Leaderboard

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

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.

Dear Desert Drivers, Thank you for signing-up for the drive on Saturday morning. Just let me know during the day tomorrow in case you changed your plan. I will give you last updates and convoy order by the end of the afternoon. Please check your car if needed to avoid last minute disappointment.

Thanks, @Ale Vallecchi. I've read all the linked articles, including the one you mentioned. Everything is ready, and all equipment is available already, but cannot find a solution to those two frequencies. Hopefully, they will not be needed on our first drive. See you soon!

Hi @Ale Vallecchi, first drive with Carnity. All confirmed for the first part. One question: I've set up the Carnity frequencies on my Baofeng UV5-R. However for frequencies #6 and #10 I am unable to configure them. I've tried changing the step frequency, without luck. Let me know if this has happened before and if we will need channels 6 and 10. Thanks in advance.

I am planning to camp the night before the drive, let me know if anyone will be arround 😉

Congrats, Well deserved 👍

Thank you, see you on Sunday morning 👍

Congratulations @JeromeFJ you deserve this level.

Well deserved @JeromeFJ congratulations 👏👏

Congrats @JeromeFJ 👏🏻 funny thing i always thought you were Marshal already 😄 Amazing how far you've gone with that Stock FJ 👍🏻, looking forward to driving with you again this season...

Dear Desert Lovers - Thank you for showing the interest for this "Bit of everything" Drive ! Considering the number of WL candidates we have, Can I please request you to adjust your RSVP if you foresee any change in plans ! If no change in plans, Is well and good , if change in plans , that's also well and good ( from the point of WL people ) @Andrei S @Ben Lee @Shiju Raju @Mahesh_ @PAJERO petelczyc luke @Rafey Hashmi @essam ibrahim @Issam Atra @Pacific @rohit kumar and the WL folks - @Deepak Eswar @Mahmoud Taha @Harshal @Faraz94 @Bhaskar @Sreenath G @Naim Aoun . Looking forward to seeing you on Sunday !

Congratulations @JeromeFJ well deserved, it has been a privilege and absolute pleasure to be on your drives, support your drives and learn from one of the best. Great achievement look forward to having more drives with you in the near future.

Just like any other sport or hobby, off road driving too has it's own etiquette's. Often times these are not spoken out loud or mentioned in public to not to embarrass anyone. If you like to continue off road driving, you should know these basic offroad driving etiquette's and follow them. Pay 100% undivided attention to the instructions: Whether it's in briefing or on radio communication while recovering, give your 100% attention and if you cannot due to some incoming call or passenger distraction, ask them to repeat. Most of the instructions are given so that you can drive safely. If you still live in the mobile world or loud music or radio volume turned down, you will miss out on critical safety instruction that can end up breaking your 4x4 or bones, seriously. Follow the instruction PRECISELY: From as simple as deflate to 12-14 PSI, drive in HI gear, engage to LO as soon as you get stuck. These instructions have been given to YOU for YOUR safety and enhancing your offroad driving experience. If you deflate to 22 PSI instead of 12, you will have endless refusals, stucks and A/T Transmission & Engine will soon overheat. If you don't engage on LO as soon as you get stuck, you will lose the most critical surface area in which LO gear could have saved the day, rather than toiling in HI gear for first few minutes and making the stuck even more worst for your car. Acknowledge the message: Always acknowledge the radio messages as the reliability of radio communication is highly questionable. Step out and help: When you are stuck and someone is helping you, it's a BASIC MANNER to step out of your car and help the Marshal or senior member who is helping you. You can help them clearing the sand, fixing the rope or inspect the stuck or plan of recovery. Sitting inside a stuck vehicle and waiting is the worst and most offending thing to do. If someone is helping you to check tire pressure, then step out and observe, how to delate to precise PSI. Disclaimer: In some 1% tricky angles or situation, if you have a doubt or difficulty to come out, ask the Marshal or senior member: If its safe for you to step out? Please don't assume and sit inside. Observe and learn: Every stuck and recovery has a lot to teach. Observe and learn from your stucks and discuss with Marshals how to not to get stuck again in a similar way. If you don't observe and learn you will end up doing the same mistakes over and over again. Learn Vs Serve: All the knowledge and experience are there to help you learn offroading and not just to serve you. So that as soon as you learn, you start practising it and become more capable offroader and be able to help others in the future.

Different ways of crossing sand dunes Throughout the Carnity Offroad briefings you might have heard the terms "straight up and straight down", "side sloping", or "criss-crossing", and these are basically different techniques that we use in desert for crossing the sand dunes. Each come with its own risks and by learning and understanding the technicalities behind them i hope we can all learn faster and get more confidence in executing them. I hope below tutorial gives a more clear understanding on the subject and we can use it for future reference. 1) Straight Up - Straight Down Carnity Offroad Level: Newbie and Fewbies Description This technique is one of the very first we learn to apply when learning offroading. The trick is to approach the dune straight up with "JUST" enough momentum to make it through, but not too much to damage bumpers or cause a jump. One should always take into account the resistance that the sand offers based on different areas, and even more on different seasons. Most sand dunes have two sides - The windward side, which is the side where the prevailing wind blows on, and can be recognized by the wavy lines of the sand. This is the side where we ride on because the sand is more compacted and firm to drive on. - The slip-face side, this the softer backside (smooth side, no lines) of the dune which is generally not recommended to climb on, but this technique can later be learned as you advance through the off-road levels (slip-face attack). How to tackle It is advisable to start off at the bottom of the dune with applying a decent amount of power, and start letting go of the gas once you have climbed 75% of the dune. By that point the momentum should carry you further, and as soon as the car front wheel touches the crest, leave the gas completely or apply a bit of gentle braking when needed, to let you slide on other side of the dune safely. In fact the perfect technique is finding that right amount of momentum that you don't even need to apply brakes on the other side. Some gentle blips of throttle can help at the top to push you over the edge, as you learn and master this first step. If you run out of momentum going upwards to cross the dune, do not worry or panic, this is called a REFUSAL. Gently reverse and slowly come back in a straight line as you have climbed up. Announce on the radio that you have a refusal. Reverse up far enough so you can take a second attempt but this time with a bit more momentum. Risk Level: Low to medium. Approaching too slow will increase refusal and might cause stuck at the crest. Approaching with excessive speed might damage the bumpers or cause a vehicle to jump. Apply gentle throttle and slowly increase after learning. Take note that every dune is different and each approach will need to be made slightly different in terms of speed. Associated Risks: If you approach the dune too fast, more likely you will cause the bumper damage because your reaction time will be reduced substantially at very high speed. 2) Side-Sloping Carnity Offroad Level: Fewbie and upwards Description This technique is very fun and addictive, but it needs to be executed with a clear mind and a good experience on the behavior of the car. That is the main reason why this technique is only used from Fewbie level onwards. It is very critical to understand how gravity works and as we always says: " DO NOT FIGHT GRAVITY ". this applies to this technique most of all. When you approach a dune that you want to side-slope on, you need to carry enough momentum to get you through. This does not necessarily mean FULL throttle, because that depends on the type of dune. As soon as your car is on an incline, it will have the natural tendency to try to come down. The more momentum you carry, the further you will get. It is extremely important that you do not fight this by going higher up the dune at that point, but to steer down in a smooth way. Braking at this point is also very dangerous. While doing side sloping try to choose smooth path as possible and avoid stepping on rock, bushes or bumps that can bounce you and disturb the whole balance and tip you off or result in dangerous fish-tailing or tire pop-out at high speed. EVERY MOVEMENT OR ACTION YOU DO WHILE SLIDE-SLOPING NEEDS TO BE DONE IN A SMOOTH WAY, SUDDEN BRAKING OR EXTREME STEERING CAN LEAD TO ROLL-OVERS. Best practice: Always visually mark the entry and exit of the dune that you wish to do side sloping on. Stick to the initial plan as far as possible and exit safely. If you are new to this, then watch and observe how others have done before and try to replicate that as much as you can. The best thing to keep in mind is to think about "HALF MOONS" What i mean with that is that you should never make 90° turns during any kinds of these activities, but make smooth half moons during approaching dunes or crossing them. Risk Level: Medium. With proper training and guidance you can eliminate the risk of a roll-over for 95%, but one should always be aware of the risks involved and take all measures possible to minimize these. Keep both hands at the steering wheel and your full attention on the view ahead. Do not get distracted ! Associated Risks: If your vehicle is lifted more than 4 inch of OEM stock height then your 4x4 center of gravity will be less, and this will increase the risk of roll-over or flip by 50%. Same goes for bouncy (non-standard/rated) suspensions. 3) Criss-Crossing Carnity Offroad Level: Fewbie and upwards Description Criss-crossing is the art of riding the ridge of the dune and crossing over to the other side. Also here it is vital to understand that the approach towards the ridge, as well as the crossing over needs to be done in a smooth, half moon way. So basically you approach the dune along the length, you can stay on the ridge for as long as you want, but don't lose momentum at this point, or you will be crested lengthwise in the exact middle. Now the trick is to choose the right point at which you cross towards the other side. This feels scary at the beginning, but soon you will get the hang of it, and cross ridges without panicking at all. Make the criss-cross movement again in a half-moon method as seen below. Below picture shows the right and wrong way to criss-cross a dune. On the left side you will see that the approach is smooth and as soon as you cross over to the other side you gently steer down. Braking at this point is again very dangerous. In the right-side scenario, the angle of approach is very sharp, and during higher speeds this can result in a roll-over. EVERY MOVEMENT OR ACTION YOU DO WHILE CRISS-CROSSING NEEDS TO BE DONE IN A SMOOTH WAY, SUDDEN BRAKING OR EXTREME STEERING CAN LEAD TO ROLL-OVERS. Risk Level: Medium. With proper training and guidance you can eliminate the risk of a roll-over for 95%, but one should always be aware of the risks involved and take all measures possible to minimize these. Keep both hands at the steering wheel and your full attention on the view ahead. Do not get distracted ! Associated Risks: If your vehicle is lifted more then 4 inch of OEM stock height, then your 4x4 center of gravity will be less and this will increase the risk of roll-over or flip by 50%. Same goes for bouncy (non-standard/rated) suspensions. 4) Hill Climbing While this technique is not immediately necessary to cross dunes, climbing a mighty big dune will bring some fun and adrenaline in the equation. At first, you might feel intimidated and not sure if your car can handle this. With the right techniques at hand you can at least make a safe attempt and see how far you can get. This technique can be practiced from Newbie level onwards on small hills, and later you will learn to approach taller dunes from Fewbie level and up. Again it is extremely important to make a smooth "half-moon" circle at the top. If you run out of momentum and come to a standstill, DO NOT attempt to make a turn, but put your car in 4LO, and slowly reverse down the dune while keeping your wheels straight. The low gearing will help you in keeping that slow pace. As you begin to learn this, it's always advisable to make a smaller U-Turn to learn how your car reacts and how your mind reacts when you take the first turn on top of dune. This needs to be done with confidence and without any doubt or fear, so that you don't brake on top and do the complete U-Turn without braking and in a very smooth manner. Practicing on small U-Turn will build your confidence and after 5-10 small U-Turn attempt you can try higher and higher by understanding your vehicle dynamics and limitations. Risk Level: Medium. With proper training and guidance you can eliminate the risk of a roll-over for 95%, but one should always be aware of the risks involved and take all measures possible to minimize these. Keep both hands at the steering wheel and your full attention on the view ahead. Do not get distracted ! Associated Risks: If your vehicle is lifted more than 4 inch above OEM stock height, then your 4x4 center of gravity will be less and this will increase the risk of roll-over or flip by 50%. Same goes for bouncy (non-standard/rated) suspensions. Safety of all offroad enthusiasts is the most important thing. This is an extreme hobby that brings confidence, thrills, and people together as a family. We can only do whatever we can to make all safety instructions clear and concise but in end it's up to the offroader behavior to understand all risk and associated risk involve and enjoy safely. Open for any questions or comments !

Thats because I wont be able to attend on Sunday afternoon sadly.