Ale Vallecchi

Great job Javier. I am very much looking forward to being led by you very soon.

Great job!! Your new nickname truly shows your commitment and determination. You and the other girls are rising fast through the ranks. This shows that off-roading is not just about power and modifications, but just as much about gentle touch and skills. Well deserved. See you soon out there.

Well said and appropriately stressed. I am realizing during these last drives how many over-heating problems there have been, and how easy it is to forget to check the gauges (especially for more junior drivers, while being busy navigating, and perhaps looking at beautiful landscapes). Maintenance and cleanliness of the radiator (and other engine parts) perhaps is not stressed enough, but I find it is something we all should become accustomed to, and practice regularly after each drive. Thanks for the great tips.

Good points @paolo dassi. Tyres do re-inflate as the drive progresses. Especially if some more challanging, taller or steeper dunes, requiring more traction, are to be found toward the end (especially of a morning drive), pressure must be checked, to deflate again if necessary. I usually have the car washed underneath and in the engine bay, to get rid of the sand, every max 3 drives. Mine was just a generic precaution, but as you mentioned, in the summer it will likely help to improve the flow of air through the radiator.

Thanks @Frederic for your tips. As far as over-heating, I guess a lot depends on the car. I understand Jeeps, and perhaps Pajeros may suffer the heat more than other cars. As far as deflating, I believe one may deflate even lower than 12 or 11, depending on the tyres she/he's mounting. Mine are quite high rimmed, and I usually like deflating down to 10, or even 9 PSI. In which case, one must be even more careful with pop-outs. I surely like to drive higher on the dunes, especially for crossing over. I believe that's especially true for long-wheel based cars, which tend to be dragged down by their own weight, when approaching the crest from too far down, and at a sharper angle.

As off-road driving slowly resumes, we find ourselves facing conditions which are increasingly challenging. You all must have noticed refusals and stucks, in places where you would not have had any problems driving through before the lockdown. We all know the culprit: the HEAT!! While in its grasp, the heat is making us rethink how we should drive. What tips should we follow, and what changes should we make to our driving style, during the summer months (especially now, when the curfew is still on, and night-time drives are out of the question)? Hints: tyre pressure speed and momentum angles of approach gauge reading what NOT to do Throw in your opinions, share your experiences, give your tips to more junior drivers.

Thanks @Wrangeld for the report. You always find a way to render a perfect description of the drives, while at the same time giving useful tips and reminders to be considered for future drives. I was happy to see that your Jeep did very well in the heat. See you very soon, out there.

Thanks @sertac. We had not seen each other in a while, and it was good to drive with you again. Your calm transmitted a feeling of security to the whole group, even when Sri upped the challenges to a Newbie + level. Good job, and hope to see you soon again.

Enjoy this star-studded drive!!

Congrats @siddharth maheshwari. You have been driving very well. You deserve this.

Well done @Shiju Manuel

Extremely deserved @Foxtrot Oscar

Girl Power is rising!! Go @Vanessa8580 Go

Good job @Michael sammy. Very much deserved. See you soon out there.

@Najeeb Mohammed if you used 4H-2 that's plenty of power and momentum for that dune. Then it's just a matter of approach. Don't worry, you'll perfect your trajectories with each drive.

@Najeeb Mohammed As you also drive an FJ I can try to offer you my view, as it was watching you from a bit far away. First question is what gear were you driving to go up the dune in the play area? With shifty sand, and a few ruts (you were going 4th or 5th) you probably needed more momentum, using perhaps a lower gear than 4H-4. Did you try a lower gear? Also, as @Emmanuel mentioned on your second attempt, it was important that you approached the ridge where you had problems from a higher point. The FJ has power, but it's still quite long, and if you climb from a low point, the rear will tend to be dragged down on the incline (especially if the momentum is not enough). Your car is lifted (if I remember well) so the issue was not clearance over the ridge. You will have time in the next drives to get more acquainted with each gear you can use in 4H, based on the different terrains and angles (all the way to the lowest 1 gear, very handy in steep climbs of tall dunes, where you need power and control), and see how the car and yourself feel when taking a bit higher approaches. Side sloping is a good time to practice these skills, so try to use these opportunities, while always having the possibility of going down the slope safely, as soon as you feel the gravity is pulling the back of the car, or the momentum is no longer enough.

You did great. Always in control, always ready to react. Even with the big car. Perfect drive✌

Thanks Xaf. I really appreciate your comment. You're too kind. Yes, the FJ is stock. And I did have a problem once with my front right shock, so that's why I try to take it easy, especially on bumpy patches. I figured that before I put some money in the car (and will for sure, at least for the shocks) I ought to learn how to drive it. Plus I enjoy my drives so much that sometimes i prefer to relax and look at the dunes, before attacking them 😊. I guess I like to show them my respect. But as you said, driving styles should be different and yet compatible, so that everybody can learn from each other, as we have together in the last few months. Thanks again, and congrats to you as well. Your love for flying shows also in the desert ✌

Rahim Bhai you are totally right. You should have seen the amount of debris sticking out of the sand at Iftar Bowl and Super Bowl, even weeks after people had been there. Perhaps all we need is to always bring a plastic bag in each car, and collect whatever we find on the way. Unfortunatelly I am sure that even if we went to Iftar Bowl now, in the next couple of weeks garbage would be everywhere, again.

I had a special mount installed. No direct experience with suction mounts, but I have seen most of them hold well enough.

Well done @Anish S. Enjoy the new challenges and opportunities.

Hala Nacho !! Way to go.

Congrats @Matti Brockman. See you soon out there.

Good to see you move up and face new champagne. Well done @Najeeb Mohammed

Bravo @Jolly Abraham !!