Leaderboard

Welcome to the Off-Road Hall of Fame, a place where we celebrate the fearless, daring, and ingenious legends of the off-road world. This is the home of the trendsetters who have pushed the limits of off-road driving, supporting, and inspiring all types of adventurers. Off-road driving is not just a hobby, it's a way of life. It requires a rare combination of skill, bravery, and respect for the great outdoors. From conquering the tallest dune to racing through the sands, and wadis to traversing long distances, off-roading comes in various forms that demand unique skills, patience and above all - great teamwork. Only a few have gone above and beyond, leaving their mark on the off-road universe, and inspiring others to follow in their footsteps. These heroes have not just driven off-road but have really defined the true meaning of off-road community while taking the sport to new heights. Whether you are an experienced off-roader or just starting, we invite you to join us as we explore the stories and legacies of the off-road greats who have earned their rightful place in the Off-Road Hall of Fame. This is a place where we take pride in their achievements and honor their spirit of adventure. So, fasten your seatbelts, hold tight, and let's embark on a journey of exhilaration, inspiration, and honor in the Off-Road Hall of Fame. Period: Jan - March 2023 Drives in the spotlight Our Master of Innovation, @Ale Vallecchi again surprised us with a perfect themed drive! Starting with a relaxing Newbie level drive, and ending with a professional Yoga session in Al Qudra, guided by Paola ! https://www.instagram.com/invites/contact/?i=1x87v6muqc25j&utm_content=i0iff Keep innovating Ale! Members in the spotlight @Ishak @Bjoern @Tharun Kumar V and @Santoso Marjuki The support shown by these individuals during the broken-down car recovery in Liwa crossing has been nothing short of incredible. Their tireless efforts and unwavering commitment to helping their fellow off-roaders are truly inspiring. Their selflessness and willingness to go above and beyond did not go unnoticed. In fact, they even sacrificed their own plans for the day to ensure that their fellow off-roaders were taken care of. This level of camaraderie and support is what makes this off-roading community so special. We are all grateful for their presence and the invaluable support they have provided. Well done Ishak, Bjoern, Tharun and Santoso! @Benjamin It is truly remarkable to see how Benjamin has flourished as a passionate offroader with our club. Despite being one of the youngest members of our family, he has demonstrated a level of maturity and teamwork that is truly impressive. Benjamin's teamwork skills are beyond his years, and he consistently demonstrates a willingness to help and support his fellow offroaders in any way he can. We are fortunate to have Benjamin as a member of our offroading family. Keep it up, Benjamin! Lead Champions Congratulations @Ale Vallecchi for having organized 11 drives this quarter! 3 Newbie Drives 4 Fewbie Drives 4 Fewbie Plus Drives Congratulations @JeromeFJ for having organized 9 drives this quarter! 5 Fewbie Drives 2 Fewbie Plus Drives 2 Intermediate Drives Support Champions Congratulations @Davie Chasefor having supported 11 drives in this quarter! Congratulations @DP1011 , Deepak wrangler for having supported 8 drives this quarter! Your dedication is an admirable quality that is truly valued and appreciated. Your unwavering passion for off-roading has not gone unnoticed, and it is an inspiration to those around you today. We thank you and look forward to seeing the many great things you will achieve in the future.

Dear friends, We are deeply grateful and humbled to celebrate Carnity's 13th birthday today. From our modest beginnings in 2010, when we set out to serve car enthusiasts, to our transition in 2017 to cater to off-road enthusiasts, Carnity has been on an incredible journey. Throughout these years, we have been incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to touch the hearts of many. We've strived to provide solutions, bring joy, and offer a therapeutic escape for those seeking adventure on weekends. None of this would have been possible without the unwavering support of our amazing members, the dedication of our exceptional team at Carnity, and the encouragement from our external supporters. Your belief in us and your continued trust has been the driving force behind our growth and success. As we celebrate this milestone, we extend our deepest gratitude to each and every one of you. We look forward to continuing this beautiful journey together, knowing that it is your support that makes it all possible. With heartfelt thanks, The Carnity Team

Welcome to the Off-Road Hall of Fame, a place where we celebrate the fearless, daring, and ingenious legends of the off-road world. This is the home of the trendsetters who have pushed the limits of off-road driving, supporting, and inspiring all types of adventurers. Off-road driving is not just a hobby, it's a way of life. It requires a rare combination of skill, bravery, and respect for the great outdoors. From conquering the tallest dune to racing through the sands, and wadis to traversing long distances, off-roading comes in various forms that demand unique skills, patience and above all - great teamwork. Only a few have gone above and beyond, leaving their mark on the off-road universe, and inspiring others to follow in their footsteps. These heroes have not just driven off-road but have really defined the true meaning of off-road community while taking the sport to new heights. Whether you are an experienced off-roader or just starting, we invite you to join us as we explore the stories and legacies of the off-road greats who have earned their rightful place in the Off-Road Hall of Fame. This is a place where we take pride in their achievements and honor their spirit of adventure. So, fasten your seatbelts, hold tight, and let's embark on a journey of exhilaration, inspiration, and honor in the Off-Road Hall of Fame. Period: Jul - Sept 2023 Drive in the spotlight "Catch Me If You Can" series of drives on Fewbie Plus and IM Level Congrats @M.Seidamfor being our winner in the "Drive in the spotlight" category! You have managed, together with your convoy, to completely take in "Big Red" from all possible directions and design a thrilling drive experience! Member in the spotlight While most of us are staying inside during this scorching summer, some people decide to crawl underneath the car and work on them. This hands-on approach has won @Stumpy Paj our "Car Guru Of The Quarter" award !! From dropping sub-frames, to replacing radiators, and spare wheel cover delete work, with the help of @Bravoechohe has turned his Pajero into a real Offroad Beast ! Well done Nathan ! Stucks of the Quarter Usually quite mindful of the terrain and its surroundings, @Fredericmanaged to park his Patrol in front of a big bush, and on top of that was seen smiling and waving, while @Naveen Rajwas actually solving the problem for him . Another noteworthy stuck was @Gauravon the Razeen exploration. Thanks to the great teamwork of @Zed@Rajiv Sam@DP1011and @Stumpy Paj they were able to clear the sand enough to get the car out of this scary angle. Lead Champion Congratulations to @Looperfor leading a whopping 11 drives this quarter! Your passion for off-roading is immense! Support Champion Congratulations @DP1011 for having supported 15 drives this quarter! Climbing multiple dunes on foot even made you part of the HATT, or "High-Altitude-Trek-Team"! Hats off to you ! Message to all our champions: Your dedication is an admirable quality that is truly valued and appreciated. Your unwavering passion for off-roading has not gone unnoticed, and it is an inspiration to those around you today. We thank you and look forward to seeing the many great things you will achieve in the future.

Dear Desertnauts, as if I didn't have enough business trips (which have lately taken a little away from my off-roading), I have just finished preparing for another trip, this time for pleasure, which will bring me away from Dubai for the next 10 days. It's going to be a bit of a trip down memory lane, like the long overland adventures I used to enjoy, once or twice a year, while taking groups of travelers, mostly to North Africa's Sahara. This one is going to be an exploration drive to Saudi Arabia, from Dubai to Tabuk, via many hopefully amazing sites, and back. I have just finished to load up the FJ, which I have decided not to equip with a roof rack, or any other loading and storage gimmick, in the spirit of keeping the car as stock as possible and manage its cargo accordingly. The boot is organized with two layers of 2 boxes each, with a row of stripped-down recovery tools crammed at the back of the booth, secured against the backseats (shovel, kinetic rope and soft shackles, hard wood board, hydraulic jack, a mixed toolbox, and the compressor). The boxes contain the dry food pantry, cooking equipment, mixed items (mostly kitchen tools, and an ice chiller. Between the two rows of boxes there has remained enough space to put the tent and 2 foldable chairs. The suitcases (soft bags, stuffed inside a loose and large outer cover accommodating also an inflatable air mattress, toilet paper, a spray bottle, and a pillow) will be placed on the back seat, separated by a small ice box containing some munchies for the trip. The space between the front and back seats is packed with a picnic table, and a supply of water. I have planned not to take any extra gasoline, since it'll be possible to find gas stations quite regularly along the planned route. The availability of gas stations will also allow to manage the water supply, which will be limited to 8 lt. per person every 2 days (4 lt. each day, sufficient for drinking and cooking). Washing will be done by spraying any unused fresh water, but mostly with wet towels. Of course, in case of purely off-road long trips, an adequate supply of water (no less than 3lt/person/day) and gasoline (for an extra autonomy of at least 5/600 km) would have forced me to mount a roof rack to carry these critical goods. While looking to minimize the upgrades to the car, I have also chosen not to bring an electrically charged chiller and no extra battery pack. Charging of phone, PC, lamps, or air pumps will be done with a converter (700 W capacity) charged through the car's lighter (with the option to accommodate 4 USB's and a regular socket). To complete the preparations, travelers to Saudi need to get a Tourist Certificate from RTA (provided upon presentation of a Carnet de Passage from Emirates Motorsport Organization), a visa (1-year validity, multi entry), and a car insurance, obtainable at customs. So, now that all is ready, I'll update you on the trip one day at the time, with a few notes on the areas visited, a picture of the day, and the track completed each day. Looking forward to showing you what I find, with the goal, eventually, to organize an overland sometimes next winter. Let the adventure begin!

Sweihan Drives drive report : eventful Dear Friends For yesterday’s drive i feel great gratitude and gratefulness for each one of you for standing still till the last moment in an incident I believe was one of the most difficult one in Carnity club , at least for me . toward the end of the drive around 9:30 we took one last bowl before exiting as it was just next to the track leading to exit. by the time I finished my turn and reached Hisham at the tail almost every one has done his turn . every one reached except @Mohamad Anwer who crossed to the other side and when didn’t acknowledge on the radio I immediately steered down ( from the second round tailing Hisham ) to climb ascending the ridge and by the time I reached the crest to cross to the other side I sow the LC70 on its right side flipped. ( later on mohamed Anwar said I heard on the radio roll over , switch off the engine .. but couldn’t reach the radio off course as he was trapped in the cabin but he did switch the engine even before hearing that on the radio , and this is another sign he was aware of what just had happened ). I run to the car to have a quick inspection to the surroundings ( clear ) and I had an eye contact with M.Anwar and he shown movement and that was initial reassuring sign. Within seconds every one buzzed for help and we got Anwar from the rear boot after I exchanged with him few sentences to calm him down. He gathered his courage and managed to get him out and was attended properly to calm him down. At this point and after Looking at the gross damage of the vehicle and presence of a small cut wound in the head as well the stress impact on all of us . I took a quick chat with my wingman and the true man of the day @Hisham Masaad and we decided to split in two teams not doubting a second for their competence or judgment. Being Mohamed in @Karthik Raptor in semi horizontal inclined conformable position we run on the track to exit where in same time the informed police and ambulance were in their way and by the time we reached maybe a minute or two the ambulance arrived. The paramedics did their job so quick and I exchanged info and pict with the police who truly showed true professional attitude and great help. In this time @Hisham Masaad , @Abdelghani @Waqas Parvez and @ASAD. On the other side managed to bring the flipped car on its foot and even they drag it as mush as they could toward the track. the ambulance left carrying @Mohamad Anwer to the hospital and policeman helped to call the recovery and to open the gate for a segment that made the track continuous. I thanked every one for their great help and concerns and I advised them not to worry as Mohamed now is in safe hands . It started to get hot and I wanted every one to reach safe home. I and @Karthik Raptor returned back to Hisham while @Imran Kashif, @Zed and @Zixuan Huang - Charlie willingly decided to stay waiting for the recovery guy along with the policeman . I already thanked @Amr Aydinand @Daniel Yangfor their help and concerns and wished them safe trip back home. I got a call from the policeman and later kashif that the recovery truck arrived but was hesitant to go further. @Hisham Masaadand @ASAD. managed to convince him while I managed with help of @Karthik Raptor and @Waqas Parvez to drag the car further down hill ( small one ) but then there was no way than to winch it or leave it . Hisham called that we are coming as the guy agreed and with little push from @Zed might LC eventually we could manage to winch the remaining distance by Hisham’s winch and the recovery winch thereafter . It looked like we were determined that we should leave nothing behind us 😅. The recovery truck with the car on top fastened made the wheels to sink further even in the little sand . I came in front of zedy car and hooked my rope to his however we still needed the “yallah push “ power of the grand master @Hisham Masaad and here we go Well it was a vey eventful day from the start when we had to exit @Sunil Mathew after he got a hard hit to front right suspension . Hope to be sorted out followed by @Karthik Raptor tricky crest at the edge of the death bowl ( sorted brilliantly by @Waqas Parvez and team instructions ) and lastly the unfortunate roll over of @Mohamad Anwer . However fortunately and with God Grace and all team with us has shown the real courage and real man stand still in such hard time , mohamad anwar got out alive from this and we could manage to recover the dead car despite all challenges. Special thanks to @Hisham Masaadfor personally checking at Mohamad at tawam hospital and informing me that he is alright 🙏 Apology if I made it long . Seidam

A heartfelt congratulations to Team Icon Auto for their outstanding achievement in WINNING the Desert Champions Trophy 2023! Abu Fatih @Moh Qar @s.qaruoty @mohammedqaruoty Fadi Bala'awi @fadijoin @4wheelife Said Al Akraby @Icon Auto @phatboyadventures Thomas Eibu @eibuthomas @thom4run Stuwart Fernandes @stuwart fernandes @phantom_offroad21 Your hard work, dedication, and exceptional teamwork have truly paid off, and you have emerged as the well-deserved champions of this prestigious challenge. The resilience and skill demonstrated by each member of your team throughout the competition were nothing short of remarkable. In the face of fierce off-road competition in Razeen Desert, Team Icon Auto showcased not only their off-road prowess but also their strategic brilliance, sportsmanship, and unwavering determination. Team Icon Auto, you have etched your name in the annals of off-road history, and your journey to this championship will undoubtedly be remembered as a shining example of excellence in off-roading. Once again, congratulations on this remarkable victory in the Desert Champions Trophy 2023! Thank you, Said Al Akraby, for putting together the team of REAL ICONS.

Welcome to the Off-Road Hall of Fame, a place where we celebrate the fearless, daring, and ingenious legends of the off-road world. This is the home of the trendsetters who have pushed the limits of off-road driving, supporting, and inspiring all types of adventurers. Off-road driving is not just a hobby, it's a way of life. It requires a rare combination of skill, bravery, and respect for the great outdoors. From conquering the tallest dune to racing through the sands, and wadis to traversing long distances, off-roading comes in various forms that demand unique skills, patience and above all - great teamwork. Only a few have gone above and beyond, leaving their mark on the off-road universe, and inspiring others to follow in their footsteps. These heroes have not just driven off-road but have really defined the true meaning of off-road community while taking the sport to new heights. Whether you are an experienced off-roader or just starting, we invite you to join us as we explore the stories and legacies of the off-road greats who have earned their rightful place in the Off-Road Hall of Fame. This is a place where we take pride in their achievements and honor their spirit of adventure. So, fasten your seatbelts, hold tight, and let's embark on a journey of exhilaration, inspiration, and honor in the Off-Road Hall of Fame. Period: April - June 2023 Drives in the spotlight Leading and successfully executing a high-level offroad drive is always a challenge. Finding that delicate balance of pushing our best off-roaders to the limit while still keeping things safe is very difficult and mentally tiring. When @Asif Hussainposted this drive, the expectations were high, knowing that the terrain had fantastic bowls and that the thrill seekers would be present. Asif laid out a buffet of monster bowls and kept the blistering pace throughout the drive, and the feedback after the drive was uniform: "It was unforgettable"... Keep up these fantastic drives @Asif Hussain !! Member in the spotlight Most of you have driven in Abu Dhabi, and if you did, chances were extremely high to come across @Zed who is always around and carries the biggest smile and positive attitude. You'll spot him either in his fully restored black LC100 or his Grand Cherokee 5.7 roaring monster. Always ready to help out and extremely knowledgeable about offroad vehicles, coding, and food (so we've heard )... Keep infecting us with that positive attitude @Zed !! Lead Champion Big congratulations to @M.Seidam for being our lead champion this quarter with a massive 10 drives ! Your dedication shines bright and your passion for off-roading is unmatched ! Support Champions Big congratulations to @Looper and @DP1011 for being our support champions this quarter with a whopping 17 and 16 supports this quarter ! Special Mention A special mention goes out to our marshal @GauravSoni who has kickstarted our sustainability campaign by showing the right example straight away! Let's all do our part in keeping the deserts clean ! Message to all our champions: Your dedication is an admirable quality that is truly valued and appreciated. Your unwavering passion for off-roading has not gone unnoticed, and it is an inspiration to those around you today. We thank you and look forward to seeing the many great things you will achieve in the future.

The Ultimate Off-Road Challenge Carnity Desert Champions Trophy Prepare to be awestruck as we push the boundaries of off-road prowess, recovery expertise, and teamwork to new heights. The Carnity Desert Champions Trophy promises an adrenaline-fueled adventure that will ignite your passion for off-roading like never before. In the heart of the most rugged terrains, where grit meets glory, off-roaders will unite, relying on every ounce of their skills to secure the prestigious title of Carnity Desert Champions. It's a test that will demand nothing less than perfection from each team member, pushing you to your limits and beyond. WHAT'S NEW: Open for all off-roaders WHEN: 19 November 2023, Sunday WHERE: Somewhere in the Desert At Carnity, we live by the belief that off-roading knows no boundaries. Whether you're driving a stock or modified vehicle, a new or vintage model, a powerhouse, or an underdog, you are welcome to participate in the Carnity Desert Champions Trophy. It's an exclusive once-in-a-year opportunity, for truly capable off-roaders in the UAE. Get ready to conquer the untamed, unite with fellow enthusiasts, and embrace the spirit of adventure. The Carnity Desert Champions Trophy is your chance to etch your name in off-road history, and we invite you to be a part of this exhilarating journey. Join us, to write a new chapter in off-roading excellence together. "To elevate the anticipation and ensure an exciting experience, the Carnity Desert Champions Trophy is meticulously designed to strike a perfect balance between various key elements, ensuring excitement, mental and physical challenge, and fairness at every turn." Terrain Diversity: Our competition thrives on the dynamic range of terrains that test your skills. From daunting dunes to treacherous super-soft sand, we've handpicked diverse landscapes that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Vehicle Equality: In the spirit of fairness, we celebrate the inclusivity of off-roading. No matter if your vehicle is a beast of power or a humble underdog, every participant has an equal opportunity to shine. Your vehicle is your ally in this exhilarating journey, stock or modified, old or new. Technical Challenges: Brace yourself for a series of technical challenges that will demand precision and strategy. We've curated a series of obstacles that will push your off-road skills to the limit, ensuring that only the most skilled teams emerge victorious. Teamwork Emphasis: The Carnity Desert Champions Trophy places a premium on teamwork. In this rugged arena, every team member's contribution is vital. You'll need to synchronize your efforts, communicate seamlessly, and rely on each other's expertise to conquer the challenges that lie ahead as a team. Safety Measures: Safety is paramount in this challenge. Rigorous safety measures and guidelines are in place to ensure that all participants can indulge in the thrill of off-roading with complete peace of mind. Fair Judging: Our judging panel consists of experienced off-roaders who will objectively assess each team's performance. We've taken every measure to ensure that scoring is transparent and equitable, guaranteeing that the most deserving team emerges victorious. At Carnity Desert Champions Trophy, we've meticulously crafted an off-road spectacle that promises to be the highlight of your off-roading journey. Get ready to embrace the thrill, face the unknown, and forge unforgettable memories as you navigate through this extraordinary terrain and challenge. WEATHER VEHICLE, GEARS & COMMUNICATION You don't need any special vehicle to participate, your stock or modified 4X4 should be in desert drive-worthy, top-notch and reliable condition. Any 4X4 with Low range gear with a minimum of 9-10 inches of ground clearance. Front and rear tow hooks/eyelets/bolt-on hooks. Off-road gear as per Carnity off-road Structure. Same-size spare tire in working condition. Bash plate and AT tires (Recommended). Winch (good to have, but not mandatory). Cars with standard fuel tanks of 60 liters, will need to carry extra 40 liters of fuel. All Jerry cans should be secured safely with ratchet straps. Etisalat sim are preferred, if you don’t have one, download the offline maps. Everyone should have the ability to record tracks & waypoints. If you use an in-built GPS, you can install Gaia on your phone to record and share. WHO CAN PARTICIPATE Carnity Team Lead – Expert, Marshal and Crew. No participation fees apply. Other Club / Independent Lead – 20+ drive-leading experience is required. No participation fees apply. Team Participation – Carnity Fewbie, Fewbie Plus, Intermediate, Support and Above level are entitled to participate. Standard participation fees apply. Other Club members – Can participate based on self-declaration of their existing off-road experience. Standard participation fees apply. 6 – 15 off-road drive experience = Fewbie 16 – 25 off-road drive experience = Fewbie Plus 26 – 35 off-road drive experience = Intermediate 35 and above off-road drive experience = Support TEAM FORMATION 1 Team Lead + 4 Participants (at any level above Newbie) is a must for all teams. All Team leads are entitled to pick and select their own team participants, “mutually”. Carnity Team Lead: They can invite any Carnity or non-Carnity members based on their drive experience and capabilities. Or they can create a post on Carnity to invite interest. Other Club / Independent Lead: They can bring their own team from their existing club or friends and drive with their club/team name/flag. Or they can create a post on Carnity to invite interest after they fill out the registration form below. All Participants: Are free to choose and agree mutually with the Team Lead they are comfortable driving, trusting, and following through with this rigorous challenge. All teams can brand their vehicle or clothing with their club/team/sponsor name. Once teams are formed, the team lead has to submit the Team Name within 2 days. THE REAL CHALLENGE This is no ordinary race, and it certainly isn't a race against the clock. We're not here to see who can wreck their car the fastest – that's not our style. What you're about to experience is the ultimate team sport, a test that will push your off-road skills, recovery prowess, and teamwork to the next level. Forget about speed, because in this challenge, faster doesn't always mean better. Racing ahead might just land you in a world of trouble, stuck in the unforgiving terrain. Instead, we encourage you to slow down, tap into your creativity, and break free from the constraints of conventional thinking. Navigate the maze of dunes with your team, all while having the time of your lives. We welcome you to a one-of-a-kind tactical desert challenge, where every participant is put to the test. It's a showdown of true off-road capabilities, a showcase of your skills, grit, and unwavering perseverance. Above all, it's a celebration of teamwork, where together, you'll conquer the untamed desert and emerge as true desert champions. Area Covered: 300+ km² All single-use waypoints will be scattered in 300+ km² area and all teams need to bring home the maximum points within 6 hours to win the challenge. Weightage: Green Waypoints (5 points), Yellow Waypoints (10 points), Red Waypoints (15 points). Green: Easiest to reach waypoint but scattered among outer perimeter or near sabhka, making it difficult to cover all green waypoints before the end of the challenge. Yellow: Moderate difficulty waypoint, scatter randomly at mid-perimeter level or at moderate-size dunes surrounded with super-soft sand patches. Red: The most difficult-to-reach waypoints, placed on top of the tallest dunes surrounded by tall dunes. In some waypoints, you have to climb on foot to reach. Tactical Approach: Based on your team capability (Car + Fuel + Physical Strength) you should plot your route wisely factoring in the end time to gather maximum points with the least distance covered within 6 hours. If you aim for Yellow Waypoints, make sure you and your team are ready to traverse through super-soft sand and know how to use fuel efficiently. Tip: Deflate at 7-8 PSI to move through super-soft sand patches without hard steering to avoid tire pop-out. If you aim for Red Waypoints, make sure you have at least one fittest person to climb a tall dune on foot with the whole team's GPS device to mark it. Most Red Waypoints are on top of tall dunes, without much scope to scale with cars due to the limited area available below to gain momentum. WINNING CRITERIA Any team that returns to the starting point within 6 hours with maximum points covered through their whole team GPS track will have the honor to lift the Trophy with the most distinguished title of The Desert Champions for the next full year. In case of a tie, the team with the least kilometer clocked will win. The average of whole team kilometers clocked per odometer reading will be used. US spec car miles will be converted to Kilometers. 1 mile = 1.609 km. All teams will start with 3 or 5 minute intervals to avoid crowding near the first few waypoints. The same duration will be adjusted from their total track time in the end. RULES AND REGULATIONS All team leaders will receive the waypoints in advance. Each waypoint weightage will be counted once. Each team member must store those waypoints before the start line. All team members should use a GPS app/device to record track and waypoints. One person per car - no passengers allowed. Everything in your car should be securely fastened. Strictly no drones are allowed. CONDITIONS APPLY Any tampering with GPS recording and data will disqualify the whole team. Any tampering with the Odometer will disqualify the whole team. Any accident requiring a police report will disqualify the whole team. So don’t break your car. And don’t let your teammate break their car. Any minor to moderate damage will cause 20 points penalty. Missing a waypoint by more than 10-15 meter variance, will not be counted. Any vehicle breakdown will require immediate reporting to the control team. Once the support team arrives on the site, based on their fair evaluation you can leave the broken-down car and driver to be taken care of by the support team. You can continue with 1 less car. As the support team may arrive within 30 min - 1 hour, you will lose that time without any consideration of the vehicle breakdown. Tire pop-out, use of spare tire, and minor bumper damage will not be counted as part of the vehicle breakdown. TIMINGS Registration opening: 6 Oct 2023, Friday Registration closing: Till slots available...! EVENT TIMINGS Event Date: 19 Nov 2023, Sunday. Meet-up & Line-up: 8:00 AM First Team Dispatch: 9:00 AM Last Team Dispatch: 10:00 AM First Team last cut-off time: 3 PM Last Team last cut-off time: 4 PM Moving to Campsite: 5 PM Snacks & Entertainment: 6 PM BBQ Dinner (Veg & Non-Veg): 7 PM Winner Announcement: 8 PM Wrap up & leave: 9 PM PARTICIPATION CHARGES As Convoy Member: 1,000 AED per person. As Convoy Lead: No participation charges apply. WINNING TEAM PRIZES Carnity Desert Champions Trophy - Pride for life. 10,000 AED Cash Prize for the winning team. Carnity's Winning Certificate for each team member. Part of the "Desert Champions" User group on the site with a trophy icon. Carnity Weatherproof Safety Flag. Carnity Metallic Weatherproof Sticker. Be part of the Carnity Desert Champions Trophy today with your name in the winner's circle! Unleash your inner off-road champion now by filling out this Registration form (Mandatory for all). Team Lead Registration Form Participant Registration Form Please use and follow the Desert Champions Trophy forum For all Announcements, Rules, Planning, Prizes and Discussions.

Thanks @Carnity for this one ! Fantastic , and feels good to have made it to Podium in first one, and lookin forward to many ! Congratulations to you all of you tooo ! @Ale Vallecchi @Davie Chase @Benjamin @JeromeFJ @Ishak @Bjoern @Tharun Kumar V and @Santoso Marjuki @Frederic when and where is the presentation ceremony , I am ready in my tuxedo

Welcome to the Off-Road Hall of Fame, a place where we celebrate the fearless, daring, and ingenious legends of the off-road world. This is the home of the trendsetters who have pushed the limits of off-road driving, supporting, and inspiring all types of adventurers. Off-road driving is not just a hobby, it's a way of life. It requires a rare combination of skill, bravery, and respect for the great outdoors. From conquering the tallest dune to racing through the sands, and wadis to traversing long distances, off-roading comes in various forms that demand unique skills, patience and above all - great teamwork. Only a few have gone above and beyond, leaving their mark on the off-road universe, and inspiring others to follow in their footsteps. These heroes have not just driven off-road but have really defined the true meaning of off-road community while taking the sport to new heights. Whether you are an experienced off-roader or just starting, we invite you to join us as we explore the stories and legacies of the off-road greats who have earned their rightful place in the Off-Road Hall of Fame. This is a place where we take pride in their achievements and honor their spirit of adventure. So, fasten your seatbelts, hold tight, and let's embark on a journey of exhilaration, inspiration, and honor in the Off-Road Hall of Fame. Period: Oct - Dec 2023 Drives in the spotlight This quarter we have been blessed with multiple themed drives to be remembered: 1. Halloween Drive , 29 October 2023 - led by @Ale Vallecchi Newbie - Al Madam - Sharjah - 29 Oct 2023 - Carnity.com 2. 7 Emirates Offroad Drive, December 2nd 2023 - led by @Frederic Overlanding - 7 Emirates - 2 and 3 Dec 2023 - Carnity.com 3. Jingle Jungle Bells Drive, December 23rd 2023 - led by @DP1011 Fewbie - Murquab - Qudra - Dubai - 23 Dec 2023 - Carnity.com Additionally, the DCT event was an epic challenge and adventure, which will definitely be repeated in the future ! Member in the spotlight @Rafey Hashmi might be driving the smallest 4x4 of our club, but he boasts the biggest smile and can-do attitude! In below photo you can see him navigating a dune, while @Gary F is explaining how momentum is being created Lead Champions Congratulations @Davie Chase and @Looper for being our Lead Champions this quarter, with both 13 Leads! Amazing achievement guys! Support Champion Congratulations to @Imran Asghar for being our support champion of this quarter with 6 supported NB/FB drives! Your positive attitude and friendly approach is a true gamechanger for members who are joining us for the first couple of drives. Keep it up ! Message to all our champions: Your dedication is an admirable quality that is truly valued and appreciated. Your unwavering passion for off-roading has not gone unnoticed, and it is an inspiration to those around you today. We thank you and look forward to seeing the many great things you will achieve in the future.

We are thrilled to congratulate @Ale Vallecchi for reaching the coveted Senior Marshal with Carnity Offroad Club! This is a momentous achievement that speaks volumes about Ale's skills, dedication, and passion for off-roading. This is not just a recognition of his driving skills, but also a testament to his true character, passion and spirit. As a Senior Marshal, Ale is now one of the most respected and admired members of the Carnity Offroad Club. He has earned the admiration and respect of his fellow off-roaders, who look up to him as a mentor, friend, and leader. His off-road drives offer an exciting and unique experience that elevates the overall off-roading spirit. His achievement is a reminder that with the right attitude and approach, anything is possible, and that the world of off-roading is full of endless possibilities and adventures. Once again, congratulations Ale on reaching the Senior Marshal level with Carnity Offroad Club. You are an inspiration to all off-roaders, and we look forward to seeing you continue to blaze new trails and push the limits of what is possible in the world of off-roading! SENIOR MARSHAL The Senior Marshal rank is the ultimate badge of honor for off-roaders who have achieved unparalleled heights of passion, creativity, and dedication toward off-roading. This rank is not solely based on the number of drives but also on the quality and innovative concepts utilized during those drives. A Senior Marshal reflects exceptional maturity, tenacity, and courage even under the most challenging circumstances. As a Senior Marshal, you should be able to go above and beyond regular commitments and earn immense respect and admiration from all levels of off-roaders. Your knowledge and expertise in off-roading techniques, skills, recoveries and safety protocols should inspire others to improve their skills and knowledge. Your passion and dedication to off-roading should result in a strong bond with other off-roaders, to leave remarkable memories for a lifetime. You should be a true inspiration to others, and your contributions to the sport of off-roading should be remembered for years to come. As a Senior Marshal, you are not just a skilled off-roader; you are a beacon of inspiration and leadership to the entire off-roading community.

DRIVE REPORT Still a little bit dazed and tired from this adventure, i wanted to write-up some of our experiences in order to save them and to optimize our TOC challenge for next year (yes this should become a yearly event i think). DAY 1 We started in the early morning at the Ghayati prayer hall with a briefing, and after devouring some tiramisu cake Gaurav served us for breakfast. We needed some sugar boost and it did the trick ! One local fellow passed by to welcome us in his city. Soon he asked what we were doing there and when we told him about our plan to drive to the Oman border he started laughing and waved goodbye to that bunch of crazy convoy 😁 Soon we headed out towards Beda Al Matawa, one of the last towns before reaching the military zone that border Saudi Arabia. From there we deflated and headed into the dunes. We decided to steer clear from the actual Saudi border in order not to wake them up with a 15 car convoy and to avoid being in shooting range None of us really knew what to expect in those first hours of crossing that first part of the desert, but what we found was hard to describe, from flat areas to tight technical dunes, and everything in between. At one portion we had spent approx 1.5-2hrs driving on super soft treacherous sand that felt like i was not deflated at all (i was at 9psi). The entire convoy pushed its way through it but we were burning up fuel like crazy from constant revving and keeping the momentum. By the time we reached the first highway crossing at the E15, some were already on their min level of fuel. We had jerrycans but we knew we could not enter the Yellow truck area anymore with such little fuel, so we inflated and quickly made our way to the nearest ADNOC. @Mus_hus78and @salah2u decided to call it a day and headed back home. You guys have missed so much and it's a bit disappointing so see people leaving early. From that ADNOC, going back to the TOC line proved a bit tricky. I was able to find a gatch track further on the highway that brought us back into the desert and ran parallel with the E15 so we could keep heading south and connect back to the TOC line. There we found AMAZING dunes, both big and technical, and with the sun setting it was a sight to behold ! Once it got dark, we set up camp a little bit north of Waypoint 22 and had a great evening by the fire. @KAMALIOwas perhaps new into this camping thing, but was found to be a master chef and shared fantastic food from the BBQ. DAY 2 The next morning, we set out again and headed south to get back on the TOC line. A couple of dunes away we spotted a beautiful play area so we all had some good fun and it gave a good morning boost and adrenaline to keep us going. Around Waypoint 23 we had to cross several pipes from the oil fields. None of us were 100% comfortable in this area so close to the oil rigging stations so we quickly dashed through the area. We used the available gatch tracks a much as possible. The part from Waypoint 24 to 31 is where we usually drive on our yearly visit to the Yellow Truck. As this area is spacious with nice open dunes we really picked up the pace and flew through it in a matter of 90mins. We reached the Yellow Truck entry point by noon time and make a quick run to the ADNOC Maraba Al Dhafra which was only 15-20mins up north. After refueling, and stocking up our coolers with fresh drinks and snacks, we now needed to cross the E45. The initial point i marked seemed blocked due to the Etihad rail, so we had to make a quick detour and enter a bit further down. The next part proved to be a nice open area with vegetation, farms, and the views here were really scenic. I could have put my chair and sat there for the rest of the day, but we needed to keep moving and soon we were driving parallel to a fence for about 1.5hrs. The going became tough when on this track we had probably more than a hundred straight crests to conquer. This part was probably for many among us the part where we started to feel the intensity of the drive. We made it to the E65 crossing (Himeem Road) around 4pm and now had to make a choice. Until now everyone was performing absolutely brilliantly and the whole convoy was perfectly in tune with each other. We knew due to the needed detours to ADNOC it would now be impossible to reach the Oman border before dark but our spirits were high and we all decided to give one last final sprint that took us through technical areas where the flow of the drive was virtually un-interrupted. We had fuel, and were hungry to see how far we could get. I communicated that the next exit was at Razeen road where we have the well-known Al Quoa milkyway spot. Our focus was on that and it was the only way out. TARGET SET...GO ! We gave it our last push and had to navigate through steep technical bowls in the dark. It was here that Ashutosh had a near miss when he flew over a crest, nosedived, but by the grace of God, ended up sideways without rolling. After getting our bearings, we anchored the car from the other side as he had one wheel up in the air. With some shoveling we got him down and dealt with the popout and one tyre that kept leaking (sand between the rim but no pop-out). The techniques that @Gauravand @Srikumar applied cannot be found in a rulebook or library, you need to see it to be able to grasp it 🤣 As Ashutosh his front drive axle was getting louder and louder, we had to cross the last 7km very slowly and with minimal challenges. We finally made it to the dirt track where we found a lonely soul in a small sedan stuck in the sand. We quickly pulled him out and sent him on his way. Seeing all this above, and considering we took a 15 car convoy through some of the most challenging areas i have experienced, i had my own doubts prior to the drive. But as sometimes seen in famous sport games, sometimes the entire team rises above all expectations and the group becomes like one. For the very first time i felt this was the case and all of you drove so extremely well, kept your patience, resilience, and worked together in unison to make this challenge worthwhile ! I THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THAT ! @KAMALIO your initial impression was that we would leave the traction control on for two days and drive only on sabkhas. I saw your face lighting up when i told we were going to drive in the dunes the entire weekend and you drove superb and always kept a smile ! @Ashutosh Garg you drove fantastic the entire weekend. The mishap was a miscalculation from your side and we are all human and it could have happened to anyone. Keep driving and learning to find the perfect throttle until you are one with your car ! Well done buddy ! @AlexM you are a coolheaded guy who looked like he could exit in Al Quoa and then deflate and go back to the Saudi border where we started ! Amazing driver ! Hope you had a good weekend out ! @Ranjan Dasi so love your spirit and smile ! You came next my car at 4pm as we were discussing the plan and you were adament to keep going. Fantastic !! @munkybizness your creative brain must have been working overtime and i hope the scenic views gave you lots of stuff to ponder on. Thanks for the superb playlist, i played it on the way home on Razeen road and it kept me awake @Amr Aydin and Sophie, you both are true desert troopers ! Always great to be around you guys ! @Naveen Raj absolutely TOP NOTCH driving and attitude !!! @Foxtrot Oscar I hope you had a blast. Whatever doubt you had in your skill level was quickly thrown out the door and your rocked the black X fantastically !! @JeromeFJ i could never wish for a better sweep / support / inflator / spray-washer supplier / caterpillar / hardcore camper ! Thank you so much for joining. Finally, my two fellow seniors who taught me so much over the years, @Gauravand @Srikumar ALWAYS tirelessly managing situations, guiding and helping, rerouting, and giving me the chance to post a drive like this and allowing me to plan such a mad plan 😆 THANK YOU Day 1 we covered 256kms. Day 2 we covered 297kms. 553kms of pure fun, even if that included two ADNOC trips ! For next edition there are definitely things we can learn, and we will optimize it so perhaps we can get that group photo at the TOC signpost next time !

Liwa crossing is always an exciting chapter for any offroader, but this year IM drive has seen a lot more challenging situations that I have not yet witnessed in my decades of experience. We all learn new things every day. In case of any mechanical failure, we always try to rescue the car as much as we can. If we cannot manage the recovery of the vehicle, car owners have to rely on a more professional approach of calling the tow truck or returning back with a mechanic to fix the issue on-site. Yes, we never leave any driver behind, but on some occasions, we have left the car inside the desert as per our roles and responsibilities to keep everyone safe. Thanks to @Dodi Syahdar Raptor's presence whose beast mode is able to drag the dead car through Liwa's enormous dunes. However, luck ended too fast when we were unable to swing past the soft sand patch after multiple failed attempts. Without a rolling momentum, Raptor's beast mode wasn't able to activate again due to extra soft sand all around. Hence we left with a winching option for the last leg and that went in for good 12+ hours, simply because the angle of the dead car was against all physics, and pulling through slip face + wedge pocket made it our worst nightmare. Thanks to @Ranjan Das winch we were able to drag the dead car a little bit uphill, but when the car started to slip into the pocket at night, we left the recovery to restart again with more winches and energy. Thanks @Hisham Masaad and @Bjoern for supporting this extreme recovery with your powerful winches, patience and determination. Without so many winches at hand and 10-15 ropes, this recovery wouldn't have been possible. After the previous night's challenge, we straight away launched the heavy-duty idea to introduce a snatch block with a Hisham winch to 1.5X the winching power at 90 degrees angled pull, through Raptor heavyweight to anchor. It did its magic and failed when the car started to tip off on two wheels, so we secured the B pillar with @Bjoern winch on the right side steep climb. Then after a little while 1.5X winch also failed as the car was getting into the wedge with an even steeper angle to deal with. Now we double down the winch by adding Ranjan's winch to the equation and finally saw the "Yellow Jeep" crawling up the hellhole. It was an unforgettable experience of my life. Thanks @Srikumar, @Asif Hussain and @GauravSoni for all the tactical support, critical thinking and impeccable leadership to deal with this EPIC extreme recovery through Liwa's enormous dunes. Thanks to @Waqas Parvez @Vaibhav @ASAD. @Pacific and @munkybizness for being there at the backend. Big thanks and shout out to @Ishak @Santoso Marjuki @Tharun Kumar V and Asif bhai's friend - Asif for offering EXEMPLARY SUPPORT by handling the most grueling and physically taxing need of attaching and detaching 10's of tow rope multiple times on huge Liwa dunes slip face with soft sand. Without your all great teamwork, this extreme recovery wouldn't have been possible.

Fantastic achievement, @JeromeFJ 🌟 You've conquered new heights and earned the esteemed title of Marshal with Carnity Offroad Club! In March 2021, Jerome Piens roared onto the scene with his stunning FJ Cruiser and an insatiable appetite for off-road knowledge. Jerome's maturity and dedication to both off-roading and teamwork were unmistakable right from the start. Since joining Team Carnity, his selflessness and passion for mentoring have swiftly made him a cornerstone of our off-road family. With over 180+ drive experience and skills, he has taken on new challenges and tasted the maximum adrenaline offered at a higher level and pace of drive. His extreme passion for sand driving, leading and supporting off-road drives made him rise through the ranks to become a vital part of Carnity off-road club. His contribution and intelligent support behind the drives, planning and great teamwork were always been highly appreciated. MARSHAL is one of the most prestigious and sought-after titles that comes after a lot of hard work, patience, tolerance, and dedication. Just like all the levels in Carnity offroad club is "NOT" only based on driving skills but instead based on the combination of your personality + intelligence + team spirit + adventure. This Marshal title is an epitome for all levels in the offroad grading structure. So if anyone wants to grow, they can set any of Carnity Offroad Club Marshal as a PERFECT example for not only following the driving skills and style but also observing their behavior, teamwork, presence of mind, calculative approach, patience and tolerance to teach and support new offroaders.

DCT RESULTS We are proud to announce the winners of this year's Desert Champion Trophy!💪 With ALL teams arriving back at the starting point before their cut-off time, and with no incidents, we are thankful for the responsible leads @Icon Auto@Wissam@GauravSoni@Looper@Davie Chase@Asif Hussain@Zed@Rizwanm2 for taking on this challenge and for leading their teams safe and well throughout the treacherous dunes of Razeen. This adventure was not just for the fastest or the most aggressive drivers; It was a tactical game where teamwork, resilience, and mental focus was crucial. Hats off to the entire teams for rising up to the challenge!👏 I want to thank the entire support team as well for helping out with the various duties and tasks which made this event a success! @Cha@Sunil Mathew@Simon D@Islam Soliman@DP1011 We hope you all enjoyed the event! You can find the screenshots of each team's track attached in the PDF. DCT 2023.pdf

I've been approved by @Gaurav to post this, just in case many eyes are rolling and looking at me virtually 🙄😅 In December 2022, I led a trip to Liwa Yellow Truck with a convoy of: Nissan Y62 stock suspension (newbie) + Mitsubishi Pajero 3.5L stock (newbie) + Chevrolet Trailblazer Z (fewbie) + 2 Jeep JL (intermediate). You can see the video here https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmZoWFxj5on/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== In March 2022, I led a trip to cross from Hameem to Al Quaa, you can see the YouTube highlights here https://youtu.be/SWJbKLMMHt8?si=rkqJYMGgalI6P0ng During Covid, I led a weekly drive called "The Path Finders - learning how to use GAIA app" mainly in Al Khatim Area (Abu Dhabi) and Al Faya Area (Abu Dhabi) initially leading 3 drives, then after that I ask each participant to "pick a waypoint and you lead us there" to practice their sense of direction and reading of both sand and GPS. Yes I have had a rollover, but that was purely my own fault. I will try my best not to let all the bad things that happened to me to my convoy members. If you've been re-routed by me when I was Center or Sweeper (mostly in Fred's drives), you will realize I always pick the easiest route for you when re-routing 😊 Who else can teach you how to avoid stuff other than a person who already went through all those stuff? 😂 What I'm looking for: 1 or 2 more candidates to join my Team Phoenix. From the name you can tell I'm a Harry Potter fan and Marvel's X-Men 😅 Ideally you should have driven with me, so you know my driving style. Ideally you drive Toyota or Jeep. This is not discrimination, if you follow my Instagram, I like fixing cars. Since I have both Toyota and Jeep, I only know these cars when it comes to how the parts orchestrate with each other. I don't like a car to break down and me as a lead not knowing how to fix it. I will subsidize 500dhs from all my Convoy Members. I don't like paying nothing while my team pays all, so as a lead, I feel financially responsible for my convoy to register without any hindrance Please WhatsApp my mobile +971-56-724-2156 if you're interested, no need to reply so you can be anonymous and keep the element of surprise! 😊 We will have Team Practice every Sunday morning, initially in Sweihan, from there we will try other places so you feel the different sands of Abu Dhabi. My Convoy so far: Toyota Land Cruiser V8 Jeep JL Jeep Rubicon Jeep Rubicon ? (ideally a Toyota here, FJ would be nice 😁 ) Kind regards, The 1st Non-Carnity Lead to try and win DCT Trophy 😅

Liwa adventure 2023: This had been one of most awaited drive for the year and brings along the excitement of just being surrounded by the majestic dunes and the ever gasping views of endless desert. The drive had all the elements one could expect.. from a slow delayed start due to fog , to long climbs and difficult technical bowls to sweeping slopes to cherish. it was all going well until the fateful moment when we heard the radio call of the clutch failure on Anoop’s Jeep at around 2 pm just after the lunch break. (Near waypoint 12) it was then the drive became a recovery drive led by the legends @Gaurav and @Srikumar…the entire convoy including myself and@Asif Hussain moving to the support team following step by step instructions.. after a carefully selected exit route was recced, the Jeep was attached to the ever powerful Raptor and the two started the tango to get out of the tight bowls area…. It was a couple of dunes later, just before the final dune before the exit, the raptor and jeep got stuck climbing a slip face with two steep bowls on either side. multiple attempts were made to reposition the cars to have one last go at that stretch but all in vain. The area was just too soft and steep angles. With every attempt, The Jeep started to slipping more into the bowl and after about 5 hours of attempts , it was decided to leave the car and head to the camping spot. we reached the waypoint 18 around 9.45 pm and the convoy members were finally able to relax and unwind after the long had day. The next day, We all gathered our thoughts and decided to take support from the other convoy members who had winches. we made our way back to the recovery point around 11:45 am and with renewed spirit and new tools ( extra winches of @Hisham Masaad and @Bjoern) under the watchful eyes and leadership of @Gaurav, began the next phase of recovering what now was being called the “yellow Jeep”. With car about to rollover while winching, to setting up anchor , to pulling against all physics , the recovery was like a masterclass for all members present. After multiple changes in strategies based on what’s working and what’s not, the yellow jeep finally emerged from the bottom of the hellhole and onto the flat patch at around 3:30 pm. kudos to the entire convoy, @Gaurav and @Srikumar for leading the recovery, @Dodi Syahdar for the never give up attitude and going thru the sheer physical stress, @Ranjan Das for the winching on day 1 and day 2. Your machine took a heavy toll for sure.. shoveling boys @Waqas Parvez @ASAD. @Pacific @munkybizness @Vaibhav @Ishak @Santoso Marjuki @Tharun Kumar Vyou guys were special without whom the recovery would not have been possible. Special thanks to @Srikumar for leaving the fb convoy and going through all the pain on day 1 while we attempted the recovery. C @Tharun Kumar V @Bjoern for showing amazing team spirit and courage to leave your designated drives and join us for the recovery, knowing that it may very well delay them getting back home. special thanks again to @Hisham Masaad for being instrumental with your contribution in the recovery both physically and mentally. thankyou @Sunil Mathew and @Mario Cornejo for being part of this epic drive and I am sure you would have also stayed back on day 2 with the IM convoy had it not been for personal reasons and the car issue. thankyou all for the brilliant support and m sure this drive will be talked about for not only the tenacity of the team, the complexity of recovery, the leadership, but also for the carmaradire of the convoy and the heartfelt laughter that resonated at the campsite until late night!! see you all soon in sand.

Normally my trip reports are delayed, but such was the kind of drive today that even though it's almost 5 hours since the drive ended the emotions are running pretty high. So here it goes: The day started with everyone making it on time. After a couple of laughs and briefing we got on our way. It took me a while to get a feel of the sand and the wierd dune formation didn't help much as well. Just as the dunes started getting spaced out and the drive flow improving we had the first unfortunate incident. Such incidents does bring the morale of the entire convoy down especially so early in the drive, but such was the maturity of all the drive participants that everyone chipped in to help sort the issue. By the time we were able to return to the desert it was close to 1 pm, so we decided to head to the famous Pajero bowl by taking the dirt track. Such kind of bowls are always nested deep within the desert surrounded by technical patch. As we glided through the narrow corridors available we had our first good run of the day. Pajero bowl was a shadow of what it was 5 years ago, when the name was invented. The difficulty level has all but gone, but still one needs to be fully focussed and committed to get in and get out. Everyone took their turns with some setting a record pace within the bowl. 😂 After having a couple of attempts and with just 2.5 hours of time available we decided to head to the other bowls of the area. What we instead found was a jungle full of bushes and hard bumps that didn't allow for a smooth ride. As we dodged our way out of the big dune area we arrived at a stretch of medium size dunes. Medium is a relative word, as these dunes were probably taller than the ones in Sweihan. And this is where we had one of the best nonstop runs that I have had the privilege of being a part of. To say that the convoy maintained a brisk pace would be a gross understatement. I wish to thank all the drive participants for putting their faith and following the route being chartered. We drove for close to 40 mins before finally I had to stop to catch my breath and so did the rest of the convoy. A break always causes a couple of refusals and so we had it as well. But once the convoy again started moving we were flying through the dunes criss crossing at the highest points and at will. That's when we heard that @ASAD. car started over heating. On closer inspection we found that the radiator fan was completely shredded and was not there. After letting the car cool off, we had the huge challenge of getting his car from the huge patch of dunes into the sabkha. As the sun was about to set in 30 minutes we had a narrow window to get the convoy out. With some excellent coordination by @Waqas Parvez @Rob S and tugging by @Tom B we were able to get the car out to the sabkha. Also a big appreciation to everyone for chipping in and helping get Asad's car ready to handle atleast some sections where he needed to drive out by himself. The excellent teamwork ensured that we recovered the car and safely reached the tarmac by 6 PM. Thank you everyone for joining the drive and for your excellent participation to help overcome each obstacle that we faced today. And thanks once again for the one hour run that we had, that was truly special.

Well, these are the days that you are not mentally prepared for, but as our elders say, it's part of life. We were all very thrilled to explore the new terrain with big bowl, but sadly, on the first bowl itself, @Sunil Mathew heard an odd noise from his suspension, and we had to exit him from the drive, the terrain was mix of technical bowl and high dunes As @M.Seidam has described in full the recovery and what occurred to @Mohamad Anwer i wish you a swift recovery Driving with the @Carnity is advantageous because you have faith in the marshal's judgment. @Hisham Masaad and @M.Seidam beautifully demonstrated this when the incident was reported and how the recovery was handled; it was a morale-booster and a terrific learning opportunity. I can't thank @Karthik Raptor, @Abdelghani,@ASAD., @Imran Kashif, and @Zed enough personally for their assistance with the recovery; all of the other members @Amr Aydin@Zixuan Huang - Charlie @Daniel Yangshown excellent attitudes and stood by one another at difficult times. I'm pleased to be a part of you guys and am looking forward to driving in future.

Fantastic teamwork here by all involved ! Unfortunately in this sport there is always a risk involved, and at the same time this type of events brings people closer together and no doubt this challenge will strengthen the bond amongst all of you. Wishing all the best to @Mohammad Anwar and hope for a quick recovery and seeing him back in the saddle soon.

Drive report ( enjoyable eventful night drive ) Dear Friends I am so glad that no one has missed the little surprise 😄 eventually as @Ashutosh Garg exit came just past midnight ! By 21:30 🕤 I looked around and realised that the 13 cars including my self are ready so I took the lead after ensuring that every one is aware what is it like to drive in the night. Starting to move at 21:48 on the short dirt track passing Abdallah’s dune looping around it to encounter our first stuck as @Ashutosh Garg by a foot slipped in and awkward like position with the rear of his X wedged almost in the V like pocket. with proper shovelling by the team and coordinated instructions from both sides ( by @munkybizness and myself ) he managed to get through amazingly. Proceeding forward to side sloping and crisscrossing with a period of pause on the radio indicating every one was enjoying their time till we reached Richie’s bar where we had our official coffe break under the 3/4 “red moon “ now The next event of the night came when our friend @Ashutosh Garg had a nasty pop-out for his right front wheel while in oblique super soft incline upon descent along with it we realised that the rubber around the stem got torn which made a gap that couldn’t be sealed and we had no choice than to replace the tyre which turned not same size which meant an exit for obvious safety reason. Thanks to all team for engaging in sorting out that issue. It took us a while ! the nearest exit was to run along the track to bab shams entry/exit known point to us and there the time already passed 12 by 15 minutes. the moon now becoming more glowing through the mild misty surroundings with a rainbow hallo around it or how my 27 year old eyes could see it 🤣 . Thank you guys for your sincere wishes. 🙏 it’s too early to finish early and with agreement of every one we vanished once more in the desert in a relatively faster pace than ever enjoying what was remaining. The third event came when @Tareq Al Turq managed to get his prado stuck as he lost momentum after criss cross and the car was hanged belly Free in between the two dunes. The only way is to pull from front after clearing the sand from the front bumper. The best would be to winch it the little uphill and luckily our sweep saviour @Ranjan Das did that like a pro after we cleared the recovery zone. the 4th event had to be mine and no one else as usual “ the swimmer 🏊‍♀️ sunk in the shallow water “ as we say it 😅as we were approaching to exit. With little patience on the gas and fine steering and effective feedback communication from the outside team our ropes kept safe always 😄 The time pointed at 02:20 when we were on the new dirt track leading to our same point from where we started . I thanked every one for the lovely night for their tolerance patience and sincere wishes and forgive me for the time stretch in this report as well as the drive itself 🙏 @Gregory you never missed a step in the drive nor an acknowledgment on the radio you gave the warnings even before my hand could grasp the radio . I hope your wife enjoyed the drive and wasn’t late ending for her. Thank you my friend for being my second lead . @Dinesh Kumar A despite for being away for a while ( in carnity at least ) you managed your prado very well with good self recovery here and there. Nice meeting you for first time. @Tareq Al Turq you drove very good no doubt and you gave us the spice of winching you tonight . As you see the more easy on the gas with little patience will keep your vehicle easy on you too 😉 @Ashutosh Garg nice to meet you too for first time . You have got a powerful machine for the desert . The more you know about it and it’s spare parts the less trouble you will be in . Wish you best and please don’t forget to replace the damaged tyre. @Joseph Raju second time we meet . I don’t recall any issue maybe reattempt once or so . Hope you enjoyed the night drive and thanks for the hydraulic jack 🙏. @topgear thanks for the company along with the others. Didn’t hear you on the radio which explains enjoying the tranquility of the night drive. @Simon Dawood happy to see you bro . Driving no question. Thanks for the share and help. Do I really look like a 27 year old ? I thought younger 🤣 @Haitham Khattab pleasure meeting for first time . I wasn’t wrong when I kept you with the wrangler pack behind . I am sure you enjoyed it a lot . Flawless and thanks for your stepping forward whenever the situation arise for help🙏 @Amr Aydin I hope the distance you crossed from far was worth the night drive . Thanks a lot for actively helping in the pop out and unscrewing the bolts . You gave me the lever to lift up the convoy my dear 😅 @munkybizness your presence especially behind the first part of the convoy was crucial . You are the true playmaker in any drive and you have always been so . Thank you 🙏 @Zixuan Huang - Charlie I hope this drive could let you catch up from the last time in pink rock and for this one I am pretty sure you have got what you wished for 😉 thanks buddy for everything @Ranjan Das it has been for a while really since we drove together what a pleasure and peace of mind to know that you are at the rear of the convoy not letting any one to slip away in the dark .🙏 Till we meet next time in another night drive take care drive safe and be good cheers Seidam

@GauravSoni @Davie Chase @Looper @Rizwanm2 @Zed @Asif Hussain @Moh Qar @Wissam @PETELCZYC PAJERO - luke @Dodi Syahdar @Bravoecho @Imteeaz @Stumpy Paj @Bashar Beasha @Benjamin @Mark B @Naveen Raj @Jessica Lambert @mainpasir @Lala G @Cole bertasso @Santoso Marjuki @Mahmoud Taha @eibuthomas @stuwart fernandes @Anoop Nair @fadijoin @JohanE @Cesar Chacon @Albertorres @Miguel Gallego @Mohammad Sayawoush Azad @Arun Menon @Ishak @Krishna R @Tharun Kumar V @Jaro Tuzinsky @Rajiv Sam @Perhat @Icon Auto Congratulations to all Desert Champions for successfully completing the Desert Champions Trophy yesterday without any disqualifications, accidents, or damage to your vehicles. Your exemplary performance underscores your champion-like behavior, demonstrating focus on the task at hand by understanding both your individual abilities and your car's capabilities. This challenge was crafted to assess not just your prowess in hill climbing or straight-line driving but also to test your off-road skills, experience, perseverance, and teamwork. As organizers, we take immense pride in and express our gratitude for, having 40 Desert Champions who exhibit outstanding maturity and a commendable competitive spirit. Thank you all.

well it's now over 48hrs, and I did go to the doctor per @Gaurav & @Srikumar's recommendation. Doc said since no vomitting, no broken ribs, no blurry vision and no pain whatsoever, she declared me fit to drive & work again 🙂 I would rather focus on the positive things and the good lucks, so here they are: alhamdulillah I managed to return home unharmed, thanks to every single one in the convoy, I pray God bless you all for your kindness. thanks to my trip marshal @Srikumar for leading the team during the incident. There were other younger blood he could direct & delegate to, but he chose to unroll his sleeves and in the process hit his head against my rear bumper (luckily it's stock fibre... imagine if it's the Y62 with 4mm steel 😱) it was good luck @Haitham Khattab pushed himself to join the drive eventhough he overslept and started driving at 5:30am. For his presence helped a lot, as we needed an Arabic speaker to translate and bridge the communication with the police. i had a nice recovery driver who shared me his Naan & vegetables lunch in short, eventhough it was an unfortunate incident, I am thankful and happy with the people who surrounded me & helped. Thanks for asking @Tom B @Rob S @ASAD. , not my first rollover with perfect landing on all 4 wheels, so the shocks were subdued a bit 😅, but nevertheless humbles and amazes me how we're given second..eh i mean... fourth chance. My wife reminded to watch the latest Puss in the Boots movie 😂 And this is the finale good news: only Windshield (500dhs second-hand) + Front Right Fender (300dhs second-hand) + Front Right Passenger Door (300dhs second-hand) are badly damaged. According to the Denting Specialist, the roof can be fixed without replacing the whole roof. I'll probably start a thread on the LC 10K bring-to-life restoration project 😄

What a day, what a wonderful day!! These are the kind of days that's makes you realize why we all love this sport so much. Pushing the cars and drivers to the limit, and enjoying the success of each convoy member as they scale higher up the dunes. And for me there was no better way to enjoy this day than to have the company of @Frederic and @Gaurav. The fact that we have been together on an IM drive after 2.5 years, just made it even more special. Thank you guys for signing up. @GauravSoni you are a real brave heart. When I made the call to him on Thursday to share the lead at Qua, he simply said 'Oh Yes'. You lost your phone just at the start of the drive, something can put many Leads mind off, but you stuck to it and pulled off an amazing Lead. Well done. About our convoy members @Amr Aydin @ASAD. @Waqas Parvez @Vaibhav and @JeromeFJ you were the true superstars, cause you were able to maintain the very fine line of driving at the limit without going over it. And the reason why we had a successful adrenaline pumping drive. As the drive post said, the drive ended only when we started running out of fuel. As we took the sabkha for the final stretch to reach Y60 hill, the fatigue of the entire day finally kicked in. But we had one final challenge, to get to the top of Y60 hill. Since it's impossible to do it with our stock cars, a few of us made the balance climb to the top on foot. The achievement of standing on the tallest dune for miles was truly special. FInally, I can't end this with out showing my huge appreciation and gratitude to my mentor and brother @Gaurav for teaching me everything I know in this beautiful sport. From route planning to execution and to be my SL was a true privilege. P.S. That's why I let you take the Pajero Bowl 2 first. You have to believe me when I say this, that it was out of pure respect. 🤣

"Allah has decreed it, and what he willed has happened" alhamdulillah, @Mohamad Anweris back to his family and home. Thanking all @Imran Kashif @Amr Aydin @Zixuan Huang - Charlie @ASAD. @Karthik Raptor @Waqas Parvez @Daniel Yang @Zed @Abdelghani and @M.Seidam for all support. Each one has done his best and offered the maximum to get out of the situation safely. As mentioned above, driving a vehicle will always require concentration and attention, let it be on road or sand. Driving in sand is much more demanding. What happened is a lesson for all of us to always concentrate, pay attention, follow the track, and dont over challenge things, speed or hight. Wish you a nice week a head. take care

Dear Friends, thank you so much for the recognition and the trust you put in me. It has been a long journey since that Master Class with Emmanuel who gave me the first flavour of what a desert drive could be. I had been in the desert before, by foot, with camels, but never really with a car. I always liked the outdoors and the exploration of remote places, but had practiced more in the mountainous areas. I always liked driving, and I had purchased that beautiful FJ a few months before, and believe it or not, it is the first car I own in my life. I always liked the team practice, especially when the challenges bring the team together, and when each individual will contribute to the success of the team. I like the surfing, gliding, skiing, snowboarding sensations. With this desert drive activity, I could find a combination of all this, with the benefit to explore the country where we live. And @Carnity with their values of learning, step by step progression, safety, respect, and enjoyment was for me the perfect framework to practice and discover. I learned progressively, exploring the capabilities of my car, my own capabilities, learning so much about cars, about the desert, the sand texture, soft, hard, brittle, fine, heavy, wet, dry..., the sand behaviour, holding, supporting, sliding, sticky..., the effect of weather conditions, the heat, the humidity, the rain, the fog..., the wind, pushing the sand, continuously reshaping the dunes. I learned to control the momentum of the car, to use it to cross, to climb, to have an efficient use of that energy, to avoid sharp turns, brakes, accelerations, to adjust the entry point, the angle, to merge smoothly with the ridge, to anticipate the effect of that little step, that bump, to control the descends... Starting to support drives, I learned to recover stuck cars, evaluate the balance of the weight, the angle, the holding capability of the sand, using the slope and gravity as an aid, using shovel, ropes, winch, using the team, the resources available, at that location, at that time, looking for ideas, imagination... Starting to lead drives, a complete new chapter opened, I learned reading the shape of a dune, finding the best line, the smooth line, the line enabling to cross, to climb, the line suitable for the other cars, I learned to consider that the conditions will change, each cars having its own effect on the terrain, making it more more difficult, or easier for the next one. I learned to watch other drivers, is he/she comfortable, hesitant, confident, overconfident, is he/she at risk, is he aware... I learned to advise, to guide, to explain, trying to be clear, to be understandable, giving confidence, safely, with awareness. I learned to compose a drive, organise a convoy, study the maps, select a route, propose a adequate mix of difficulties, nice view points, considering the direction of the sun, the light, the temperature rise during the day, and once all this is prepared, be ready to change and adjust, according to the participants, the terrain, the incidents... The best rewards, beside my own enjoyment, is seeing the big smiles at the top of a high climb, feeling the silent concentration of each driver on a long ridge with a view wide open on the desert, having happy faces at the end of the drive, creating happy moments to be shared with friends. Big thank you @Gaurav @Frederic @Srikumar for creating, maintaining, supporting all this environment, once again, thank you for your trust and guidance. @Ale Vallecchi @Islam Soliman @Chaitanya D @Vanessa8580 @Hisham Masaad @M.Seidam @Asif Hussain @GauravSoni, you are a continuous source of inspiration, thank you for all the things I learn from you. And thank you to my co-drivers @Looper @Varun Mehndiratta @Rizwanm2 @Anish S @Davie Chase @Mehmet Volga @DP1011 @Simon D and all the participants to my drives (185 members have done at least 1 drive under my lead), you all make it happen, and we all learn with each others. Looking forward to many more drives together ! Pic tribute to @Gertjan

“If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing.” ― Ayn Rand I am still trying to figure out how many drives are too many drives. Thank you very much to everyone associated with @Carnity - All the Club Members, Support Team, the Marshals and the Crew, every day is a pleasure in your company.

Thank you Fredy for an absolute Epic Drive. This drive was long awaited, but it was absolutely worth the wait. This drive was not your regular offroad drive, but rather a proper overlanding where the objective was to reach a destination. It was a test of your endurance and ability to keep focus through long durations. By the time the drive had ended, we had offroaded for 24 hours spread over 2 days in unchartered territory. For me, the first stretch on Day 1 and the last stretch on Day 2 were the real highlights of the entire drive. The powder soft sand on Day 1 tested all of us and made us remember the basics of how one should stop the car when the convoy is not moving and how to choose your lines. The last stretch on Day 2, was a brilliant fast paced driving through some tight rolling dunes. Fredy was clearly a man on a mission, as he was setting a blistering pace with all of us playing catchup. These kind of overlanding trips, gives us all the chance to appreciate Nature at its very best and also to spend some time chatting with your passengers as well as other drive participants. I could spend so much time talking with my copilot, Kabir and the so many stories that he had to share. Those were the priceless moments that I will always remember from this drive. To all the drive participants, you guys were superheroes and the reason we could achieve an astounding 500+ km of offroad driving. So inspiring was the drive, that Kabir brought out his photography skills to click a beautiful picture at the camp site of Day 1. I have attached a few more pics in the gallery.

Trip Report : One picture says it all!! We looked for this once we planned and signed up on this drive to see as below @Vaibhav flawless 2nd lead! Love to see your insta videos with Waqas and Asad. @Jaro Tuzinsky some niggles here and there but you came out flying in a Pajero. Driver matters and not the car. @Bjoern buddy neighbor - super driving along with your copliot. Amazing fun . @Pascal No doubt you are up for your new promotion to FB plus, flawless. @ASAD. along with @Waqas Parvez, @Karthik Raptor gelling the convoy to perfection and supporting - helping with their advise and experience. @varunmehndiratta - with new red ride the Rubicon, listening to your advises once I was away down the slip phases - was such a calming reassurance that everything was under control. @Patrick van der Loo with the TJ - again no issues - experienced too for a second try.😛 @Richard Franks another Ruby Rubicon along with @Senthil Kumar- hardly heard on the radio. Last but not the least @M.Seidam - sweeping everyone to perfection. The longish convoy never kept us apart - even on the radio😜 Friends - Fantastic to have your company on the drive itself along with the camping previous night (not on this drive )- with @Gok Krish, @James Thorn, @Haitham Khattab , @Tareq Al Turq, @Simon D , @Mario Cornejo @Rob S Amazing to let everyone know how all the convoys this year got to yellow truck at all levels !! Look forward soon to see you all again doing what we do - camp and drive 🙂

Great team work and presence of mind from all. @Mohamad Anwer, get well soon mate and hope you can put this behind and enjoy the hobby you love! All the best buddy 🙏. Its a rude awakening for all how quickly things can go wrong within matter of split seconds especially with extreme sport like we do every weekend. Glad that we have a great team and leads who look after each other in worst situations and come out of them more stronger. It also reminds us to have fun but also be cautious when we push our limits. Thanks @M.Seidam, @Hisham Masaad, @Zixuan Huang - Charlie, @Amr Aydin, @Imran Kashif, @Zed, @Waqas Parvez, @ASAD., @Daniel Yang. @Sunil Mathew, hope you get the new flashy Dobinsons sorted. Have a great week ahead guys. Take care, see you in the sand soon! 🦖

Overlanding Description Embark on a thrilling two-day overlanding adventure with us as we traverse the seven Emirates 🐪🐪, minimizing our time on paved roads. This expedition promises an immersive journey through diverse landscapes🌏, including expansive deserts, majestic mountains, and unique sabkhas. Our primary goal is to relish the long ride while savoring the breathtaking scenic beauty that this remarkable country has in abundance. Join us for an unforgettable experience, exploring the hidden gems and natural wonders that await at every turn !🧭 Drive Preparation Your car should be in 100% pristine working condition, so double or triple check everything. Full-size spare tire with a lug wrench to match your wheel nut size and its depth. For aftermarket rims - Your lug wrench also needs to match the wheel nut depth. 5-10 liter of water per person per day. Snacks for breakfast, lunch, dinner and next day breakfast. Keep your car as light as possible by packing what is truly essential. 2 Fully charged radios with spare battery and all other required off-road gears. 2 full days of driving can be tiring. Take this into account when signing up. Fuel requirement: We recommend bringing an extra jerrycan of 25l with you, safely strapped. At the end of day 1 we should be nearby a gas station where people can refuel if needed. Camping Before dark, we will set up camp in a nice location. You are welcome to bring your BBQ or snacks, whatever you like. Take note to keep the camping spot clean and we will take all our trash with us. A bonfire is a possibility which we will look into closer to the actual date. Gaza Donation Description The current conflict in Gaza cannot be ignored anymore, and the death toll has now surpassed 10,000. It is time we come together as an off-road community and bundle our efforts to get attention to this conflict. Tarahum for Gaza is a campaign launched by the UAE to provide humanitarian relief packages to Palestinian families and children affected by the ongoing crisis. With an expected RSVP of 20 people, we would like to reach a minimum donation amount of 5,000dhs. So kindly donate 250dhs or more when RSVP'ing to this drive. You can donate via below link that takes you to the Red Crescent Website. Once you have done that, please click on the "Totally Agree" Icon. Your donation will make a difference! DONATE HERE Thank you ! Drive Details Level: All levels, no Absolute Newbie When: 2 and 3 Dec 2023 Meeting time: 7:00 AM (SHARP - Without any exceptions). Meeting Point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/zxGPHQaAEVp74wzE6?g_st=ic Ajman NOTE: UPON REACHING THE MEETING POINT, DO NOT DEFLATE AND DO NOT PUT THE FLAG YET. Type of Car: Any 4x4 with front and back tow hooks and 8-10 inches of ground clearance. What to bring along: Offroad tools as per your level, plenty of water (5l per day), snacks, packed lunch, 25l jerrycan of extra petrol. Approximate finish time and location: approx 4-5 PM Sunday 3 Dec in Nahel (Abu Dhabi) area. RSVP HERE

My limited overlanding experience from the past has always been bad to super bad as driving with friends and colleagues will tear apart the plan in a few hours when one wanna go left and another wanna go right. That's where the importance comes to overland with like-minded people with a single leader so you can accomplish something at the end as one team. Simply put in my 16+ years of off-roading, I have never experienced such an amazing drive with such amazing off-roaders led by an amazing lead to march toward a single goal - to drive on the Tropic of cancer - and nothing else. And this beautiful combination was priceless and a secret recipe to the whole success. Big congratulations to everyone. These are the list of few things that this EPIC expedition offered: Mind game - Most important Perseverance with a strong determination to keep pushing beyond your physical limits and boundaries, even when you are tired, hungry, or sleepy. Razor sharp focus at all times as anything less will gonna cost you more time, delay and fuel. Positive attitude to keep thinking of one thing at all times in spite of all failed or half-working strategies. Great teamwork displayed at every stuck, refusal, and pop-out to get going in a jiffy to save time. Punctual and precise with every break time, camping, packing up cars etc, to save much time for real action with a very healthy and required balance of breaks in between. Responsibly driving without breaking your car and keeping a close eye on each other to help the whole convoy stay on course, safely, at all times. Sweaty palms, nerve-wracking moments, pounding heart with a racing heartbeat, sore back, legs and arms with under-rest body and mind but still able to push it through to get going with a big smile. Off-road driving Ultra soft sand to let you go back to basics of developing a perfect throttle (real art of off-roading) to not let you sink or fly through the dune. Plan your stops or else sharpen your self-recovery - blip blip skills. Test your car power and weight at the same time with any/all gizmos you may have. Stay afloat to keep breathing. Precise control over tall dunes, to follow the curviest path of least resistance where we burn less fuel yet cross those humongous dunes and slip face without getting stuck or refusals. Rev to 6k, not much, but we have been given many chances to stretch the rev-band on enormous bowls which lies on the line of TOC. Boring gatch track that lets you sleep at 60 km speed and then wakes you up with a big bang of axle bending ditch of twisted technical mini dune with bumper hitting sharp drops. Beautiful scenic view with literally hand-painted picture-perfect dunes on both sides, that can mesmerize you all the way - my best moment. Crossing endless crest - big fear for any offroader as you need to be in full sync with your car power and angle of inclination. This drive tested from tall dunes to slip-face crest - all the way and everyone delivered remarkably well, without getting stuck or breaking the bumper. Musical sand - as many know - descending from super tall dune offers you musical sand that pushes your car sideways with tons (literally) of sand behind your rear end and leaves you to constantly correct your fishtail on these massive slopes. Hard to read sand as in some places what we know is constantly challenged. The ripple side is super soft and the slip face side was hard. Simply because of a recent change in wind patterns, everything we know was constantly challenged. Adding more spices to the mix. Dakar speed fun, at very safe and open dunes, the whole convoy zipped at IM level pace and precision with zero refusal or stuck. Such a hard-core expedition of pushing 550 Km off-road in two days is best suited with 3-4 cars (initially intended), but how we all managed with such a long convoy of 13 amazing drivers is itself a remarkable achievement. I'm very proud to be a part of it. Thanks to all the great drivers and super thankful to all gods, for letting us complete this amazing achievement without any incident and drive back home safely. I admit this was the first expedition drive that I have completed (as planned) and the first one to drive 550+ km in two days. Thoroughly enjoyed every minute. Such an overland expedition sets a new definition of off-roading by offering all sorts of off-road adventures packed in one hell of a Mega Drive (until @munkybizness comes up with a more apt name). MANY THANKS, @Frederic for putting your heart and soul behind the scene to plan and improvise all nitty-gritty to perfectly execute such a beast of a drive/exploration/expedition with a cool head and big smile - all the way. You are truly a remarkable and gifted leader who knows how to deliver without pushing and yet balancing the whole team at peak performance. I felt so honored to be your second lead, but honestly, I hardly corrected anything and rather thoroughly enjoyed driving behind you - reminded me of our old days together. I totally agree that everyone drove fantastically but key credit goes to your exemplary leadership skills to see through the whole convoy strength and accordingly chart the track. And you've delivered your A-game through this EPIC expedition buddy. Constantly facing one challenge after the other with soft sand, sand storm, block exits, detours, running out of fuel and covering fewer km than expected, you never let your doubts or skepticism pass it to the team and always lifted their spirits. Really amazing feat Fredy, and my heartiest congratulations for setting the bar so high at the first attempt. I eagerly look fwd to reading more trip reports or experiences from all other drivers to see such mega drive experience through their lens.

A journey of truly epic proportions. Over-landing is such a hot hobby right now but there’s not many people I’d follow 500km across the desert , so when @Frederic posted this drive I jumped on it! You just knew that Fred would have planned it with the precision of a neurosurgeon, every path, every track and every flipping fence would have been meticulously examined. It was exhilarating, exhausting, exciting and exceptional all at once. The Baja run near the 3/4 mark not only brushed off all my off-roading cobwebs but sharpened my skills. It felt so good to finally be ‘back’! Thanks to everyone in the convoy for the camaraderie and the excellent driving prowess. Many many many thanks to @Frederic @Gaurav @Srikumar and @JeromeFJfor getting us through it all. The Freddy Express ! Yalla

Blind Date: No Maps Drive - Drive Report "Today, let us swim wildly, joyously in gratitude" - Rumi Let's start the report by being joyously grateful that @Vanessa8580 escaped a roll-over healthy and in one piece, with no bruises other than on her X-Terra's body. The accident, clearly shown by the Second Lead's on-board camera, was a freak one, that could have happened to anybody. Its dynamic was the same as that of a tire bursting on tarmac, with the X-Terra having a pop-out upon reaching the flat top of a tall dune, and pivoting on the damaged wheel, spinning once, twisting 180 degrees, and landing on its right side, facing backward. The pop-out must have been caused by an irregularity on the hard, almost cement like, and corrugated surface at the top of the dune, resulting from the 4 days of rainfall that preceded the drive. The guys in Convoy #2 can refine this reconstruction, having seen the accident in person. When Convoy #1 arrived at the scene, having seen it from the opposite ridge, we found Vanessa recovering her composure, with @Islam Soliman and @Lawrence_Chehimi, well assisted by the rest of the drivers, intent in studying and preparing the recovery. As the car was resting on its right side, leaning away from the wide ridge, toward a bowl on what would have been the slip-face, it was suggested and agreed that to bring back the car on its 4 wheels the tug should be given from the tall dune's hard face, and from its bottom (tugging away from the rim of the ridge would have risked the pulling car to slip down the slope, and getting stuck without any more traction to either get back up, or to complete the job). Another concerted decision was to use towing ropes, in place of the kinetic ones, linked together in a number sufficient to reach the towing car almost at the bottom of the hard face: the intent was to make sure the tension would be continuous, and avoid that the ropes give some slack while the X-Terra was being pulled to the ground. Finally, a third decision was also to anchor the X-Terra from its back side, which was leaning heavily toward the slip-face's bowl below, to make sure the pull would be even, and no slipping down toward gravity would take place. With all this orderly arranged and put into place by the whole convoy, Islam proceeded to tug, while @Dodi Syahdar provided the anchor, resulting in an almost effortless recovery of Vanessa's X-Terra to its 4-wheel position. A second tug ensued, to bring the dead weight of the car from its slightly inclined resting place (leaning toward the slip-face's bowl) back onto the flat surface available at the top of the ridge, with the goal of fixing the pop-out that caused the incident in the first place. This took place from the front, courtesy of Dodi's, with Islam's anchoring the car from behind. With the pop out rapidly fixed, all that was left to do, while Vanessa finished to recover her poise, was to scout a track, unobstructed by dunes, that would allow Islam to tow the car out to the location of our starting point, next to Murqab's mosque. Towing the car's dead weight became unavoidable, as after waiting sufficient time to make sure it was possible to try and turn on the engine again, this stalled and did not give signs of being able to function at all. Luckily, the whole thing had taken place with an easily accessible sabkha in sight, and it was not difficult to find a local's sand track leading out to Murqab's mosque. @Islam Soliman, @Lawrence_Chehimi, @Ahmad Nerat, @Yaseen87, @Krishna R, @Murtaza Bhuria, @Sebb, @Andrei S, @Shahid Mehmood and @Naim Aoun from Convoy #2 (especially those driving closer to Vanessa) are welcome to add to this reconstruction with any observation they find would be useful to understand the incident's dynamic, and to work as educational material for any future reference, in similar cases. Once the situation was back under control, Convoy #1 continued the blind drive, using all visual landmarks in sight, to eventually reach its final destination. From Murqab's sabkha we moved in a north-easterly direction, crossing a technical area, toward the sabkhas between Margham and Lisaili, and from there first toward the pylons to the west, and eventually to the south-west, keeping the Solar Tower (a.k.a The Chimney) to the south of the convoy, a group of trees located amidst a well know technical area just to the left of the convoy, and aiming at a gap between the pylons and the Innovation Center's "pyramid" often visible from the higher positions. It was a phenomenally fun drive, with all drivers behaving greatly, and enjoying the compact sand, that allowed to ride on ridges for extended periods, as well as lots of criss-crossing. Having reached the "Three Trees" exit, at the roundabout between Solar Park and Qudra, the convoy was partially extended, with @Ishak, @Gary F, @Sunil Mathew and @Frans M continuing with me toward the Qudra's exit, still "blind", while @Jaro Tuzinsky, @Stan, @Bravoecho, @Abdul Basit Khan, @Adam James, @Stumpy Paj and @Dodi Syahdar ending the drive as scheduled. Altogether, including the Qudra extension, the drive covered 74.3 Km (more likely 70, as a few Kms were driven by me to scout Islam's exit route), completed in 2:25 hours of driving time (with 4:28 hours in total), at an average moving speed of 31 Km/h (and 17 Km/h total average). Thanks to @Jaro Tuzinsky for the Second Lead, to @Sunil Mathew for anchoring, and to @Dodi Syahdar for sweeping, as well as thanks to the whole Convoy #2 for coming to the rescue of Vanessa's, ensuring that she was unharmed, and making the X-Terra's recovery a safe and successful one. @Vanessa8580's generosity, enthusiasm and competence will be missed while the X-Terra is brought back to its original condition, while I am sure that she will be looking forward to getting back in the saddle as soon as possible, unshaken by the knowledge that this unfortunate incident could have happened to anybody, and it was certainly not due to any "mistake" on her part, but rather to an invisible glitch in sand caused by the unusual 4 days of rainfall.

Hello all, I couldn't introduce myself last month when I joined, due to various factors. My name is Tharun Kumar V! I am originally from Bengaluru, India, but lived in several different countries and I am now based in Dubai, working with UD Trucks as Resident Eng. for MEENA. As a Resident Eng., my job is to help UD Truck's dealers and customer a reliable truck and of course to help them out whenever they’re in need of technical solution. Last June I moved to Dubai with my wife Ankitha and my daughter Shrestha. Ankitha was an interior designer and currently she is handling our naughty Shrestha who is just 16months old. Things keeps me calm are cars, bikes and trucks. Back in India I’m a member of Fiat 1100 Bangalore club. I do own a small fleet of cars and bikes starting from Fiat Select – 1959, Premier Padmini 1100 – 1992, Mercedes Benz W124 – 1992, Mahindra Scorpio – 2006, Toyota Qualis – 2001, Yezdi Road King – 1991, Bajaj Chetak – 1987 and Royal Enfield – 2010. I am a DIY person and would like to keep myself busy with my passions. Once I moved into Dubai, got my license in 21 days and picked a Mitsubishi Pajero sport from one of the marshals from another club, who is a friend of mine from India. How did I get to know Carnity???? This is an interesting topic for me. After a week of purchase of Mitsubishi Pajero sport, I had to go to meet the previous owner of the car in Sharjah to collect few parts. Surprisingly my car gear inhibitor failed, and I had to drive the car to a garage in Sharjah (this car was maintained in the same workshop by the previous owner). As I was waiting for the new inhibitor in the waiting lounge, I see a person and started to have a conversation about his Pajero and off roading. Apparently his Pajero had a starter motor failure, and he was waiting for a long time to secure the part. After a long discussion about off road and Carnity, I was so eager and I asked him, “if it is ok can I join Sunday morning drive?” and he happily asked me to join. So, my first drive as a passenger in Carnity was done on 7th August 2022. The person who introduced me to Carnity is @Gaurav Soni I was just waiting for my family to get adjusted to Dubai and then signed in to Carnity. Thanks a lot for the opportunity and with my one-month experience, I have started to discover many good things in Carnity. Carnity is not only a community, but it also feels like a family. Carnity not only teaches off-roading and its skill, but it also even improves our personal developments. Hope I have not bored everyone with my stories and introduction. I would like to meet every one in person during the drive. See you soon guys in the desert Thank you Regards Tharun Kumar V

Congratulations @M.Seidam for reaching the Marshal level with Carnity Offroad Club. Seidam joined Carnity in mid-2020 with his Jeep Grand Cherokee and great enthusiasm for off-roading. Later it got upgraded to Xterra to continue the passion and excitement to conquer every dune. With a very inquisitive nature, Seidam has learned and mastered many skills very quickly and always supported everyone. Exploring new areas and pushing new boundaries made him a seasoned off-roader with good knowledge and experience. With a prudent and cautious approach, he very well established his leading skills and tasteful drives to position himself as an integral part of the carnity family. MARSHAL is one of the most prestigious and sought-after titles that comes after a lot of hard work, patience, tolerance, and dedication. Just like all the levels in Carnity offroad club is "NOT" only based on driving skills but instead based on the combination of your personality + intelligence + team spirit + adventure. This Marshal title is an epitome for all levels in the offroad grading structure. So if anyone wants to grow, they can set any of Carnity Offroad Club Marshal as a PERFECT example for not only following the driving skills and style but also observing their behavior, teamwork, presence of mind, calculative approach, patience and tolerance to teach and support new offroaders.

Thank you @Carnity especially @Gaurav @Frederic and @Srikumar and the entire support team of @Cha @Sunil Mathew @DP1011 @Islam Soliman (hope you car is not terminal mate) and @Simon D for all the hard work making this a truly memorable day for all of us. the terrain was the trickiest I have encountered during my short time as a Carnity lead, but boy oh boy was it fun, except one forest that we drove through to get to an easy green (not so easy and was one of the worst patches of bushes I have ever seen in the desert). I learnt so much in this 6hrs and had a fantastic confidence boost along the way as to my leading skills. may entire team of desert flyers @Dodi Syahdar @PETELCZYC PAJERO - luke @Joji vargheseand @Benjamin drove the wheels off their cars and followed me wherever I went. Talk about team work, wow you guys were the best team a lead could wish for, thank you one and all for making my day so memorable and so much fun. looking forward to the next one thank you all for a great weekend 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

The Desert Champions Trophy has finally arrived and waiting to find a new home....!

amazing!... thanks a lot @Frederic for this interesting initiative.. and congratulations @Ale Vallecchi @Davie Chase @Benjamin @JeromeFJ @DP1011@Ishak @Bjoern @Tharun Kumar V @Santoso Marjuki for this recognition..hold tight as competition heats up and everyone will be trying hard to knock you off that wall 😆

Day 2 - Al Bathaa to Edge of the World (685 Km) Let's start from the beginning of tomorrow (Day 3). A 6:00 am water up in a windstorm and 14 degrees, after a full night of rain. It felt we had punished for having reached the End of the World. A Martian landscape, of a miles long sharp cliff separating the central plateau of Arabia from the lower lands expanding from here to the Red Sea. Barely 68 km west of Riyad, yet 2 hours of driving away, End of the World is reached through 30 km M on a rocky dirt track. The excruciating drive, takes a heavy toll on the back and spine, but leaves you breathless once at the top (see picture). Everything else between Al Bathaa and here is quite insignificant, except a large dune field running along the highway not far from Riyad, which would warrant more time to explore (on the next trip). The camp was set at night on track back to the tarmac intersection, yesterday above a small wadi lined up with leafy trees. Food was served and enjoyed just on time for the arrival first of an electric storm, then of the heavy rains that were the sound track of the night, until the windy dawn.

Thank you so much @Gauravthere is no way i would have been able to pull this off without the whole Carnity family behind me. I say family because we lift each other and become a better version of ourselves when spending time with likeminded people in the sand.

@FredericFirst of all thanks for organizing this epic expedition drive, you deserve a big round of applause for executing this challenging journey seamlessly with a convoy of 13 vehicles and everyone exiting safely. The drive reminded me of all the basics that you taught me in the absolute newbie drive, it was very challenging, stimulating and stressful to stay focused and alert at all times throughout the drive and it really tested my endurance levels as it pushed to my extreme and at some point thought of giving up. I am truly amazed by your off-roading skills , you are an off-roading LEGEND. A big round of applause to all the superb drivers and the support team members with each one contributing to the success of this drive. I believe this will pave way for more overlanding trips. It was my first camping experience, really enjoyed the camp fire, dinner and the discussions.

Congratulations @GauravSoni for reaching the Marshal level with Carnity Offroad Club. Gaurav Soni joined Carnity in late 2020 with his stock Pajero and curious nature to know and learn off-roading. His passion for off-roading and inquisitive nature made him learn a lot very quickly. With an open mind approach, he has understood the value of structure, experience, and training, and with a great helpful attitude towards all off-roaders, he has quickly positioned himself as an integral part of Team Carnity. With over 200+ drive experience and skills, he has taken on new challenges and tasted the maximum adrenaline offered at a higher level and pace of drive. His extreme passion for sand driving, leading and supporting off-road drives made him rise through the ranks to become a vital part of Carnity off-road club. His contribution and intelligent support behind the drives, planning and great teamwork were always been highly appreciated. MARSHAL is one of the most prestigious and sought-after titles that comes after a lot of hard work, patience, tolerance, and dedication. Just like all the levels in Carnity offroad club is "NOT" only based on driving skills but instead based on the combination of your personality + intelligence + team spirit + adventure. This Marshal title is an epitome for all levels in the offroad grading structure. So if anyone wants to grow, they can set any of Carnity Offroad Club Marshal as a PERFECT example for not only following the driving skills and style but also observing their behavior, teamwork, presence of mind, calculative approach, patience and tolerance to teach and support new offroaders.

@Benjamin well done on your recovery. the halfdesert is a very popular on the weekeds. Personally i venture sometimes there when i am not in the mood to drive a really long time to get into the sand as its really close-by. Just a few advices out of my experiance to take into consideration before you help anyone next time to avoid getting yourself in some serious problems ( could even be legal at some point). 1. Never help a car with no license plate on. 2. Never help a car that have signs of damage or accident. 3. Never get into someone's else car to try to drive it out( i am refering to people you just met ) 4. ALWAYS use your recovery gears ONLY even if they do propose to use theirs. 5. Remember that recovering random stuck people in the desert is not the same as recovering your friends at carnity ( many of them might not have a safe recovery point, that is if they even have one ). 6. Follow your instinct if you feel uncomfortable ( for any reason )just bailout. 7. Tell them that some damage might occure to their vehicle due to the recovery and ask for their verbal consent to proceed( thier are some really rude people out there). 8. Always consider your safety and the people around you on the 1st place Cheers and see you on the sand

@Mohamad Anwer wish you good health and a speedy recovery bro. Really sad to witness all this, but very glad that you've installed a roll-cage recently because of which you've sustained such a major rollover with a couple of bruises and scratches. God has been very kind, indeed. I remember I was about to have a similar rollover in Liwa when I changed my mind last second to ride a ridge instead of a simple side slope. So far I had 3 near-miss incidents, 2 were out of my mistake and 1 was due to a lack of visibility at night. @M.Seidam and @Hisham Masaad many thanks for handling such an extreme situation with the utmost discipline and safety. Your maturity, experience, and nerves of steel really shine bright in such scenarios and inspire others. WELL DONE, KEEP IT UP. @Karthik Raptor @Abdelghani @Waqas Parvez @ASAD. @Imran Kashif @Zed @Zixuan Huang - Charlie I cannot thank you all enough for supporting the whole recovery and Marshals in the most critical moment. We are truly blessed with like-minded off-roaders who really understand the meaning of "Teamsport". Keep it up, guys.

Thanks, Fredy for keeping track and identifying real heroes. Congratulations @M.Seidam @Stumpy Paj @Naveen Raj @Zed @Rajiv Sam @DP1011 @Looper for all the creativity, teamwork and camaraderie.

Thank you @Frederic for this brilliant idea to recognize and celebrate real heroes. So that the whole Carnity family knows their name and achievements every quarter. You are the real Eywa of Carnity. Congratulations @Ishak @Bjoern @Tharun Kumar V @Santoso Marjuki @Benjamin @Ale Vallecchi @JeromeFJ @Davie Chase and @DP1011 for being the very first names to make it in the Hall of Fame. Your patience, contributions, maturity and teamwork are highly appreciated. Keep rocking!

Anther fantastic initiative @Carnity thanks a lot to @Frederic for the words of encouragement and the post, it was you that got me started with my first drive a Carnity master class, no looking back from there and now the Misses is driving my beloved Red Rubi 🤔 i think this might be your fault as well @Frederic 🤣. Moreover, my heartiest congratulations to the rest of the recognized team members, @Ale Vallecchi @Benjamin @JeromeFJ @Ishak @Bjoern @Tharun Kumar V @Santoso Marjuki @DP1011 , Deepak wrangler this is what separates Carnity from the rest of the pack well done to all.

Wasn't sure how to comment on this one, i guess still soaking in what happened. There is a life lesson for all of us who want to enjoy this sport, doesn't matter how experienced you are whether you are a newbie, intermediate or an expert, a wrong judgment, slightest of miscalculation or lapse in concentration can be quite dangerous. The most important thing was that our dear friend and brother @Mohamad Anwer despite a few mental and physical scars walked out of this one. Wish a speedy recovery and hope to enjoy your company soon brother. The teamwork, concern & willingness shown by all is what makes this club special. Whether it was ensuring Anwar's safety or recovering the vehicle, everyone just wanted to be there to see it thru. Cant thank enough the leadership of Dr @M.Seidam & @Hisham Masaad , we wouldn't know what to do without both of you. @Waqas Parvez & @Abdelghani u both were fantastic with recovery of the LC from the top of dune, especially @Abdelghani who had to sit inside in the heat to try and steer it with @Hisham Masaad winching it down and @Waqas Parvez anchoring it with his rope from above. @Zed @Imran Kashif @Zixuan Huang - Charlie @Karthik Raptor @Daniel Yang @Amr Aydin thank you all for your concern staying together with Anwar and later assistance with the recovery. Wish you all a good week and hope to see you soon.