes more responsibility and how you respond /behave counts .

Congrats @Thomas Varghese

Congratulations @Thomas Varghese!

Totally agree with @Rob Harper it's the weight placement issue. Change your tire balancing place at first and get to someone who still use old style clip on weight that get hammered on to the edge of the wheel, than just stick on pads. If there is no sand in the tire, surely clip on weight will solve the issue. You will only loose those clip on weight (10% chance) if you have a pop out or hard impact like air born jump exactly on the that area, highly unlikely.

Individual side slopes then all together

Congratulations @Thomas Varghese 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 drives are required after fewbie promotion and within last 6 months. (Drives can be a mix of Newbie, Fewbie (50%) and 2 Fewbie plus, depending on your adaptability, learning progress and Marshal’s feedback) 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

Well done @Thomas Varghese !

Congratulations @Thomas Varghese 👏👏👏

Congratulations...! @Thomas Varghese

Congratulations @Thomas Varghese truly deserved bro . 👍🙏

Congratulations @Thomas Varghese.

don't leave us hanging @Shehab Alawadhi, I'm guessing night vision goggles, driving in pyjamas, new lights or truck mounted gaming rig?

Keep in mind that not all wheels are compatible with hammer on weights. So be sure your wheels have the type of flange that will work before you insist a tire shop use them.

Congrats @Thomas Varghese

Great job @Thomas Varghese!! Well deserved!!

Congrats @Thomas Varghese👍👍

This is truly amazing drive based on lot of research, planning, scouting and tons of creativity. Where we old lead sometimes crib about cross-tracks, vegetation, other convoys, soft sand etc. @Ale Vallecchi explored and created its own niche and now developed a Master Drive with the best of the best drive outcomes. Really Amazing efforts put behind the scene, I so wish If I can join this drive. HUGE RESPECT, ALE.

Oh wow! My jaw dropped watching your video. Thank God for @Shehab Alawadhi's decisive response. Definitely a lesson to remember. I signed up for the 2-convoy drive the next morning with @Ale Vallecchi and @Wrangeld, couldn't sleep due to the excitement, woke up at 4am, got ready and suddenly fatigue hit me so I had to pull out of the drive. I felt bad pulling out last minute but it would have been worse had I gone on the drive. Safety first, always! Nonetheless, I was kicking myself reading the report and looking at photos of the drive 😏

Thank you @Wrangeld and all for a great drive. The most number of senior and lady drivers in a convoy that I have joined. Awesome!

using @Rob Harper advice above - ordered a roll of this tape ready for my next visit to the tire store. @VipinShetty Finding a garage with the right hammer on weights or that uses better adhesive may take longer so will use the BMOT method 'bring my own tape' until i find that place! great tips - i haven't suffered this (yet) but adding the tape to the tool bag now! Thanks all for your guidance and recommendations plus @VipinShetty for starting this discussion.

I also had vibration on my new tyres ( balancing done while changing), i got the balancing done second time and it got resolved. I am not sure if the guy did balancing first didn’t do a proper job or the golden touch of the second guy!!!

Hey @VipinShetty, the exact thing you’ve described happens to me after the desert drives. The car vibrates once I start driving on the road. I’ve experienced the vibration with my old wheels and Yokohama tires, and my new wheels and Cooper tires. From my experience, desert driving does affect the balance of the tires... The severity of the after desert vibration varies from drive to drive. I’ve also had instances where I don’t have vibration on the road after a desert drive. Go figure! I swear, the last bit is just to confuse me more 😂 In any event, you’re not alone in this, and unfortunately, I don’t know why this happens...

I haven’t suffered any pop outs, but to clear any doubts I did remove the Tyres off the rim and checked... no sand. the desert takes away my balance weights 😅 and then there is vibration...

I could feel vibration after 90km/h after a particular drive where I suffered a popout I got all 4 wheels balanced recently. The popout wheel got cleaned and there was a heap of sand on the inside. Since then I did not face any vibration above 90km/h. I hope it stays that way.

@Zed @Rob Harper thanks for your advise, I will check as per your posts and come back!

It could be due to the placement of the weights, if they’re in the area closest to the brake caliper they will be the most likely to be knocked off by debris. We have similar issues on race cars due to rubber from the track, we use Aluminum tape to cover the weights, and also avoid placing the weights in the area of the wheel which has the least amount of clearance. You also have to make sure the area is very clean before sticking on the weights and tape.

Congratulations @Janarthan for reaching the Expert 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. EXPERT - Carnity Exclusivity Carnity Benefits Off-road Certification with rank and skills achieved Full access to Carnity without any paid subscription Join any drive in “Manage” tab even when drive is full Carnity Contribution Committed to drive with Carnity off-road club only Lead/Support: 3 drives or more per month at least Forum contribution to earn Carnity points Drives Attended (Indicative) Minimum 10 drives are required for Expert promotion along with mandatory attendance to leaders lead drives. (Promotion will be based on Marshal / Crew feedback.) What you'll learn Navigating with or without GPS on the fly Trip planning, safety exits and recce skills Basic firefighting and first aid techniques Basic knowledge of car and overheating issues Minimal response to vehicle breakdown and accidents Skills required Resilient, calculative and rational thinker Self-reliance, positive attitude and forward thinking Kind, selfless and considerate to other’s concerns 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, Floor jack and jack board, tire repair kit, tool box, tie-down straps, fluids. Drive teamwork Lead Fewbie or Intermediate drive with Marshal permission Inspect vehicle for safety before the off-road drive Support Marshal to learn 1:1 Desert Driving Course Drive Joining All Levels Forum participation Active participation on the forum Share drive experience + feedback Share drive pictures in the gallery Post trip report after the drive

Congrats @Rob Harper!!

Congrats @Ali Abas. Well done.

Well deserved @Janarthan, wish you all the best my friend

Congratulations @Janarthan! Very well done!

@Janarthan Congratulations!!

Congratulations @Janarthan!!

Congrats @Janarthan.. 👍👍

Congratulations buddy 👍🏼

Dear @Chaitanya D was really looking for the drive, since my car was not with me for almost 2 weeks. However, unfortunately won't be able to make, Ramadan will be there by then. Wish you all the best, and enjoy the drive

Good morning @Chaitanya D - Thank you for informing about the change of date, unfortunately I won't be available on 15th April and will not be able to attend, however I look forward to another opportunity for an evening/night drive. Please remove me from the waitlist. Kindest regards.

Great aspirations @Morshedi We will do our best to get you there.

From time to time the little sticker weights on the metal rim get worn or lost from frequent sand rubbing which causes the vibration on tarmac. Just get them balanced bro and vibration will be gone . Off course if there is deviation of the car left or right there will be another causes however if it’s the vibration only most luckily it’s the wheel balance .

@Lakshmi Narasimhan alright so basically what happened was a few things that led to this. 1 I didn’t get enough sleep and before this drive I was in a morning Fewbie plus drive, so the number one mistake here was me being exhausted (please get rest if you’re going to do 2 drives in one day). 2 I felt my car slipping so I downshifted (to gain more power) to not slide down the dune, as I downshifted my front tires hit a patch of hard sand and got traction which basically shot me over the ridge that’s why you can see my tail moving roughly around but my front firmly on the ground. Now normally I wouldn’t need to downshift on this type of dune but I didn’t have enough momentum from the bottom which in turn required me to give more power. Furthermore, if I would have pushed my gas pedal down I would have dug myself in and ruined the sand that’s why I resorted to downshifting (each car is different I’m not saying you should do this with your car, I’m just telling you how my car works) 3 I miscalculated where the crest was and my front left tire barely went over the ridge and gravity won as usual and pulled me down. That’s what happened. If I would have turned to my right I would have flipped side ways. If you saw in the video my rear right tire was in the air. So the best thing to do at the time was to turn left, exit the dune and re join the convoy I was lucky there was a sort of gradual decline or if there wasn’t my car would have rolled down the dune. This situation happened due to me not sleeping properly, I had gotten 2 hours of sleep the night before and had been awake all day on a sugar and redbull fueled spree, I wasn’t functioning correctly because I was most definitely having a sugar crash. I was actually very luck in this situation, I didn’t panic and tried to the best of my ability to safely go down. You can hear @Foxtrot Oscar saying it was right to exit at that point. Which at the time was what I knew I had to do it. But in all honesty if there was a steeper drop on the other side it would have become and accident. Moral of this story is. Please sleep well before your drives (this situation would have been avoided completely if I did get rest) pay attention to the dunes to the left, right, ahead and to the CAR behind you.

See I purposely chose a night drive, I have something special I want to test out and I’m glad that there is a night drive this weekend 🤘😉

If this happens after _every_ drive, sounds like something(s) might be loose. Get under your car with those camping headlight strapped on the head and inspect: Tie rods still straight or bent? Ball joints worn or not? How to Check Ball Joints: 7 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow Track bar bolts loose or need tightening? Any bolt holes that have lost the bolt in place? Control arm bushings, have the rubber worn out or do you see too many plays (bars can move too freely)? How To Tell If Your Front Control Arm Bushings Are Bad -- EASY!! - YouTube If you have jack to lift car a bit, shake tie rods check if they are still strong 3 Easy Ways to Check Tie Rod Ends - wikiHow Good luck, hope you find the cause and can fix it before the next drive ☺️