Ale Vallecchi

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.

Hi @kolinrrj. I will add you the drive, which is now closed (already 12 cars). Thanks a lot.

Hi @kolinrrj. Sure can 👍

Hi @Thomas Varghese. Not sure. I believe at the same time of the weekend drives. Let me ask. Thanks

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 MUST READ AND TOTALLY AGREE: BAN POST Two Way Radio Guidelines Every Offroader brings his own radio, programmed to the frequencies described in below advice topic. We will not share spare radios or program your radio on the drive. If you need assistance in programming the radio, post a topic on the Carnity website with your questions and we will help you out. Make sure your radio is fully charged. It will be your only way of communication while driving. Before buying, please carefully read below advice so you are informed properly on which model / cost / shops... No radio = No drive. It is an essential tool and you should make sure you bring it on every drive and learn/practice how to use it. MUST WATCH: NEWBIE VIDEO BRIEFING Drive Details Level: Intermediate and above When: 20th March 2021, Tuesday. Meeting time: 6:00 AM (SHARP - Without any exceptions). Meeting Point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/7uYyVhr76LNfcN4VA Action Plan: A fast drive on almost virgin sand, from Bab al Shams toward the outskirts of Ganthoot, where we will decide, time and convoy permitting, if we should loop back toward our starting point, or continue around the fenced military area, toward Little Swaihan. The idea is to hit stretches of clean sand, with just a few copses of trees to slow us down, and practice as many skills as possible, among which the most important one will be keeping the convoy moving safely, almost at unison, through challenging terrain. 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, face mask, rubber gloves, enthusiasm and willingness to learn. Approximate finish time: 10:00 AM P.S. Only join if you have a compressor to inflate your tires after the drive. LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE: Limited to 10 cars only. RSVP will close on Thursday - 3:00pm If the RSVP is full and you wish to join, please mention your name on the drive thread to add on the waiting list. 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

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 MUST READ AND TOTALLY AGREE: BAN POST Two Way Radio Guidelines Every Offroader brings his own radio, programmed to the frequencies described in below advice topic. We will not share spare radios or program your radio on the drive. If you need assistance in programming the radio, post a topic on the Carnity website with your questions and we will help you out. Make sure your radio is fully charged. It will be your only way of communication while driving. Before buying, please carefully read below advice so you are informed properly on which model / cost / shops... No radio = No drive. It is an essential tool and you should make sure you bring it on every drive and learn/practice how to use it. MUST WATCH: NEWBIE VIDEO BRIEFING Drive Details Level: Fewbie and above When: 16th March 2021, Tuesday. Meeting time: 3:00 PM (SHARP - Without any exceptions). Meeting Point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/xxop8uSTZ6zeFV5q6 Action Plan: This is an EXPLORATION drive, to recce a route linking S149 at the outskirts of Lahbab, with Mahafiz and back to reach Nazwa. Most of this route has not been driven, but we should expect some long range dunes of sand slowly turning from yellow to red (closer to Mahafiz), set in an environment with quite a few trees and shrubs. Bring your spirit of adventure with you!! 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, face mask, rubber gloves, enthusiasm and willingness to learn. Approximate finish time: 6:30 PM P.S. Only join if you have a compressor to inflate your tires after the drive. LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE: Limited to 8 cars only. RSVP will close on Monday - 3:00pm If the RSVP is full and you wish to join, please mention your name on the drive thread to add on the waiting list. 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

Join us to explore Al Qudra Desert to find what's beyond Qudra lakes And learn the art of offroading in a versatile playground for your first off-road adventure. You will learn to self-drive your vehicle from experts having decades of off-roading experience in the UAE. This area offers a good mix of playable long set of dunes and broad ridges to practice your off-road skills slowly but surely. Drive is open for all 4x4/4WD/SUV/AWD vehicles having 8-10 inches of ground clearance and (MANDATORY) Front and rear tow hooks (MANDATORY) What you'll learn: Introduction to off-roading. Desert driving basics and etiquette. Desert driving tips, techniques, myth and best practices. Off-road and safety gear familiarization and recovery procedures. Vehicle orientation, risk analysis, deflation and outdoor safety advice. First time with Carnity Off-road Club: Please share your vehicle details - Make, Model, Year. Do you have any prior off-road experience? Confirm your vehicle has front and rear tow hooks / eyelets. Why should I join? We will teach you how to self-drive off-road safely and learn the best offroad driving and recovery techniques. If you have already driven in sand before then you can learn more from experts having decades of offroading experience in the UAE. This area offers a good mix of playable long set of dunes and broad ridge to test your off-road control. Can my vehicle do this ? This drive is open for all 4x4/4WD/SUV/AWD vehicle having 8-10 inches of ground clearance and front and rear tow hooks. If in doubt please first announce your questions on the drive thread so we can advise you further. Any stock 4x4/4WD are most welcome, you don't need any vehicle modifications. Can I bring passengers ? Yes of course, but if you are absolute new to offroading it is better to drive alone first to avoid any distractions. Learn More About: Carnity Off-road Club STRICTLY: For ABSOLUTE NEWBIE who are driving for the first time with Carnity. MUST READ AND CLICK TOTALLY AGREE ON THE BELOW COVID19 PRECAUTIONS TOPIC MUST WATCH: NEWBIE VIDEO BRIEFING Drive Details Level: Only for "ABSOLUTE NEWBIES" or first timer with Carnity Off-Road Club When: 19 March 2021, Friday. Meeting time: 06:00 AM (SHARP - Without any exceptions) Meeting Point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/7uYyVhr76LNfcN4VA Type of Car: Any 4x4/4WD/SUV/AWD with front and back tow hooks and 8-10 inches of ground clearance. What to bring along: Tire deflator, pressure gauge and compressor, Loads of water, snacks (for yourself), face mask, rubber gloves, enthusiasm and willingness to learn. Approximate finish time: 10:00 AM End Point: Qudra Parking LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE: Limited to 12 new members only. RSVP will close on Thursday - 5PM. If the RSVP is full and you wish to join, please mention your name on the drive thread to add on the waiting list Latecomers or members who are not on the RSVP will be returned back - without ANY EXCEPTIONS. Please cancel you RSVP if you cannot make it, so your spot can be taken by others. PLEASE RSVP ON BELOW EVENT IN THE EVENT CALENDAR

@Niki Patel, Done!! 😅

Dear Desertnauts, time to prepare for tomorrow's drive. We will meet just off of Solar Park's glass pyramid, after the tarmac road ends. From there we'll drive parallel to the bike track for a couple of Kms, before reaching the entry point into the Middle Earth's long range dunes. We'll warm up to the drive by snaking around long cordons, dotted with quite an abundant vegetation, before reaching, and crossing, a couple of sabkhas, from where we'll arrive at Little Sweihan's western most border. Here the dunes will be quote bare of shrubs or grass, quite tall and close to each other, separated by canyons and sand bowls, that will be the most challenging part of the track. After crossing this whole area, we'll decide, based on convoy's response and remaining time, whether to drive back to Solar Park (on a sand track costing the solar panel installation sites), or continue a bit deeper, into the further reaches of our Middle Earth. The convoy order will be as follows: @Rizwanm2 in Second Lead @Javier Lucero at #3 @Nacho in place #4 @Thomas Varghese at #5 @Rob Harper will be #6 @MUHAMMAD Kashif RAZZAQ will anchor the convoy at #7 @varunmehndiratta will tale the #8 place @Niki Patel with jersey #9 @Yusuf Esaf will have #10 @Jeandre Bezuidenhout will follow at #11, and @Mehmet Volga will Sweep the convoy to safety. Upon reaching the meeting and deflation point, please tune into Carnity Channel #4 (446.081). Enjoy your end of the week, and see you out there tomorrow at 6:30 AM sharp.

Hi @Thomas Varghese. Can you please confirm which drive you prefer to join tomorrow AM, so you can be added to the list? Thanks a lot.

Hi @N@ved. Just to be sure, you wish to sign out of the drive at this moments, then tomorrow (or later tonight) you will try to join any available drive? Thanks for clarifying.

Hello @Thomas Varghese. You are #1 on the WL. Will update you as soon as something opens up.

Don't worry @Thomas Varghese. All seems good. Will see you soon.

Hello @Rizwanm2. You are IN the drive, as Islam had to sign out. See you on Friday. Hello @Thomas Varghese. You are #1 on the WL. Thanks

Dear Desertnauts. While Tolkien's Middle-earth stories mostly focus on the north-west of the imaginary continent of Arda, this episode of Carnity's saga will concentrate on the south-east of the very real Qudra/Faqa basin. Meeting in sight of the futuristic Solar Park glass pyramid, we'll follow the bike path to take us across a small area of technical dunes, before starting our raid on an endless field of long range dunes, where the initial busy vegetation will slowly leave room to clean, smooth, sand cordons. This is our Middle Earth, seldom visited, hence less scarred by tracks. After cutting through a couple of sabkhas, we'll reach the sand canyons and bowls of Little Sweihan, and from here, depending on the remaining time, we may wander beyond, into the lower cordons pointing their sandy fingers toward Faqa. At some point, regrettably, we'll have to turn back toward the exit track, which will bring us back to reality, just in front of Solar Park. @N@ved, @Javier Lucero, @varunmehndiratta, @Rob Harper, @Niki Patel, @Jeandre Bezuidenhout, @Islam Soliman, @MUHAMMAD Kashif RAZZAQ, @Yusuf Esaf, @Nacho and @Mehmet Volga, get ready to discover this fabulous area. Enjoy your week, and see you next Friday.

Hello @David Ortells. You are #1 on the WL. Thanks. Hope to see you soon out there @Thomas Varghese.