Srikumar

Liwa Crossing IM Convoy Trip Report I Had a Dream by Martin Luther King. For many of the senior members at Carnity @Gaurav @Frederic @Asif Hussain and myself included, always dreamt of doing a crossing through the empty quarter. It's been on our agenda for more than few years, but every previous attempt ended in some sort of disappointment as we would encounter numerous oilfield and military fences. This time with some help from the AD Tourism Department and a lot of background research over the past 3 weeks a route was decided that would make us all Live our Dream. Liwa is the ultimate challenge for any UAE offroader, and those who participated in the crossing witnessed the most amazing terrain in it's majestic glory. Thanks to the detailed planning of @Frederic we had divided the entire track over 25 waypoints (WP) with plenty of scope to scale the level of the drive depending on the convoy response. After a thorough combined briefing of all the convoys, we set of in an Eastward direction. As soon as we reached between WP2 and 3, @Mus_hus78 unfortunately had a gear issue which was too much of a risk to continue in this terrain. Wisely, he decided that it's better to exit out. After exiting him, we again went back to the starting point and re-entered the sand. We made our way through the sabkha to WP3, from where we started making our way through the dunes. We made it close to WP 10 by around 1 pm when we took a break for lunch along with the FB+ convoy. The brief lapse in concentration after lunch showed as we had a few stucks and a difficult popout. We then encountered some beautiful spaced out dunes between WP 11 and 12 with lots of smooth bowls that allowed us to ride them and cross them at will. However the exit from this section proved to be the biggest challenge of the day. With only a narrow route available for exiting the going became exceedingly tough for the cars in the second half of the convoy. With some good inputs from some of the team members we tried some alternate routes and finally after struggling for more than 90 mins we finally found a way out. By then it was 4:30 PM, so we raced through the sabkhas clocking speeds of more than 110 km/h to WP18 where the FB and FB+ convoy had already arrived for the overnight camp. Camping in the desert under the beautiful stars is a wonderful experience, and with some great friends and wonderful stories we had a perfect evening. With still about 7 WPs to go, to hit the final exit track, we started off Day 2 at around 8 AM. The experience that we had gained from the first day showed during the second day drive as we all took better angles, kept the right momentum resulting in lesser number of refusals and stucks. By 12 PM we reached the road having completed a total distance of 203 km over a driving time of just above 13 hours. The entire course was pretty tough with sudden dips, powder soft sand, razor sharp ridges and insanely steep drops that required 100% concentration at all times. There were places that we could race up the dunes at 70 km/h and there were sections that we had to meticulously crawl ourselves through at 10km/h. As @Mario Cornejo mentioned at the end of the drive, this was a drive where all our recovery skills were put to the test. The drive also brought out an equally important point, that in these kind of drives your main strength is the team. There were numerous occasions when the entire team got together to find a way out of the situation To the entire IM Convoy of @Ranjan Das @Xavier Treasurer @Mario Cornejo @varunmehndiratta @Jorge Stepniak Felippe @Amir Amiri and @Ahab Shamaa you guys deserve a huge round of applause for some excellent driving in a very challenging terrain. There are only a handful of off-roaders that can state that they succefully completed a Liwa crossing and you are amongst them. A big shout out to the FB and FB+ convoys as well who were brilliantly led by @Frederic and @Gaurav for completing the entire crossing succesfully. A special mention to our AD expert @Asif Hussainfor all the help in the planning of this route. You were truly missed, but we look forward to doing this route once again together. Till we meet on the sands again, take care.

@Mario Cornejo @Amir Amiri @Ranjan Das @Mus_hus78 @Jorge Stepniak Felippe @Xavier Treasurer @varunmehndiratta @Ahab Shamaa As mentioned in @Frederic's drive, this is the final Checklist before the Liwa Drive: 1) Only one extra passenger will be allowed (no people in the back seats). 2) Make sure your AlHosn App shows green status and latest PCR is not older than 14 days if you have received the booster, and not older than 96hours if you have not yet received the booster. 3) Ensure your 4x4 has been recently serviced and all fluids are topped up. 4) Make sure your spare tyre is in good condition. It should be the same size as your other tyres. Small variation of 2-3% in tyre diameter is however acceptable. Ensure you have the wrench that fits the wheel nuts. 5 ) Make sure your tank is full when you arrive at the meeting point and bring in total 100-120l for a V6, and 120-140l for a V8 in petrol. (total amount of tank + jerrycans). In my case i have a 80l tank and will bring 30l extra in Jerrycans. There is no gas station throughout our entire journey in the desert. 6) Keep your car light and only take the essentials. You will need all the power your engine can deliver. 7) Bring enough snacks and water (5-10l water). Some light lunch and dinner are preferred. 😎 Radio should be fully charged. If you have a spare one, plz bring it along. 9) Get enough rest. I will be camping / sleeping in my car nearby the meeting point the night prior. The ADNOC Khanoor station is only a small service station, but the ADNOC LIWA has a shop and toilets. (https://goo.gl/maps/5QJeUUsrVawRGU5PA) 10) Bring all your offroad recovery gears 11) Your car will contain a lot more equipment than usual. Please ensure everything is strapped and secured properly. If you have extra space for a bag of firewood, kindly bring it along so that we can distribute the load across each car. It would be nice if we can warm us by the fire in the evening. Starting time: 7:00 AM (SHARP - Without any exceptions) Starting Point: https://goo.gl/maps/gzyx4wRN5HBA4fdp8 You can come early and camp at the same starting point if you like. Last Fuel Station: https://goo.gl/maps/FSUzbzURjQRGvFVN9 ADNOC Khanoor (832) Lunch Break: 1 Hour and several short breaks in between. Type of Car: Any proper 4x4 with front and back tow hooks and 8-10 inches of ground clearance. Approximate finish time: 12:00 PM, 20 Feb 2022, Sunday My mobile number incase of emergency is 0559567471.

Morning Everyone, with the change of weather there is a chance of early morning fog especially as you move more inland. During those times, AD Police will reduce the speed limits on the road sometimes even to 80 km/h. If you don't adhere to the new speed limit your Liwa trip will just become a little more expensive. They send this message via the AD Police app or via a warning SMS on your mobile. Drive safe.

Hahaha. That was one special drive. Fingers crossed for another one. It will be nice seeing you after a long time Ahab.

@Mario Cornejo @Amir Amiri @Ranjan Das @Mus_hus78 @Jorge Stepniak Felippe @Xavier Treasurer @varunmehndiratta Thank you for signing up for what hopefully would be a wonderful journey. So what do we expect on this adventure : For starters, expect to see some of the biggest sand dunes that one can witness in the UAE. Liwa is known for super soft sand even in winters. Driving at the right tyre pressure is going to be extremely critical for this drive, so please keep checking your tire pressure at every break that we do take. Everyone at the IM level is expected to bring in their full set of recovery gears, There would be some dunes that would be difficult for me to come back so you would be required to recover the cars that is a position in front or behind of yourself. I have planned the route based on a track provided by the AD Tourism department. However since this is the IM convoy we will be going a bit off the exact course to witness some of the huge dunes and bowls that this area has to offer. Depending on the fluidity of the convoy, we would be mixing up the the amount of dunes and sabkha. Hopefully, if everything goes well we ought to have covered approx 70- 80% of the course on the first day with the remaining part for Sunday. I would be assigning the convoy numbering on the day of the drive. See you guys in Liwa !! Thanks for informing Alexander. Hope to meet you the next time.

This is what I would do as a personal choice : 1. As Sree, suggested I would remove the back seats to reduce the weight in the car 2. I will not carry much firewood for the overnight camping 3. Food would be kept to what is needed for you and your passenger (if coming along). I generally prefer ready to eat food or some rolls, etc for such a trip rather than a barbeque (but that again is my personal choice mainly because I am a vegetarian). I have seen in the past people bringing a lot of stuff like foldable tables, huge vessels to cook food, etc - these are things that I would definitely avoid. 4. Check all the stuff in your boot and screen what is actually needed for this trip. Having said that I would not compromise on any kind of repair kit, recovery gear, extra fluids, etc. that would be needed in the case of an emergency. 5. Regarding Fuel, I would carry only what has been mentioned on the drive post. Also, to conserve fuel during the drive I would keep turning off my car when we are not moving. 6. In my car, I tend to carry a lot of stuff like brackets for mounting LED bars, bump stops, engine oil filter, extra air compressors. These are things that I would be removing for the Liwa trip. Like I mentioned in the beginning these are just my personal choices, but everyone needs to evaluate what is comfortable for them.

Guys, keep your car as light with the bare essentials. In Liwa every extra kg will matter.

Let's aim to cross the "unprecedented" Liwa Crescent from one side to another. To experience the magic of Rub’ al Khali (Empty Quarter) the largest uninterrupted desert on Earth! The Liwa Crossing through Empty Quarter offers a chance to witness nature in its purest form and in itself is a transcendent experience. However, traveling through the largest desert in the world is not something that should be taken lightly. It will be a 150 - 200 km off-road drive covered within 1.5 days through amazing breathtaking views and the enormous size of dunes on earth. What you will find here: Tallest sand dunes (200 - 300 meters) Steepest incline and drops Longest side sloping Broad ridge riding Faster heartbeat Sweaty hands Mandatory rules for Liwa Crossing (exceptional) drive. Considering its seriousness to keep you and your vehicle safe, these strict rules will be applied to all. For Fewbie level you must have driven at least 5 Fewbie drives with carnity in the last 3 months. If you are newly promoted (1-2 drives), then select one level lower drive than your current off-road rank. If you were away on a long break (more than 2 months), then select one level lower drive than your current off-road rank. It is highly recommended to drive alone, as it's a very serious and demanding drive to stay focused at all times. Maximum of one passenger allowed - No exceptions and trip lead will send you back. Make sure that passenger has no fear of heights, motion sickness and have been to full-day off-road drives before. As once we enter the desert, the only way out is from the other side, without any early exits for 100-150 kms. Everything in your car should be strapped and secured - All vehicles will be checked by the trip lead. Convoy size - strict adherence Fewbie: 10 Cars + 1 Lead + 2 Support = 13 Cars in total Fewbie Plus: 10 Cars + 1 Lead + 2 Support = 13 Cars in total Intermediate: 10 Cars + 1 Lead = 11 Cars in total Drive Preparation: Your car should be in 100% pristine working condition, so double or triple check everything. Full-size spare tire with a lug wrench to match your wheel nut size and its depth. For aftermarket rims - Your lug wrench also needs to match the wheel nut depth. As it's a long full-day drive, so catch up with enough sleep in advance. 5-10 liter of water per person. Snacks for breakfast, lunch, dinner and next day breakfast. Keep your car as light as possible by packing what is truly essential. Fully charged radio with spare battery and all other required off-road gears. Gas tank and required number of jerry cans should be full upon arrival. Last petrol station is ADNOC Khanoor (832): https://goo.gl/maps/FSUzbzURjQRGvFVN9 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 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 Mandatory Safety Requirements Ban from Carnity Off-road Club Two Way Radio Guidelines Drive Details Level: Intermediate and above When: 19 Feb 2022, Saturday Starting time: 7:00 AM (SHARP - Without any exceptions) Starting Point: https://goo.gl/maps/gzyx4wRN5HBA4fdp8 You can come early and camp at the same starting point if you like. Last Fuel Station: https://goo.gl/maps/FSUzbzURjQRGvFVN9 ADNOC Khanoor (832) Fuel requirement: 6 Cyl cars = 100 Liter (Minimum) - 120 Liter (for more fuel-guzzling cars) 8 Cyl cars = 120 Liter (Minimum) - 140 Liter (for more fuel-guzzling cars) Carry an additional required number of jerry cans based on your car fuel tank capacity. Lunch Break: 1 Hour in between with a couple of short breaks (if needed). 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, lunch, snacks, face mask, enthusiasm and willingness to learn. Approximate finish time: 12:00 PM, 20 Feb 2022, Sunday LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE: Limited to 10 Intermediate and above drivers + 1 Lead = Total 11 cars Intermediate drivers should have min 2 Carnity Intermediate drive experience in last 3 months. 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:

Convoy Numbering 1. Srikumar - XJ 2. Zulfikhar Naiyar - Xterra 3. Dimitrous - Wrangler 4. Ravi Kumar - Prado 5. Ameera AlMarzooqi - LC 100 6. Abdul Basit Khan - Xterra 7. MMALEK - LC 8. Jerome - FJ 9. JERINE_B - Wrangler 10. Daniel Fernandez - Pajero 11. Nasr.990 - Xterra 12. Roger K - LR3 13. Eduardo sos - FJ 14. Alfred Alinazar - Pajero 15. Sree - Fortuner 16. luwaimn - Prado 17. Farook Veettill - LC We shall be using Carnity Channel 3. See you tomorrow at the meeting point.

@Rayas Ali as you have not yet driven with our club you need to join the Absolute Newbie drive (link provided below). If the drive is full you can WL or we shall be having another drive next weekend and you will be given priority. I will be removing your WL from this drive. @Dimitrios Kalogirou since this is your first drive for the weekend I have added you on to the drive list. Please confirm your participation.

You can get the booster by walk-in without appointment

You are ready for which challenge? Liwa Crossing or to be able to stay in your house?

With 24 showing interest for the FB drive, this level drive would be full on Monday in under 30 seconds after becoming live. Ready, Set, Gone!!!

Regarding the fuel requirements, please wait for the official drive posting on Monday. The trip lead would mention the requirements.

@Nasr.990 @Ameera AlMarzooqi @Alfred Alinazar @Farook Veettil as this is your 1st drive for the weekend I have added you on to the Drive RSVP. Please confirm your participation.

I have purchased this set of soft shackles with a breaking strength of approx 15000 kg from Amazon.com. Along with shipping costs it's much cheaper than the AOR ones and has so far served me well. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07TDCHY2X?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title Also most of the failure of shackles is because the rope part of the shackle is exposed to a sharp metal (from the tow point). It's good to use a sleeve that will help prevent early damage. The ones in the link have an extra set of sleeves, whereas the AOR ones don't seem to have it.

Zeddy says this out of personal experience. He believes his boat (oh sorry car) can climb any bowl or hill.🤣