Rahimdad

Congratulations @Ashok chaturvedi. Take a bow. This is a great news and I am very happy for you. I am really impressed to hear so many wonderful things about your dedication and sharp learning over the past couple of weeks. I really wish I could have been on those drives to see this amazing improvement. Congratulations on joining the FJ family as well, I am looking forward to driving along your side soon.

Congratulations @Brette. The most relaxed person on any given trip and enjoys his time out in the desert and with like minded people. @Ahab Shamaa you 1001 questions are more than welcome, I remember when @Brette joined us he had his set of questions too. I would tell my wife on my afternoon trip I would be home by 10 pm, but if @Brette was on the trip I would reach home at 1:30 am the next morning. The biggest thing I appreciate about him is not his capabilities, but questions as to why I would advise him against using his JGC in the desert and why I would advise him to get a desert toy. He has put all those comments in positive perspective and worked on those issues before they can happen and enjoyed his JGC throughout his time with us. This also gives us a chance to welcome new JGC owners along with first hand advise from @Brette on how to tame his wild stallion in the desert. His cautious approach is another amazing trait he processes, its not about crossing that huge dune, but doing so safely and never push his Jeep to extreme to cause any unwanted damages. Truly a gentleman and yes @Shehab Alawadhi a mentor to have when you are aspiring to reach a Marshal level.

Please also be aware that the compressor main job is not to inflate you after the drive, rather to help out if you have a pop-out. Lower end compressors will make your job to pop a tire back in impossible or at the least very difficult for the tire to pop back in to the rim.

We all love your voice @Arman you can't single out @Shehab Alawadhi

@Yasas Dharmadasa our fight is not with the government here. As long as we share the same interests let's see how we can help them with our experience to make things better.

Thank you @N@ved for your kind words and views. I am so happy the most people going through these tons of post realize how important it is to learn from others mistakes in this sport. Like you rightly said if ego takes over and you say if he can do it so can I, is something which can end up in a mistake. But the same statement is necessary also to move forward and learn but with a humble approach and not an egoistic approach. Again I would like to thank you for acknowledging the importance of the grading structure, as the more experienced drivers can gauge you with every drive how well you have developed, how you have improved your throttle and steering control and if you are ready for the next maneuver. Surely everybody has a different way and speed at which they learn and pick up things, I have realized visualization is the best method. So having these visual aids to learn is not to scare people from this sport, but to further emphasize the importance of learning and gaining experience at the right pace and not to hurry yourselves. Like @Gaurav bhai rightly keeps repeating, this is not a competition, this is not a race, but a fun day out and an activity you can enjoy with like minded people.

The Abu Dhabi government stole our idea which we have developed over the past 4 years. Learning off-roading in your own vehicle while enjoying off-roading. Confused whether to give a pat on our back or kick my back side.

Hey @Arman, welcome to the @Shehab Alawadhi Club. Enjoy continuing to learn and polish your off-road skills at this new level. @Shehab Alawadhi, please be kind to @Arman and never let him go. Can't wait to drive together with the cousins, bring your uncle along too.

Congratulations @Nihal17 on your promotion. 17 hmmm, aren't you a bit young to be driving around. Hahahaha. Hope you continue to enjoy learning and polishing your off-road skills at this new level.

Congratulations @N@ved on your promotion. I am lucky to have you on my drive tomorrow, it will be a pleasure to drive along side you. Hope you continue to enjoy learning and developing and polishing your off-road skills at this new level.

@Ahab Shamaa what you give is what you get. In your own strange ways all you have given us is love, so all we can return to you is love. Have a safe stay in the US and let's meet up once you are back, just like your olive bread, i am dying to share my Aloo Parathas with you.

Congratulations @Yousef Alimadadi, I am so happy for you. I really enjoyed driving with you whenever I had the opportunity. Hope you will now start to share the knowledge you have acquired with the newer member and make your presence felt.

Congratulations @varunmehndiratta. I hope you continue to enjoy learning and polishing your skills in the sand at this new level.

@Francois Germishuys my best moments with you were spent in Liwa having a chat and getting to know you better. I really admire your spirit to learn and your enthusiasm to keep the convoy moving. You might have learned a lot from us, but one thing I learned from you in Liwa, never give up on sand trax. If the technique is right you can get that inch of movement which can further help you. Congratulations on your promotion @Francois Germishuys, I would love to drive with you again so that we can continue to learn from each other.

DRIVE RSVP IS NOW CLOSED Convoy numbering: 1. Brette - JGC lead 2. Rahimdad - Pathfinder (Second Lead) 3. Santhosh Kumar Rajasekaran - Range Rover sport 4. Michael Glavanis - LR3 / Discovery 5. Bala Krishnan - Prado 6. Alphin Aloor- Xterra 7. Hisham Masaad - FJC (Centre Forward) 8. Imranasghar81 - FJC 9. Ben84 - Wrangler JLU 10. Sara El Fanidi - Wrangler JK 11. Kaile Barrameda - Wrangler JLU 12. N@ved - Wrangler JK 13. Syed Salman Raza - F150 (Sweep) @Brette @Santhosh kumar Rajasekaran @Michael Glavanis @Bala Krishnan @Alphin Aloor @Hisham Masaad @imranaasghar81 @Ben84 @Sara EL FANIDI @Kaile Barrameda @N@ved @syed salman raza Please find your names and convoy numbering above. When you arrive tomorrow morning, you can start deflating your tires to 15psi if you have normal/highway tires, and 12psi in case you have offroad tyres. Please arrive on time 6:30 AM, earlier is even better so we can help you out with deflation if needed. We will be using Carnity Channel 1: 446.00625 Mhz. Seniors on the drive are myself, @Brette, @Hisham Masaad and @syed salman raza who will be sweeping the convoy and we will all help you out in case of refusals, stucks, which is all part of the game (and fun) After deflating we will do a briefing to emphasize on the aspects of off-roading and the teamwork involved when becoming part of our off-road community. If you have not watched the Absolute Newbie briefing video yet, please do so, as we have compiled this video with all essential information one should know when entering the desert with a 4x4. In case of emergencies, you can contact me on 050 674 9099 See you tomorrow !

If you watch the video he has mounted the shovel and axe with Quick Fist Mounts, I think if I am not mistaken I have seen @Foxtrot Oscar use these to fit her shovel on the roof rail. However mounting the rear door storage securely you will need to screw that in. Nowadays there are many things introduced every day, keep looking and you will most certainly find something that fits. Keep an open mind while looking as many things can be for different uses, but you might just be able to use those products as you deem right. Just as an example when I started off-roading flag poles were hard to find and very expensive, so I used a fishing rod fitted with a glass suction mount to use as my flag.

I grew up here and can confirm that like many parts of the world the sea served as a means of trade and prosperity here in the UAE. That and pearl diving. Like my brother @Mohamed Seidam rightly said each picture tells a story, of hard work, investment, labor and a little rest when required. It tells the story of many different nationalities, cultures, religions coming together to live in peace and harmony to earn their bread. Sadly it also does not shy away from the ugly truth about trash and message centers in Dubai. When going through these photos I was thinking about Bruges in Belgium and how it prospered when it was a port city, the beauty of that place just gets me. Thinking about these wonderful houses that were built by the rich business people at the time as shelter for the poor. What a day and age that was, must have been incredible. As I remember my early years at work back in the 1990's had its challenges, targets, budgets and all the hassles we have today, but life was more relaxed. The modern times is all of that on steroids and does not spare anyone. Back in the 1990's I was privileged to work in Deira Tower and Naif Road in Deira and Bur Dubai opposite the Shia Masjid, till the 1990's the whole market was compressed in those areas and people from far would have to come to find a difficult spot to park their vehicles as whole of Dubai used to be gathered in a single place to shop.

I love @Asif Hussain bhai planning. I really miss his leads and looking forward to exploring more dunes with him in 2021.

Dear @ALI ALMOUMAR you will be sourly missed. there will always be a place for you in my heart.

Congratulations @Mehmet Volga on your well deserved promotion. Looking forward to much more contribution from your side as you are in the deep end of soft sand right now.

Thank you @sertac, very kind of you. @Paul Zeitoun, I am glad you got a spot in this drive. Enjoy the drive, we will be in the same area so looking forward to meeting up ahead of the drive.

I am so happy for you @Abdul Rahman Abdul Kader, now I hope @Thomas Varghese will also make it for this drive.

My sincere heartfelt thank you to @sertac for adding @Paul Zeitoun in his convoy. Special thanks goes out to showing spirit in time of need @Shehab Alawadhi, @Thomas Varghese, both of them opted for another drive to give chance to others to attend this. Another thanks goes out to @N@ved and @ALI ALMOUMAR who offered their help to adjust those without a drive this week. @Arman and @ZakWarah thank you for settling the drives you were signed in for. I am pleased to announce I have added on @ALI ALMOUMAR again, and further added @Santhosh kumar Rajasekaran, @Sara EL FANIDI and @Kaile Barrameda to this drive. Please confirm if you will be able to make it for this drive. @syed salman raza sir, since we will be one short of a Marshal to support this drive, can I please request you to sweep my drive once again. Please also advise if you will be bringing in your TJ or F150. @Abdul Rahman Abdul Kader thank you for your kind remarks. @Ale Vallecchi is trying his level best to accommodate everyone safely. I sincerely hope you make it along with others to a second drive this weekend. Please tune in again tomorrow with the update on convoy numbering and the radio channel we are going to use on this Friday drive. N.B. : Like every week for the past 3 weeks I will have a surprise ready for you all tomorrow.

Well played @Abdul Rahman Abdul Kader sir. I am trying to help the people on their only drive for this weekend, which is completely different than @Ale Vallecchi drive for which you are trying for a second drive this week. We are all working hard behind the scenes to make sure everyone gets atleast 1 drive and I am sure @Ale Vallecchi is trying his level best to fit everyone also.

Thank you @ALI ALMOUMAR. Our intention is not for anybody to give up their drive for another, our intention is for everyone to get atleast 1 drive over the weekend. I have noted your request and I will add you in before I finalize the convoy. I would once again like to thank everyone for their positive response and really appreciate our community for having the oneness not seen any other club.