Ale Vallecchi

Dear fellow desert addicts. While you are debating which drive to join (perhaps more than one), I'd like to give you a brief description of this Fewbie PLUS drive. First thing, it will accept Fewbie drivers with 5 or more Carnity drives within this rank. This is to allow those who joins to find themselves in the company of similarly skilled drivers, and enjoy an hopefully smooth and lenghty drive. In fact, I mention the length of the drive, as this means to be a sort of exploration of not so often visited parts of the Qudra basin. We'll leave from an unusual starting point on the west of Qudra, which allowes a relatively quick access to ranges of long dunes. We'll ride these all the way to the sabkha facing Solar Park, with the goal of reaching more long range dunes, which head in a South-West direction toward Little Swahian. This will be our final destination, Inshallah. While more details will follow soon, I am looking forward to seeing you on Friday, with your explorer's hat (and spirit) on.

Good point about checking, which I have not done 🤦‍♂️. Fortunately, I don't notice much extra noise. I will deflate more for better flotation, and try to adapt. The climbing was not too much of an issue, but felt less "agile" on a couple of slopes, where I had to push more to do what I was used to doing apparently in an easier way. Learning to adapt and respond.

So I finally have changed my tires. Went from my old stock Michelin road tires to Mastercraft 265/70R17 115T HSX. I have driven with them Friday and yesterday. My impressions. They seem to dig in more (to be expected I guess 😊) and "float" less them my old road Michelin. The question would be, to get used to them (other than just driving) should I: 1) deflate differently (I used to go to 11/12 psi, and still have used this during the weekend on the new tires), to make the tites float more/better? 2) use gears differently (on terrain like Badayer I used to drive in 4H 3rd gear (especially going in and out of bowls and dune formation, where I was looking for more power), but maybe with the AT tires 4H 4th is better, as on a couple of steep inclines I felt the car less agile and responsive)? Keep in mind I have an FJ where in 4H the gears go from the highest D to 4, 3, 2 and L 3) Also consumption on sand seems quite higher: on the same drive in Badayer I used to consume around 1/5 of the full tank, but with the new AT tires I used almost half a tank. Any advice/opinions?

Well done @Rinelle Sanaani. You have shown very good skills through your last drives. Keep it up and see you soon.

Well done @Febin Frederic. You have impressed in your drives. Keep going strong.

Good job @Najeeb Mohammed. You have improved much, hence deserve the promotion. Keep joining as many drives as possible, so your skils get honed. See you soon.

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 PLUS (Drivers with more than 5 Fewbie drives) and all above - NO NEWBIES ALLOWED. When: 24 July 2020, Friday Meeting time: 4:30 PM (SHARP - Without any exceptions) Meeting Point: https://goo.gl/maps/oosk2Mgcp181hKMJ8 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: 8:00 PM LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE: Limited to 10 cars maximum. RSVP will close on Thursday - 9 AM. 1 Lead Marshal + 1 or 2 Senior Member + 8 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 will be returned back - without ANY EXCEPTIONS. Members without RSVP will be returned back - without ANY EXCEPTIONS. Members that do not confirm the terms of the COVID requirements will be removed from the RSVP list. 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 fellow desert addicts. What a nice way to spend a Saturday morning (actually, late night and early morning)! Leading an intermediate convoy has the advantage that everything moves a little quicker (deflation, briefing, the pace of the drive) and with less idle time, also thanks to the fact that Intermediate and above skills allow the drivers to face any adjust quickly and effortlessly to any surprises that the track, or the leader, have in store for them. With this combination of readiness and ability, we set out from Shabiyat to explore and ride every possible group of high dunes between us and the Quad Rental location in Badayer. Temperature at 05:28 was perfect (low 30's) and the sand still relatively cool and compact. We lined up with @Mels Wolf in Second Lead, followed by @Tbone, @Michael sammy, @Colin Jordan, and @Javier M watching over the convoy in Sweep. We reached Super Bowl in no time, and attempted to climb it from every possible side. The inclination of its left side, the steepness of the center, and the super-bumpiness of the right side, all of them well dug with tracks left from the previous day's climbers, prevented us from reaching the top, but still warmed us up for what was to come. Therefore, Iftar Bowl was conquered with a certain amount of ease and flair (especially by Javier, who rode it from every side). From there, we went on to look for, reach through patches of enjoyable technical dunes, and explore, 9 more groups of high dunes: not all of them perfect "star" formations (for more info, see @Frederic's post dedicated to dune formations), but intricate enough to give us a good challenge while exploring their depths and heights. After only sporadic refusals, and no stucks, we exited at Badayer Quad Rental roundabout, after covering 49.8Km, climbing 854 meters (to reach an maximum altitude of 177 meters), and driving at an average of 22Km/H. (max. speed 61 Km/H), for 2:58 hours. PS. Considering this was my first true Intermediate Lead, I would love to receive the drivers' criticism (compliments I already received), particularly to allow me to understand if they were expecting something different (faster pace, more climbing, more playing, etc.). Any input will be constructive, toward better drives in the future. Thanks to all, and see you soon on a dune.

@Tbone, @Michael sammy,@Colin Jordan, @Mels Wolf and @Javier M One last thing (even though I am sure you know by now). Closest refueling stations: with coffee/tea available - https://goo.gl/maps/ZJqZvsBjzPcSQuAM8 without refreshments - https://goo.gl/maps/tpfp74Pmzv7E5XRL7 See you tomorrow (for some of us tonight) at 5:AM

Dear @Tbone, @Michael sammy,@Colin Jordan, @Mels Wolf and @Javier M find below the convoy numbering for this Saturday's drive: 1. Ale Vallecchi 2. Mels Wolf 3. TBone 4. Michael Sammy 5. Colin Jordan 6. Javier As already mentioned in the drive's announcement, we'll reverse the usual itinerary, and will start with Super Bowl and Iftar Bowl, with the goal to find better sand and cooler temperatures to make the climbs a little easier. Let's just hope that Friday's off-roaders have not left too many marks on these great dunes. In case these major bowls were a bit too marked with previous tracks, we'll have a lot of opportunities to visit other "minor" bowls, as we progress toward the final exit point. In fact, after Iftar Bowl, in the direction of Badayer, there are still quite a few great dune formations which we'll be able to explore, also in the hope of finding less signs of traffic. Please note that the meeting and deflation point is a little deeper into the village of Shabiyat, so keep on going after you leave the Dubai-Hatta Road, until you actually arrive at the marked point. When you do so, please tune into Carnity Channel 1 (466.006). Looking forward to seeing you all on Saturday morning. Enjoy the end of the week.

I used to be a desert wanderer in Northern Africa some years back 😊. That's a far away place. But worth the trip.

That's the Guelb el Richat in Mauritania. It's a meteorite's crater. Been there twice. Can be seen from space. There is a local tribe living on its rim. Windy, dusty, outwardly place.

@Kalahari I think you did very well. You did not show much hesitation at all. Surely, I feel there is always an element of uncertainty when you crest a dune, but it becomes less prominent in your mind as you practice more. The reference of the car in front of you certainly helps a lot, and with time the correct ways to approach, cross and exit a dune crest become more natural. Also, each car requires a certain type of feeling with the driver for her/him to become more secure in completing a criss-cross. So practicing (learning on the fly) is almost unavoidable. The clip you show is very advanced in my opinion, due the height of the dunes, their sharpness/inclination, and the speed (and control) required to sustain such ridge riding and crossing for so long. Of course the courses are thought to provide the opportunity to learn the technique, as you mention. But we can also find the opportunity to post a drive which can be almost entirely dedicated to the subject. That will provide the necessary repetitions that even after taking a tutorial will always be needed to go from theory to practice. You breach a good subject, which I am sure interest many, so stay tuned for something coming soon.

Thanks @Tbone. You comment is well noted. See you Saturday.

Dear Desertnuts (this term is the evolution from Desernauts, reserved for the Intermediate level ) Just a couple of info to tease you Intermediates to consider joining (if you haven't done so yet). We have chosen to test a Saturday morning drive, which we hope will allow some Carnity members who may be taken by Friday's family obligations to enjoy a desert outing without cutting too much into their weekends' commitments. If this works well, we will continue with this kind of offering. Even if you are not joining, please let's hear your feedback on this opportunity, whichever level you are driving at. We'll reverse the usual route out of Badayer, to start closer to the 2 great bowls (Super and Iftar), with the goal of taking advantage of cooler temperatures and firmer sand, to scale and navigate these bowls. Thus we are planning to exit at Badayer (Inshallah); We hope to find a couple more play areas on the way to Badayer, where the terrain will be made to some degree by technical dunes. As usual, more news on the itinerary's route and characteristics will follow in a few days. Thnaks a lot.

No worries. Hope you can make it 👍

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: Intermediate and all above - NO NEWBIES OR FEWBIES ALLOWED. When: 18 July 2020, Saturday. Meeting time: 5.00 AM (SHARP - Without any exceptions) Action Plan: Morning drive to reach Super Bowl / Iftar Bowl and continue to Badayer Meeting Point: - https://maps.app.goo.gl/V97VxikCs2zi6JAE7 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: 9:30 AM End Point: Badayer Shops - https://maps.app.goo.gl/2VAuMgyMoj2Y8G9aA LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE: Limited to 10 cars maximum. RSVP will close on Thursday - 9 AM. 1 Lead Marshal + 1 or 2 Senior Member + 8 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 will be returned back - without ANY EXCEPTIONS. Members without RSVP will be returned back - without ANY EXCEPTIONS. Members that do not confirm the terms of the COVID requirements will be removed from the RSVP list. 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 @Jeepie. You always lead by example, with a mix of calm, abnegation, flair and tireless enthusiasm. Looking forward to many more drives together.

Great job @Wrangeld and much deserved promotion. I remember you finishing a Newbie drive at Badayer, just before I was to begin my first Fewbie drive: you had a giant smile of satisfaction on your face. You have kept that smile on all through every step of this offroading journey, and surely will continue to smile all the way to the top. Congratulazioni!!

@RohanH yes I was pretty amazed. Have to say that perhaps 5/6 Km in total were on the flat, at the beginning and the end. And I planned to avoid all the technical areas (except two, where we got the stucks), to enjoy the open dunes as much as possible. I really tried to test the convoy with as many ridges and crossings as it was safe to do!! But everybody managed perfectly (even the less experienced drivers). I'll look for a more challanging drive next time, but I think most Fewbies are getting in the rythm of things now, and this is making it easier for the leaders. Hope to see you next time.

Thank you @Rinelle Sanaani. You are improving every drive. See you soon. Thanks a lot @Febin Frederic. We had not driven much together, but I trusted you could handle your car, even if at the back, and you certainly did very well. Good job. Thank you @Najeeb Mohammed. You have improved a great deal, and can now take full advantage of the FJ's potential. Well done.

Dear Carnity friends. I am sure all of you have safely reached home and are now enjoying the nice buzz from today’s ride. Thank you very much for taking part in this almost exploratory drive, in a lesser known part of Dubai’s desert. Here are the key words of today’s trip: Punctuality – I reached the meeting point at 4:04PM, and to my surprise I found already 3 drivers working on deflating their tires. With the last driver arriving at 4:25PM, we managed to leave in record time. Discovery – It was my second time in this area, and probably the first time for most of the drivers. We entered it after a short drive along the pylons (to avoid an extremely long came track hidden in the dunes), crossing a small technical area. The focus of the drive were the cordons of long-range dunes which make up most of this area, between Al Lisaili’s camel track and Solar Park. While we did encounter some bushes (which this year seem to resist the summer heat and drought like never before), we managed to drive mostly unhindered by vegetation, on surprisingly firm and hard sand. We also enjoyed great views, saw magnificent sandstone formations, and glimpsed at camels, gazelles and oryxes. Speed – The convoy managed to cover 72.9 Km in 3 hours and 17 minutes, at an average speed of 22 Km/h. So that casual readers may not think that we just drove on flat terrain, I should add that we climbed a total of 531 meters, having started from an altitude of 1 meter, reaching a maximum altitude of 97 meters. So we did quite a bit of ups and downs, with the climbing mostly done to criss-cross the long range dunes, and to ride their ridges. Smoothness – Considering the tricky technical dunes, with soft pockets of sand, at the beginning of the drive, and the novelty of the itinerary, where quite a bit of dune crossing is required, I had expected a few stuck and refusals, and planned accordingly, to reach Solar Park at sundown. Instead, apart for a stuck at the beginning, and one at the end by two unnamed drivers (as we say in Italy, mention the sin not the sinner), we proceeded so smoothly, with nobody experiencing any kind of problems, that after 1 hour of uninterrupted and silent driving I stopped to check that everybody’s radios were still on, and to enjoy a drink of water, which I had been unable to have due to the absolutely riveting drive. So, we ended up reaching Solar Park well before sundown, and decided to proceed through the lower part of Qudra, until we reached the exit point west of Qudra Parking Lot. I’d like to end the report mentioning the convoy order: @Kalahari as a precise and cool Second Lead, @Najeeb Mohammed in third, managing his FJ as well as I have ever seen him, @Chaitanya D following in fourth without batting an eye (commendable considering this was his second drive of the day) @Colin Jordan at Center Forward, whose task of practicing recoveries was denied, @Rinelle Sanaani and @Febin Fredericcompleting the Wrangler contingent, in complete control of their drive, @Mels Wolfsweeping an all too clean convoy, and, last but not least, our new Crew member @Srikumarsavoring his well deserved top rank in a relaxing Flying Sweep position. Thanks to all for another very enjoyable adventure, and see you soon out there.

Thank you @Chaitanya D. Very nice to have had you in the drive. You are now in total control of your new car. Well done. Hope to see you next week.