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Dear desert warriors , You have all driven well and i personally enjoyed the company and the laughs with you all. As you may have noticed that this drive had several stages , starting with a slow easy pace followed by easy Technical terrain spiced up by straight down dune crossing to give you the ability to recognize better your car dynamics. Mid drive we have increased the drive pace with some side sloops followed by some ridge ridding and finally putting everything we have practiced into the test I thank you all for your discipline and punctuality for being on time . Great S/L @Emmanuel you have a good reflex and reaction @RiadJL, @Martin M you did really well for your first Fb keep it up 💪 @Jad Moussalli you really controlled that beast pretty smoothly well done 🚙 @Sandeep Nayar, @Faraz94, @Shiju Raju @Danny G, @Prithvi Raj,it was a pleasure driving with you guys keep it up @Sunil Mathew and @Cha thank you guys for the great support you helped me focus on the path . I hope you all enjoyed and learned something useful from this drive and looking forward to see you on the next drive

Dear Desertnauts I am looking forward to returning to the sand after a few days of absence and following the rains of the last weeks. It is in consideration of the latest heavy precipitations that I have not yet published the meeting and starting point for the drive. Considering its length, and the fact that I have been travelling for a while, I'd like to evaluate the situation of the various areas and terrains, before deciding where to drive. I will publish the final meeting point by Saturday afternoon. The choice will be between the souther part of Dubai's desert (Lisaili/Faqa and/or Solar Park/Qudra areas) or Sweihan's section closest to Dubai (say from Pac-Man dunes to Nagra/Nahil). In the meantime, the convoy order that I'd like to line-up will be the following: @Aser in Second Lead @Sviatoslav at #3 @RiadJL at #4 @Zak_ at #5 @Andrew John Melvill at #6 @Batuhan Kulac at Center @Johannes Roux at #8 @Mahmut at #9 @Hani Howeedy at #10 and @Luke K P in Sweep. Let's reconvene here on Saturday to share the meeting point. Enjoy the end of the week.

Dear team LMQ ! , @Zak_ @Wilfredo Perez @Prithvi Raj @lucas amat @Nizar Shawwa @Jad Moussalli @Faraz94 @Haneef Thayyil @Mahesh_ Thank you for showing your interest on tomorrow's drive ! I, @Islam Soliman and @Benjamin are looking forward to seeing you tomorrow ! Some points for tomorrow's drive ! - Be on time ! 6am ! Please dont be late - The briefing will be held inside the desert and not at meeting point - so if you are late , you will just end up with a short drive from home to meeting point and back home ! - Meeting point : https://goo.gl/maps/khH7pHF3DipEsapN9 - from this, just get inside the entry road. Please note the meeting point is just on the highway, so slow down as you approach about 500mts of meeting, once arrived take left. - Get your gas tanks full !! : There is Emarat and EPCO station Just about 12kms before meeting point while coming from Sharjah/Dubai😂 and EPCO on other side if coming from Abu Dhabi. - Please make sure your radios are fully charged ! and you dont forget the mandatory off-road gears ! - Please do carry sufficient water - Its getting hot and highly important that we keep ourselves hydrated. also do carry light snacks for yourselves ( for others also is not prohibited ) - And also fill up your patience tanks fully - It will be a drive of patience and resilience too - considering the recent heavy rains, hence mixture of exploration + technical and lot of vegetation too - which of course we will try to avoid Passengers are highly not recommended for this please , UNLESS the are used to long duration drives. Convoy order will be published in couple of hours ! See you all tomorrow !

@Emanuel, @Alphin Aloor, @Zulfikhar Naiyar, @Gurcharan Mehta, @Ranjan Das, @Anoop Nair, @Amir Amiri, @Mahmoud Taha, @Stumpy. I will be driving for the first time on an Intermediate drive with some of you. The drive plan is to march straight to the end of the desert as fast as we can safely and turn back. In between we will climb all the dunes we encounter. Hope the desert sand has dried up a bit in the meantime. We will plough on Channel 2 and following is the tentative convoy order:

No long til the weekend 😁🙏 see you all Sunday..

@Zak_ @Wilfredo Perez @Prithvi Raj @lucas amat @Nizar Shawwa @Jad Moussalli @Faraz94 @Haneef Thayyil @Mahesh_ + @Benjamin + @Islam Soliman - Please note the convoy order as below ! See you 6am or earlier . We will use Channel 2 : 446.031

Dear Desert Drivers, @Mohit Gurnani @Shaun J @Stan @Mahmut @Julien Recan @msa @Mark B @Rk ram @Deepak Eswar @Cristian @Ishak @Zulfikhar Naiyar Last update for tomorrow Meeting at 6:30 am at https://maps.app.goo.gl/jJFZW3efvbMw73629 The convoy order will be We will use Carnity Radio Channel 5. Enjoy the evening, take a good rest and, and see you tomorrow morning!

My pleasure to be CF. See you all Sunday 💪

Good morning all Getting prepared for tomorrow's drive @Mohit Gurnani @Shaun J @Stan @Julien Recan @msa @Robk @Rk ram @Deepak Eswar @Frans M @Cristian @Ishak @Mark B You are confirmed. Please let me know in case you changed your plans. As we have still 2 wait list members a no show would be very disappointing. @Zulfikhar Naiyar @Mahmut, you are still on the wait list for now, let's see during the day how it goes. The itinerary for tomorrow may be a bit long (80 to 85 km), be sure your car is ready, and refuel not too far from the meeting point to avoid stress at the end of the drive. (the next petrol station is about 20 km after the exit point). I will issue final attendance and convoy order by the end of the afternoon

Update to say just 12 kms before the meeting point. The exact pin is https://maps.app.goo.gl/Guv8PuLhnSisU7zF6?g_st=ic 😅.

Noted @Frans M, see you next time @Zulfikhar Naiyar, I have added you

Amazing!!! Is anyone planning this year?))

It’s going to be a muddy drive, but let’s try to drive through some seldom used tracks so that we have a bit of decent experience. We will also try to avoid cross tracks as much as possible. Climbing tall dunes should be slightly easier, due to better traction. Normally we come come via the service road but suggest we take a U turn from a bit ahead of the meeting point, will perhaps be tad bit quicker.

Taking this opportunity to show more global charts: 1. Which day? This one shows from start on September 25, 2020. As our weekend used to be Friday and Saturday, I have a lot of Friday drives as well. Having said that I was always on a Monday to Friday week since I came to Dubai - now it makes me wonder how I managed so many of them Friday drives 😁 What time of the day? Clearly Moring and Afternoons. Number of drives by drive level - I drove a lot at Fewbie level. and very less Fewbie+; till April 2023. Now adding up those Fewbie+ & Intermediate drives to balance them. Drives by Driver level: I spent a very little time as Support Team member but a lot at the advisor level, a lot more than what others do or did from my observation. Expert is my current level. Drives by Participation role: Obviously a lot more drives as an attendee than in support or lead roles. Average drives per month: May seems to be my favorite month. Also happens to by my wife's birthday month - I don't know if it has anything to do with my excessive drives. August is my birthday month 🤣. number of drive a month. There are a couple of months when participated 10 drives in them and there are 3 months when i took sabbatical. A couple because I was off and one just because. Following two are my vehicle analysis: Car Brands of the participants (excludes my drives) Car Models by current participants (excludes my drives): Some analysis of leads (DISCLAIMER: this is my own personal experience and is not a good matrix) Number of drives by leads (obviously excludes mine) Average distance covered and speed. Ale is the king of both. Average drive time and moving ratio. (Obviously with those leads with whom I have supported a lot of (absolute) newbie drives are going to be slower on average than those with who I have done mostly Intermediate drives.

Welcome to your first Fewbie drive @Martin M and @RiadJL. You and the rest of the convoy drove well. Looking back every now and again we were mostly evenly spaced out and moving nicely. Here is a Relive video of our drive. https://www.relive.cc/view/vXOdXPeBAkO It was driving with you again @Simon D @Sunil Mathew and @Cha. See below drive stats

Thanks @Simon D @Sunil Mathew & @Cha for a great drive. Lots of technical terrain and some side sloping practice while avoiding the abnormal vegetation caused by the recent rain The whole convoy did very well with only a few minor refusals. Great to meet you all Great S/L again @Emanuel See you all again soon

I’ve had superb reception everywhere with Etisalat. Correct about the waterfalls. All are in short driving distance around Salalah, we visited several places in one day. Most places are around 20-40 mins from the city, you can spend 1-2 hrs at the waterfalls, explore a bit, and then head out to the next destination. Only at the main entrance of Wadi Darbat it was very busy with long queues hence we decided to find another route (the one I posted) which was a nice gentle 4x4 trail.

Some Photos Continued: Wadi Darbat Bottom: Becoming more challenging here: Wadi Darbat Hike and Wadi Trail: https://goo.gl/maps/MnAjvjHvznTCvrM79 Thumrait to Rakhyut Canyon Road: Unforgettable.... Fazayah Beach: https://goo.gl/maps/8EkfwGxVaM4XxAQm6 Ain Khor Waterfalls:

Difficult to tell with all the rattle and shaking in my in my car Jokes apart - I have not experienced this scenario, what can happen though is like with any other wheel you can bend parts of it, in a beadlock wheel notably the outer rim is usually prone to it. Other issues I’ve heard about are finding a jammed bolt, but this is something you can mitigate through proper maintenance, for example when assembling the wheels the first time, and every time you service them, request to apply anti seize lubricant to the bolts, Coppaslip or Loctite copper grease are examples …I carry my own in case the garage has run out of it and I also make sure they use a torque wrench, at the recommended torque setting for the wheel, instead of using a power tool.

Sorry for the late entry. Ballon tire started with Tisamia (means 900 in arabic) 900mm is the height = 35.4 inches since 2002. Later Sumitomo launched Shaheen in 2012, then a few more companies later on. They are primarily designed for the soft sand track, climb, and general desert usage with an "UNUSUAL" aspect ratio of up to 85-95 profile - 245/85/R16 to even 245/95/R15. This means when deflated you will have a "SUPER AWESOME" footprint due to a lot of rubber between the rim and sand. Along with a higher aspect ratio tread is a straight line that enables sand driving and climbing more easily and higher. However due to straight-line treads, self-recovery sucks big time, and cars with balloon tires are sitting duck even on the slightest of stuck. Yes, they are legal. Yes, they are highly unsafe for the wet road. Yes, they are very tipsy on curves.

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 !

BF Goodrich KO2 are 10 ply sidewall that will barely pop-out ever. You can deflate them at 12 PSI and drive for few drives to test. If you have continuous pop-out on every drive based on your drive style, then get these bead lock or else I am 90% certain you won't pop-out BFG at 12 PSI - EVER. Unless you make a planned jump (as advertised) or unfortunate accident.

Every offroad convoy has to follow these rules to keep moving the whole convoy safely at all times: Follow the car in front of you all the time. And also follow the path taken by that car (STRICTLY), until you learn to lead. As an occasional exception, if you see the car in front of you struggled or churn up the path, it is advisable to drive little left or right and then follow the same path again. Keep 5-10 cars distance all the time. Keeping it too close you will risk an accident and keeping it too long, you will lose the path. If you cannot see the car behind you, please stop and notify on the radio so that the leader can stop until they all catch up. Stick to your convoy numbering at all times, if changed due to some situation fall back to the same order as soon as you can but safely. If convoy is not moving due to some stuck / refusal, please be patient and stay safe at your designated position. No playing, side sloping or any breaking the convoy activities will not be tolerated. Radio communication is PRIME, listen and respond to it promptly all the time. Convoy positions Leader: The first car who leads the drive and everyone has to follow the leader instructions precisely with respect. Second lead: The second car in a convoy, who drives behind the leader and avoid or fix any unforeseen situation as it may happen. Everyone in the convoy needs to follow the "second lead" path like a magnet - at all times. Sweep: One or two cars at end of the convoy to help and recover stuck vehicles or advise the correct path after the refusal. Flying Sweep: This car can be anywhere to do the sweep duties of recovering stuck vehicle or coordinating the convoy movement.

Hi everyone, unfortunately I am going to have to drop out of this drive. After a long session today, I noticed one clip on the air box was not back clipped on after the regular service that was done yesterday. It seems that a lot of sand might have been sucked into the engine as I can see sand above the filter, as well as in pipe leading to engine. I will be taking back to service centre first thing tomorrow to asses. have a great drive, see you on the next one 🙏