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TGIF: Margham to Faqa - Drive Report "There is a desert I long to be walking. A wide emptiness; peace beyond any understanding of it" - Rumi It would be a safe guess to say that all us desert wanderers find fulfilment where others see emptiness. The desert draws us to it, in a way that sometimes it's difficult to explain. A drive like last Friday's TGIF certainly quenches the thirst for the desert's emptiness, and stirs up the appetite for more. A nice start at Margham's red sand bowls, followed by a slow dance on the ridges leading west toward Lisaili, across the Dubai-Al Ain Road, along the camel track to reach the technical area at the beginning of Lisaili's long range dunes, through the sabkhas leading to Murqaab, and on to reach Faqa, traversing a mix of tight bowls long range cordons. At the end of the day, we went for 78.7 Km, in 2:59 hours of moving time (and 1 hour of stops and rest), driving at 26 Km/h (total average speed of 20 Km/h). Very well executed drive by everybody, with minimum incidents until the last segment, where fatigue likely took a bit of a toll, causing a few back-to-back stucks. The take away from these issues that arose at the end of the drive was that the approach to the crest remains a crucial element in the success of a safe criss-crossing, and that exiting when finding oneself below the ridge, and unable to reach it, is the best way to avoid getting stuck, and keeping the drive moving. Besides criss-crossing, the other main skill practiced during the drive was ridge-riding: not the straight one, on long range dunes, but the sinuous, almost dancing-like, slow motion ridge riding, along curvy bowls and tight crests. Great support by @DP1011 , Deepak wrangler in Second Lead, @Thomas Varghese at Center Forward, and @munkybizness in Sweep. Not too much work to do, but always ready to run to the rescue when needed. Very well done to @Jose Thomas, @takeshi sobue, @Gertjan, @Santoso Marjuki and @Beide Worku. Looking forward to seeing you all again soon in the emptiness.

@varunmehndiratta, amazing drive this morning! With poor visibility and challenging conditions you did really well to guide us through the terrain with a combination of technical areas & long range dunes! Loved the ridge riding part, everybody drove so well. It was a treat to watch everyone, well done 👏🏽. Have uploaded some pictures in the gallery. Until next time, take care all!

@varunmehndiratta thanks for leading us through a fun drive despite the challenges. Thanks also the support team and my fellow riders. @Karthik Raptor thanks for the pics. I shared a couple too. Have a great week ahead everyone.

@GauravSoni thank you for the fantastic drive, one of the best ones i have done in the area. The idea of having everyone assess and try self-recovery themselves at inter level is very good, i especially learnt a few more things. Hope no issues with the car. @Hisham Masaad always a sense of assurance to have you in the convoy whether leading or supporting, thank you once again. @Zixuan Huang - Charlie thanks for sweeping the convoy, hope you are able to sort out the bumper problem. To the rest of gang, always great to meet the usual suspects, great driving. Will be signing off for a couple of weeks, hope to catch-up with all of you soon.

A great drive today - with all the usual suspects 🤣 awake and ready to go early, on a hot summer's morning! Thanks to @varunmehndiratta for guiding us through the low visibility.... and very capable support team made up of @Ashok chaturvedi, @munkybizness and @Karthik Raptor. @Beide WorkuI was able to admire your confident ridge riding in my rear view-mirror today.... looked fantastic in that truck of yours 👍 Have a good week everyone.

Yes indeed… one of the best areas in dubai… It’s a combination of the big dunes of Faqa and technicals of lisaili… absolute stunning.

Fantastic drive @Hisham Masaad, and thank you for the opportunity to be SL. I hope your son is feeling better? @Everyone, thank you for today's ride, it was a great convoy. @Mohamad Anwer, can you please share with me the contact number for the guy who sold you your hoses, my WhatsApp is 0502400621.

Thank you @Waqas Parvez and @KKIRAN convoy list amended

Well done @GauravSoni little sweihan is always fun , your route reminds me of a drive similar but definitely not identical and we were 5 cars in total 👌

Hi @Hisham Masaad very sorry for late withdrawal. Hope to see you next time

@Hisham Masaad i have added my self to the drive 🙂

Drive report ( Welcome back on 2WD 😅 )! Beide Worku @Beide Worku Morshedi @Morshedi Tom B @Tom B Karthik Raptor @Karthik Raptor Imran Kashif @Imran Kashif Trekado @Trekado Felix Obst @Felix Obst Santoso Marjuki @Santoso Marjuki DP1011 , Deepak wrangler @DP1011 , Deepak wrangler takeshi sobue @takeshi sobue … Luckily I made it to the meeting point exactly at 16:45 and by the time the briefing is done @Trekado was deflating his last tyre. On 17:15 the convoy was running on the pylon track for about 7 km after which we crossed the technical strip to the left like a walk in the park, kudos to every one 🙏 The hot blowing wind never prevented us from the fun so we carried on side sloping , criss crossing , looping with up and down speed as the situation dictated till we came to our first stop when I faced a tight pocket nose down and immediately I instructed @Imran Kashif not to follow who as a second lead did a great Job through out the whole journey👍 I was blessed driving with a great team who spared no effort and had raised their tolerance for their Lead 🙏 ( picture taken by @Karthik Raptor)👌 after clearing the sand from the front I managed it on 4Low out ) ( picture taken by @DP1011 , Deepak wrangler) 🙏 from here the story begins which made me really wonder what was wrong .. either I put lots of weight during vacation as my mother in law took care of me 🤣 or I had lost some skills 😄 which along I sunk three to 4 times side ways giving The fact the tyre pressure check upon last stuck of mine was at 10 PSI … ( will keep it till the end 😄 ) we continued heading toward Murqab Long range dune to catch up the breath taking sunset view .. obviously we had to enjoy it along shoveling my multiple sideway stucks 😅 apology🙏 We reached the big Sabkha connecting the Baja south and north and it was dark letting our offroad lights on where we chased the silhouetted mega moon 🌝 behind the clouds which made it to look like Jupiter ! We made a vote and it was Qudra where we chosen to end our journey at . I took the opportunity to thank every one for sharing helping and driving together today and the nice chatting and made sure to learn from them the feedback during the debriefing while we were on the track . I have to say that every one did exceptionally great and for me it felt different and I didn’t realise till after I inflated and almost every one was gone so I couldn’t share it with you there. when I wanted turned on the gadgets back to traction on and wanted to switch the knob on 2WD it was already on 2WD 😱😂🤪 …. After clearing my first stuck I couldn’t turn the 4Low off and I put it on 2WD to disengage it and forgot totally to switch it back to 4Hi .. looks like I was driving on 2WD and more over I was switching the knob without looking and recovering my self on 4Hi and going back to 2WD .. it’s not something to be proud of as driving at such level side sloping crisscrossing on 2WD could be very dangerous in such soft sand . This was my big learning yesterday. on the other hand This experience proves the fact of two things Deflation and proper momentum are the kings to keep you running over the sand even if you are on 2WD , welcome back !

Congratulations @Rob S, well done and keep driving!

Well done @Rob S - great to see, and a great addition to the team... 👍

Congratulations @Rob S 🥳

Congratulations @Rob S Well done

great going @Rob S. You've been onto this role from day 1 😂

Well done @Rob S. Thoroughly deserved. You will make a great addition to Team Carnity.

Congratulations @Rob S, very well deserved 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🎉🎉

Congrats @Rob S. Well done.

@Rob Scongratulations buddy on your promotion, well deserved

Congratulations @Rob S. Well done 👏🏽

Congratulations @Rob S

Well deserved @Rob Scongratulations, you've been already a support since we met.... well done 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Congratulations @Rob Son the promotion.