Varun Mehndiratta

Dear Sand Sailors Thanks for joining in for this exploration drive today. Being an exploration drive, I am limiting my report to some facts and feedback on convoy, leaving it to you all to share your thoughts on terrains and experience. So kindly let us know your genuine, unbiased opinion about drive experience, terrain and your perspective on if it’s worthy of on road time we spent to reach to location - so as to enable us at @Carnity to assess this location for next season. Drive Report Razeen is one of the darkest area in UAE and on a cloudy night, passing through the empty roads, next to a correctional premises was in itself a thrill for me. I had been to the location almost an year back and had at back of my mind a possibility of access issues etc. So I reached the location around 20-25 earlier to ensure we don’t have any last min logistical issues. It wasn’t to be and with whole convoy on time, we started with the first ray of sunlight (a faint one though with the cloud cover still on) at 630am. For first 2.5 hours, we explored dunes in Razeen. As was expected, sand was soft to super soft, ridges super sharp, dunes not so regular and a bit of vegetation adding further to challenges. While we had our fair share of regular refusals and few stucks (including mine), overall the whole convoy did amazingly well as we sailed through the place at a pretty good pace of around 22kmph. Special shout out to @Jessica Lambert. Honestly, though having been on drives togather, I knew about her driving skills, still I thought choosing Razeen for 1st intermediate drive was a bit of a bold move. She really proved it that it’s not a risky or bold move if one is confident about their skill. 💪💪👍👍 At around 930am, we had two options - - Spend another hour exploring Razeen (with well spread out dunes waiting to be explored, was very much dooable) and exit around 1030-11am. - Take our exploration further and move towards Watbha canal. Togather as convoy, we opted for Watbha exploration. Never been on this route, we relied on Gaia and we were in for our fair share of surprise. Sand was powder soft and dunes super tricky - felt like wide spread out long range dunes of Faqa have been zipped in togather to form a technical area of Qudra. We had continous refusal through the ln of convoy - starting from me to the end of convoy, including our lone pop out of the day. However, with good camaraderie at work and supporting each other, we managed to hit the final sabka at 11am, having travelled another 30Km. @Imteeaz @Santoso Marjuki @Jessica Lambert and @Looper that was one of the fastest pop out fix that I have experienced, very well done. And @Amr Aydin you were just brilliant as SL through this patch - with continous struggle to find right lines, I had to readjust multiple times and you executed it brilliantly. At end of Sabka, we went through the ln of Dafrah PV, the biggest PV in Abu Dhabi. With access controlled, to reach the canal, we had to retract a bit however by 1130am we ended the drive at the Watbha canal (thanks @Looper for support in finding the right location). Overall we drove 79Km at moving speed of 24Kmph - brilliant for the terrain and exploration drive. And to top that our ascent through the drive was just short of 1Km mark (958m to be precise) - a good reflection of steep climbs we did. Thanks all for your patience and all the support through this adventure. @Ranjan Das and @Gok Krish a brilliant drive for both the Jeep and thanks for your support during refusals and stucks. @Imran Kashif apart from couple of refusal early in drive and a tricky stuck you in general had a very good drive. Being SL on exploration drive isn’t easy you managed it pretty well. Please find better soln to fix your radio though. @Jessica Lambert you were simply amazing today - a few refusals, pop out at end of an extended drive can happen with anyone of us at this level. 🤩🤩. Please check on the options to switch off airbags in your car.@Waqas Parvez @ASAD., @Gaurav @Frederic and other Prado drivers at @Carnity request your advice on topic - due to warranty obligation kill switch I understand isn’t an option. We took off the fuse from box, however it led to warning beep sound in the car. Please share your thoughts. Thanks again for joining in and looking forward to hear your thoughts about drive, terrain and overall experience through this new location. Picture of thousand words. PS: with open top, half doors I needed a similar shower (can’t post that pic 😀😀)

Hi @Charbel thanks for sharing somehow I could see your name in the rsvp when I posted convoy list. Perhaps some system delay or something. Thanks and looking forward to see you sometime soon.

Congrats @Ignacio Quindós

Congrats @Abdul Basit Khan

Congrats @Misha Puskar

Thanks all for confirming your availability. Here are the key details for the drive. Radio: Channel 4 Convoy Order (we will see if we can explore the possibility of rotating the positions) 1. Varun 2. @Imran Kashif 3. @Jessica Lambert 4. @Looper 5. @Santoso Marjuki 6. @Amr Aydin 7. @Gok Krish 8. @Imteeaz 9. @Ranjan Das Key notes: 1. Please ensure your car is in perfect shape incl spare tyre. Location is a bit off the city, so we won’t have easy access to garage or services close by. 2. Carry sufficient water with you and some snacks. This is exploration drive and we might have some unknowns so better plan for longer stay than usual/planned in desert. 3. Take good rest before the drive. See you all on Sunday morning.

Hi @Santoso Marjuki and @Gok Krish you have been added to drive, please confirm your availability.

Dear Sand Sailors With two days to go, I hope everyone’s plan is certain and are looking forward to the drive. Before we make the final evaluation on the convoy and consider the wl, request you to please confirm your availability. No backing out from here. Please let me know your final plan by tomo morning latest. Thanks @Beide Worku @Imran Kashif @Ranjan Das @Charbel @Jessica Lambert @Tom B @Imteeaz @Amr Aydin

Hey Charlie @Cha all indications were for you to change the ride not the network provider 😀😀

You will love it… enjoyed the roar in previous drive - and @Gok Krish is taking it to another level..

Hi @Gok Krish have added you in WL, let’s evaluate by Friday.

Hahaha…this area is among the hottest in Abu Dhabi and don’t want us to be stuck in unknown territory late in day - challenge and fun of being in an exploration drive.

Brilliant idea … my Saturday is presently packed with some at home New Curtain and Cushion emergency (100 we have are falling short of our daily needs). If will be able to unearth the rarest of cushions in the world in time, will surely like to join as well. PS : whoever decides to camp at Razeen, beware, Michael Schofield and Lincoln might be planning their next escape in the area 😀

Dear Sand Sailors Thanks for RSVPing for this drive. As I mentioned in my introduction this is an exploration drive through a terrain less explored. I am already feeling like the character in Robert Frost poems. Razeen is effectively an entry point to a vast stretch of desert connecting some of the most awesome landscapes UAE has to offer - once we enter here - apart from the amazing dunes of Razeen itself, we have possibilities to move ahead towards Dhafrah, Watbha lakes and fossil rocks, Bu Tais, Al Quaa - all the way to beautiful Liwa. So effectively this drive has potential to open up vast new domains for us to venture over next season(s). Through this exploration drive - our focus will be on Razeen and if time permits (and we have easy access available) may be will try to see if we can make it to some nearby extended area - let’s see, the core focus will in any case be to enjoy ourselves in the beautiful long range dunes with razor sharp ridges. We have a really strong convoy aptly fit to the demand of this terrain. Just to be sure we enjoy to the fullest, please ensure your ride is at its healthiest best and so are you. Plan so as to be well rested and hydrated before the drive. Have a nice week ahead and looking forward to see you on Sunday. @Ranjan Das @Amr Aydin @Looper @Tom B @Charbel @Beide Worku @Imran Kashif @Jessica Lambert @Imteeaz

Perfect visualization of Gary’s point of replacing wheels with paddles 😀😀

During warranty I believe so — post that too early to say, it’s very new. Apart from damage, will it really be useful (keeping safety in mind). While trying to go up a climb, will surely always have in back of mind, possibility to steer down in case one loses momentum. At that ninety degree turn with rear lock, how will the vehicle behave is another element to check.

Wow that really sounds interesting. Just trying to think when will this be handy. @Frederic @Gaurav any advice on topic - trying to evaluate when can this feature really be handy. Ofcourse during recovering no need to switch to 4L. Directly can try at 4H with rear diff locks. On sideys same spin of all wheels may mean challenge turning down the vehicle and same perhaps during criss crossing? On steep climbs might be good - but then steering down, won’t it create a challenge?

Hey @Gary F you have not mentioned when you used diff lock .. so as a word of caution (I am still new to diff locks - didn’t had option in my Sahara and haven’t used them yet), one thing I have read and understood is never to have Rear or any diff lock engaged at high speed. - as you already mentioned turns or any similar situation where both wheels rotate at diff pace, diff locks under high speed can lead to what is called crash locking and damage your gears. Generally diff locks are recommended only to self recover out of a tough spot.

Oh what a day we had.. slept like a baby after reaching back home. Its amazing how, universe keeps giving us hints and we just keep ignoring them. For last week or so, the below jump starter ad was always on my FB/Google page and if not that i should have focused on the T-Shirt my wife kept ready for me for this drive , but it just wasnt to be. Woke up to car not starting - had to Jump start it (cyclist neighbour came in handy at 5am) - and from there the whole day was about Jump Start - just happy that it wasnt my car that needed it . First and foremost, since many of you messaged me enquiring about @Looper's car, here's the update - Thanks to @DP1011 , Deepak wrangler @Gok Krish @Murtaza Bhuria and @Zed (who happened to be close by and jumped into support) - we managed to get car out on road (how part is a long story for some nice camping night). Once on road, it was a typical Jeep thing - having made us go through the whole ordeal, the car decided that its good to go all the way to Dubai without any trouble. So, yes we all with the car managed to get back home by around 430pm. Thanks to you all for your valuable support and inputs while trying to fix the car - each of the ideas helped us in final recovery. Thanks to @Bravoecho and @Gary F's research over google, i came to know today that once battery is low, even the steering and transmission gives up (makes lot of sense, however, had never thought about it). Thanks to @Krishna R and @Mahmoud Taha for chipping in with all the support. Now about the drive part - Despite all the events that rolled out, we did managed to find to explore ourselves on some awesome Sweihan dunes and it was really amazing to see the way the whole convoy handled the challenges terrain brought in for us. It was just brilliant day at work for the whole convoy and for that first a big shout out to our new FB members @lucas amat @PETELCZYC PAJERO - luke and @MohamedSherif With zero/limited FB experience, the way you handled your rides through this challenging terrain was just superb. @Ishak as always a solid wing man - responded promptly to my messages and handled the SL position to perfection. @Gary F hope you had a some chance to explore Offroad plus and 4Hpart time function of the beautiful sandrunner. You were amazing through the drive. @Bravoecho was nice to see the upgraded toy. Looked awesome and worked like a beast. Looking forward to catch up with you sometime soon. @Murtaza Bhuria a few refusals and pop outs are part of learning experience. In general very well done @Gok Krish 392 is really a beast, was fun to hear it roar. Thanks for all the support, i missed the bfast coffee time today - however, we made it up with some nice beverage later in the afternoon. @Anoop Nair thanks a lot for all the support through the drive. Always good having you on the convoy. Thanks @DP1011 , Deepak wrangler and @Looper for all your support. Your presence ensured safety of the whole convoy through the drive and made sure we could handle all refusals/stucks/ challenges (and we had quite a few today) with a relaxed mind. Have a nice week ahead and hopefully we catch up sometime soon - on a new expedition on sand. @Zed thanks Zeddy - your presence, knowledge and as always the smile - made it easier than it actually was. Thanks 🖖

We are almost at the end of beautiful winter off-roading season. And with some upcoming work travel, i have been in two minds - end it with another Intermediate drive through the known devil terrain of Sweihan or plan something new🤔. Something which we haven't explored much this season at @Carnity. As some crazy adventurer once said (if no one else did - perhaps its just me) - When in doubt - go for the new route - so here we go. Lets explore Razeen. What to expect Razeen is a terrain explored and visited by only a few hardcore off-roaders. Full of amazing long range dunes, the area offers abundant opportunities for ridge riding and criss-crossing through virgin dunes. No cross tracks - yes, still such places exist . This also means that its really tricky and demands high level of focus and skill set. So, please RSVP, only if you are sure of your and your car's ability to climb, ridge ride and criss-cross at a good pace. And since we haven't been to the location often, i have defined it as an exploration drive - lets see what mystery lies ahead of us. We will together explore this area, enjoy ourselves on some of the most amazing virgin long range dunes we have in UAE - while keeping safety as our top priority. Since, its an exploration drive - i am keeping the convoy size limited to 8 cars. PS: Starting point is 1.5 hour from Dubai - so not much different vis-a-vis our Sweihan drives. 😀 General Overview This drive is organized in full compliance with the COVID19 guidelines. We expect every member that joins this drive to go through below information and and strictly follow these guidelines in order not to jeopardize someone's health, and to ensure we can keep organizing these drives safely. MUST READ AND TOTALLY AGREE: COVID19 Precautions Ban from Carnity Off-road Club Two Way Radio Guidelines Drive Details Level: Intermediate & above. When: 19th Mar'23, Sunday. Meeting time: 6:00 AM (SHARP - Without any exceptions). Meeting Point: https://goo.gl/maps/NcGuSFJgG8kkaZHq9 Type of Car: Any 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, face mask, rubber gloves, enthusiasm and willingness to learn. Approximate finish time: 10:30AM THIS IS A COMPRESSOR ONLY DRIVE. PLEASE DO NOT SIGN UP FOR THIS DRIVE UNLESS YOU HAVE A COMPRESSOR. ANYONE ARRIVING AT THE DRIVE WITHOUT A COMPRESSOR, FLAG, PROPER SHOVEL AND DEFLATION KIT WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO JOIN THE DRIVE. ALL TOW POINTS WILL BE CHECKED BEFORE DEPARTURE. LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE: Limited to 8 cars only. Latecomers will be returned back - without ANY EXCEPTIONS. Members without RSVP will be returned back - 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 below calendar

Dear All ran into some car trouble in morning. It’s all fixed now - however will be 20-25 min late.