Ale Vallecchi

Wow @DP1011, grazie mille, anche per l'Italiano 👏👏👏

Dear Desertnauts, as if I didn't have enough business trips (which have lately taken a little away from my off-roading), I have just finished preparing for another trip, this time for pleasure, which will bring me away from Dubai for the next 10 days. It's going to be a bit of a trip down memory lane, like the long overland adventures I used to enjoy, once or twice a year, while taking groups of travelers, mostly to North Africa's Sahara. This one is going to be an exploration drive to Saudi Arabia, from Dubai to Tabuk, via many hopefully amazing sites, and back. I have just finished to load up the FJ, which I have decided not to equip with a roof rack, or any other loading and storage gimmick, in the spirit of keeping the car as stock as possible and manage its cargo accordingly. The boot is organized with two layers of 2 boxes each, with a row of stripped-down recovery tools crammed at the back of the booth, secured against the backseats (shovel, kinetic rope and soft shackles, hard wood board, hydraulic jack, a mixed toolbox, and the compressor). The boxes contain the dry food pantry, cooking equipment, mixed items (mostly kitchen tools, and an ice chiller. Between the two rows of boxes there has remained enough space to put the tent and 2 foldable chairs. The suitcases (soft bags, stuffed inside a loose and large outer cover accommodating also an inflatable air mattress, toilet paper, a spray bottle, and a pillow) will be placed on the back seat, separated by a small ice box containing some munchies for the trip. The space between the front and back seats is packed with a picnic table, and a supply of water. I have planned not to take any extra gasoline, since it'll be possible to find gas stations quite regularly along the planned route. The availability of gas stations will also allow to manage the water supply, which will be limited to 8 lt. per person every 2 days (4 lt. each day, sufficient for drinking and cooking). Washing will be done by spraying any unused fresh water, but mostly with wet towels. Of course, in case of purely off-road long trips, an adequate supply of water (no less than 3lt/person/day) and gasoline (for an extra autonomy of at least 5/600 km) would have forced me to mount a roof rack to carry these critical goods. While looking to minimize the upgrades to the car, I have also chosen not to bring an electrically charged chiller and no extra battery pack. Charging of phone, PC, lamps, or air pumps will be done with a converter (700 W capacity) charged through the car's lighter (with the option to accommodate 4 USB's and a regular socket). To complete the preparations, travelers to Saudi need to get a Tourist Certificate from RTA (provided upon presentation of a Carnet de Passage from Emirates Motorsport Organization), a visa (1-year validity, multi entry), and a car insurance, obtainable at customs. So, now that all is ready, I'll update you on the trip one day at the time, with a few notes on the areas visited, a picture of the day, and the track completed each day. Looking forward to showing you what I find, with the goal, eventually, to organize an overland sometimes next winter. Let the adventure begin!

Dear Carnity Family, in particular the Seniors - @Gaurav@Srikumarand @Frederic- I am honored by this unexpected, yet very gratifying promotion. I have enjoyed learning from each of the members with whom I have driven throughout my years with the Club. Every drive has given me something, and has pushed me to always improve, and thinking about different and new approaches. I count to always come up with new ideas, and most of all, to enjoy every moment in the sand with this wonderful group of friends. Thanks to all for your support.

Good morning @Looper, good morning @Kailas. I just reached the meeting point, but the check engine light came on (again, after just picking up the car from the garage!!). I will turn around, to be on the safe side. Enjoy the drive, and the great, cool, foggy day. Sorry to have to miss this.

Here us what the entry to the meeting point looks like.

Dear @babaski I have just posted the right coordinates. Thanks Dear @nairanoopc, you can find the correct meeting point's coordinates in the drive post and below. Make sure you use those. Thanks.

Dear @Sammy Six @nairanoopc @Patrick @Pavel Pashkovskiy @sohinik @Senthil Kumar @Maheshwar @Klaus Pedersen @babaski @Sami Sleiman @Arsalan Ehsan @Zulfikhar Naiyar This is the correct meeting point: Dropped pin https://maps.app.goo.gl/dfHCX2RNXkDK7SH19 See you there. Thanks a lot. Dear @Arsalan Ehsan thanks for advising. Please let me know as soon as you can.

Dear Desertnauts. let's get ready for tomorrow's PM drive. MEETING POINT - you will reach the dirt track where we'll meet and deflate, just off the tarmac road leading from Qudra's gas station to the Bab al Shams Resort. Coming from Qudra, you will pass a couple of roundabouts on the way, and once arrived at roundabout #3 (there will be a mosque just off of it) you will briefly take the road back to Qudra, before exiting on the first available opening on the right of the road. Cross the bike track, and head to the dirt track past an open gate (the one on the right), and down it until the meeting point. DRIVING PLAN - around 2 and 1/2 hours of relaxed driving across Qudra's southern quadrant, searching for gazelles, possibly oryx, through low range dunes first, a couple of tighter "technical" areas then, and finally on taller long-range dunes, some flanked by dry mud-rock formations, until we'll reach the place where we'll have a short Yoga session by a natural desert lake, around sunset time. We'll bring tea and coffee, to enjoy with some dates, to relax after the Yoga. The exit road will be very close to the place where we'll practice Yoga, so it will not be a problem even if dusk will already have set in. THE YOGA PRACTICE - Our teacher, Paola Fantinato (https://instagram.com/paola_sadhaka_pi?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=) is one of Dubai's trained and certified top professionals, with more than 5,000 hours of coaching experience. She will guide a relaxed practice to celebrate the sunset, tailored for every level, which anybody will be able to follow according to their own individual experience (or lack of it 😁). BRING A YOGA MAT, OR TOWEL, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A MAT, to use for the practice. Wear loose clothes, and a smile on your face !! CONVOY ORDER - as follows: @Sammy Six at Second Lead @nairanoopc at #3 @Patrick at #4 @Pavel Pashkovskiy at #5 @sohinik at #6 @Senthil Kumar at the Center of the convoy @Maheshwar at #8 @Klaus Pedersen at #9 @babaski #10 @Sami Sleiman at #11 @Arsalan Ehsan at #12 @Zulfikhar Naiyar in Sweep. RADIO CHANNEL - It will be chosen tomorrow just before the drive. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR OWN RADIO FULLY CHARGED. Looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow afternoon at 3PM (or a bit earlier to allow for a timely departure). FAMILY AND FRIENDS ARE WELCOME

We request every member that joins this drive to go through the below information and strictly follow these guidelines, etiquettes and responsibilities. MUST READ AND COMPLY Offroad Flag Guideline Two Way Radio Guideline Off road Driving Etiquette's Emergency details for all off-roaders Off Road Driving - Roles & Responsibilities DRIVE DETAILS Level: Newbie and above When: 25 March 2023, Saturday Meeting time: 3:00 PM - Sharp (Without any exceptions) Meeting Point: Dropped pin https://maps.app.goo.gl/dfHCX2RNXkDK7SH19 Action Plan: A relaxing, smoothly flowing drive, set to discovering the natural beauties of the Al Marmoon Presevation Area, capped by a few minutes of yoga, conducted by one of Dubai's top wellness professionals. The Yoga practice will be a Newbie level one, so easy and relaxing. Bring your families if you wish. Approximate finish time: 6:30 PM 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, enthusiasm and willingness to learn. Mandatory off-road gears: Tire deflator, tire pressure gauge, compressor, walkie-talkie radio, off-road flag, shovel, first-aid kit and fire extinguisher. LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE This drive is limited to 12 cars only. RSVP will close on Thursday - 8 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 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 BELOW CALENDAR

Dear Desertnauts a quick run-down of tomorrow's weekend opening drive. As the title informs, it'll take place all over Lisaili, starting from the camel track to Solar Park and back. The title also hints at a hopefully smooth ride, where, if all goes well, silence will be the noise we'll hear, like in a meditative state, rapt by the beauty of this area of desert. We are planning to keep the drive fast, and under 3 hours. The convoy order will be the following: @Ignacio Quindós in Second Lead @Stumpy Paj at #3 @Krishna R at #4 @Bjoern at #5 @Gok Krish at the Center position @Mahmoud Taha at #7 @Tareq Al Turq at #8 @Jona at #9 @Joseph Raju #10, and @munkybizness in Sweep. We'll pick the Carnity radio channel before leaving. Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow. Have a nice evening.

Dear @fareed khuraishi, thanks for joining the drive. However, this is a Fewbie Plus ranked drive. I will have to drop you from the drive, and hope you can join another one for the weekend. Sorry for the inconvenience, and hope to see you another time.

We request every member that joins this drive to go through the below information and strictly follow these guidelines, etiquettes and responsibilities. MUST READ AND COMPLY Offroad Flag Guideline Two Way Radio Guideline Off road Driving Etiquette's Emergency details for all off-roaders Off Road Driving - Roles & Responsibilities DRIVE DETAILS Level: Fewbie Plus and above When: 17 March 2023, Friday Meeting time: 3:00 PM - Sharp (Without any exceptions) Meeting Point: Dropped pin https://maps.app.goo.gl/qnGuriMnyPSReqAeA Action Plan: A free spirited, round trip, fast drive, from one end of Lisaili to the other and back. Not much else to say. Mostly open long-range dunes, but if the convoy proves to be a strong one, we may take a couple of dips into technical areas (and, as you all should know, there are plenty of little forgiving tight dunes in Lisaili). Approximate finish time: 6:00 PM 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, enthusiasm and willingness to learn. Mandatory off-road gears: Tire deflator, tire pressure gauge, compressor, walkie-talkie radio, off-road flag, shovel, first-aid kit and fire extinguisher. LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE This drive is limited to 10 cars only. RSVP will close on Thursday - 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 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 CALENDAR

@Mark B I am not sure if you are able.to join the drive, but if so, I look forward to seeing you.

Dear Desertnauts a quick heads-up about tomorrow's drive. The main theme of the drive is distance, and the main skill we'll look to be using is speed (within the limits required by safety). We'll have to take the skills expected of Fewbie drivers for granted, which will require everyone's concentration, and a bit of stamina. The meeting point is set just past the Innovation Center (aka the Glass Spyre) at Solar Park. Start deflating as soon as you reach it, with a full tank, please. The convoy order will be the following: @Abdul Basit Khan in Second Lead @Thejas Uthran at #3 @Stan at #4 @Frans M #5 @Amr Aydin at the Center position @premindra rajaram at #7 @Pranjal Varsani1 at #8 @Bashar Beasha at #9 @Ahmad Nerat at #10, and @Ron.P in the Sweep position. The Carnity radio channel for tomorrow will be #2 (446.031). Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow. Have a great evening

Join the dots...

Dear Desertnauts Find below the meeting point: Murqquab https://maps.app.goo.gl/rzMxpZxUBE7PeHZD6

Dear Desertnauts Quick facts about tomorrow's surprise drive. Meeting point will be updated at 9:00 AM. Please look for it here. We'll line up as follows: @Jessica Lambert in Second Lead @Stumpy Paj at #3 @Bravoecho at #4 @Anoop Nair in the Center @Pranjal Varsani1 at #6 @Zubair at #7 @Krishna R at #8, and @Pacific in Sweep. Please reach the meeting point a little before the scheduled time. We'll pick the radio channel on the spot. Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow. Have a nice evening.

We request every member that joins this drive to go through the below information and strictly follow these guidelines, etiquettes and responsibilities. MUST READ AND COMPLY Offroad Flag Guideline Two Way Radio Guideline Off road Driving Etiquette's Emergency details for all off-roaders Off Road Driving - Roles & Responsibilities DRIVE DETAILS Level: Fewbie and above When: 8 March 2023, Wednesday Meeting time: 3:30 PM - Sharp (Without any exceptions) Meeting Point: Murqquab https://maps.app.goo.gl/rzMxpZxUBE7PeHZD6 Action Plan: A last minute, surprise desert drive, with a 2-hour time cap, in an area within Dubai's emirate, where we'll be looking for a relatively new track. There will be a mix of faster and technical driving, with an exit point in mind that, if all goes well, we may extend further. Perfect for a mid-week break on the sand. Approximate finish time: 06:00 PM 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, enthusiasm and willingness to learn. Mandatory off-road gears: Tire deflator, tire pressure gauge, compressor, walkie-talkie radio, off-road flag, shovel, first-aid kit and fire extinguisher. LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE This drive is limited to 8 cars only. RSVP will close on Wednesday - 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 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 CALENDAR

We request every member that joins this drive to go through the below information and strictly follow these guidelines, etiquettes and responsibilities. MUST READ AND COMPLY Offroad Flag Guideline Two Way Radio Guideline Off road Driving Etiquette's Emergency details for all off-roaders Off Road Driving - Roles & Responsibilities DRIVE DETAILS Level: Fewbie and above When: 11 March 2023, Saturday Meeting time: 8:00 AM - Sharp (Without any exceptions) Meeting Point: Dropped pin https://maps.app.goo.gl/jffNNv6qw62ikT6Z6 Action Plan: There have already been several drives dedicated to celebrating the legend of the Long Range Desert Patrols, an elite group of British military scouts famous for finding enemy tracks, and exploring new friendly routes, in the deserts between Egypt and Lybia. As part of their skill set, they were required to cover a lot of ground, in a silent and speedy manner, to reach different enemy and friendly positions, and report of their conditions. With Carnity these celebratory drives have been done at Fewbie Plus and above level. I have confidence that we can also manage at Fewbie level, perhaps with a few adjustments of the route, but with no less speed, stealth, and most of all satisfaction. We should go from Solar Park to Faqa, connecting a variety of terrains, with various degrees of difficulty. Approximate finish time: 12:00 PM 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, enthusiasm and willingness to learn. Mandatory off-road gears: Tire deflator, tire pressure gauge, compressor, walkie-talkie radio, off-road flag, shovel, first-aid kit and fire extinguisher. LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE This drive is limited to 12 cars only. RSVP will close on Thursday - 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 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 BELOW CALENDAR

No worries @Nicholas Cox1. We'll wait

Dear Desertnauts as promised, find below tomorrow's convoy order: @PETELCZYC PAJERO - luke in Second Lead @FERNANDO SYRIO at #3 @Ale at #4 @Maheshwar C.S. #5 @Sammy Six #6 @Theo09 at #7 @Simon D at Center Forward @essam ibrahim at #9 @Misha Puskar #10 @DEEPAK ESWAR at #11 @Ahmad Quadri at #12 @Hashem Rihan #13 @Sebb at #14, and @DP1011 , Deepak wrangler in Sweep. The Carnity Radio Channel will be #3 (446.056). Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow morning at 8:00 AM (please reach a little earlier so we may depart timely).