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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.

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.

@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

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. 💪

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.

Draft Revolutionizing the UAE Desert Experience: Green Sand Dunes and Lush Vegetation Unveiled After 75-Year Rainfall Phenomenon Dubai, UAE - [7 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 - Car and Off-road Community, renowned for its expertise in off-road driving and 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 while surrounded by vibrant vegetation, exotic birds and stunning landscapes. We are thrilled to invite 4x4 owners to join us in experiencing this once-in-a-lifetime spectacle. "The lush green sand dunes and thriving vegetation offer a completely new perspective on desert exploration, and our Desert Driving Masterclass ensures that 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 extraordinary," Khanna remarked." This is a unique opportunity for 4x4 owners and adventure enthusiasts to experience the desert in a whole new light. @Islam Soliman Islam Soliman, Marshal at Carnity: Other than the water rivers changing the topology which is a temp impact, the long-term impact is the expansive growth of vegetation in sabkhas turning it into massive fields and growth of different types of grass and medium size plants attracting all sorts of life around it starting from butterflies and slugs to larger animals like oryxes and ghazals. Observed massive growth in the count of baby ghazals and oryxes in different areas specially around Qudra and Fagaa. Also the vegetation growth on the dunes is helping stabilize the sand on the dunes making them hard and compact and if the increased rainfall continues this will definitely help reduce the dust levels in the surrounding areas. @Looper Goutam Sharma, Expert lead at Carnity: 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 the recent drive we did From Faqa'a to Al Qudra (Bab Al Shams) we found a great example of it, where the desert was lush green with only the tops of the dues having some sand. 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 protocols. Participants not only learn the art of traversing challenging terrains but also 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.

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:

@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.

@Ale Vallecchi thanks for a fantastic drive this morning, that we all managed the complete over 100km through the technical terrain covered is testament to your navigation skills. Proud of the LRDG sticker, my grandfather was a navigator in the LRDG during WW2 in North Africa.

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

Thank you @Looper for an epic first drive in the Intermediate Level. The first time I was up here was with you leading a FB+ drive, which was extremely memorable and one of my best videos of our drives to date. No video today from me because I wanted to focus on this first IM drive and being S/L. It was a faster drive than FB+ which meant more laser focused concentration. It was exhilarating. Nice to meet you @Amir Amiri. Great driving with you again @Mahmoud Taha, @Zulfikhar Naiyar and @Anoop Nair. A very dynamic elevation profile below and other interesting stats. See you on the sand next time.

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!

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

My "temporary" solution... 😅

One of these has done me well so far. Easy access, and can be tied down pretty well and fits most of my stuff (apart from the compressor) https://www.aceuae.com/en-ae/mac-allister-tool-bag-45-x-25-x-35-cm/2219331.html

Thanks Aser, grandad received a medal for his service with the LRDG as a navigator during the lead up to the battle of El Alamein. He surveyed the artillery positions amongst other information gathering.

Thanks @Ale Vallecchi, I love the exploration drives!

Thanks @Ale Vallecchi for the drive this morning. Fast paced, technical, bumpy and loooong Lots of fun! Great driving by the whole convoy. Only a few stucks and refusals meant we were able to keep the pace relatively fast but still ended up going slightly longer than planned. This was my first drive that ended up moving past noon and I got to see the visibility issues at that time of day - I guess the light colored sand didn't help. Amazing how Ale navigated that last technical stretch - was hard for us following to see the track and he didn't even have a track to follow 😅 Proud to have completed the 100km challenge. Well done all!

Thanks for the fun short drive. Sorry I had to bail early because of the passengers. Have a great week 🙏

Dear Desertnauts. After some deliberation, find below the meeting and deflation point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/vvS1S3mdsbHBsMaA9 From here we'll head to Lisaili, then down toward Faqa (via the infamous Chimney Route), and on to Little Sweihan before heading either to Solar Park or Ghantoot (TBD). The itinerary plans to minimize areas of sabkhas, which with the rains would have become quite muddy and treacherous. For the Sweihan lovers, that will be my next weekend's objective. See you all tomorrow Hi @Haneef Thayyil. Sorry to chase you. Do you confirm your joining tomorrow? If not I'll free your spot for the next WL in line. Thanks a lot.

My pleasure to be CF. See you all Sunday 💪

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.

Normal shovel. This is basically our most useful tool in desert driving. In 95% of recovery situations in the desert, a sturdy shovel will get you out. I know in the US winches are used along with tree straps etc to self-recover. Winches aren't very prevalent here as a self-recovery tool since we very rarely have something to strap on to in the desert. Land anchors for sand tend to be large, heavy and impractical and I've only ever seen a handful of people with one There are quite a few people who have winches on their rigs here but they are mostly used to help recover someone else

DRIVE PLAN This drive is a quick fix for those who crave for one more drive but don't have much time. A regular rerun of the drives we did few times in the past. We meet a little ahead of Badayer Shops and drive straight ahead, with the war cry "Yalla Push". It will be short quick drive. we will start at 7:00 and end by 9:30 so that we can inflate and leave the area by 10:00. 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: Intermediate and above When: 05 May 2024, Sunday Meeting time: 6:45 AM - Sharp (Without any exceptions we start the drive at 7:00 am sharp) Meeting Point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/qRJhkCGBmctc1DnZ9 Approximate finish time: 09:30 AM Type of Car: Any proper 4x4 with front and back tow hooks and 8-10 inches of ground clearance. What to bring along: Loads of water, snacks (for yourself), smiles, enthusiasm, and willingness to learn. RECOMENDED 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 Saturday - 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

Hi all, I'm totally newbie, just few weeks how bought Expedition Timberline. Main question is how do you usually organize your trunk with essentials, recover kits etc. How do you store and fix it?

Thanks for answers, thinking same, but don't know about sizes, need sometimes to keep 3rd row opened, but still don't want to take this box home, and doing measures measures to find proper which will be ideal 🫠

Thanks Ale, he passed away in 1986 but I remember his stories well and am super proud of him. He was a man of strong convictions and lived by his own rules, even to the point of living in exile due to his liberal political beliefs in 1950's South Africa. Left to settle in Swaziland.

I don’t know how Mazda measure the differential pressure in DPF to measure how much soot collected in DPF. If you remove the DPF without changing the configuration (disable the DPF) in the ECU, the ECU may give an error code. if you can remove the DPF, it’s better to remove also the EGR system and disable the EGR in the ECU configuration also. EGR system is to reduce cylinder temperature to reduce Nox, because nox generated when the cylinder temperature is very high. The side effect with EGR is the particulate matter will increase that is why the DPF is there to filter the exhaust gas.

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

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

I have that too.. may be I will do it next in a couple of days.

Congrats @Looper heres to 50 more!

someone put @Looper in Fred's hall of fame already. The man deserves it hahaha.

Just a regular shovel. it is used to remove sand from under the car. Mine is AOR extendable shovel. I disassemble it into 3 pices and store it in the bag with ropes. I find it nice and tidy. While it is not large but it does work most of the times. Ideally you want to get one with a long handle so that you can reach underneath the car from all directions.