Wrangeld

Return Match At Lisali - Lisali 1: Carnity 1 What a difference a week makes ... and finding the entry point that is 1km further up the track where the technical dunes are a little bit less treacherous. @Frederic had found the entry point that cleared the technical dunes in 4 minutes rather than 4 hours and we were all able to enjoy the sweeping dunes and vistas of Lisali, all the way up to Al Qudra where @tjsingh started to have overheating problems and had to be left by the roadside waiting a pick up. Highlights of the day? @J J showing his skills of centre forward, @Nizam Deen woking hard to get his own pop out sorted, @Adam Marston getting through without any issues at all the whole day and @Brette finding out that the chip in the mighty beast is now under control. As second lead I enjoyed a nice relaxing drive following Freddie's excellent (as always) lead - so goo infact we had time for a little Qudra bonus before closing out the drive. See you soon in the sand.

Congratulations @Christian Andras look forward to driving with you some time soon.

Congratulations @Heisem well deserved.

Congratulations @Islam Soliman looking forwrd to the chance to be on one of your drives.

@VipinShetty great news for you. Congratulations and enjoy your new rank.

Same as us ... and that's half the fun. Doing this together makes it 2x as much fun.

Congrats @Biju Abdul

Congrats @Veedooshee this is great news but now you have the same problem as @Jeepie and me ... new car as a reward @Anish S

Congrats @J J great news. Looking forward to you growing more and more in this hobby and you showing us all yourvfull potential.

We love questions and interaction like this. I was actually too far behind to see the stuck as I was sweep, however I did see the recovery. One reason for the tug from @Frederic was the time. We were already losing light so wanted to ger everyone clear before the light faded. I think you raise another important issue. You should try never to be so close that you are committed to go past someone else in the convoy. Yes, you made it past - but that's luck and you might not be so lucky next time. There was a safe place to wait until the way was clear where you would not have been stuck .. as did @Lorenzo Candelpergher and @Jorge Stepniak Felippe On this one, @Anish S was front heavy which is why the light tug worked (even though it was very soft).

@Pancho did you try adding yourself to the drive? I think it's still open. If you cannot, we will add you as an attendee.

We will get you added to that drive. I will also be there.

Good morning @Pancho Due to lack of participation on this drive, with regret we will cancel the drive. If you are able to attend instead, there is space on the drive with @Gaurav as an alternative. Yes, it is in Sharjah and not Dubai, but is a good and challenging area.

Happy to help if i am on your drive. Any senior will also help you out, like they did for me the first time.

@topgear yep. Stem removal is faster, a little riskier perhaps, but it will please the people you drive with no end. As Gaurav says, once you get the hang of it, it's easier and frankly as accurate as anything else. You'll learn just how many seconds you need to deflate to your chosen pressure, and if you overshoot you can always reinflate. BTW I was given a very epxensive set of pressure caps like you showed. Tried using them once and that was enough for me. It takes so long to set up and then if something goes wrong, like you unscrew the wrong piece when removing, you have to set them up again. Now ... 10 seconds per wheel and I am done.

@syed salman raza You can take it anywhere you want - the question then is whether you will be able to take it back without a low ratio gear for recoveries. In carnity while we drive always in 4H, 4L is there for self recovery and to assist the marshals and seniors in helping you self recover. As a drive lead, I am not sure I would feel 100% comfortable with such a heavy vehicle in the convoy knowing that part of the 4x4 system is not working.

Part of the skill with ropes is learning how to avoid that sudden pull ... you're 100% right in saying that it should be avoided on a side slope. If someone is in a nasty pocket, a yank might be the only option, but on a side slope with the risk of roll over ... I am not sure I would do that.

Hi @Chaitanya D I will give this a go and say a few basics, from my perspective. Seniors will corrrect/build on this no doubt. Each recovery is unique. You need to look first at the situation before you can make the decision. Safety is paramount. When you look at a stuck the first thought is not get the car out it is how can we make sure that this problem is resolved safely. Gravity. Let gravity do it's work. If you forward heavy, try to recover forwards, backwards heavy, backwards. Sand build up. On a side slope the risk you face is that sand built up on the wheels is a challenge. You want to be sure that it does not stop the car moving or run the risk of a roll over. Dig or tug #1? T A tug is not always the quickest way out, especially in soft sand - remember, the tugging car needs to build up momentum and not get stuck itself. Having said that a tug may help gravity do its job quicker. Dig or tug #2? If you look at the situation and you feel that moving sand from the wheels will get some movement, that might be the best solution for that moment. Horizontal situation. More challenging because you need to decide to move forward or backwards. The thing you for sure want to avoid is the car rolling over, so you have to be very careful in the decisions around where sand is displaced and why. Bottom line: Great to try and think this through for when you might be faced with the problem, but you really have to treat each situauton as a unique stuck.

Congrats @paolo dassi

@Chaitanya D I am delighted for you with this well deserved promotion. Your continued commitment and contribution to every drive has shone through. Looking forward to driving with you again soon.

My jeep gets cleaned by the garage whenever it goes for a service. Other than that ... never. Having said that, it's a Jeep, so that could be a weekly wash some times 😂 Personally, I am a believer in the theory that the most important bits of the car to clean and maintain are the insides (mechanically). Your car is highly unlikely to suffer from rust here and sand is not as damaging to the vehicle as the salt deposits with which they spray the roads in Europe. As you have an FJ you probably drive with the airco on and windows closed - so the dust inside your car is probably just that and I can imagine you would like to clear it out from time to time. Again, the garage does vacuum the car when it is serviced but frankly a week out in the dunes and they might as well not have bothered. It's a big advantage that the car is not my daily driver. If it was, I would probably be cleaning it every two to three weeks (which sadly and strangely is just about the regularity it's been in the garage recently ...)

Welcome to the COVID 19 "new normal" lifestyle with restrictions and precautions for everyone safety. Moving forward and respecting authorities’ guidance all desert drives will be done under strict control. No Gathering | No Briefing | No BBQ | No Eating Together | No Touching | No Hugging MUST READ: Not following these rules and precautions = Not allowed to drive. We are only allowed to drive through the desert, as we are driving on the road now. So we will only do the desert driving just by sitting inside our cars at all the times and leave the drive without socializing or coming close to each other. Just like before we like to continue our desert drives throughout the year, but this time we need your immense support to understand the strict control and to help everyone follow them all the time. How to maintain "STRICT" Social Distancing Meeting point will be set slightly (300m - 300m) inside the desert track. The meeting point is inside. Everyone should individually deflate your tires on the tarmac before reaching the meeting point so that there are no problems as the meeting pointis further inside than usual. While deflating tires, stop cars 10 meters away from any other car. Drive signup on calendar will be closed on Thursday morning by 9 AM. Convoy numbering and briefing will be posted here on this drive post before 6 PM on Thursday. All participants need to read & acknowledge the briefing by clicking "Totally Agree" reaction Switch on your radio when you reach the meeting point on the set frequency advised by the trip lead in the critical briefing here. Once everyone reach to the meeting point, everyone stay inside the car at all the times. Trip lead will do the roll call, convoy numbering recap, critical briefing over the radio. Any suggestions or issues will be discussed over the radio too. You can also speak to other members through the radio only. So please make sure that your radio battery is fully charged. Once all set, trip lead will start the drive as before. Refusal and Recoveries with Social Distancing Every drive will have 1 lead Marshal and 1 or 2 supporting senior members/crew. Whenever there is a stuck or refusal, only Marshal / Senior Member / Crew is allowed to handle the situation. Everyone else including the stuck car driver, stay inside the car - AT ALL TIMES. Marshal / Senior Member / Crew is only allowed to step out to access the situation and do the recoveries: They will wear mask and gloves at all times when they are outside their car. They will try to help self recover through the radio guidance. If not they will use required recovery gear and do the needful (shovel, tug or winch, as required). If at any time Marshal require help, then only you are allowed to step out by wearing face mask and gloves at all times. Drive completion and inflation Now, there will not be any gathering or sitting down together for food-break like before. Once drive is finished, after reaching the tarmac, everyone is requested to move away 50-100 meters before starting their inflation. For drivers having no compressor, can head to the near by fuel station. If drive is ending at a place where there is no fuel station near by, then trip lead will inform in advance so that drivers having their own compressor can join only. Now Strictly no more sharing of compressors, radio, shovel or any recovery gear, at any times. Mandatory things you require to attend the drive Face mask - at least TWO face mask is needed in case one get damage or fly away. Disposable rubber gloves - at least two sets are needed. Wear face mask and gloves at all the times, when you are out of your car. Carry plenty of hand sanitizer and object sanitizer (spray). Use your sanitizers generously, whenever you step out to help or recover. Sanitize your hands before getting back into your car. Sanitize your recovery gears, if you have used them. Fully charged radio - without any excuse - No radio = No drive. Shovel - Must for every car, to do little self recovery Safety flag - Must for every car, like before Compressor - If joining the drives that is ending far from the fuel station. Mandatory precaution that you need to take at all times Do not step out of your car UNLESS/OTHERWISE advice by Marshal / Senior Member / Crew. No shaking hands, hugs or touching each other. No sharing of food, drinks or recovery tools. If you are not feeling well, please stay at home and take a lot of rest. If you have travel in last 14 days, then please do not attend this drive. If you feel unwell during the drive, please let trip lead know so he can plan an early exit. Not more than 3 pax in a car and if all 3 aren't living together, then they should wear the mask inside the car too. Drive Details Level: Fewbie and above - (No Newbie Allowed) When: 1 Aug 2020, Friday. Meeting time: 5:00 AM (SHARP - Without any exceptions) Action Plan: Morning drive till about 9:00 AM Meeting Point: Al Faya Entrance - https://goo.gl/maps/XeFSKJBCC1UXNCpZA 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. Please also make sure you have all the equipment required on board as a Fewbie. Approximate finish time: 9:00 AM End Point: Depends on convoy response 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 COPRESSOR YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO JOIN THE DRIVE. LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE: Limited to 12 cars maximum. RSVP will close on Thursday - 9 AM. 1 Lead Marshal + 2 or 1 Senior Members + 10 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

@Lorenzo Candelpergher you deserve congratulations for how you handled a very challenging 2nd lead ... which was ably demonstrated in drive #2 because i could see just how easily you handled anything tecnical. A super long day before your vacation but well spent. See you on your return.