Ale Vallecchi

Hello @yunus Kazi. Looking forward to seeing you. Thanks @Richard Franks. See you tomorrow.

@Rizwan Waheed copy that. Thanks

@Ashok chaturvedi I completely agree with you, on both counts of your observations. Stucks and refusals tend to happen more at the end of a drive (considering the terrain equal from beginning to end), due to some fatigue, and diminishing concentration. At Carnity we try to limit drives to 3 hours (especially at Newbie and Fewbie levels), as that seems to be the threshold beyond which concentration starts to ebb. Also true that Newbie and especially Fewbie drives are both great fun, and wonderful opportunities, for technically more advanced drivers, to enjoy the desert at a more leisurely pace, and to learn from other's mistakes and recovery efforts. This is an essential process for those who wish to advance to higher ranks. Thanks for your comments.

Hello @Kareem El Fouly. The meeting point is now posted on the drive's posts. Please check, and confirm. Thanks a lot.

New route in the making: Mission Accomplished - Lahbab to Nazwa,via Mahafiz, Exploration Drive Report Great drive yesterday afternoon, with the goal to establish a new track to add to the Carnity menu, and in the presence of a whole convoy, instead of the usual Advisors' only recce. With the meeting and deflation point established just off S149, at the outskirts of Lahbab, the drive aimed to reach Mahafiz, through a wonderful set of very long range dunes, and to continue toward the outskirts of Nazwa, through a mixed terrain, of long range dunes, but mostly technical areas. The area is mostly driven by local farmers (never seen so many goats, and a few camels), who leave most of the dunes untouched. This is a ridge riding paradise, even though the crests of the very long and open dunes tend to be not very sharp, almost smooth at times. The vegetation, mostly small trees and shrubs, represents the only obstacle to look out for, forcing at time an early exit from the ridges. The terrain starts to change once reached Mahafiz, on the way back to Nazwa, offering first a small set of nice clean dunes to criss-cross, just next to a couple of sabkhas, and then leaving room to a much more technical area of tighter dunes, very rich with vegetation (this time mostly low grass and bushes). The drive proved to be good for Fewbies, with the possibility of escalating it to Fewbie Plus (increasing the ridge riding, and criss-crossing), and will soon be posted, at least part of it, probably in conjunction with a just explored Al Aweer to Lahbab segment (also with plenty of ridge riding opportunities). Thanks a lot to @GauravSoni for his well executed Second Lead, to @Islam Soliman for his usual coolness at Center Forward, and to @Desert Dweller, for coming back to the sand after a while, and sweeping the convoy to safety, with great ease and comfort. Well done @kolinrrj, debuting at Fewbie with a very good drive, @Ken Hüüdma for managing his Patrol with extreme control, @Thomas Varghese for your enthusiastic participation and photo reportage, @Junaid120120, @Hisham Masaad and @Ashok chaturvedi for proudly carrying the flag of the FJ's contingent, and to @Melenany for showing all how an F150 can maneuver impeccably even in tight spots. I am looking forward to seeing you soon in the sand. Enjoy the rest of the week.

Always shovel first. And out she came!

Thanks @JeromeFJ. Looking forward to seeing you on Friday

Thanks @RajaSekhar Kodali. See you on Friday.

Hi @Craig Finlayson. Thanks for the notice. Sorry to miss you.

Dear @AlexPol. A spot just opened up in the drive. Are you still interetsed? Thanks @Arda Yagcioglu thanks for letting me know. See you soon.

Hello @Kareem El Fouly. Thanks for the reply. The compressor is not a must, for this first drive, but it will be from the next Newbie drive. For all else, you should be OK. I am pretty sure that the F-150 has a recovery point at the back. Just let me know if you do not see anything. Thanks a lot.

Dear Desertnauts. The Ganthoot Blitz was tested, and executed for the first time time toward the end of last year, with the goal of re-discovering an almost virgin territory, with plenty of mixed terrain, and the potential to extend the drive toward the east, in the direction of Faqa. The area between Bab al Shams and Ganthoot is little travelled, and quite pristine due to its proximity with the AD border. From the Bab al Shams' side, its long range dunes are also further sheltered by an area of tight, technical dunes, which make the entry a little more complicated than simply driving north toward Al Qudra. Our goal will be to reach the heart of this area, with its playable long dunes, and drive south-west toward the AD border, zig-zagging between sabkhas, or side-sloping and criss-crossing the cordons of large, open dunes, until we'll have to loop back toward Solar Park, or perhaps, time and convoy permitting, extending the drive beyond the fenced military area that separates Ganthoot's outskirts from Little Sweihan to the south, and the Middle Earth, to the north. @Ahab Shamaa, @Archibald Jurdi, @GauravSoni, @Tero Vallas, @Ilya Golubinsky, @Gregory Perkin, @Junaid120120, @Mohamed Seidam, @MUHAMMAD Kashif RAZZAQ, @Ashok chaturvedi and @Foxtrot Oscar, welcome to the drive, and while waiting for it, enjoy your week.

Hi @Junaid120120. The starting point is near Bab al Shams, and the drive will be in Dubai 100%.

Dear soon to be Desertnauts. Welcome to Carnity! As you are aware of, this is a drive strictly for who has never been off road with Carnity. In preparation for it, it is important that you inform us if: you have any prior off-road experience; your vehicle has front and rear tow hooks / eyelets. Before joining the drive on Friday morning, you will need to have viewed the introductory videos (links above). Please also make sure you are equipped with you a tire deflator and a tire pressure gauge (sometimes they are all in one tool). You will need these. If you have an off-road flag as well that would he great. In case you do not have a flag mount on your car, you may look for a flag with suction cups, which can be easily placed on one of the rear windows. Even if the drive should end near a gas station, where they have an air compressor, if you have your own please bring it along, as it may be quicker than waiting in line. So, to recap, useful tools to carry would be: tire deflator tire pressure gauge off-road flag air compressor All these items should be available at any ACE or Speedex store, as well as at Dragon Mart. Regarding the area of the drive, we will access the desert from a less used entry point, along the road going from Qudra Parking (where you can use the ADNOC gas station to fill up your tank), toward the Bab al Shams Resort. Follow carefully the Google Maps directions: once you turn off the tarmac road (after circling a roundabout next to a mosque), you will cross an opening through roadworks being done along the bike track. Still following Google Maps' directions, you will go through an open fence, on a dirt track, for a few kilometers, until you'll reach the meeting and deflation point. I will also ask the other Senior member driving with the group to wait at the turn-off from the tarmac, just next to the bike track, and direct you in the proper direction. Once arrived at the meeting point, we'll conduct a final inspection of your cars (sufficient clearance and accessible tow points are a must, without which you'll be turned back). Following a detailed technical briefing, we'll be ready to enter the dunes, and start your off-roading adventure. This area is rarely used by other clubs, and the sand is much cleaner ad smoother, so this is an ideal ground to move your first steps in the desert. @RajaSekhar Kodali, @Kareem El Fouly, @Chris Wing, @Richard Franks, and any other enthusiast willing to join the Carnity family, please contact me on this thread for any preparatory question. In the meantime, have a great week.

Hi @AlexPol. It has been my mistake in replying to you. Your request for WL came in second, after Craig's. Let's see if anything opens up before the drive. Sorry for wetting your appetite.

Dear Desertnauts, find below tomorrow's convoy order: @GauravSoni will be my Second Lead @kolinrrj will debut at Fewbie in spot #3 @Ken Hüüdma will start at #4 @Thomas Varghese will take the #5 place @Arda Yagcioglu will be #6 @Islam Soliman will be Center Forward @Junaid120120 will follow at #8 @Hisham Masaad right behind at #9 @Ashok chaturvedi closes the FJ's contingent at #10 @Melenany will take place #11 @Craig Finlayson will be driver #12, and @Desert Dweller will sweep the convoy. Once arrived at the meeting point, please proceed to deflate, and tune into Carnity channel #4 (446.081). You will find the meeting place in the drive's post. See you all tomorrow afternoon, at 3:00PM sharp.

Sure @Craig Finlayson. You are in. See you tomorrow.

@Shehab Alawadhi thanks for the update. See you another time. Hello @Craig Finlayson. Are you still interested in this drive? One spot has become available. Kindly confirm. Thanks

Dear Desertnauts, tomorrow's drive will be the first time I take a convoy into an area I have not visited before. Usually, I ask the Advisors' group members to come along, so that we may safely scout an area, and decide if it's worthwhile adding to our list of itinerary's, and at what level. I have just done something like that (a scouting drive with some fellow Seniors) in a neighboring area, close to Nazwa, coming off another track starting at Al Aweer. This time, we'll aim to reach Mahafiz, to the east of our entry point, then drive back toward Nazwa, crossing the latest scouted route a couple of times, but driving through new territory most of the time. Even the entry point into the dunes may be uncertain, due to the presence of a deep sandy ditch next to the tarmac road, which will force us to look for a suitable entrance. Our meeting point (soon to be posted), therefore, may not be exactly where we'll start the drive off-road. With all of the above in mind, make sure you bring with you a bit of patience, and a lot of spirit of adventure, as we may have to redirect quite a few times, in search of a suitable route. The level I have in mind for a future drive to be posted in this area is Fewbie, but in an exploration drive, this may escalate a bit, exactly in order to find the best route, and avoid any complications we may find on the track. Convoy order and radio frequency will follow soon. See you all tomorrow.

Dear @Melenanydear @kolinrrj, after reviewing the group's composition, considering that most of the drivers are Intermediate and above, I will open it up to one more member, and will confirm both of you (and @Thomas Varghese) in tomorrow's drive. I'll soon send out the drive's presentation, and meeting point, Convoy order will follow later today. Thanks and see you both tomorrow.

Hello @Craig Finlayson. I will let you know, Thanks a lot.

Hello @Rizwan Waheed. You are #1 on the WL. Thanks @Islam Soliman, should I add you to manage the drive? Hello @Abu Muhammad. You are #2 on the WL. Thanks a lot. Hello @Nizam Deen. You are #3 on the WL. Thanks Hello @asifk. You are #4 on the WL. Thanks

Hello @Melenany. You are #2 in the WL. Thanks a lot.

Hi @AlexPol. You are the first in the WL. Thanks

From Middle Earth....to the Other Side - Extended Drive's Report What better excuse than an Ironmen Triathlon, jamming the roads around Al Qudra and Bab al Shams, to keep driving on pristine sand, beyond our initial goal, until the sand hit the tarmac at Dubai's border with Al Ain. This is how a planned 3 hour drive became a monster 4-plus hour ride, and the targeted 60 something Km became almost 95 km. A timely start saw the convoy enter the "Middle Earth" just before 7AM. The quality of the drivers, including a couple of fearless first-time Fewbie Plus members, allowed everybody to launch themselves into a sustained series of criss-crossing exercises, and reach the sabkha north of Little Sweihan in no time. After sighting a huge herd of Oryx leaving their feeding pen, we tackled the canyons and bowls of this exciting location, owing its nickname to the similarity of its high dunes and sharp crests, with the better known Abu Dhabi's playground. That's when the dilemma of heading back to a traffic-jammed Qudra exit point, or continuing to drive east on pristine long range dunes was easily solved by unanimous decision: on to Faqa it was. This is a drive which we normally do in the opposite direction: from Faqa in the direction of Solar Park. Driving it in reverse, requires, at times, to cross dunes from the slip-face, adding an element of difficulty to the track. On top of that, I thought it would be interesting to visit the eastern-most part of Faqa, as close as possible to E44 (the Dubai-Al Ain border). This area is what I call the "Other Side" of Faqa: tall, long range dunes, with lots of ridges to be ridden, and sharp, steep drops between each dune, with beautiful trees in between each one. As mentioned, the drive lasted 4:35 hours, covered 94.4 Km, averaged 21 Km/hour (and a very fast 29 Km/hour of average moving speed). Well done to all drivers: @Javier Lucero, @Nacho and @Rob Harperdebuting at Fewbie Plus level, @Thomas Varghese, @varunmehndiratta, @Niki Patel, @Yusuf Esaf and @Jeandre Bezuidenhoutconsolidating their off-roading skills. Special thanks to @Rizwanm2 for a precise Second Lead, @MUHAMMAD Kashif RAZZAQ for supporting the convoy from the center position, and @Mehmet Volga for watching over the safety of all members from the sweep position. Looking forward to seeing you soon in the sand, I wish you all a great week.