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At 15:30, under conditions that most sensible human beings would describe as completely inappropriate for outdoor activity, thirteen brave souls gathered once again at the edge of the desert. The temperature was somewhere between “unpleasant” and “surface of Mercury”. There was no morning breeze. No golden sunrise. No gentle introduction. Just heat. A lot of heat. Leading the expedition was Ale, with JP riding second in command. Giacomo held the centre of the convoy, while Yarem took the noble responsibility of sweeping from the rear, making sure that no man, woman, vehicle or miscellaneous bumper was abandoned to the desert. Before departure, we managed to locate what could very generously be described as a tree. It was small. Very small. Nevertheless, thirteen grown adults immediately gathered underneath it, desperately negotiating for approximately four square metres of shade. There, beneath our heroic shrub, Ale began the briefing. And then he produced… a tiny toy car. With the seriousness of a military commander planning the Normandy landings, he used this miniature vehicle to demonstrate cresting and recovery techniques. Considering the temperature, I spent most of the briefing wondering whether the little car would survive the explanation, melt into the sand, or simply turn into a fried egg. Against all odds, it survived. And so did we. Then came the dunes. Crests. More crests. Side dune riding. More side dune riding. And, naturally, a healthy number of stucks. The desert appeared particularly affectionate today, repeatedly embracing members of the convoy from underneath and refusing to let go. Radios came alive. “Stuck.” “Second refusal.” “Need recovery.” “Copy.” At certain moments it felt less like an off-road drive and more like a very organised excavation project. Then the sky changed. What had already been an intense afternoon suddenly became something far more dramatic. A sandstorm swept across the desert. Within minutes, everything turned brown. The sky was brown. The dunes were brown. The cars were brown. Probably we were brown too. Visibility dropped dramatically and following the vehicle ahead became an exercise in faith, concentration and desperately staring at two faint red lights disappearing into a wall of dust. For a few moments, the desert completely swallowed the convoy. And naturally, because timing is everything, this was precisely when one vehicle decided to get properly stuck. Out came the shovels. In the middle of the sandstorm, several of us began digging sand from underneath the belly of a very black vehicle. We dug. And dug. And dug some more. The sand kept coming back. The wind kept blowing. Visibility remained terrible. And throughout this heroic collective effort, the driver of the aforementioned very black vehicle remained comfortably inside. Presumably supervising. Possibly adjusting the air conditioning. Perhaps selecting music. History may never know. Eventually, man, machine and shovel defeated the desert once again and the convoy continued. By the end of the afternoon, we had experienced extreme heat, crests, side slopes, recoveries, digging, almost nonexistent shade and a spectacular sandstorm. In other words: A perfectly normal Carnity drive. Ale led us safely through the chaos, JP supported from the front, Giacomo kept the middle together, Yarem swept behind us, and thirteen overheated humans somehow emerged from the desert still smiling. The little toy car survived. The black vehicle survived. We survived. And somewhere out there, one tiny tree is probably still recovering from having thirteen people underneath it. Until the next expedition.

@Ale Vallecchi @Jerome @Jose Luis Campos @Steve Farmer @Giacomo @Steffi @Glenn W Hey guys - looking ahead to tomorrow afternoon, we have our 8 car convoy filled up as follows. We will be using CH10 (446.231-25). Let's aim to meet and be setup for 15:30 promptly if we can, and we'll get moving shortly thereafter. I am expecting high initial heat and soft sand - so set tyres and driving style accordingly! We will move east progressively from the meeting point, and we will have a mixture of rolling open dunes and tighter technical sections, as well as the salt rock area (which looks completely different from our usual desert drives). We will also pass the Nagrah dune, which if it's not too churned up or busy with dune bashers, we will move through as well. Goal will be to complete comfortably before sunset at a point on the E95. Meet point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/kDSLAmPqVzPwLTJB9?g_st=ic

Thanks all for joining today! I had an awesome time, definitely the best of my lead drives so far! @Sandeep Padhi hope you enjoyed your 1st taste of Fewbie level, great driving with just enough refusals to know that you have stepped up a level. @Enrico - Mountain and @Ana good to see the increased confidence from both of you, the few refusals showed that you were testing yourselves and your vehicles. @saumik1989 great on the ridges and side slopes just need to manage momentum a bit better on the climbs. @Rajath Shetty and @Hartzel solid driving from both of you, very well done. @Emanuel, @Mahesh_ and @J-P L briliant support dealing with the few refusals and keeping my lines honest. Lastly @nithish468 always good to see you, thanks for filling in as a flying sweep. In at 33 degrees and out at 41 degrees, great way to start sunday!

A warm and hearthy congratulations to @Thomas54675 for making it to our Member in the spotlight this week! Apart from sharing fantastic photos on our media gallery, you've become a staple on most of our drives over the last couple of months and your enthusiasm shines bright! Keep it up !

Thanks @Sam Selim for arranging this trip. Thank you @Ale Vallecchi, @ChrisW and @Krinesh for your support. It was very interesting and fun, especially “Sam’s bowl”. See you all in the dunes!

Good Afternoon @Emanuel, @Sandeep Padhi, @Enrico - Mountain, @Ana, @Mahesh_, @Rajath Shetty, @Hartzel, @saumik1989 and @J-P L Thanks all for signing up for the drive tomorrow morning! We will be starting at the 2nd Dec Cafe meeting point for 06h00 aiming to be fully deflated and flags up for the briefing at 06h15. There are some nice relatively clean dunes close to the meeting point, once done with those we will proceed through to Pink Rock, Little Red and Big Red. Aiming to be out around 09h00 and/or before it gets over 40 degrees, keeping it short and sharp! It will be HOT tomorrow so please ensure that you check your cars today, especially coolant levels. Please bring plenty of fluids for yourselves and any passengers. The proposed convoy order is as follows:

Last night, I had this feeling that I should check in on Ishak, my Carnity Bro from Indo. He replied, "I just landed after a three-week vacation." Talk about a Carnity telepathic connection. 😄 What I love about the club is that it gives you a genuine sense of belonging without being over demanding or full of rules. Just keep your rig in good shape and your recovery gear ready—which is pretty much the minimum if you enjoy off-roading. Don’t be an A..hole. Again, super basic. I honestly think that's why Carnity has such a strong appeal for me. I'm really glad I joined and yes, I made many new Friends. And, I must admit —I’m addicted, like all of us 😄 @Frederic you are the best!

Great fun indeed . Thank you @Andrew John Melvill for a wonderful drive , @Emanuel @Mahesh_ and @J-P L thank you for advices , few refusals today but thanks to you I managed to get out and gain some learning . Have a wonderful week ahead and see you all soon !!!

Thank you @Andrew John Melvill and everyone that joined in today. Thoroughly enjoyed the longer dunes which my vehicle seems to prefer, and the beautiful scenery from up above.

In true @Ale Vallecchi style: Hello Desertnauts, @Warbs, @Chema, @Diego, @saumik1989, @ChrisW, @Steffi, @Sebastian Nohse, @Eddie-Dune-Glider, @Piter & @Krinesh, Thank you for signing up on this drive and hope you're all having a nice weekend! Please find the convoy order below. Let's aim to start the briefing at 03.30 pm so please arrive earlier at the meeting point to give yourself sufficient time to deflate and prep. Summer is fully here and sand is extra soft so please adjust your tyre pressure accordingly. We will be communicating on CH2 (446.031). Meeting point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/dXm262PVEqspXdBz9 See you all tomorrow afternoon. Have a nice evening!

What a day that was indeed, we survived the storm and you all done great! You managed very well through tech patches also amazing control and self recoveries on the "Sam's bowl"! Thanks @Piter for sharing these very nice shots! Also @Ale Vallecchi, @ChrisW , @Krinesh for your support and everyone for joining and creating such a nice drive. See you again soon!

Thank you @Looper for the lead! What an amazing drive and some of the best dunes! Thank you @Noufal the second lead and the sweep by @Zulfikhar Naiyar Definitely one of the most intense FB+ drive I’ve done so far. Really loved the pace, the challenging dunes, and the whole experience. The cloudy weather and light drizzle made it even more epic! Sharing a video from the drive and this is definitely one to remember! https://www.instagram.com/reel/Db1T1dVNNQu/?igsh=MTl2dDhhZWt1ZDB1cA==

That drive will stick with me 😂

Thanks for the great sandy windy drive @Ale Vallecchi, @J-P L, @Giacomo and the team!

@ChrisW great Friday afternoon drive mate, lovely mix of technical dunes, some faster sweeping dunes with some areas in particular where momentum was key!! … thanks for showing us the ancient salt rocks area. Really interesting to see the rocks, the formations etc. bit of a scare with my AC but the Toyota gods must be looking down on me as still it’s in working condition 🫣 @Ale Vallecchi @Giacomo @Jose Luis Campos thank you for the second lead and support! Great to drive with you guys as always. @Jerome @Steve Farmer @Steffi excellent driving throughout it certainly pays off to keep coming, learning and gaining more experience. enjoy the rest of your weekend 🍻

Dear Desertnauts. First of all, find attached the meeting and deflation point on the drive's main thread (at the top of this page), and here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/kxr76FNchyMoFPuu8 Secondly, kindly remember to 1) reach the meeting point with a full tank, 2) make sure you have a flag, without which nobody is allowed to join the drive and 3) remember to bring a fully charged radio. The drive will be planned to allow each driver to practice, first alone then all together as a moving convoy, the main skills necessary to tackle a desert drive. Also, a thorough briefing will be conducted before we start the drive, to point out all the notions required to execute the drive safely. The convoy positions will be as follows: @J-P L in Second Lead @Shane Phillips at #3 @Nikhil Jethani at #4 @Jakob T at #5 @Lvc at #6 @DELRIO at #7 @Giacomo at Center @baris at #9 @Esteban Ayala at #10 @Nagarjun S at #11 @Artur Davtyan at #12 @Avilash at #13 @Asif Ahamed at #14 and @Yerem Davtyan in Sweep. Please reach the meeting point before 3:30 PM, so we may depart on time, after having deflated and held the briefing. See you tomorrow afternoon. have a nice evening.

@Looperindeed the curse continued. Ive been with you for then last one as well. Indeed it was a lovely fun filled thrilling drive. We need to come back to conquer these dunes again. @Infaz @Zulfikhar Naiyar always fun driving along you guys.

The curse of Shuwaib is a never-ending saga for me. All the previous drives though that starting point have ended for me in some disappointment involving the health of my car. This time my car did well - the people in it did not, @Zulfikhar Naiyar guest did not fare too well as well. Unfortunately, @khurramm had to exit early in Shuwaib itself - always better safe than sorry. The desert we drove around are my favorite dunes to drive; fast technical and high climbs test both car and the driver. If it weren't for some sick passengers, we would have spent a lot more time and ending the drive at the Badayer, instead of wrapping up almost midway in the drive. Having said that it was still a great drive. @Noufal at second lead was fantastic. Kept the right distance and corrected when it was needed. Behind him @Infaz, @Zulfikhar Naiyar drove quite efficiently. There were clouds in the horizon that seem to be raining, far away to chase. In the dunes we experienced fast winds and sandstorms. Till next time.

It was a different and great experience. (It is amazing how fast the track disappear on those conditions.) Thanks to the lead, sweep and support team. Was nice to see you all.

Thanks Chris

Many thanks @Glenn W! That was a really fun way to end the week. Thank you all for keeping in the zone and driving as well as you did - we flowed through in good time and got to experience a wide variety of terrain. The salt rock exploration was also a fun little aside!

Sorry about it we start at 3:30 - it will be the move out time

@_luke_ looking froward for some fun chasing your black Raptor 😁

Dear Andrew, Thank you! And thanks to all the team leads, Marshal’s and all those people who helped me in learning this art of offroad driving. It’s immense pleasure for me to go to the next level.

Thank you so much everyone. Prepare your shovels and be ready for some extra support needed on my first Fewbie+ drives. A big thank you to the amazing Carnity leads, the fantastic support crew and my fellow off-roaders for making every drive fun and a great learning experience. See you in the sand soon.

We request every member that joins this drive to go through the information below and strictly follow these guidelines, etiquette and responsibilities. MUST READ AND COMPLY Environmental Policy Offroad Flag Guideline Two Way Radio Guideline Off road Driving Etiquettes Emergency details for all off roaders Off Road Driving - Roles & Responsibilities Drive Details Level: Fewbie and above (all levels) Meeting time: 03:30 pm (departure time) Meeting Point: TBC Action Plan: "Star dunes are rare, pyramid-shaped sand dunes with arms that stretch out from a center point. They make up less than 10% of desert sand dunes on Earth, grow up to 300 meters tall, and also exist on Mars and Saturn's moon Titan." Without having to go as far as Titan, the closest such star dune rising from the desert plain are as close as Sharjah, more specifically in the area between Pink Rock and Al Madam. We'll spend this coming Friday afternoon climbing these tall, star shaped dunes. The summer heat may have been keeping sun-setters and locals away from these climbs, which we hope to tackle on as clean slopes as possible. Get ready to make your engine roar, while at the same time be prepared to use as much finesse as possible in navigating the curvy slopes and bowls i and between these "rising stars". What to bring along: Loads of water, snacks (for yourself), smiles, face masks, rubber gloves, enthusiasm, and willingness to learn. Approximate finish time: 07:00 PM (at sunset) P.S. Only join if you have a compressor to inflate your tires after the drive. RECOMMENDED OFF-ROAD GEAR: Tire deflator & Tire pressure gauge Compressor (MANDATORY) Walkie-talkie radio (MANDATORY) Off-road flag (MANDATORY) Shovel, Tow Rope & 2 Shackles First-aid kit Fire extinguisher. LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE This drive is limited to 10 cars only. RSVP will close on Friday - 12 PM. If the RSVP is full, you can add your name to the waitlist, once anyone drops, you will be moved to the RSVP list. RSVP will close a day prior to preparing a convoy list. Latecomers will be returned - Without any exceptions. Members without RSVP will be returned - Without any exceptions. Please withdraw your RSVP, if you aren't joining, so your spot can be taken by others. Repeated no-show members after RSVP will have their account suspended for a month. PLEASE RSVP ON THE CALENDAR

Congratulations @Asif Ahamed for reaching the Fewbie Level with Carnity Offroad Club! Looking forward to seeing you growing further and helping others to learn the art of offroading in a safe environment. Please make sure your Carnity user profile is always updated with all the latest Emergency contact details. P.S. Trip lead might deny your participation if you don't have required off-road gear. FEWBIE Drives Attended (Indicative) Minimum 5 Newbie drives are required within last 3 months for Fewbie promotion. What you'll learn Basic dune and sand reading Self-recovery techniques Shoveling at right place Crawling out of difficult situations Blip Blip - Coordinate steering and gas control Basic side sloping and hill climb Basic ridge riding and criss crossing Basic control over technical dunes Slightly faster pace desert driving Ability to manage stuck/refusals with radio Learn to control and avoid fishtailing Never fight or challenge gravity Skills required Enthusiastic and positive attitude Willingness to learn and help others Presence of mind and attention to detail Car Worthiness Any 4x4 vehicle with low range gearing Suitable approach and departure angle Off-road gear required Safety flag, tire deflator, tire pressure gauge, shovel, fire extinguisher, medical kit, radio (walkie-talkie), air compressor. Drive teamwork Manage second lead and sweep positions upon request Intuitive and proactive to support Trip Lead Observe recoveries and offer help, when needed Drive Joining Join Newbie and Fewbie drives Forum participation Active participation on the forum Share drive experience + feedback Share drive pictures in the gallery Post trip report after the drive

DRIVE DESCRIPTION You've mastered the fundamentals in Qudra. It's time to take those skills to the next level. Sweihan is a completely different playground. The dunes are taller, the sand is softer, the momentum and precision become even more important. This drive is designed to help Fewbies build on the confidence they've already gained. We will focus on maintaining flow, choosing the right lines and carrying momentum through the softer sand. The goal isn't speed, it's becoming more confident off-roader while enjoying one of the UAE's most iconic desert playgrounds. 🕖 DRIVE DETAILS Level: Fewbie and above When: 09 August 2026, Sunday Meeting time: 03:30 PM - Sharp (Without any exceptions). Meeting Point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/HNjYELwqxLqAaA19A Approximate finish time: 07:00 PM 🚗VEHICLE REQUIREMENTS Any proper 4x4 vehicle. If in doubt, please mention on the drive topic. Front and rear tow hooks / recovery points. 8–10 inches minimum ground clearance 🎒 WHAT TO BRING Loads of water, snacks, smiles, enthusiasm and willingness to learn. We also recommend adequate protection from the sun and closed shoes. 🧰 OFFROAD GEARS Tire deflator and Tire pressure gauge. Air compressor. A programmable Walkie-talkie radio. Off-road safety flag. A proper shovel. First-aid kit and Fire extinguisher. ✅ RSVP Confirm your attendance by clicking on "GOING" in the Calendar Event. Your name will appear on the RSVP list. If the RSVP is full, add yourself to the waitlist. As soon as a spot becomes available you will be moved automatically to the RSVP list. The RSVP closes one day prior to the drive Latecomers will be turned back (no exceptions) No RSVP = No Drive Please withdraw your RSVP if plans change Repeated no-shows may result in 1-month suspension

Shakespeare on 4 High

The sandstorm was pretty cool. Thanks for the drive.

Drop this into Google Maps or Waze: 24.3188889, 55.4147778

Thanks to leads and team!

Was nice and cool today

@nithish468 will be joining us. He will slot is as a flying sweep.

Hi @Ale Vallecchi I didn't sign up for this drive—I guess my name was added to the list by mistake. Could you please check and confirm? I intentionally didn’t respond to this event due to other commitments and won't be able to make it today.

“Just keep your rig in shape and don’t be an A-hole” Words to live by, @Thomas54675!

Hi @Looper i do apologize i totally forgot to remove my RSPV, i’m out of the country at the time being and won’t be able to join. have fun tomorrow

What GAFFE ?

@khurram, @Abdullah A., @Noufal, @Infaz, @Zulfikhar Naiyar Thank you all for joining the drive. It is very hot these days, so make sure that your vehicle is in tip top condition. We will be doing some very steep climbs from the start itself. We will start the drive immediately after we deflated and ready to go ~ 3:10 so please be ready by then. The briefing will be done from the comfort of the car. As mentioned, the drive should finish by 6:00 pm - I will end the drive near the shops so that they can inflate for us. we should be out by 6:30 pm. The convoy order as follows: Looper - Lead Abdullah A. Noufal khurramm Infaz Zulfikhar Naiyar See you all fresh tomorrow afternoon.

No worries, copy/paste this into your preferred source of navigation: 24.3605556, 55.4010000

Congratulations @Sandeep Padhifor reaching the Fewbie Level with Carnity Offroad Club! Looking forward to seeing you growing further and helping others to learn the art of offroading in a safe environment. Please make sure your Carnity user profile is always updated with all the latest Emergency contact details. P.S. Trip lead might deny your participation if you don't have required off-road gear. FEWBIE Drives Attended (Indicative) Minimum 5 Newbie drives are required within last 3 months for Fewbie promotion. What you'll learn Basic dune and sand reading Self-recovery techniques Shoveling at right place Crawling out of difficult situations Blip Blip - Coordinate steering and gas control Basic side sloping and hill climb Basic ridge riding and criss crossing Basic control over technical dunes Slightly faster pace desert driving Ability to manage stuck/refusals with radio Learn to control and avoid fishtailing Never fight or challenge gravity Skills required Enthusiastic and positive attitude Willingness to learn and help others Presence of mind and attention to detail Car Worthiness Any 4x4 vehicle with low range gearing Suitable approach and departure angle Off-road gear required Safety flag, tire deflator, tire pressure gauge, shovel, fire extinguisher, medical kit, radio (walkie-talkie), air compressor. Drive teamwork Manage second lead and sweep positions upon request Intuitive and proactive to support Trip Lead Observe recoveries and offer help, when needed Drive Joining Join Newbie and Fewbie drives Forum participation Active participation on the forum Share drive experience + feedback Share drive pictures in the gallery Post trip report after the drive

Congrats @Sandeep Padhi 🎉🎉

Congratulations @Ana for being our member in the spotlight for this week! Close to having done 30 drives with us, we always enjoy your presence on our drives and hope for many more to come!

Best decals in the club! endless summer vibes 😁

Hi Andrew, Yes, I did apply today for promotion. Lets hope i do get granted then i can join you guys. Keeping my fingers crossed 🙂.

Congrats @Steffi, well deserved and enjoy the new level! See you soon in the sand!

Thank you so much guys !!! I love our little community and enjoy being in the sand . I thank to the amazing team of leads and support team for everything I leaned so far and keep learning each time , and thank you fellow drivers for beautiful memories. I will see some of you on the dunes this Sunday

Hi Ana, indeed it's always a good time when you're part of the crowd 😁