Ale Vallecchi

Dear @Shiju Manuel, @asifk welcome to the drive. Please read (if you haven't done it already) the drive's presentation above. It will be useful in preparing for the trip. Also, let me know if you will be joining for lunch at Barracuda's grill. See you on Saturday.

Good job @asifk. Well earned!

Good job @Shiju Manuel. You showed steady progress, and deserve to have the opportunity to keep growing. See you soon.

@Desert Dweller will do!! Good to catch up with you.

Thanks Kalahari. Anybody else who wants to join we can make the booking until Thursday evening.

@Mahmoud Hamzawy, @Anand Nataraj welcome to the drive. You can find the trip presentation above. See you on Friday.

@Febin Frederic and @Najeeb Mohammed feel free to bring your kids, as long as you can safely strap them in during the drive 👍

Guys you already outguessed me!! I wanted to ask if someone wanted to meet at Barracuda's Thunder Road Grill for lunch before going to the deflation point. They accept max 4 people per table, so if you feel like and confirm who's coming for lunch, I can book the tables. We can meet there at 1:30 PM (service is a little slow but the food is good). Please confirm who feels like it. PS - In case you want to shop for booze, make sure you can secure it safely in the car during the drive. @Kalahari this time we're going the other way 🤓. But will keep it in mind.

Dear Desertnauts. Sorry for keeping you waiting a little longer for the drive's preview. This information will be very important for you to align yourselves with the spirit of this outing. Here are a few important facts to consider while preparing for the day. THIS IS AN EXPLORATION DRIVE - It means we will follow a track that is not well known (although we'll cross several tracks used by local farmers and herders), and will have to be patient with possible re-directions, or overcoming of unforeseen obstacles. The idea is to find a route from the sea to the mountains, even though we will not actually reach the latter with this first drive (that's good news as there should be a follow up to reach our goal). THE TERRAIN IS EXTREMELY DIFFERENT FROM OPEN SAND DUNES - We start the drive virtually on the sea (just off Barracuda Beach Resort in RAK), and will reach the interior, where E311 and E611 almost merge. At the beginning of the drive the vegetation will be extremely rich, thick and green. It will be mostly composed of low bushes and crawling plants, which will cover the sandy ground almost completely. We will be forced to find our way through this low "jungle". These bushes, feeding off the salty water seeping from the shore and rising up close to the ground, will start to recede as we'll proceed inland, to leave room to more sporadic low vegetation, and groups of thorny trees forming small forests. This is when we'll start encountering some sand dunes, getting progressively wider and taller, but always requiring a very technical approach (not the usual "bowls" we are used to finding in Badayer, Pink Rock or Qudra areas). THE SKILLS REQUIRED WILL BE QUITE TECHNICAL - As mentioned above, the uncertainty of the track ahead, and the presence of vegetation for most of the drive, will require that we mentally switch from a higher speed, sharp hedged, smooth sailing Intermediate drive to a slower pace, finesse oriented, controlled mode. We will have to change approach based on each obstacle (or lack of), and will need to use the cars' power for short bursts, when needed, rather than for prolonged climbs or rides. THE AVERAGE SPEED OF THE DRIVE WILL BE SLOW - We expect to cover approximately 40 Km, and should take around 3:30 hours, for an average speed of 10Km/h. The normal speed of an Intermediate drive on open sand is closer to 30 Km/h. So be prepared to proceed at a crawling pace: put on some relaxing music and enjoy ! The idea of this drive, besides looking for new areas to visit, is also to provide a glimpse into, and an opportunity to train, the full set of skills that are required from a complete, all-around, off-roader. This will certainly be a "premiere" drive which will require spirit of adventure and patience at the same time. Something different on the Carnity buffet. @Desert Dweller, @Najeeb Mohammed, @Kalahari, @Chaitanya D, @Rinelle Sanaani, @Pancho, @Febin Frederic welcome to this new menu. @Srikumar and @Wrangeld thank you for bringing your experience to the table. More final information to follow soon. Enjoy your week.

Dear Carnity Desertnauts. As is my habit, before each drive I'd like to outline the nature of the area that we'll be visiting, and to provide some info about what to expect from the outing. This time we'll be driving through the so called Bab al Shams quadrant of the Qudra basin: this is the south-western part of the Qudra sand dunes, closest to the famous resort. The terrain here should be ideal for a Newbie drive, through gentle white sand dunes, occasionally rising to a low altitude (this is one of the lowest points of Dubai's emirate), coming in long waves, separated from each other by short stretches of open sabkhas. We will be able to practice side sloping, safely crossing the long range dunes, and will slowly increase the pace and challanges (in a safe manner), depending on the convoy's response. From the nature's point of view, we will be passing by several feeding stations for gazelles and oryxes, and should be able to catch glimpses of some of these animals. Along the route there may be occasional areas with some low bushy vegetation, and certainly some low thorny trees. We will pass by a few basins with low formations of dry clay mud. @Andrei, @Hardik Mody, @Hatim Patharia, @Vijaysekhar, @Arun Mathew, @Onlyjunaid and @Shaaz Sha welcome to the drive. More news and isntructions will follow closer to the drive's date. Enjoy your week.

Hurrah @Kalahari !! Well done. Your great curiosity, humble approach, and constant desire to spend as much time on the sand, make you very deserving to advance to...Advanced. See you soon in the desert.

Congrats @Vanessa8580. Girls Power rising to the top, and deservedly so, for your strong motivation, fearless will to improve yourself, and love for the desert!! I am looking forward to more drives with you.

@Chaitanya D very well done and much deserved. You have improved steadily and rapidly, rising to every challenge. See you soon in Desert Land.

@Lisa Pemberton you did very well for your first Fewbie drive. Seeing you from my viewpoint you did not show any hesitation in any of the dune crossing phases (approach, ridge riding and exit) also looking in control of the descent from the ridge. In any case, I know the feeling of uncertainty you describe, and will make sure I mention it, and how to deal with it, in my next briefings. You will also learn to deal with Pajero's characteristics quickly (each drive will bring new feelings and information), and will adopt the driving style which suites the combination of your car's full potential on each given terrain. I advise you to ask questions to other more experienced Pajero drivers (ex. Gaurav, Fred, Vanessa, Mels) who have already successfully faced all your same difficulties. Thanks for sharing your feelings, and for joining the drive. Hope to see you soon again.

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 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. Drive Details Level: Newbie and above When: 11 Sep 2020, Friday Meeting time: 4:00 PM (SHARP - Without any exceptions) Action Plan: Practice and perfecting dune climbing, side sloping, and possibly how to ride ridges. Meeting Point: https://goo.gl/maps/94EJDtcJL9kgy3s7A 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 9ufor yourself), face mask, rubber gloves, enthusiasm and willingness to learn. Approximate finish time: 08:00 PM THIS IS A COMPRESSOR ONLY DRIVE. WE WILL END THE DRIVE AT A 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 8 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

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 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. Drive Details Level: Intermediate and above When: 12 Sep 2020, Saturday Meeting time: 3:30 PM (SHARP - Without any exceptions) Action Plan: IMPORTANT NOTICE - This is an exploration drive, in a little travelled area for off-roaders, on very technical terrain. The pace will be slow, and the skills required will be finesse and control, due to the need to pick the right path through an environment full of vegetation (shrubs first, then trees), with sporadic animal farms, and sets of sand dunes with very little room to maneuver. Differently from the higher speed, bowl swirling rides, we usually do at this level, this drive will test a completely different set of skills. Nonetheless, it will provide a good opportunity to increase your off-roading abilities, making you a more complete desert driver. Meeting Point: https://goo.gl/maps/v57xx8M2HVkbDqqj8 in front of Emirates Motorplex 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: 07:30 PM THIS IS A COMPRESSOR ONLY DRIVE. WE WILL END THE DRIVE AT A 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 8 Intermediate 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

Thanks @Biju Abdul. You have shown great improvement, both in your technical skills, as well as in managing your car's potential. Very well done. See you soon again.

Thanks a lot @Desert Dweller. Long time no see 😄 I am looking forward to drive together soon.

Thank you @Tbone. Your passion is great, and your progresses are undeniable and well deserved. Looking forward to our next drive together. Thank you @Shamil. I hope you can sort out your car's problems soon, and you can pick up your climb up the ladder where you left off. See you soon out there.

@Islam Soliman thanks for joining the drive. You are certainly handling the big Yukon with ever greater ease. Unfortunately, as I mentioned in the report, cars' brains are not programmed for off-roading, so that accidents like yours do happen quite often. I hope you can fix the air-bags quickly, and to see you back on the sand soon. You didn't let the incident rattle your driving , which is good (as it wasn't your fault). Also, unfortunately, we were too late to save the gazelle, which had passed away by the time we reached it. I take comfort in knowing we did the best we could under the circumstance, and that probably the little one would have died anyway of its wounds. But thanks for assisting it, and volunteering your car as an "ambulance".

EVENTFUL DAY IN QUDRA BASIN - Bab al Shams' Loop Report Nice drive today in the so called "Bab al Shams" sector of the Qudra Basin. Punctual members, incremental levels of difficulty along the route, and a few adventurous moments. Actually, a couple of these unexpected situations have taken center stage, and have pushed in the background an overall impressive performance by all the drivers. To be specific, and give dues where dues are owed, @Jolly Abraham carried out an impeccable Second Lead, always correcting properly, and communicating smoothly. @Islam Soliman confirmed his skills at maneuvering such an extra-large car. @Lisa Pemberton delivered an impressive performance (extra kudos for making it all the way from RAK). @luwaimncontinued his progress, building up his confidence on the slopes (which will grow exponentially as soon as he'll understand his car's full potential). Likewise @Yousef Alimadadi progressed nicely throughout the day, overcoming some initial hesitance to show very good command and control. @Mehmet Volga and @Heisem handled their backward position, and the sometimes churned sand, without batting an eyelid. Finally @Biju Abdul swept the convoy with precision and flair (as he managed his FJ). Special mention for @Brette, who anchored the convoy and assisted on refusals and stucks, with patience and competence. Now, back to the adventurous moments. In chronological order, the first was the encounter with a very young wounded gazelle. It appeared in front of my car as I was coming down a side slope, hiding in the shade of a small bush. The fact that it didn't move made me suspicious, and decided to take a break from the drive to check it out. Unfortunately, the little one had some wounds on its back (maybe from a vulture?). The convoy agreed to see if we could tend to the gazelle, which we did by providing it with some water, and by calling the Municipality (all animal rescue places were closed). Contrarily to our instinct, to take it out of the desert to Qudra Parkimg, we were told that we should not move it: the area is part of Al Marmoon Conservation Area, and the information we got was that nothing can be taken from it, under no circumstances. The Municipality informed us that someone will be sent to pick the gazelle up, so we left it under some shade, on a straw mat provided by Islam, extra water care of Yousef, and a flag, care of @Srikumar (who had come to aid us from his nearby Newbie convoy) to identify the bush where the little animal was resting. Fast forward to the end of the drive, the Municipality had contacted Heisem (who had called them in the first place) and informing us that they could not locate the gazelle, asked us if we could go back and take it out. After leaving the rest of the convoy at the exit point, we went back, with Jolly, Heisem and Brette, hell bent on our rescue mission (upping the drive from Fewbie to Intermediate 😅). Unfortunately, upon reaching the flag-marked bush we could not do anything else but confirm to the Municipality that very sadly the little gazelle had died from its wounds. Nonetheless we did our best, and learned a lesson in how the conservation area is managed, rightly so, by the laws of wild nature. As for the second surprise of the day, it was certainly one that Islam would have done without. Fact is that most cars are programmed to be driven on flat surfaces, and their computers don't understand their driver's crave for off-roading. It so happened that, coming down from a small slope, just after crossing a low ridge, the big Yukon's electronic brain must have thought it was rolling to one side, and decided to save Islam by exploding its lateral air-bags. A stark, and unfortunate, reminder that all electronics should be switched off (or manually disabled) before going into the desert, so that a rather simple obstacle (Islam didn't seem to have any difficulty at all, navigating the ridge and the descent) doesn't transform itself in a dire problem. Wish Islam will be able to have his car back ASAP. As for the drive itself, after a technical briefing on riding ridges and crossing dunes, and a couple of practices (one driver at the time), it was clear that the whole convoy was able to manage such skills. We progressed from the western part of Qudra (closest to Bab al Shams) in a northerly direction, through a couple of sabkhas, so that we could then travel southward, and back west, and cross the mostly compact, wind-swept side of the longer open dunes, which in this area also offer abundant possibilities of side sloping, as well as some "bowl" areas. In the end, we traveled for 4 hours, including the stops for the briefing, the attempted rescue and the air-bags incident, for a total of 50 Km, at an average speed of 12 Kms/h (and moving average speed of 24 Kms/h). Splendid video @Islam Soliman. Well done!

Hi @Biju Abdul. No worries. That's still OK. See you tomorrow.