Ale Vallecchi

Dear Desertnauts a short briefing before tomorrow's technical drive. We'll meet under the pylons, on the road from Qudra's Last Exit toward Solar Park's Innovation Center. We should deflate a bit more than the usual rate (maybe 1 or 2 PSI's), based on your type of tires, due to the likely softer sand surface we are sure to find with these high temperatures. Usually, a lower deflation rate generates concerns with the risk of pop-outs, which can be avoided, or minimized, by paying greater attention to avoiding sliding down from slopes and reaching the bottom of a descent as perpendicular as possible to the slope. Also make sure that heavy cars, such as Prados or Land Cruisers don't take turns too sharply, but with a wider, gentler, angle. Having made these recommendations, prepare yourselves for a drive where the use of steering will be very important, as well as being able to accelerate from low speeds with short bursts of engine power, to make short climbs out of low bowls, and reach the next dune's ridge. We plan to move along almost straight lines from the Three Trees (our entry point) to the Solar Tower, and back. The convoy order will be the following: @Andrew John Melvill in Second Lead @essam ibrahim at #3 @Shary at #4 @Warbs at #5 and @J-P L in Sweep. Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow afternoon. Enjoy your Saturday evening.

We request that every member joining this drive go through the information below and strictly follow these guidelines, etiquette, and responsibilities. MUST READ AND COMPLY Environmental Policy Offroad Flag Guideline Two Way Radio Guideline Off road Driving Etiquettes Emergency details for all off roaders Off Road Driving - Roles & Responsibilities Drive Details Level: Fewbie and above Meeting time: 03:00 PM Meeting Point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/QoyGvT4gHMbBh8XC8 Action Plan: Second installment of the Summer Sunsets' series. Looking for beautiful places to enjoy the sunset, this time the spot that has been selected is also pertinent in its name and meaning. We'll drive a loop from the Three Trees (on the side of the road from Qudra to Solar Park) to the Solar Tower and back. We'll aim for the beacon of light, nowadays visible from almost everywhere in Dubai, Sharjah, and parts of Abu Dhabi, through a maze of technical dunes. If the technical area is not enough to make this one a tough drive, a factor posing an extra challenge will be the soft sand we'll encounter at the beginning of the drive. What to bring along: Loads of water, snacks (for yourself), smiles, enthusiasm, and willingness to learn. Approximate finish time: 7:00 PM P.S. Only join if you have a compressor to inflate your tires after the drive. RECOMMENDED OFF-ROAD GEAR: Tire deflator & Tire pressure gauge Compressor (MANDATORY) Walkie-talkie radio (MANDATORY) Off-road flag (MANDATORY) Shovel, Tow Rope & 2 Shackles First-aid kit Fire extinguisher. LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE This drive is limited to 10 cars only. RSVP will close on Friday - 12 PM. If the RSVP is full, you can add your name to the waitlist, once anyone drops, you will be moved to the RSVP list. RSVP will close a day prior to preparing a convoy list. Latecomers will be returned - Without any exceptions. Members without RSVP will be returned - 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 CALENDAR

Well done @Jessica Lambert !!! Great achievement. Looking forward to having you support a drive soon.

No worries @Glenn W. We'll be there. Thanks for updating.

Dear Desertnauts. Thanks a lot for signing up in quite a good number for this impromptu weekday drive. I am grateful to you for allowing me to go out on the sand one extra time. The drive is planned to enjoy a nice afternoon on the star dunes of the Al madam area, going south to north, from Bezhad Ranch to Super (or Iftar) Bowl. The convoy will line up as follows: @Sam Selim in Second Lead @Paul Eldho at #3 @Glenn W at #4 (kind of in the Center) @B.K. at #5 @Martin M at #6 and @Hani crest king kind at Sweep Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow afternoon.

Good afternoon @Warbs. I noticed you signed up for tomorrow's Fewbie drive. Unfortunately, as you are still ranked as a Newbie, I'll have to sign you out of it. Sorry for the inconvenience. I hope to see you another time.

We request that every member joining this drive go through the information below and strictly follow these guidelines, etiquette, and responsibilities. MUST READ AND COMPLY Environmental Policy Offroad Flag Guideline Two Way Radio Guideline Off road Driving Etiquettes Emergency details for all off roaders Off Road Driving - Roles & Responsibilities Drive Details Level: Fewbie and above Meeting time: 03:30 PM Meeting Point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/6XB25RNEQLn8p3hR8 Action Plan: Every excuse is a good one to head out to the sandy slopes. This drive opens a series of weekday drives dedicated to sunset locations. The first one has to be dedicated to one of the most popular sunset spots in the UAE. However, to avoid the crowds of sun-setter tourist groups, we'll start from Soeth of Al Madam, at the so-called "Ericsson Tower" or Bezhad Ranch deflation point and will drive north-ward to Super Bowl (or perhaps Iftar Bowl, of the drive will go smoothly), from where we'll watch the sun set on Badayer's dune field. What to bring along: Loads of water, snacks (for yourself), smiles, enthusiasm, and willingness to learn. Approximate finish time: 7:30 PM P.S. Only join if you have a compressor to inflate your tires after the drive. RECOMMENDED OFF-ROAD GEAR: Tire deflator & Tire pressure gauge Compressor (MANDATORY) Walkie-talkie radio (MANDATORY) Off-road flag (MANDATORY) Shovel, Tow Rope & 2 Shackles First-aid kit Fire extinguisher. LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE This drive is limited to 10 cars only. RSVP will close on Friday - 12 PM. If the RSVP is full, you can add your name to the waitlist, once anyone drops, you will be moved to the RSVP list. RSVP will close a day prior to preparing a convoy list. Latecomers will be returned - Without any exceptions. Members without RSVP will be returned - 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 CALENDAR

@Andrei S so it was your FJ on top of Big Red 😎. Next time join the drive!

Dear Desertnauts Thanks a lot for agreeing to change the date and time of this drive. I appreciate it very much. We'll still celebrate Independence Day (the movie theme), only the Day After. This will take us in search of "aliens" along the string of star dunes and red sand cordons that extends from Pink Rock to Super Bowls. We'll try to stay "in altitude" by climbing as many viable slopes as possible. The squadron's order will be the following: @Johannes Roux as Wing Man @Carl Stanley at Slot #3 @Jose Luis Campos at Slot #4 @Sam Selim at Slot #5 @Hani crest king at Slot #6 (please confirm if you still plan to come) @Beide Worku at Slot #7 and @ChrisW in the Sweep Slot. The meeting and deflation point will be the legendary December 2nd Cafeteria, as posted in the main thread. Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow morning.

Dear @Soap, just checking it you have tried to sign in for this morning drive, tomorrow. You name is in the Manage tab. If you wish to join, I'll move you to the members' list. Thanks for confirming.

Dear @Beide Worku, @Hani crest king, @Jose Luis Campos, @Johannes Roux and @ChrisW, just to make sure that we are all on the same page, THE DRIVE HAS BEEN MOVED TO SATURDAY MORNING AT 7:30AM. So far I have received the OK from Beide, Jose Luis, and Chris. @Hani crest king and @Johannes Roux, since you have signed up while this possibility of driving on Saturday was being discussed, please acknowledge that it's OK with you to drive on Saturday morning. Once finally clarified, I'll post the meeting and deflation point. Thanks to all.

Hi @Sam Selim. No problem. I'll be glad to have you. At this point I'd like to switch the drive to Saturday AM. Will correct the post accordingly. Just waiting for @Hani crest king reply, if he may join on Saturday AM instead of Friday PM (due to an emergency change of plans on my part). Thanks to all.

Hello @Hani crest king. Would it be OK for you to move this drive to Saturday morning? Thanks for updating.

Thanks @ChrisW. Saw that. If OK for @ChrisW, @Beide Worku, and @Hani crest king (who just joined the drive: please see the thread above for clarification) I'll switch the drive to Saturday AM. I can also post the starting time as 7:30 AM, so @Jose Luis Campos may join. Please confirm and I'll go ahead with changing the day. Thanks to all.

Hi @khlief. Did you have the chance to see the above? Thanks a lot for your input.

For @ChrisW, @Beide Worku and @Jose Luis Campos Saturday for me is fully open. I'd go with whatever availability you'd all have. AM start would be at 8:00 am, and PM start would be at 3:00 pm. Thanks a lot.

Thanks @ChrisW. For @Beide Worku, @khlief and @Jose Luis Campos, please consider reacheduling to SATURDAY. Thanks to all

Dear @Beide Worku @khlief, @ChrisW and @Jose Luis Campos as I have an emergency on Friday PM (nothing serious, but something I need to attend to) I would like to ask if you would be OK rescheduling the drive on either Saturday or Sunday morning. Please let me know as soon as you can. Thanks for your availability.

We request that every member joining this drive go through the information below and strictly follow these guidelines, etiquette, and responsibilities. MUST READ AND COMPLY Environmental Policy Offroad Flag Guideline Two Way Radio Guideline Off road Driving Etiquettes Emergency details for all off roaders Off Road Driving - Roles & Responsibilities Drive Details Level: Fewbie and above Meeting time: 07:30 AM Meeting Point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/9d8rEZJo5G98EpYG8 Action Plan: July 4th celebrates the day humanity defeated the alien fleet that had appeared in Earth's sky, or so it's shown in the 1996 movie "Independence Day". The film follows disparate groups of people who converge in the Nevada desert in the aftermath of a worldwide attack by a powerful extraterrestrial race. So, we'll head to our own Area 51, in the red sands between Pink Rock and Super Bowl, and roam the dunes in between. We look to execute a fast drive, jetting over and around tall star dunes, in the heat of the early summer afternoon, until the sun goes down on our own celebration of Independence Day. What to bring along: Loads of water, snacks (for yourself), smiles, face masks, rubber gloves, enthusiasm, and willingness to learn. Approximate finish time: 11:30 AM P.S. Only join if you have a compressor to inflate your tires after the drive. RECOMMENDED OFF-ROAD GEAR: Tire deflator & Tire pressure gauge Compressor (MANDATORY) Walkie-talkie radio (MANDATORY) Off-road flag (MANDATORY) Shovel, Tow Rope & 2 Shackles First-aid kit Fire extinguisher. LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE This drive is limited to 10 cars only. RSVP will close on Friday - 12 PM. If the RSVP is full, you can add your name to the waitlist, once anyone drops, you will be moved to the RSVP list. RSVP will close a day prior to preparing a convoy list. Latecomers will be returned - Without any exceptions. Members without RSVP will be returned - 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 CALENDAR

Dear Desertnauts The last installment of the Desert Books' series takes us to the den of one of the most endearing characters of the fabulous "The Little Prince" fable: the Fox. In fact, on the way from Sweihan to Faya there is a rocky outcrop that hides a den of desert foxes, aptly named the Fox's Den. This is our goal, which we'll reach through driving to another one of the Sweihan's desert wonders, the Pond, a small lake of sweet water fed by an underground spring. The convoy order will see each Fewbie Plus member guided by a higher ranking member, for a one-on-one tutoring session: @Aser in Second Lead @Andrew John Melvill at #3 @Cesar Chacon at #4 @Giacomo at #5 @Johannes Roux at #6 @topgear at #7 @Sherry Jacob at #8 @Beide Worku at #9 @Hani crest king at #10 @ChrisW at #11 and @Glenn W at #12 The meeting and deflation point will be posted on the main drive's post. See you all tomorrow afternoon to conclude this long weekend in style.

“This is, to me, the loveliest and saddest landscape in the world. It is here that the Little Prince appeared on Earth, and disappeared. Look at it carefully so that you will be sure to recognise it in case you travel some day to the African desert. And, if you should come upon this spot, please do not hurry on. Wait for a time, exactly under the star. Then, if a little man appears who laughs, who has golden hair and who refuses to answer questions, you will know who he is."

“The house, the stars, the desert -- what gives them their beauty is something that is invisible!”