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Revolutionizing the UAE Desert Experience: Green Sand Dunes and Lush Vegetation Unveiled After 75-Year Rainfall Phenomenon Dubai, UAE - [9 May 2024] - In a rare and extraordinary turn of events, the deserts of the United Arab Emirates have transformed into a breathtaking verdant paradise following the heaviest rainfall in 75 years. The once golden sands have given way to lush green dunes adorned with meter-tall vegetation, including vibrant shrubs and hardy desert plants painting a surreal picture of nature's resilience and beauty. This rare and remarkable phenomenon has captivated adventurers and nature enthusiasts alike, offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness the desert in a way never seen before. The lush greenery contrasts magnificently against the backdrop of the arid desert, creating a visual spectacle that has drawn attention from around the world. Carnity, renowned for its expertise in off-road club drives and desert driving courses, recognizes the unique opportunity this natural phenomenon presents to 4x4 owners and enthusiasts. With the desert terrain now transformed into a green oasis, there's never been a better time to experience the magic of desert driving, surrounded by vibrant vegetation, exotic birds and stunning landscapes. "The lush green sand dunes and thriving vegetation offer a completely new perspective on desert exploration, and participants can navigate this transformed terrain safely and responsibly." @Frederic Frederic Nuyttens, Crew: The UAE desert is far more dynamic than what people think. Even though it has transformed over Millions of years from a sea into a dry uninhabited land, there is still plenty of life and vegetation to be found. The recent changes have turned some areas into green lush lands, providing better shelter and grazing opportunities for many animals. The question will remain on how long these newly created lakes and lush greenery will stay in place to experience. @Gaurav Gaurav Khanna, Crew: expressed his excitement about this natural wonder and its impact on desert exploration. "The transformation of the UAE deserts into a green oasis is nothing short of an extraordinary experience." This is a unique opportunity for 4x4 owners and adventure enthusiasts to experience the desert in a whole new light with their completely stock 4WD vehicle. "I love seeing the 4x4 owner's amazed reactions every day after their first desert drive." @Ale Vallecchi Ale Vallecchi, Senior Marshal: The UAE deserts, including parts of Dubai, have become greener due to increased rainfall in recent years. This has led to more vegetation, changing some areas from desert to shrubland. For off-roaders, driving tips after heavy rain include: Deflation is less important on firmer surfaces. Watch out for mud patches on flat areas, preferring grass patches or visible sand ripples. Drive faster to avoid sinking in mud. Be cautious on dunes as ridges may collapse or sand may harden, causing unexpected hazards. Enjoy the greenery but be careful when exploring after rain. @Islam Soliman Islam Soliman, Marshal: Other than the water rivers changing the topology which is a temporary feature, the long-term impact is the expansive growth of vegetation in sabkhas turning it into massive green fields. The growth of different types of grass and medium-sized plants attracts all sorts of life around it from butterflies and slugs to larger animals like oryxes and gazelles. Observed massive growth in the count of baby gazelles and oryxes in different areas, especially around Al Qudra and Al Fagaa area in the Dubai Desert. The vegetation growth on the dunes is helping stabilize the sand on the dunes, making them hard and compact. If the increased rainfall continues, this will help reduce the dust levels in the surrounding areas. @Looper Goutam Sharma, Expert: The deserts of Dubai have been becoming green for some time now; be it Qudra or Faqa'a the creation of lakes has increased the water level in the deserts of Dubai, and the rain has only exacerbated the situation. In our recent drive from Faqa'a to Al Qudra Desert (Bab Al Shams) we found a great example of it, where the desert was lush green with only the tops of the dunes having some sand. @Simon D Simon Dawood, Expert: Amidst global climate change, the UAE's deserts have experienced a noteworthy shift, highlighted by increased rainfall that has transformed arid landscapes into lush expanses. The emergence of a 'vegetation carpet' across areas like Lisaili, Al Qudra, Murquab, Nizwa, and beyond showcases nature's resilience. Revived wadis like Wadi Shawka and Wadi Al Qor, now with flowing water, are further signs of rejuvenation. For off-roaders and nature enthusiasts, the sight of a green desert signifies more than just visual beauty - it represents hope and renewal. This transformation serves as a touching reminder that unexpected changes can yield beauty and growth in our natural environment. "I can't hide my smile when I see a Green Desert." @DP1011 Deepak Panchariya, Expert: As an experienced off-roader, I've witnessed an incredible transformation in the UAE's off-road scene. This transformation is thanks to the UAE's dedication to ecological balance, exemplified by ongoing cloud-seeding projects and nature's support. Initially, many of us may have simply seen it as adding more greenery to the desert. However, taking a step back reveals a different perspective - the thriving desert life that these efforts nurture is truly remarkable. The UAE's expansive areas, like the pristine dunes in Qudra and Faqa, offer us a unique experience now. We can now enjoy driving through green landscapes, encountering desert wildlife, and marveling at clear dunes just at a short distance. It's a true luxury to be in this amazing country, where we can immerse ourselves in diverse natural beauty and experiences. Carnity Desert Driving Course is designed for both novice and experienced drivers seeking to explore the desert with confidence and respect for the environment. The comprehensive Masterclass covers essential topics such as sand driving techniques, vehicle preparation, navigation skills, and safety techniques. Participants learn the art of traversing challenging terrains and gain a deeper understanding of desert driving skills while respecting ecosystems and conservation principles. With expert guidance from seasoned instructors, drivers can navigate the green sand dunes and lush vegetation while minimizing environmental impact and preserving the natural beauty of the desert. As the UAE continues to attract adventurers and nature lovers seeking unparalleled experiences, Carnity remains at the forefront of desert driving education. With a focus on safety, sustainability, and immersive learning, we empower individuals to explore the wonders of the desert with the perfect blend of education, excitement, and environmental stewardship.

It's been one year since I started a new chapter in desert driving hobby; leading drive with @Carnity, and last week it was my 50th when I took over @Islam Soliman's drive. It was also my 238th drive I have actually driven. These are some quick numbers to look into: Most of them as usual have been Fewbie drives but I find my sweet spot at FB+, I have been doing a lot of FB+ to balance overall ratios. -------------- These numbers below mean shared drives. Given means, I posted a drive but someone else also took a part of the convoy, taken means someone else posted a drive I took a part (or as in last week whole) of convoy. -------------- I really can't see in the dark. So, no night drives for me. I do not see any drives posted by me in the night. This chart also shows the number of drives I have done per month. Till December 2023 I was averaging 13 drives a quarter. This year however has been less due to my frequent travels. -------------- This list is the locations where I have driven. & following are some stats of those locations: Faqa'a (Includes both Dubai side and Abu Dhabi side) might seem to be my favorite location as most drives are done there. Actually, it is not, as I hate all the bushes. I have been doing this to find the best way of doing it. Now that finally have found the most optimal track, which is to start from Abu Dhabi side to go towards Little Sweihan and then to Solar Park. I might now do some drives on the reverse side. Qudra includes drives that started at Qudra Roundabout towards Lisaili, Bab al Shams and Solar Park. Liwa drive is my drive to Yellow Truck. It grouped in others to keep it up with the forum; the convoy was an Intermediate and I had spilt it for a FB+ convoy with @Kailas.

@Carnity Here is the new owner of The White Rhino! Congrats @Emanuel !!!! it turns out that the White Rhino has a preference to Canadian owners ! 🤣 Enjoy it man ! I am sure you will give it all the love and care it deserves!

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

Hi @Carnity, I am sharing this here as I would want for the Carnity community to benefit of a very unique car before placing it in the public market place. I'll give it a week before putting it on sale in public. @Gaurav, @Frederic and @Srikumar I know Carnity is not a marketplace but this car is too special to go to a complete stranger The White Rhino is a high-end and probably the most maintained and pampered Pajero in the GCC, with the most premium add-ons available for a Pajero in the market. Fully maintained and serviced at Al Habtoor with an existing dealer warranty (Until End of Jan 2025) and extended service package (4 Free Services). This car was bought from the dealer Al Habtoor 2 years ago at 0 km (First Owner). The below is a summarized list and details of the car: · Pajero 3.8 LWB 2020 – Elite Package - Under Al Habtoor warranty until 30th January 2025 · 50,871 KM– Pristine Condition · Al Habtoor Service Contract until 80,000 KM (4 Free Services) bought on August 25,2023 – The Package also includes: 1 Body Polish, 1 Free Brake Pad and 2 AC filter replacements - AED 5460 · Rhinomotive Graphene Pro Ceramic Coating – Al Habtoor – AED 3000 · Underbody Rust Proofing – Al Habtoor – AED 1000 · Dobinsons - MRR Adjustable Shock Absorbers and Coil Springs (Warranty until May 17, 2024) – AED 10,850 · KMC Wheels – Set of 5 – AED 5000 · Yokohama Geolander G015 – Set of 5 – 265/70/17 – AED 3000 · Rear Tyre Cover Delete Kit – Can be reversed to original look (Original Tyre Cover) – AED 1500 · Original Tyre Cover - Custom modified to hold the rear KMC wheel – AED 2500 · AOR Pajero 4DR Roof Rack Kit plus Eye bolt Eyelets and light brackets – AED 5900 · Aluminum, powder coated, External Molle Panels (1 pair). Personally Designed and Custom-made (1 of 1 Set) – AED 2200 per side (AED 4400 Total) · 2 x Black Rotopax Storage Packs and Rotopax Deluxe Lock Mounts with 4x Quickfist holders for shovels – AED 2600 · Front and back skid plates – AED 2200 · Upgraded Entertainment Unit to Wireless Car Play – Al Habtoor – AED 1100 · Rear Lights Black Coloring – Signature Look - Done at Al Habtoor – AED 1050 · 42” LED Front Light Bar · 2 x 75W Rear lights – Double Flood Bars · De-chrome package and angel eyes DRLs · Centralized Gang Rocker Swith Panel – Factory Look (Connected Front and Rear Lights and ready to connect a fan or spot lights, switches are there but never got a fan or spot lights) · Red Caliper Coloring · Pajero All weather mats – Front seats, rear seats and trunk · Engine flush at 20,000 km – Al Habtoor · Everything is at highest premium levels · Most invoices are available, if needed · Over AED 70,000 add-on spending on the car - Not your typical Pajero. · Reason for selling: Bought a new Ranger Raptor · AED 105,000 - Priced for selling, not negotiable If interested, I can be reached on +971 55 4284084

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.

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.

Hi everyone! Thank you all for your suggestions, After a year of waiting, I finally received the all new 2024 Jeep Rubicon Xtreme Recon from Trading Enterprise in April. I'm excited to go on drives with you all, but I'm not sure how many kilometers I should drive before going off-road. Any suggestions?

Dear Carnity team, Please accept my highest respect to your amazing community organizing these drives in a super professional manner and also handling new members with excellent patience. Kudos to the entire team of marshals & experts!! Sincere wishes, Rajath Shetty

@Aser @Sviatoslav @RiadJL @Zak_ @Andrew John Melvill @Batuhan Kulac @Johannes Roux @Julien Recan @Hani Howeedy and @Luke K P (even though you already know the story), for more info about the legendary Long Range Desert Group (formerly Long Range Desert Patrols), please visit Long Range Desert Group - Wikipedia A few notes: Major Bagnold (Ralph Bagnold - Wikipedia) their founder, is also known for studying the dynamic of sand, which explains how dunes and deserts form and "move", as well as he's the "inventor" of tire deflation and dune crossing, discovering the key role of momentum in desert driving. Seems obvious now, but try managing desert crossing in the early 1930's, driving heavy 2-wheel drive cars!! Major Bagnold is also referenced in the movie "The English Patient", as one of the companions of another great desert explorer, Lazlo Almazy. From 1925 to 1935, Bagnold had explored the Great Libyan Desert, 1,100 miles east to west, 1,000 miles north to south, as part of an international group that included the future central character of the novel and film The English Patient, Hungarian Count Laszlo Almasy. “Never in our peacetime travels had we imagined that war could ever reach the enormous empty solitudes of the inner desert, wailed off by sheer distance, lack of water and impassable seas of sand dunes,” Bagnold remembered. “Little did we dream that any of the special equipment and techniques we had evolved for very long distance travel, and for navigation, would ever be put to serious use.” For more, read Nomads of War: The Long Range Desert Group - Warfare History Network

Dear Desert Drivers, Thank you you joining the drive today. As expected, the desert was still showing the effect of the rains of last week. Starting with the meeting point, still totally flooded. Once everyone reached, we drove on the tarmac a few km and entered a bit further. The sand was generally still very compact, offering a good grip beneficial for the high climbs. The crossings were also generally facilitated, but the edges were sharper than usual, requiring a perfect accuracy for the driving line. A few other traps in the form of steeper pockets than usual, salt crust remaining from evaporated water ponds in the flat areas, water or sludge on the flat sabkhas. All this did not prevent us to enjoy fully the area. We had our share of high climbs, steep descents, ridge riding and crossing and beautiful desert views. The first portion with bigger dunes, more thrills and sensations, the second portion more technical with totally virgin dunes. Very well driven all of you. @Shaun J, @Aser excellent focus and control for your first FB+, @Julien Recan @Deepak Eswar you had one crossing a bit hazardous, but well done for the rest, @Luke K P @msa @Robk @Frans M, excellent control in both portions. Special thanks to @Luke K P as Second Lead, and @Deepak Eswar for the Sweep, both of you very reliable today. Enjoy the rest of the weekend and see you soon!

Good afternoon all, hope you are excited for this drive/dive. do bring your fishing rods just in case. I hope to see some nice blue lakes 🤞. We will be swinging on looper's constant (Radio Ch 2). We will leave for the dunes at 6:45 sharp (latest) so don't be late; the convoy wont wait. @Marek, @Batuhan Kulac, @george charbel, @Julien Recan, @Mahesh_, @Gautam Banka, @msa, @Imran Asghar, @Dodi Syahdar, @Senthil Kumar, @Gary F, @Stumpy I expect the terrain to be rigid underneath a layer of soft sand; the tops of the dunes will be uneven due to those heavy rains. It will be a long drive as we have to cover a lot of distance, and expect to end the drive near Bab Al Shams.

@Aser, @Robk, @Gautam Banka, @Julien Recan, @Mark B, @Marek, @Deepak Eswar, @Luke K P Short Video of the drive. Hope you guys like it

Thanks for joining on this great morning out ! @DP1011@Richard Franks@Martin M@Ben Lee@Andrew John Melvill@Ahmed Farouk@Vijay Cowlagi@Nizar Shawwa@Zubair@Islam Soliman@Prithvi Raj The weather was quite pleasant, and i hope this area brought some "change of scenery" to the off-roading game. The dunes were quite technical and as we had to make our way from North to South, we had a lot of straight crests to tackle. Of course that's part of the fun and i was caught a few times sitting on a crest myself You guys all drove fantastic, and as everyone reached early, we could do a quick briefing and leave on time. Thank you for that ! See you all soon in the sands again

Dear Desert Wanders @Aser, @Robk, @Gautam Banka, @Julien Recan, @Mark B, @Marek, @Deepak Eswar, @msa and @Luke K P, the convoy order will be as below and we will be using Ch4 (446.081). Looking forward to seeing you all bright and early in the morning fully fueled and ready to go flags up and deflated at 07:00 sharp please.

Thanks again for the amazing drive @Ale Vallecchi was definitely one for the books 🙌 Here is a pic of the FJ duo from the top of Iftar dune

Hi @Ale Vallecchi @Luke K P @Aser and anyone who is interested. A brief history of my Grandfather Alexander Melvill and his involvement with the LRDG. After Schooling in South Africa he studied mine surveying and started work in the deep gold mines near Springs. After an accident where his entire crew was lost, he missed it as one of his men had left my Grandfathers plumb bob behind and he went to retrieve it. He left the mine and started work in topographic mapping, A few years later he went up to then Northern Rhodesia and worked on the Copper mines, once the Great Depression hit re was retrenched and with his pay out flew up to then Tanganika to try his luck. Here he worked on a gold mine as a mine surveyor and then did topographic mapping along the western border and into what is now the DRC. In 1936 he returned to South Africa, worked on power station construction and then as a topographic surveyor. During this time he met my Grandmother. After the outbreak of the War he volunteered and left his wife and two young boys on the family farm in South Africa. He was 1st stationed in East Africa but not long after was transferred to the 8th Army in North Africa, he was officially part of the 46 Survey group. After studying astral navigation, using a theodolite to observe the stars and give precise position coordinates, he was seconded to the LRDG. There are two missions that I have been told about in his time with the LRDG. Near Buerat in Libya he led a small group of men to obtain ground control of an area so that it could be mapped and to confirm the info received from aerial photographs. For this operation he received the Military Medal from General Montgomery. Just prior to the battle of El Alamein he mapped a route through the Qatara depression, in an area that was only accessible by using the LRDG expertise. In addition to mapping a route for the main army they surveyed enemy positions prior to the main battle of El Alamein. After the War he returned to South Africa worked as a miner, surveyor and farmer. Signed Recomendation.pdf

throwback to the last known photo of LRDG back in 1943,,, i mean 2023 😆 hope to see you all for some further lomg distance patrols soon. 💪

Good morning all, @Luke K P @Shaun J @Aser @Julien Recan @msa @Robk @Gautam Banka @Frans M @Cristian @Deepak Eswar @Amr A In preparation for tomorrow's drive, please ensure your car is ready and anything loose or unnecessary is removed from the backseat and trunk area. All your offroad gear shall be securely strapped. We will see how is the desert after the rains of last week. There might be water remaining at the starting point. Please assess to avoid getting stuck in the mud. If there is too much water, just wait before crossing, and we will enter from a different place. The convoy order will be We will use Channel 5. Please let me know during the day in case you changed your plan. See you all tomorrow !

Dear Desert Drivers @Danny G @JanS @Pramod B @J-P L @TIMMY @Zubail @Victor Socaciu @Frederic @Matt - monkeywrench @Ozgu @Ben Williams @TT_Dubai Thank you for signing-up for the drive on Saturday morning in Lisaili. Before the drive, please take a bit of time to check your car, remove any unnecessary or loose item from the passengers and trunk areas. Check your radio, make sure it is fully loaded, and programmed with the 10 Carnity radio frequencies. I will indicate the convoy order tomorrow, by the end of the afternoon. If you change your plan, please let me know before that. Stay tuned for more info tomorrow !

Good afternoon desert wanderers, @Aser, @Robk, @Gautam Banka, @Julien Recan, @Mark B, @Marek, @Deepak Eswar, @msa and @Luke K P, well what a fantastic drive we had today, started off with navigating the lake and the quad mire at the start, all those shining cars turned to mud splattered not so shinny ones in around 2 seconds :), we then completed 54.5 KM with an avg speed of 14.5 kmph and an avg moving speed of 23.2 KMPH and a maximum elevation of 242 m. Once we got going the drive was smooth and we clipped along at a fairly robust pace with just the odd refusal and reattempt until my ridge riding cresting. the shovels quickly and easily took care of that thanks to the team who deployed them quickly and used them like experts. We then started the pop out fest part of our journey with a total of 3, not a record but still enough to give us the practice we need to become F1 pit crew. we continued on and had a couple more refusals until our second stuck of the day on an straight up and over crest, Mark and Luke took care of this with their expert rope handling skills and we were soon on our way. Great second Lead by @Aser well don my friend you did an amazing job, stopping were you saw me struggling and following the instructions perfectly to the tee. Luke in his beautiful new Raptor Powered beast brought up the rear and did a fantastic job informing me all the way round of how the rear of the convoy was doing and keeping us all together, always a pleasure mate, love the new wheels and the new flag, we always know where you are from the sound of the raptor and the sight of the two massive flags you not sport. Our CF today @Mark B did an amazing job keeping the middle intact, as well as support and directing the few refusals and the couple of pop outs we had. Great job as always good to watch you grow into the support role as I see your confidence growing. Once again well done to all and have a great rest of your weekend.

Good afternoon guys ! @Richard Franks@Martin M@Zak_@Andrew John Melvill@lucas amat@DP1011@Ben Lee@Sandeep Nayar@Prithvi Raj@Vijay Cowlagi@Nizar Shawwa@Zubair@Ahmed Farouk@Hani Howeedy@Islam Soliman With the hotter weather, it will be crucial to arrive on time so we can move on time. Please ensure to arrive by 06AM latest. This means it's advisable to arrive by 5:45 so you have time to deflate, greet the other team members, and get your flag up. It's a larger convoy for a typical Fewbie drive, so my aim will be to try and cover some good ground. With the expert support and help of @Islam Solimanand @DP1011 i am sure we will be having a great morning out. We will use Channel 2: 446.031 Mhz. See you all in the morning ! PS if you are coming from Dubai on the E66, you might witness the amazing sunrise on the left hand side from behind the Oman mountains !

Dear Desert Drivers, thank you for joining the drive today. First difficulty was to reach the meeting point through the mud pond... but there was a way around. Same once we were into the desert. High dunes where all around us, in the first portion, and we have always found the way to go around or to pass through. Great skills around, as you had to manage the balance and momentum of your car to get you on the top of that dune, or to pass over that ridge. We had also a few high climbs, and 1 or 2 bowls to play with, great opportunities to push our cars, understand the acceleration required to climb, and to maintain the balance and ability to turn. Going down showed to be challenging also, as we had 2 cars stuck on a crest, and a pop-out in the steep descent after the break. In the second part of the drive, we had smaller technical dunes before reaching the sabkha, and nice rolling dunes to quietly finish the drive, spotting big groups of camels. All in all, a nice desert experience, and a great way to start the weekend! @Wilfredo Perez, thank you for the 2nd lead, adjusting my route when needed, @jinoy well done for your 2nd drive, continue to work on understanding the balance and energy of the car. @Giacomo, great driving, @Victor Socaciu very well done for your first drive with us, you will fully enjoy the blue jeep. @Rajath Shetty @Walter Palk @nithish468, the FJ gang, no issue at all, @Adam Black the long truck was crested only once, great job! @ChrisW @Martin M @Ahmed Farouk @Julian Patterson you were really comfortable in the drive today, well done. Big thank you for the support of @Benjamin @Joji varghese @Gary F always around when needed, with clear instructions to guide cars safely out of precarious situations. Waiting for your feedback and pictures in the gallery. Enjoy the rest of the weekend

Dear Desert Drivers, @Wilfredo Perez @jinoy @Giacomo @Victor Socaciu @Benjamin @Rajath Shetty @Walter Palk @nithish468 @Adam Black @Joji varghese @ChrisW @Ozgu @Martin M @Ahmed Farouk @Julian Patterson @Gary F Last updates for tomorrow morning. We will meet at 6:00 am at https://maps.app.goo.gl/f8nSRBXb24ryGTvm8 We are a big group, please make an effort to be there a bit ahead of time not to delay the whole group. Reaching to the meeting point, you will see a gate, just reach slowly to the gate, and it will open by itself. Once you reach the group, you can start deflating your tires and installing your flag. Support members will assist you if needed. The convoy order will be We will use Carnity Radio Frequency 5. Enjoy the evening, take as much sleep as you can, and see you tomorrow morning !

Great session this morning @JeromeFJ, thanks for the fun and your endless patience with everyone, that makes a difference. It was quite a rollercoaster! See you soon 🚙

Please find the convoy numbering. We will use Radio Channel 8 @Sameer D. @Zubail @Mariem @jinoy @Rajiv Sam @Ghaithh @Rajath Shetty @Pramod B @nithish468 @Davie Chase @ChrisW @khlief @Sviatoslav @Haneef Thayyil Gaurav Silver Pajero Sameer D. 2017 Jeep Wrangler 2 door black Zubail 2024 Ford Expedition Timberline - 4 door - Black jinoy 2016 pajero 4door golden Mariem Toyota prado Ghaithh 2018 Mitsubishi Pajero - 2 door - brown Rajiv Sam Fj Cruiser 2021 Rajath Shetty 2023 Toyota FJ Cruiser White Pramod B Pajero 3.8 2016 Black nithish468 2011 Toyota fj cruiser - 2 door - white ChrisW 2007 Jeep JK Black khlief Grand cherokee overland V8 2020 , black Davie Chase Red Jeep Rubicon Haneef Thayyil Nissan Patrol Y62 2014 V8

Thank you @Gaurav and all my Fb+ drive Leaders @JeromeFJ @Varun Mehndiratta @Frederic @Looper @Davie Chase @DP1011 @Simon D @Islam Soliman @Rizwanm2 ❤️ 🫡 Thanks mate @Luke K P, always more fun to drive with you 🫡

Thank you @Ale Vallecchi and the whole convoy for the drive. Challenge completed. It was fun seeing and recovering @Hani Howeedy and @RiadJL. Have a great week ahead. Keep digging. Keep clawing.

Thank you all for joining the drive today. The sand was still very compact from the rain in the previous days, so the conditions were generally favourable for the climbs and the ridge riding. the drawback was that the dunes were becoming slippery after a few cars, making the track a bit more difficult for the back of the convoy. The first portion offered high dunes with long ridges, perfect terrain to practice ridge riding, sometimes a bit impressive with the deep void on one side or the other. Concentration and precise steering were key, as a wrong line was immediately inducing fishtailing. Crossing the sabkha, we climbed that massive dune, with a succession of small bowls, step by step until the top. Everyone was focused, getting the required momentum for the next climb, and the 12 cars reached without refusal, a nice performance! The rest of the drive was a long run going West, crossing a large portion of desert staying high on the dunes as much as possible to avoid the bushes. with open dunes and white sands, until we reached the exit on the E75. No stuck, a few refusals, great driving for all of you, including the 1st FB+ drive for @Stan and @Mahmut. Still we could see a lot of fishtailing and uncontrolled ridge riding. We have discussed this on the sand, so you where to improve. It will come with practice. Thank you @Mohit Gurnani for the SL, correcting my lines, @Mark B for anchoring the convoy from the middle, and @Zulfikhar Naiyar for watching the back, @Shaun J @Stan @Mahmut @Julien Recan @Rk ram @Deepak Eswar @Cristian @Ishak thank you for excellent spirit and participation. We can program the same drive at the end of June, to add heat and soft sand for a more complete desert experience !

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:

@Luke K P @Julien Recan please read my prev article on this if you haven't >> https://carnity.com/forums/topic/16736-diff-lock-simplified-center-rear-front-explained/ The Standard Order is Central Diff Lock > Rear Diff Lock >> and last Front Diff Lock. Am sure there's a very technical reason for this, one involving blowing out diffs, but for shortcut let's just say this is how it's done in Mercedes G-Wagon and Toyota Land Cruiser 80, so let's follow Mercedes & Toyota engineers regarding this order of pressing the buttons Here's my take on your new orange Ford: 1. First check if your Center + Rear Diff Locks are automatically engaged when you switch to 4Lo. My Nissan Y62 Patrol did this, everytime I turned 4Lo, it automatically enganges Rear Diff Lock (thus also Center Diff Lock). My Jeep Grand Cherokee doesn't do this, so if I go 4Lo, it doesn't engage any diff locks. How to test? You can't test on sand. In your parking space, turn on 4Lo then move forward 3 steps so it fully engages 4Lo. Then turn your steering wheel full-left (or full-right) and accelerate. If your tires are slipping or you hear screeching sound, means your rear diff is locked. Remember the purpose of Differential is so that left tyre and right tyre can spin at different speeds (which is needed for turning full-left/full-right mechanism) 2. If #1 doesn't make any sound means you are in 4Lo but in open diffs mode (no center and no rear diffs locked). Great, you can drive in 4Lo at high-speed to get more torque. 3. Why would you ever want to drive with diff locks engaged at high speed ??? Read Point #1 above, the purpose of having differential is to allow left-tyre to spin faster/slower than right-tyre, which is needed for full-turn. Yes in low-traction platform like soft sand and water, the tires still slip but they will not screech and make sound like in your concrete car parking or highway asphalt. But still, do you want to risk it? Example: you're riding on a ridge with soft sand with Center + Rear Diffs locked, then suddenly you have to make 90-degrees left-turn to exit the ridge riding. If the sand is hard (due to rain), now you're turning on a non low-traction platform. The tires will slip to make the turn, but because you're no longer in soft sand, you will be turning like a Rally Driver, with that drifting effect, which is fine on horizontal levelled plain areas (sabkhas), but on a ridge? Only the braves will risk it.... I've asked some "crazy" drivers why they turn-on Center Diff Lock when driving, and these are their reasons: 3.1.They want to drive in a STRAIGHT LINE very fast. Rally drivers do this. You can also try when you're climbing up in a straight line, but not when you're going up then decided to make a loop. 3.2 They want to drift when they're side-sloping, only doable with beadlocks. I've seen this in front of my eyes: so the car looks like fighting gravity, but in fact they are SLIDING horizontally with the nose facing 45-degrees up. Very cool for videos, but even I don't want to try that 😂 PS: we can do a 30-mins "testing session" after an official drive to test the various modes of your mighty Raptor 😁

Hi @Looper and the entire convoy I just want to say that today was brilliant A mix of tech, dunes and speed. A really fun drive it was my birthday so my wife agreed to join me lol which was nice she enjoyed it too Anyway have a great week all and stay safe. I hear the weather could be iffy towards the end of the week

Good morning guys ! What a nice looking convoy ! And with @Zed already baking cookies in preparation for this 100th drive, i am sure we'll be having a good laugh as well @Looper@DanielN@Abhilash Kottakkal@Nizar Shawwa@Batuhan Kulac@Ahmed Farouk@Hani Howeedy@Zed@DP1011 We will be using Channel 4 - 446.081 Mhz for all comms. Please make sure to bring all your off-road gears according to your current level. As the weather is getting a bit hotter, i would like to ask to start arriving approx 15mins prior to the meeting time, this allows us to deflate, set up the flags, do the briefing, and get moving by 07.15 latest so we can enjoy while the weather is still enjoyable. See you soon !

Add X-terra to your list. Even stock those things are tough yet light making them highly capable in the dunes. Cheap to fix, maintain and to buy. Pajero is everything above just a bit better as Fred mentioned but they are a little bit more expensive Avoid Jeeps.

We will initially see a lot of long-range dunes; they are not very tall but will give us opportunity to be quick, which of course we are going to be. Next, we will have some very tall but narrow dunes. They are super technical and on a hot day very soft as well. They will test us on our skill of not getting stuck. By now we should know where not to apply gas, because if we are not moving forward, we are going down sinking ourselves. Please note that there is one lone fuel station on the way that is a bit away from the meeting point. Not many refreshments available there, so stock up before you move from your homes.

Thamk you @Zak_. You'll be Second Lead and Sweep 😅

Some photos i took on the first trip out of Dubai with the new car 😀 somewhere in Umm Al Quwain

Definitely a memorable drive today ! Nice sand conditions, a group of determined and very capable drivers, and a beautiful play area. A few of us were still sleepy during the briefing, but after the first 5 min of the drive, everyone was fully awake. The tall dunes of Sweihan were a perfect warm up, straight into the action. From one big bowl to the next high dune the convoy was flowing. Stay in the move, Don't break the flow, Watch your lines were the motives of the day. You all did really great, and I used this opportunity to really let you experience the thrill of a drive at higher speed, when we have to use the terrain and the shape of the dunes to progress faster. As you have seen, this also requires a very accurate driving, and understanding the dynamics of the car, as any mistake will immediately take you out of the game. Nothing major occurred, but we had a tricky situation with 2 cars stuck one above the other with a steep incline, (one with a pop-out)... and rocks below! We managed to reach the top of the Old Lady dune, and to enjoy the other set of high dunes close to Al Ain Airport. Very well done @Luke K P @Aser @Shaun J @Julien Recan @msa @Rk ram @Cristian @Frans M, this was really a FB++! Waiting for feed back and pics in the gallery (I see already a first batch), enjoy the weekend, and see you next time.

@Ale Vallecchi always a pleasure and fun driving with your lead, the pace was great with the mix of different terrains. Mission very well accomplished and thank you for LRDG sticker. @Batuhan Kulac thank you for all the support you gave the convoy today wether front or back, while driving with no a/c real champion.

Glad to see you guys completed 100kms. Quite a challenge. 🦾

A very intense drive. Thank you all who could manage to join this drive. My initial idea was to go to Shuwaib and turn back so that we could end the drive at Badayer Shops. But I got so engrossed looping at the dunes before we reached Iftar Bowl that, this plan was not executable anymore. I did however wanted to go all the way and reach Shuwaib, exactly what we did. We started on the dot at 7:00 am which seemed a bit late due to the temperatures and finished exactly at 9:30 as planned. @Emanuel & @Zulfikhar Naiyar you drive very well, kept up with the pace. Behind you were the experienced lot, @Anoop Nair, @Amir Amiri and @Mahmoud Taha - the last two have been on every Badayer drive I have done till now Thank you all for one more exciting drive today. See you soon in the next one.

RSVP IS NOW CLOSED @Brett Eicher@Lea Degner@nithish468@Matt - monkeywrench@ChrisW@Srikumar@Damian@Juzer Talib@Ahmed Farouk@JohanE@Jerry Han@lucas amat@Asif Hussain Thank you for signing up for tomorrow's drive, it's great to see new faces and reconnect with some older ones Some important pointers: 1) We would like to start our briefing in the sand by 7.15 latest, so kindly arrive before 7 so you have time to deflate and setup your flag. The weather is getting hotter each week so it's important to be able to start as early as we can. 2) Bring your offroad gears. A flag, radio, shovel, pressure gauge, and compressor will be mandatory. 3) Get adequate protection from the sun (sunblock, hat, long sleeves). We will be using Channel 4 - 446.081Mhz for our walkie-talkies. The plan is to head East direction Sweihan and try to find some clean terrain and some challenges along the way. We will then loop back to the starting point. See you all tomorrow morning !

@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!

@Deepak Eswar and @JeromeFJ's Blue Jeep Bowl

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

Hi All, we will use channel 8 tomorrow. Please find the convoy list. @Guido Ferriani @Giacomo @Martin Schwaiger @TIMMY @nithish468 @Pramod B @ChrisW @Benjamin @J-P L @Nicolò @Emmanuelle Ifrah @khlief @Sviatoslav @Frederic118 @Sameer D. Gaurav Silver Pajero Guido Ferriani 2023 Rubicon - 3.6 L - 4 doors - Red Giacomo 2004 Wrangler TJ Martin Schwaiger Ford Bronco 2022 4 door Rajath white FJC nithish468 2011 Toyota fj cruiser - 2 door - white Pramod B Pajero 3.8 2016 ChrisW 2007 Jeep JK Black Benjamin 2018 Jeep Wrangler Sport JL silver J-P L 2021 Suzuki Jimny 3 Door Grey Nicolò 2018 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited - White Emmanuelle Ifrah Jeep Wrangler 2 Doors khlief Grand cherokee overland V8 2020 , black Sviatoslav 2014 Mitsubishi Pajero - 3.8 LWB Frederic118 Nissan Patrol Safari 2021 - Black Sameer D. 2017 Jeep Wrangler 2 door black

Dear Friends , @Emmanuel, @RiadJL, @Martin M, @Danny G, @Prithvi Raj, @Sunil Mathew, @Jad Moussalli, @Sandeep Nayar, @Faraz94, @Shiju Raju within less than 12 hours we will meet in the sand,. As always emphasized and required that everyone make sure of your car is in a perfect shape and have all your gear as per your rank. Meeting Point: https://goo.gl/maps/KGF6L8VwXMza3tJz7 Meeting time is 07:30 AM Sharp ( late comers will be sent back ) We will use Carnity Radio Channel 7. The convoy order will be as the following :