Ale Vallecchi

Hi @Lisa Pemberton. I always suggest to have the necessary recovery kit from the start (shovel, and recovery rope with soft shackles). I believe it's good habit to be prepared for whatever may happen in the desert, no matter the rank. That's why I always mention these items.We had also invited members to have their own equipment, to reduce the exchange of items during Covid times. Nonetheless, the kinetic rope is not mandatory for Fewbie drives, as seniors will be able to assist and lend theirs. You can come without it for tomorrow's drive (and actually until you are promoted to the next level), but whenever you feel you may look into buying one. They are available at Speedex or ACE stores, at relatively affordable prices (around 350-400 dirhams). See you tomorrow.

Dear Desertnauts In preparation for tomorrow's drive, find below the convoy order @Jolly Abraham will drive in Second Lead @Islam Soliman will take #3 @Lisa Pemberton in at #4 @luwaimn will be in position #5 @Brette will Center Forward the convoy @Yousef Alimadadi will follow at #7 @Mehmet Volga will occupy spot #8 @Heisem will drive at #9 @Biju Abdul will sweep the convoy Be advised that the meeting and deflation point is along a dirt track, turning right on the Road from Bab al Shams, approximately 1 Km in. You may refill at Al Qudra Parking lot ADNOC's station, then take the road toward Bab al Shams. We will meet a little later than in past drives, at 5:30 AM SHARP: the goal is to deflate quickly, have a briefing and depart as swiftly as possible. Once on site, please tune into Carnity Channel 4 (446.081). Make sure all of you have a good shovel (not a "spoon"), recovery rope and soft shackles (metal ones are quite dangerous), a compressor (as we plan to exit e few Km from the nearest station), and most of all front and back tow points in good conditions. See you all tomorrow just before dawn. Have a nice Thursday evening.

Hello @Tero Vallas. Noted. Thanks a lot, and see you soon. @David Ortells thanks for letting me know. See you next time.

What a news!! Sorry for not replying earlier, but I just moved and until this afternoon I did not get my internet back. A huge THANK YOU for yet another unexpected promotion. I have been doing my best to learn, but I strongly feel that the trust and belief that @Gaurav, @Rahimdad, @Srikumar, @Frederic and @Emmanuel have had in me has greatly improved my learning curve. Each time I have been promoted I examined my off-roading skills, and found that I could have been better (now at side-cresting, then at criss-crossing, etc.); nonetheless, being bumped up a rung in the ladder gave me enough belief in myself that, if the Marshals decided for it, I might just as well up my game, and prove them right. So, each time I drove with a little more precision and control, or speed, or instinct, and tried to challenge myself, to deserve the promotion. One step at the time. I am still carrying a healthy dose of "doubts" to each drive, which lead me, each time, to want to be more prepared, and aware of what might be going on out there. I will continue to do so, regardless of the rank, hoping to transfer this desire to improve, and the willingness to learn, to all the members that I will have the pleasure to drive with. A special thanks to the other Carnity Seniors who have accompanied me, and have shared this exiting off-roading path. @Xaf, @Wrangeld, @Jeepie, @Shamil, @Brette, @Javier M, @Mels Wolf, @Vanessa8580, @Desert Dweller, @Foxtrot Oscar: I look forward to more explorations, drives and relaxing moments with you. Also thanks to a the Intermediates drivers that have regularly signed up for my latest drives. @Kalahari, @Chaitanya D, @Febin Frederic, @Najeeb Mohammed, @Colin Jordan, @Tbone, @Rinelle Sanaani, @Michael sammy, @J J: your curiosity and eagerness to be pushed, and learn all different aspects of off-roading, has driven me to improve as a leader. Thanks a lot to the whole Carnity family (which it really is, and feels like one), and hope to see all of you out there, soon.

Thanks @Chaitanya D. Your enthusiasm, and your always encouraging feedback, have been of great inspiration to me. I think one's off-roading growth, besides improving your technical skills, also has a lot to do with the encouragement and energy that comes from other members. Thanks for providing that., Thanks @Janarthan. I look forward to seeing you soon out on the sand.

Thanks Rahimdad. You have made a huge first impression on me for your kindness and friendliness. These are the reasons that have attracted me to the club (before I discovered the competence and enthusiasm of all other Marshals), and have made me want to come back for more. Grateful to all of you in this great group.

Thanks @Emmanuel. It's your "fault" if I have overcome some of my hesitations (which I carried with me into my first Fewbie drive). Thanks a lot for "breaking me in" 😅 Thanks @Shiju Manuel. Looking forward to many more drives together. Thanks a lot @Veedooshee. I am looking forward to leading you in my next drive. Thanks @Asif Hussain. I can't wait to enjoy a drive with you in AD!!

Thanks @Xaf (and Kate). We must go out and celebrate ASAP. First on the sand, than with our legs under a table 🥂

Thanks @Frederic. I will do my best to embody the spirit of those greats of the past 😅. I appreciate your guidance, and your inspiring, tireless, being always available for all members, at any level, on any given day. It makes anyone feel like an important member of this club. Looking forward to our next exploration. Thanks @Wrangeld. I am very glad you and Marjan have been an extremely important part of my climbing of the ladder. I am looking forward to always more explorations and action with you guys. Thanks @Kalahari. Looking forward to sharing more drives and fun with you.

Thanks @J J. I look forward to seeing you soon (and watching your videos afterwards) Thanks @Srikumar, for all your advice, and not least for leading the first Newbie drives I did with Carnity, which got me hooked on this adventure.

Just to clarify to all members on this drive. Leaders have been instructed by Carnity to request that ALL DRIVERS ACKNOWLEDGE, ON ALL DRIVES, THE COVID-19 RULES, ONCE AGAIN. This is due to few, but regretful, situations, where members ignored the safety rules put in place by the Club to comply with the Government's laws still being enforced with matters of congregations, social distancing, etc. These incidents put Carnity, as event organizer, in the potential position to be prosecuted, and heavily fined, for breaching such laws. This may happen not only in the unfortunate case that one member, or guest, be found positive following a drive, but also through monitoring of the internet, in case pictures were posted on the Club's or personal social media, showing the disrespect of current laws (keeping the distance of 2 meters, wearing masks, gathering of not more than 10 people, etc.). It will be the care of leaders to allow drivers and passengers outside the cars, when possible or needed, according to current laws. So please, refresh your acknowledgment of Covid rules before 9:00 PM this Thursday, by clicking once again on the "Totally Agree" icon. The latest date of the acknowledgment will appear next to your name and the "Totally Agree" icon. Failing to do so will imply the removal of the non-compliant member from this drive. Thank you very much for understanding the situation, and complying with our simple request.

Thanks for the information @Mukundan Nair. Enjoy your drive with Jeepie. See you next time.

Dear Carnity Desarnauts. Thank you for signing up in record time for the drive (1 minute it's all it took). Allow me to reward your trust by previewing the drive's main characteristics. The Bab al Shams area (nicknamed because of its proximity to the well known resort) loosely refers to the South-Western section of the Qudra basin. The terrain here is made of fine white sand dunes, rather long and apart from each other. They are mostly lined up in a North to South direction, and are gathered in groups separated by either sabkhas or tighter technical dunes. We will be looking to make a loop that will take us to the more northern, higher and closer dunes, where we may also encounter also a bit of low vegetation, then in a southern direction, toward an area where the sand is sometimes dotted with low, crooked mud formations, and lonely acacia trees. Sabkhas will be our way in and out of these dunes, with some technical areas also to be crossed. As Fewbies, you'll be expected to execute higher side sloping, easier ridge riding and ridge crossing, show good control of your car in tighter technical dunes, and to conduct the drive at a faster pace (while keeping full control of your vehicle), compared to the Newbie excursions. We will have the opportunity to practice all of the above skills, following a detailed briefing toward the beginning of the drive, and under supervision, so that each off-roader will have the opportunity to feel more comfortable, and improve throughout the day. @Biju Abdul, @Jolly Abraham, @luwaimn, @Tero Vallas, @Heisem, @Lisa Pemberton, @David Ortells, @Mehmet Volga, @Islam Soliman, @Yousef Alimadadi thanks again for joining (and @Brette, thank you for managing). Please remember to read and acknowledge the information regarding the Covid-19 rules we have put in place to insure a drive which is compliant with the current (and still valid) legal requirements. Not acknowledging these guidelines by clicking on the "Totally Agree" emoticon will lead to the driver's exclusion from the drive. We'll be in touch toward the end of the week, for more information and instructions.

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. Drive Details Level: Fewbie and Above When: 4 September 2020, Friday. Meeting time: 5:30 AM (SHARP - Without any exceptions) Action Plan: Long range, white sand dunes, with mud formations and sparse trees. Practice in higher side sloping, principles of ridge riding and crossing, possible controlled driving over technical dunes, overall faster pace. Meeting Point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/icdeHRxXhk44yBg2A 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: 09:30 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 10 Fewbie 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

DUBAI CROSSING - THE LONGEST DRIVE It was designed to be a long drive, and long it was. A streamlined convoy of 4, with @Kalahari starting as Second Lead, with @J J following (ready to take up second place throughout the drive) and @Javier M sweeping, started at 5:11, passed the camel track (and the training camels), followed the pylons until the entry point, and after a short technical area broke free into the long range dunes of Al Lisaili, at the break of dawn. We started calmly, warming up for the first half hour, then picked up the pace, targeting the longer and more open dunes of the southern part of Lisaili (avoiding the tighter technical area to its west), before heading back toward Solar Park, which we reached after 1 and half hour (and one stuck in a soft bowl, resolved by Javier's precious winch). From there we proceeded crossing the tarmac and the bike track, reached the heart of Qudra, then turned south toward the Bab al Shams area, and its white sand dunes, dotted with clay formations at their bottom. Upon reaching the exit track, the convoy's thirst for driving had not been quenched, yet, so that it didn't take much convincing to agree to the drive's extension, and gingerly headed back north-east, toward Qudra Lakes' exit. With only one stuck, and perhaps a couple of refusals, we completed the crossing by 9:20am, after 4:09 hrs of driving, covering 92.1Km, at an average speed of 22Km/h (27 Km/h while moving). Well done to all the drivers. See you soon somewhere on the sand.

Noted @Rinelle Sanaani. Thanks for advising. See you next time.

@Kalahari, @J J, @Rinelle Sanaani I am having problems accessing the meeting point through the link posted on the drive's announcement. Just to make sure, it is the following link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/LZQR4QNpx6hmjRTE8 This is at Lisaili camel track. See you tomorrow.

PS. Please @Kalahari let me know, anyways, if you'll have to cancel or if you have any delay. Thanks again.

@Kalahari thanks for the information. Hope all is good tomorrow🍀

Hello fellow Desertnauts. Here is the last update before tomorrow's drive. As usual, please make sure that you all have the necessary equipment: besides a flag that stands the test of the slightest bump, a good shovel and the compressor, at this level also tow ropes with soft shackles are really recommended, as well as a good jack (not one of those flimsy ones coming with the car). Regarding the convoy numbering, we'll start with @Kalahari in Second Lead, followed by @J J and @Rinelle Sanaani, but this time I would like to switch the positions as we go along, so every 30 minutes we'll move the second lead to the sweep position, and each driver will have the chance to move up one place in the convoy order, for a more dynamic drive. The meeting place is next to Al Lisaili cameldrome, from where we'll move along the track, through the pylons, until we'll be able to access a small area of technical dunes, before plunging into the long range dunes. Make sure your tank is full: you can fill up at a couple of stations just before Al Lisaili's exit. When you arrive, please tune into Carnity Channel 2 (446.031). Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow morning.

@Emmanuel we can repeat any time. I enjoy these fast, long desert crossings, at least alternating it every once in a while to the more technical spins in the "bowl" areas. Looking forward to it.

Dear @Kalahari, @J J and @Rinelle Sanaani. Thanks for joining the drive. For you and those undecided Intermediates out there, a few words about the drive. We have visited this previously neglected area a few times lately, with other Carnity convoys, plus 2 of my leads. Now that we have become more familiar with the does and donts of this terrain, the goal of this trip is to bump it up a notch, and execute a more speedy drive, navigating Lisaili's long range dunes all the way to Solar Park, then beyond it, through a small technical area, back on more long range dunes, through the Qudra basin, toward the Bab al Shams road. The drive would stretch through most of the north-western Dubai desert region: a longer trip, which becomes possible only at higher off-roading levels, requiring less "acrobatics" then a bowls' tour in Badayer or Big Red, but more speed and endurance skills. Looking forward to seeing you (registered and yet unregistered drivers) on Friday morning.

Hi @Chaitanya D. Thanks for advising. Hope to see you next time.

Hi @Chaitanya D. Thanks for advising. Hope to see you next time.