Wrangeld

The action plan on Thursday is as follows - we will scale some peaks and swoop our way through the Sweihan ranges of dunes. If you are thinking of bringing passengers, make sure they have strong stomachs, Sweihan can be like a roller coaster ride as the bowls are deep and long. Unusually for me I will be trying to stay clear of the technical dunes because I like the idea of scaling the heights and descending some of the vertignous slip faces that form a part of these ranges. 

I have learned, however, that planning a drive in Sweihan is often a fool's errand. It seems however well we plan, the plan goes awry. 

See you Thursday in the sand. 

10 hours ago, Islam Soliman said:

That is a great one @Gaurav.. and what is better than giving the team a challenge to recover a 3 tons black beast from a one meter hole! Tempting ha😜

I presume you are referring to @Alex Raptor 3 ton beast and not yours?

9 hours ago, Thomas Varghese said:

I wish @Wrangeld will get the opportunity to teach you the famous blip blip, left right, forward reverse technique too. Its a very effective technique in self recovering from most stuck situations. He dedicated almost half an hour or more to teach me in a very horrendous situation and I'm really thankful to him for that. Its become standard operating procedure for me when stuck and have saved me so many times. The drawback is you will need a massager to get both your arms into workable condition.   

Kind of you to give some credit to me for the blip blip method, however, this is a technique all the marshals will employ when needed - I am sure that if needed @Srikumar will employ the technique if the situation requires. 

What is good to see @Thomas Varghese is that you internalised the experience and can use it to the full. While there were drivers on that drive getting impatient for us to use a rope or wished that the process took less time, the best learning that any driver can get is to learn how to drive their car out of trouble (possibly with assistance digging). Driving away from the challenge is what all marshals aim to assist the whole convoy in acheiveing. 

10 minutes ago, Thomas Varghese said:

i have a confirmed drive with @Ale Vallecchi on Saturday morning. Other than that its only W/L

YES IF I'M CONFIRMED I WOULD LOVE TO JOIN. I HAVE W/L FOR @Srikumar drive too same day. 1 of it is fine with me 

Hi @Thomas Varghese thanks for the clarification. I am pleased firstly to know you have a confirmed drive over the weekend. As you know, the priority is to make sure that everyone has at least one drive. Once the drives open up again for second drives, we can look again. 

I think you have seen that I have a single driver waitlisted for 1st drive, and as you have also quite rightly said, Srikumar currently has space on his drive. Experience tells me that the spaces on that will fill up (unfortunately) as the AD drivers tend to be a little more relaxed at 7pm on a Sunday and sign in later. But let's see where we are at the end of the week. 

@Thomas Varghese can you confirm that you have a confirmed place on a drive this weekend (first drive)? I cannot keep pace with where people are or not listed. Do I understand that if we open for 2nd drives, you would like to join this as a 2nd drive? 

20 minutes ago, John Vanderbleek said:

Please include me on this drive!

@John Vanderbleek you are added. 

@Serafino you're now at the top of the waitlist. High likelihood you will be driving on Thursday. Please remain patient. Adding one car to the convoy is usually very doable. 

@John Vanderbleek we have another drop out from the drive. If you still want to be included, please confirm and I will add you. 

If not, there is space for @Serafino

1 hour ago, Serafino said:

@Wrangeld & @Thomas Varghese I'm a bit confused here.

don't understand the reason of removing me from the ride?

when i checked the event there was open space and i selected going?

 

Hi @Serafino when the drive opened, more than 10 wanted to sign in. Because the drive was full a wait list was also created (please see comments above). 

The 'space' you saw was the 10 minutes or so after Niki removed his name and I could replace it with Chris, who was first in wait list. 

When Gregory left, ShereenMK who was next was promoted to the next spot. 

You would have been #4 in the list of preference had you followed the Carnity process (and added your name to WL). You are now #2. 

During the week, depending on how many first drive are in WL myself and @Alex Raptor will decide if we extend the convoy so everyone gets a drive. 

@ShereenMK your are now on the drive since Gregory has dropped out. Kindly confirm attendance ASAP. 

15 minutes ago, Thomas Varghese said:

I put the comment here as I felt @Serafino is relatively new to the club and I didn't want him to show up on your drive early in the morning believing he is on the drive and creating a headache for you. When we are removed from a drive I think we don't get a notification. Plus as its now little chance to get on your drive I didn't want him to lose the chance to drive either, so I pointed out @Srikumar's drive. Forgot to mention that there is a spot on @Ale Vallecchi's drive too and almost same region. There are spots in @Gaurav's drive too in pink rock area which may be far for @Serafino. 

very good of you @Thomas Varghese to point these things out. The notifications will work when the driver is tagged and they have set up their profile to alert them by email when their name is mentioned. It's quite right to say Thomas that there are a lot of people that don't check in until later in the week and it would have been a long drive for @Serafino to arrive in Sweihan and find the drive was full. 

Thanks also Thomas for identifying for your club member where the spaces are in the drive roster. We try our best to make sure that every driver gets at least one drive a weekend. In the back ground this is being checked and where we see a driver is missing out the leads will try our best to accommodate so that everyone gets at least one drive - in fact, that is exactly what led to the process of drivers waiting till later in the week to get their second drive. 

3 minutes ago, Thomas Varghese said:

@Serafino you need to wait until all the WL candidates get a spot on this drive or you can join the newbie drive of @Srikumar which has spots open. Kindly do as you wish. 

Thanks for reminding on this @Thomas Varghese.

@Serafino I removed you from the drive because @Christopher Assal was first in the waitlist. 

The policy in the club is that if the drive is full you add yourself as waitlist. Top of the waitlist is the first person posting here. If, as happened today, a place opens up because someone drops out, the WL get the place before anyone else. As drive leads we cannot sit on the site the whole day watching and waiting in case someone has a change in plans and it is a much fairer way of managing the availability. 

As @Thomas Varghese also mentioned, there are places on the drive with @Srikumar. If this is your first Sweihan experience, I can assure you, the level will be more than sufficient. 

25 minutes ago, Niki said:

I sadly have to drop @Wrangeld however promise it’s not a forgotten anniversary/birthday .. have the privilege to support Srikumar.  Have a wonderful drive  

Hi @Niki our loss is @Srikumar gain. 

@Christopher Assal you've just been added to the drive list. 

@Christopher Assal #1 

@ShereenMK #2

@John Vanderbleek #3

Can I understand @Thomas Varghese if you asked for W/L for first or second drive? If it's 1st drive, you are #1, if not, you will be W/L after all the frist drive W/L drivers.  

@Johannes Roux congrats - now you see, all that soft sand was just the prelude to ... more soft sand with a more challenging drive

Well done @Davie Chase you drove superbly yesterday. Totally deserved and looking forward to watch you climb the ranks. 

• munkybizness @munkybizness
• Josh T. @Josh T.
• Alain Canivet-Abikhalil @Alain Canivet-Abikhalil
• Zixuan Huang - Charlie @Zixuan Huang - Charlie
• Alexander Holodny @Alexander Holodny
• Niki @Niki
• Pacific @Pacific
• Ben84 @Ben84
• Gregory @Gregory
• Daniel Rodas @Daniel Rodas

W/L @Thomas Varghese

Looking forward to starting off the holiday weekend with all of you. Sweihan on Thursday will be a blast. 

As you can see, we have a waitlist starting - so if by chance your plans change ( like you are reminded that it's your anniversary, or you're working) step out early to make way for our W/L. 

See you soon in the sand.  

7 minutes ago, Thomas Varghese said:

Please wl me

Done

23 minutes ago, Niki said:

@Felix Obst I have had my heart broken more times that I want to admit due to car envy from my kids!! your Jeeps and @Alex Raptor Raptor are the main culprit .... you both are spoilt with Lego, scale models, toy cars .... I have resorted to Rebrickable (see below) who are a great for us 'less desirable' car owners!  Saying that the kid is still expecting a Raptor Lego set for xMas (i am looking forward to disappointing him!)

https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-78963/marcoe14/toyota-fj-cruiser-premium-edition/#details

 

@Niki you have nothing about which to worry. At least brickable thinks your car worthy of a model. Unless you are driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo, there's NOTHING - 

1 minute ago, Felix Obst said:

Hi @Alex Raptor,

took me my entire morning to make an Alex Raptor out of an obviously boring Lego Standard SUV...you have at least two new supporters since Saturday!

Have a good start into the week...

This is amazing Felix - and don't worry. All of us have the same problem that our kids like @Alex Raptor's ride more than our own ( @Niki).

17 minutes ago, Davie Chase said:

@Wrangeld @Alex Raptor great drive at the weekend, as always learned so much from you guys and the other team members. Can not wait for the next technical drive with you guys it was extremely challenging, fun and enjoyable, with an amazing group of folks. I think it was Richard that emphasized in the pre drive briefing about the community element of Carnity. This is really starting to come to the for now as we slowly get to go out on drives with the same folks and start to build those relationships. Fantastic club to be a part of.

Some Pics attached 

See you all in the Sand soon

Davie

 

@Davie Chase these are the sort of comments that really make it such a great experience for the likes of myself and @Alex Raptor to get up early in the morning and come out and drive with club members. 

It's a community built on mutual respect and support - and our objective is truly to help as many people as have this bug to find a way to enjoy it safely. 

I guess the bit that I did not stress but which is still important is that as a club we are also about using stock cars - which is unusual in the 4x4 world. 

The photos are great - if you can pop them in the gallery next time it makes it easier on the server

Drive Brief
Sweihan is the most impactful introduction to the intoxicating beauty of Abu Dhabi dune driving. Red sand, swooping high dunes impossible crests and long, long slip faces. 

We will start at 6:00am roam around the place for quite a while, enjoying the long ranging and yet everything but easy dunes in the area and the beautiful views from an elevated position across the expanse of what Sweihan has to offer.

Dubai drivers - it's a long weekend and this is the chance to enjoy without time pressure of the weekend with the family. If you have never ventured out of the safety of Dubai, it's worth the drive to experience the wonders of Sweihan.

General Info

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
• Mandatory Safety Requirements
• Ban from Carnity Off-road Club
• Two Way Radio Guidelines

Drive Details

Level:  Fewbie and above (All Levels)

When:  21 Oct 2021, Thursday

Meeting time: 6:00 AM (SHARP - Without any exceptions)

Meeting Point: https://goo.gl/maps/tMd79DoKuCxe3HBWA

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, willingness to learn and your own compressor for tire inflation.

Approximate finish time: 10:00 AM

End Point: 

Limited Spots Available:

• Limited to 10 cars only. 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 EVENT 

Post Drive Report

Guys - it was immense. You handled every challenge carefully, patiently and skillfully. We even made it back on time and in the end, actually travelled quite a few KM. A pop out, using the rope, winching, digging - it was all there. I think that all your comments say enough about the drive and what you learned: after all that was the objective. 

I'll be more than happy to take this group out again any time and continue to hone these skills if my wingman @Alex Raptor is free. More importantly, as he continues his development in the direction of leading drives and becoming one of our senior members, it will be my pleasure to be the support on his drives. 

Hoping that this has started the technical bug inside a few of you. The techno lovers group is slowly but surely growing in our club, which in turn is improving the capabilities of our drivers. 

See you soon in the sand. 

7 hours ago, Salim Akhtar said:

Hi @Wrangeld,

I have opted in for the drive just today. Pls let me know if I can still join.

Thanks

You can if you confirm by 6 am tomorrow

1 hour ago, Raman_Dbx said:

Opting out due to Friday winter drive as it might end late. Was really looking forward to learning from @Wrangeld. Next time.

I am doing winter drive too, Raman!

• Davie Chase @Davie Chase
• Raman_Dbx @Raman_Dbx
• salah2u @salah2u
• Vaibhav @Vaibhav
• Alexanderrr @Alexanderrr
• Shyam Menon @Shyam Menon
• JAISROCK @JAISROCK
• Felix Obst @Felix Obst
• Hitham mohamed @Hitham mohamed
• qaiser ijaz @qaiser ijaz
• Johannes Roux @Johannes Roux

The weekend draws inexorably closer and with it the chance for excitement on this special Saturday drive to hone your technical skills in the dunes of Qudra. 

With a convoy of 11 plus the excellent support of @GauravSoni and @Alex Raptor it's a long convoy, so we will play around a bit with numbering and challenges so that those at the back are not always the ones fighting the soft sand and tough conditions. 

Bring your A game to the desert, however. As I said before, technical is a challenge that can overwhelm - and we don't want that - because once you're in a technical area, there's no magic wand we can use to magically get your car out of the dunes. But you all knew that before you signed up for this. 

@GauravSoni jokes that he is bringing lunch and dinner with him: if you have plans for Saturday that are essential and you cannot be late, while we will try to get out by 10am, on this type of drive there is a high likelihood that we finish late. 

See you soon in the sand.