Ale Vallecchi

Well done @Tamas Hoffmann. See you soon out there!

One can never plan enough - FJ Preferential, Murqaab to Qudra Report What a long and eventuful drive this was! While the drive started in a quite and relaxed manner, on the long and wide yellow dunes of Murqaab's outskirts, it soon begun to show a more adventurous and unexpected face. After the briefing, with the sun rising in the convoy's face, came the first stuck, horizontally on a tall and soft dune. Congrats to @Mohamed Abo ElKomsan, in your first Fewbie drive, for keeping your composure, listening to the instructions, and managing to come off that dune. Once crossed the stretch of technical dunes between Murqaab and Lisaili, and entered the whiter dune cordons of Lisaili proper, our carefully planned course was somewhat altered by a string of minor, yet challenging, situations. A pop out solved in almost record time, thanks to @Najeeb Mohammed's support (just remember to get thicker, sturdier planks, to hold your 2.5 ton jack), was immediately followed by the first case of sea-sickness (I prefer this term, as we were navigating beautiful pristine dunes, looking just like a shining sea). This called for our first detour, to the dirt track close to Lisaili's pylons, where we left @Piotr Kolodziej to accompany his passengers to the nearest taxi location, and with the promise to try to see each other later at Solar Park. Now that the planned route had been abandoned, we re-entered Lisaili's sands through an unplanned area of technical dunes, which after a few refusals made me fear a reprisal of one of Carnity's most challenging drives (ask @Wrangeld for information). Luckily we managed to slightly re-route, and get back close enough to our original track. Still, on our approach to Solar Park, more surprises were waiting for us. First, a young couple, who had got stuck the evening before while BBQing, and had to spend the night on a dune while waiting for a good Samaritan (i.e. us). Second, another case of sea-sickness led to a second car leaving the convoy, while at the same time, miraculously, Piotr and his blue FJ materialized, and joined back the convoy after dispatching his suffering guests. At this point we were at Solar Park, where @Foxtrot Oscar took over the lead, in the direction of Bab al Shams. Upon reaching the sabkha at the doorsteps with Bab al Shams, it was @Pancho's turn to lead the convoy to its exit point, on the tarmac road close to Qudra Parking. Congratulations to both for their very nice leads, which displayed the different styles of each leader: femininely sinuous that of Angela, more masculine and energetic that of Pancho. In the meantime, we still managed to experience a couple of stucks, on two different ridges, which allowed us to show the fine art of assisted recovery, as well as experimenting with the FJ's gizmos, that usually come super handy in these circumstances. A very eventful, yet entertaining drive, that lasted 5:09 hours (yet "only" 2:50 hours driving), going for 68.6Km, at an average speed of 13Km/h (but 24Km/h while moving). Congrats to the FJ pack of @Ahab Shamaa, @David Ortells, @Heisem, Piotr and Najeeb, for stimulating and emulating each other during the drive, and a loud well done to the rest of the pack for keeping up with such a superior vehicle as the FJ 😜: @Arda Yagcioglu, @Abu Muhammad, @Tero Vallas, @Karthik Krishnakumar and @Kailas, you all did great!! Looking forward to seeing soon for another drive, I wish you a great week.

Raising the stakes: Faqa Arboretum 102, Newbie Drive Report Some drives start one way and end another. It was the case of this Newbie drive: it had been planned as a leisurely loop in the Faqa area, and it ended as a much faster paced, fun packed ride all the way to Solar Park. Praise must be given to the quality of the drivers, who negotiated the first long range dunes of western Faqa so well that, once reached the planned midpoint of the drive in no time, prompted me to divert the track into the taller dunes' area, rather than turning back toward Faqa Town, and go all the way to the sabkha leading to Solar Park. This is how a previously driven Newbie itinerary executed in this area (Faqa Arboretum 101), which lasted 3:30 hours for 47.3 Km, became an almost Fewbie drive of 5:00 hours (not all moving) and 60 Km. Along the way a few lessons were learned. First and foremost, I am confident that the necessity of never fighting gravity became engraved in all the members' minds, following a couple of tricky approaches to a taller, steeper dune, which resulted in a couple of wheels up in the air, and in a perfect sideways stuck. On a very positive and encouraging note, the whole convoy kept its motivation, put its collective head down, and marched on toward Solar Park, rising to the challenge of learning the principles of approaching the ridges, riding the easier ones, and practicing safe criss-crossing of low, wider dunes, toward the end of the drive. The day ended with mostly refusals, a few stucks, quickly solved by our Master Sweeper Angela (AKA @Foxtrot Oscar), and quite a few relieved yet smiling faces. Well done to all the not-so-Newbie members: @Federico Galbieri for further improving in his Second Lead position, @Kaile Barrameda for her resilience, @Federico De Chirico for his persistence, @GauravSoni and @sri ganeshfor their fast learning, @Pickey Singh for continuing to master his new mount (congrats on your first recovery), @Sandeep Padhi, @MUHAMMAD Kashif RAZZAQ and @Aravind Padmaraju for an impeccable drive, @Ahab Shamaa for attending his last Newbie drive (welcome to Fewbies), and @Malachy McGrogan for the perfect control exercised on his beast. As mentioned above, the drive took 5:00 hours, went for 60 Km, at an average speed of 12 Km/h (but a much brisker 23 Km/h while moving). Congrast to all drivers, thanks for coming, and hope to see you soon again.

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 practise 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: 20 Nov 2020, Friday. Meeting time: 06:00 AM (SHARP - Without any exceptions) Meeting Point: Al Qudra - Off the road from Qudra Parking (ADNOC Station) to Bab al Shams Resort. Follow the directions. https://maps.app.goo.gl/SBqiKNaMLk2Ka3Hm7 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: Deflator and Pressure Gauge, 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 15 members only. RSVP will close on Thursday - 5PM. 1 Lead Marshal + 2/3 Senior Members + 12 Members. 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

Hello @Ashok chaturvedi. Unfortunately no news. The drive is still full.

Dear Desertnauts. Time to prepare for tomorrow's morning drive. This time, we'll start in a very little driven area of Dubai, and will gradually move toward the better known stomping grounds. From the yellow dunes of Murqaab, we'll cross into the white dunes of Lisaili, with the goal of reaching first Solar Park, and on to an exit in the Qudra area (either at Bab al Shams or Qudra Parking). We'll drive with care through the more technical parts of these areas, but also with speed and more exciting maneuvers in the longer range dunes we'll find from the middle of the itinerary onward. The drive is supposed to be quite long-range, so we'll try to move at a brisk pace, looking to practice all our off-roading skills. As mentioned, one of the purposes of the drive is to support the FJ Cruiser's drivers in getting more acquainted with their cars, so there may be a few extra information that will be shared with them, in terms of which gears to use, how to best approach obstacles, and what to expect from this unique vehicle. These will be the convoy order: @Foxtrot Oscar will be my Second Lead @Mohamed Abo ElKomsan will drive in the #3 position @Arda Yagcioglu will take #4 @Abu Muhammad will be #5 @Ahab Shamaa will take the spot #6 @Piotr Kolodziej at #7 @Pancho will anchor the convoy in the middle @Tero Vallas is going to be #9 @David Ortells will have #10 @Karthik Krishnakumar will drive at #11 @Heisem takes spot #12 @Kailas will be driver #13, and @Najeeb Mohammed will return in the Sweep position. The meeting place will be just opposite Murqaab Mosque, where we can line up and start deflating as soon as we arrive (to about 12-13 PSI). Once at the deflation point, please tune into Carnity Channel #2 (446.031). Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow, I wish you a nice Wednesday evening.

Hello @Ashok chaturvedi. The drive is full and closed at the moment. You'll be #1 in the WL. Thanks Hello @Sreenath Giridharan. You are currently #2 on the WL. Thanks

Dear Desertnauts. Let's get ready for tomorrow's drive. This will be the convoy order: @Federico Galbieri will retain his #2 spot, from our pervious drive @Kaile Barrameda will follow at #3 @GauravSoni will be at #4 @sri ganesh in spot #5 @Pickey Singh will occupy the #6 spot @Federico De Chirico will be the #7 @Sandeep Padhi will be at #8 @MUHAMMAD Kashif RAZZAQ will take place at #9 @Aravind Padmaraju will drive with #10 @Ahab Shamaa will be #10 @Malachy McGrogan will follow at #12, and @Foxtrot Oscar will Sweep at #13. A few notes about the meeting time and place. Please remember that from tomorrow we'll start meeting at 6:00 AM. Nonetheless, please try to be punctual or even a little early, as we'd like to start the drive as soon as possible (the sun will rise at 6:35, so it would be great if we were able to move as the sun comes up, or even earlier). The meeting and deflation point will be just off the tarmac road. Please make sure NOT TO REACH FAQA TOWN, but to TAKE THE EXIT BEFORE FAQA: it's marked, on the map, and consists in a road veering to the right of the tarmac a few Km before Faqa town, going through a fenced gate, and continuing through some dunes first then a sabkha area. Once you reach the meeting point, please tune into Carnity Channel 1 (446.006). Tomorrow's drive will take place in a slightly less used area for Newbies. Nonetheless, the nature of the northern sector of Faqa, with waves of long range, relatively open dunes, allows for safe travel also by Newbies in search for a bit of a challenge. Hence, this will be a Newbie outing with the chance to taste, in a safe and controlled manner, some of the challenges to come once achieved a higher rank. It will provide the convoy with ample opportunities to practice low side slopes, riding on smooth, wide ridges, and straight crossing low dunes, honing one's off-roading skills, especially in the areas of finesse and control. We feel confident that it can be a nice and intriguing drive: follow instructions carefully and calmly, and stay concentrated, to find the perfect feeling between yourselves, your car and the terrain we'll drive in. Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow morning for a leisurely and pleasant drive.

@Ahab Shamaa any advice coming from @Rahimdad is gold. His experience, and the fact that he can do virtually anything with a very regular car (no disrespect is meant) shows you how it's always the driver's choice to make the difference. In the case of the almost roll-over, no amount of power, no super high clearance, no other fancy mod, would have saved the driver. It was just his luck that the car didn't roll. Going back to Rahim bhai's advise, if the Pajero had approached from a wider/higher angle, and had stayed higher on the slope, he would have gained/kept the momentum (why do you think parabolic curves aid drivers in race tracks?), and gravity would not have taken over. Having failed that, of course, his capital sin was fighting gravity (he should have gone down the slope to his left, and re-attampted). This weekend be ready to put Rahimdad's suggestions to good use. There'll plenty of slopes to ride slopes, and plenty of opportunities to climb them, or to make a safe exit, rather than fighting a losing uphill battle.

Hello @Ahab Shamaa. Are you still up for this drive? I can add you to the convoy. Please let me know.

Dear Desertnauts. Looking forward this Saturday's drive, a few tips about what's to come. First, as you saw from the title, this would be an FJ "preferential drive". While at Carnity we appreciate and encourage diversity, actively seeking it, we also understand that occasionally it may be valuable for members driving the same car to share an off-roading experience, to learn from each other, and develop a sense of community within the community. As we saw the FJ pack grow, it seems right to dedicate one such drive to this vehicle. @Ahab Shamaa, @David Ortells, @Heisem, @Piotr Kolodziej, and @Najeeb Mohammed, welcome to the FJ pack. On the other hand, all other cars and drivers are also welcome, up to the maximum limit for the drive. So @Arda Yagcioglu, @Mohamed Abo ElKomsan, @Kailas, @Tero Vallas, @Karthik Krishnakumar and @Pancho, it's good to see you yoin the FJ pack. The drive will take us through a little travelled part of Dubai, first: Murqaab's large and ling range, yellow tinted dunes. Past this area, a marked sand track will take us across an area of technical dunes, to reach the eastern reaches of Lisaili. From here the goal is to run along Lisaili's dune cordons, to Solar Park, and from here, past the pylon track, into Bab al Shams, where we plan to exit. There will be a lot of side sloping, ridge riding and dune's crossing to keep the FJ oack busy, and challenge all other drivers as well. While more info will follow on Friday, I wish you all a great week.

Well done @Heisem. Looking forward to driving with you.

BRAVA @Vanessa8580. It's a pleasure driving with you.

Hello @Athula Dharmadada. You are #4 on the WL. Thanks

Dear Desertnauts @Malachy McGrogan, @Sandeep Padhi, @MUHAMMAD Kashif RAZZAQ, @Federico De Chirico, @Federico Galbieri, @Pickey Singh, @sri ganesh, @Aravind Padmaraju, @Sai Baskaran, @GauravSoni and @Kaile Barrameda Welcome to next Friday's Newbie drive. We have planned to drive in an area slightly more challenging than our usual stomping grounds. We will meet in a sabkha area (one of those wind-swept, barren and flat stretches of desert), gradually enter an area of long range open dunes, then get deeper into a higher plateau with taller, tighter, dune cordons. This whole area, and especially the first part of the drive, will cross an environment where numerous trees, lonely or in small groups, dot the landscape. This abundance of trees, thriving on a shallow aquifer, is the reason why the drive is nicknamed "The Arboretum". It will be a bit like driving in a park. We will scale the drive up, or down, depending on the convoy's behavior, possibly choosing to cross into slightly more difficult areas if all drivers feel comfortable with it. More updates on the day before the drive. In the meantime, enjoy your week.

Dear @varunmehndiratta, I thank you very much for registering for this drive. However, I have been informed that you have not yet done your first Absolute Newbie trip, which as you know is mandatory for any new member of Carnity. In fact, no matter the member's off-roading level, this first Absolute Newbie drive is necessary to receive the briefing about the club's requirements and expectations, as well as for evaluating each driver's knowledge about this sport. Therefore, I have removed you from this drive, and am looking forward to seeing you at the earliest occasion, after you complete your introduction to Carnity. Thanks a lot for understanding.

Hello @Ahab Shamaa. You are #1 on the WL. Thanks a lot.

Hello @Tamas Hoffmann. You are #1 on the WL. Hi @Kailas. You are #2 on the WL. Thanks Hello @Abu Muhammad. You are #3 on the WL Hi @Mukundan Nair. You are #4 on the WL.

Bravo @Nizam Deen!! Looking forward to seeing you soon.

Very well done @Kailas. Your dedication is paying off (and now it's @Gok Krish time to follow in your footsteps 😅).

Very well done @Ahab Shamaa!!! Perhaps you may want to leave the Newbie drives behind, and dive right away into the Fewbie drives: there is a treat coming up this weekend (especially if you have an FJ 😉).

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 MUST READ AND TOTALLY AGREE: BAN POST Two Way Radio Guidelines Every Off-roader 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. Drive Details Level: Newbie and Above When: 13 November 2020, Friday. Meeting time: 6:00 AM (SHARP - Without any exceptions) Action Plan: Navigate around and through some long range dunes, with opportunities for straight crossing and some side sloping. We may cross occasional technical dunes, where more precision and finesse will be required. The pace of the drive will be leisurely. Meeting Point: https://maps.google.com/?q=24.727729,55.558290 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), face mask, rubber gloves, enthusiasm and willingness to learn. Approximate finish time: 10:30 AM THIS IS A COMPRESSOR ONLY DRIVE. WE WILL STARTING AND ENDING THE DRIVE AT THE SAME POINT, WHICH IS NOT CLOSE TO AN AIR LINE. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A COMPRESSOR, PLEASE DO NOT SIGN UP FOR THIS DRIVE. IF YOU ARRIVE AND HAVE NO COMPRESSOR YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO JOIN THE DRIVE. LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE: Limited to 12 Newbie and above drivers. RSVP will close on Thursday - 9 AM. 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 THE BELOW CALENDAR