Lorenzo Candelpergher

DRIVE REPORT Dear Desert Wanderers, Today's drive was called "The 1km ascent quest": the whole purpose of the drive was in fact to climb as frequently and as high as possible for the whole 4h of the drive with the aim of scoring the highest possible total ascent, ie the total cumulated altitude gain/loss during the drive and to exceed the ideal threshold of 1000m both ways, ie up and down. For this reason the drive was planned to move from one area of big dunes to the next one and to perform, in each area, at least 4 to 5 climbs from various sides to reach the highest elevation in the smoothest way, so that even a 14 cars convoy could make it to the top and so that, for every group of tall dunes, at least 100-150m ascent could be built up. This plan resulted in an incredibly fun, mentally and physically demanding and totally exciting drive where we literally climbed whatever could be climbed in every way possible, making it most of the time to the highest peak, pumping adrenaline for 4 hours in a raw and generating one burst after another of endorphins as we fought our way up and and dopamine as we conquered the very top with amazing views all around. If your hormones were asleep, they certainly woke up today 😂😂😂.. We started quite on time at 5:06am, in the twilight before the sunrise. After a first few minutes to warm up out tires and wake up completely, we tackled straight the big dunes at Area 53, from the north west side. A couple of refusals immediately showed that this wasn't going to be a relaxed and easy drive. After we climbed Area 53 from 3 sides, everyone had tuned to the right mindset for the drive and the fun really began. We moved progressively through 8 different areas of big dunes and every time, no matter what, we made it to the top from all sides. It was really impressive how the convoy handled the big challenges that this type of drive put in front of the drivers. Yes, we had refusals, but very few, and even less stucks, all quickly recovered, except for a nasty one with @Abu Muhammad who had to be winched out from a nasty crest. Area 53 and Al Badayer are always very busy but today we met very few convoys: this is one of the few perks of driving in the hot season (possibly the only one..😅). Nevertheless we had often to fight against churned up sand with multiple tracks from the days before, even though the strong wind of today had done a very good job at polishing most of the dunes, especially on the south west side of the track. @Javier Lucero had a very hard time as my 2nd lead but did extremely well, as today's drive was definitely a step up for him. Even if occasionally his momentum was lost, he always knew when to stop safely while I was making an attempt or having a self-recovery. Well done! @Gok Krish followed with great concentration and an excellent performance as a fairly new Intermediate driver. Today's drive for sure boosted his confidence through the roof. @Mario Cornejo finally found a terrain worth challenging his legendary car. Great performance with a few refusals and a spectacular crested stuck at the very top of Suhail dune, if I'm not wrong. The yellow Jeep Wrangler of @Goutam was never idle today and was very prompt to give it a 2nd attempt whenever the 1st one didn't go through. Today we have several interesting bowls to run around and I could definitely see him flooring the throttle to climb as high as possible to enjoy every full bowl. @Alexander Alcala, with his super upgraded Jeep Wrangler certainly found today the fun he was hoping for when he asked to join the drive, but was also a precious center forward helping the middle part of the convoy to get out of trouble and even towing me down from a crest where I had remained stuck. I couldn't see much of what happened behind but I know for sure that everyone did great. We had a couple of situations with a split convoy, which is a frequent risk in these long and high climbs when someone in the middle has a stuck or a refusal, if those in front are not prompt enough to stop. Too many tracks around make it impossible to understand where the car in front may have gone.. so convoys end up cut in two. Great job by @Rizwanm2 (more and more brave), @varunmehndiratta (I think you could do even better if you deflated more), @Ahab Shamaa (survived to yesterday's Extreme: which of the two was better?), @Shaaz Sha (glad to see your leak was sorted out or that the tape still did its work and great Center Forward today + same question as Ahab). Kudos also to the "big boys" at the back: @Dodi Syahdar (who was craving for a midweek drive while still inflating after today's), @Shehab Alawadhi (who finally completed a full drive in Area 53) and @Abu Muhammad who had the toughest task of all with his beast at the back. Last but not least, our great Sweep @Hisham Masaad, newly promoted (with @Shaaz Sha) to the Advisors Group, who did an awesome job at the back taking good care of the last part of the convoy. As time went by we started to see a few more refusals (after all it isn't easy to endure these levels of drive intensity for so long), but not a single time we had to reroute because of someone struggling. A few minutes before 9am, @Hisham Masaad announced he had lost his power steering, so we planned a our exit a few minutes earlier (we would have probably done just 15-20 mins later as our time was in any case almost over), so we headed straight towards Iftaar Bowl, which was surprisingly empty but, most notably, we climbed from the west side straight up to the top back to back one car after the other with zero hesitations: after all what we had gone trhough, Iftaar Bowl was literally a piece of cake for everyone, including @Hisham MasaadMasaad, who climbed it to the top even without power steering... We then completed the drive with a couple more climbs (we got addicted) and exited in Tawi Ghadaya by 9:15am. We drove 65.9km at an average moving speed of 19km/h. To come up with a proper analysis of our ascent / descent I had to process the track data on line with proper tools and I am glad to say we overshot our target by more than 50% as we hit almost 1600m ascent/descent (with an average climbing speed of 29km/h)!!! Congratulations to everyone for a fantastic team performance and thanks to the Seniors who supported it. See you soon in the sand again!

Dear Desert Wanderers, Please find below the convoy order for our drive: @Javier Lucero, @Gok Krish, @Mario Cornejo, @Goutam, @Alexander Alcala, @Rizwanm2, @varunmehndiratta, @Ahab Shamaa, @Wrangeld, @Shaaz Sha, @Dodi Syahdar, @Shehab Alawadhi, @Abu Muhammad, @Hisham Masaad, this drive is going to be very demanding from a technical point of view, both mentally for the drivers and mechanically for the cars. It will require your full and undivided concentration at every step, especially when we will reach elevated positions on steep slopes, so make sure you come well rested and hydrated and that and you don’t have any reason for being distracted. Also, please consider carefully if you wish to bring passengers along with you. We will be using Carnity Channel 4 (446.08125Mhz). The meeting point is confirmed as per original drive post: Al Badayer Exit - E44 Dubai - Hatta Road - https://goo.gl/maps/JkhE9hDwve8mkkU99 See you tomorrow morning, ready to go (i.e. already caffeinated, deflated, flagged and briefed) by no later 5:00am (sharp), so make sure you make it to the meeting point at least by 4:45am.

Dear Desert Wanderers, We are going to have a single convoy tomorrow, all waitlisted are confirmed. I will be posting the convoy order later tonight, so please stay tuned. Meeting point is confirmed as per drive post: https://goo.gl/maps/JkhE9hDwve8mkkU99 Drive start time will be at 5am, so be there no later than 4:45am. Please be punctual! Convoy order later!

Sorry to hear the news @Jorge Stepniak Felippe. I had the same issue with my son, luckily despite the positive case at school, he was OK. I wish your daughter and family can be equally fine and out soon again.

Congratulations @M.Seidam, Well deserved promotion. Always willing to lend a hand and to seek and give advice in a humble and positive way, you are certainly a great addition to the Advisors Group.

Congratulations @Shaaz Sha, A very well deserved promotion that rewards your great positive attitude and your constant willingness to help. I won't forget our night drive at Pink Rock / Big Red where you were literally running on foot on the sand to help. Also glad to have you with me in your first Advisor Drive tomorrow morning, even it this one will be more a treat than a support effort, I hope!

Dear Desert Wanderers, this RSVP is now closed. Please find below the convoy order for our drive: @Jorge Stepniak Felippe, @Ahab Shamaa@Shaaz Sha, @Francois Germishuys, this drive is going to be very demanding from a technical point of view, more mentally for the drivers than mechanically for the cars: we will drive across a variety of terrains, at constantly high pace, often going through technically challenging passages. It will require your full and undivided concentration at every step, so make sure you come well rested and hydrated and that and you don’t have any reason for being distracted. Also, Extreme Drives are meant to be no-passengers ones. We will be using Carnity Channel 4 (446.08125Mhz). The meeting point is confirmed at Maleha Roundabout - https://goo.gl/maps/5KQtn9NpsBLDEjCk9 See you tomorrow morning, ready to go (i.e. already caffeinated, deflated, flagged and briefed) by no later 5:00am (sharp), so make sure you make it to the meeting point at least by 4:45am.

Dear Desert Wanderers, Thanks to the generous availability of @Islam Soliman we are considering the possibility, given the long waitlist, to split the drive in two convoys. I would appreciate if all those who requested to be waitlisted could confirm their interest. @GauravSoni, @Shaaz Sha, @Thomas Varghese, @Ahab Shamaa, let me pls know. @M.SeidamI'll consider your last message as a confirmed no. Thanks

Congratulations for the new baby, @Craig Finlayson! Usually car noise and vibrations facilitate sleep in kids... You should take him/her offroading!! 😂😂😂

Dear Extreme Drivers, @Ahab Shamaa, @Shaaz Sha, @Ilya, @Francois Germishuys, @Christian Andras, @Kalahari, @Craig Finlayson, just in case you didn't notice, the drive location / route has been changed from this morning Whatsapp message. No more Faya to Fossil Rock: we will be doing a much more extended 80km "drive it all" whopper drive from Maleha to Shuwaib, via Fossil Rock, Faya, Suwaidan, Pink Rock, Big Red, Suhail Dune. Are you in?

Congratulations for your promotion @Alain Canivet-Abikhalil, very well deserved. I look forward to see again your 32 teeth smile while chasing my tail in our next FB+ drive. A taste of the pace you had it already in Faqa.. 😂😂

Drive Brief This Extreme Drive is meant to be a high speed adventure across the longest possible stretch of red sand desert available in the Emirate of Sharjah, covering the ambitious distance of over 80km from Maleha to Shuwaib, going through the most coveted off-roading areas in the emirate, all packed in a single high-pace, high-adrenaline, whopper "all-you-can-drive" experience. We will start in Maleha, approaching, for starters, the "Maleha Terraces" and the nice, big bowls of Tawi Khatimah, on the east hillside of Fossil Rock. We will then head south, passing by Fossil Rock, Camel Rock and The Sphynx at ludicrous speed in order to reach Faya's reknown big dunes. We will subsequently border S153 Mahafiz - Faya Road to cross it at Mahafiz Roundabout and enter the Suwaidan stretch of desert that will eventually lead us to the tall dunes on the north side of 2nd November Cafeteria. Once crossed the road, we will dive again in the tall dunes on its west side, then head straight to Pink Rock, from where we will keep on heading south, making our way towards the Al Badayer area, climbing first "The big dune next to Big Red" and eventually the Big Red itself. We will then cross another road, E44 Dubai -Hatta, heading for Suhail Dune, then all the way south through a sequence of high dunes until our final destination in Shuwaib. This whopper drive will offer all types of red sand challenges a driver could ask for, an all in one extreme experience. General Infos 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 2.0 MUST READ AND TOTALLY AGREE: Ban Post TWO WAY RADIO GUIDELINES Every Off-roader 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. SUGGESTED READING: Carnity Two Way Radio Frequencies MUST WATCH: NEWBIE VIDEO BRIEFING Drive Details Level: Extreme and Above (All Levels) Selection: Admission at Drive Lead discretion strictly. When: 25 Jun 2021, Friday. Meeting time: 5:00 AM (SHARP - Without any exceptions) Meeting Point: Maleha Roundabout - https://goo.gl/maps/5KQtn9NpsBLDEjCk9 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: 9:00 AM End Point: Shuwaib (Madam Farms) About "Extreme" Drives Extreme Desert Drives are an extension of a Intermediate drives but at a lot faster pace with a continuous drive-time on big rolling and difficult dunes. The difficulty level of climbs, ridge riding, criss-crossing will be more or less the same as the Intermediate level, but doing that over and over again at high speed requires special attention, to be courageous but with extreme caution. If you and your vehicle are perfectly in-sync with the Intermediate level without repetitive stuck, refusals, or losing track, then only you should consider joining this fast-paced extreme drive. This drive offers the maximum adrenaline among all the types of drives and also demands a very experienced and sensible driver with a fully protected 4x4 vehicle. In such extreme fast pace drive, it is highly recommended to drive alone without any passengers to avoid any distractions. Who can join: Only Extreme Rank Members. Disclaimer: the chance of damaging your vehicle is quite high in such fast-paced extreme drives, so please join at your own discretion. Limited Spots Available: Limited to 8 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

Drive Brief The famous Area 53, the pyramid-like dune formation belonging to the portion of Al Badayer situated on the south-west side of the E44 Dubai - Hatta Road, offers a great deal of opportunities for off-roaders willing to put their dune climbing skills to the test. With this in mind, this particular drive is aimed at attempting to reach a specific goal, i.e. recording an overall ascent (i.e. the total elevation gain/loss) in excess of +1000/-1000m, which will require a great deal of climbs and descents for the large part of the drive. This first ascent will be straight forward from the north side of Area 53, after a rapid approach through a few small dunes to warm up. This climb will set the tone and the level for the rest of the drive, which will take us, as we will progressively move south, through a dozen of different areas with high and complex dunes, where we will perform steep ascents, audacious criss-crossings, crest/ridge ridings and side slopes at vertiginous heights, always with an eye on our total ascent count. In between, we will have to crunch a few kilometers across medium small technical dunes characterized by the complete absence of any specific alignment or repetitive pattern, which will require careful navigation and undivided attention by all drivers. This drive is the epitome of off-roading on the high red sand dunes of Sharjah, an adrenaline and action packed time for those who really want to discover where their limits as Intermediate off-road climbers are. General Infos 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 2.0 MUST READ AND TOTALLY AGREE: Ban Post TWO WAY RADIO GUIDELINES Every Off-roader 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. SUGGESTED READING: Carnity Two Way Radio Frequencies MUST WATCH: NEWBIE VIDEO BRIEFING Drive Details Level: Intermediate and Above (All Levels) When: 26 Jun 2021, Saturday. Meeting time: 5:00 AM (SHARP - Without any exceptions) Meeting Point: Al Badayer Exit - E44 Dubai - Hatta Road - https://goo.gl/maps/JkhE9hDwve8mkkU99 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: 9:00 AM End Point: Tawi Ghadaya (Shabiyat Al Rafadeh Mosque) 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

Dear @Tero Vallas, I'm saddened to know you'll be leaving us, but happy to read you'll have some other great passion to fill your weekends. I'll miss your quiet but sure and experienced driving at the back of the convoy. Good luck with your new professional challenges but most importantly with your passion of a lifetime: may it fill all your acrobatic weekends as much as @Carnity did. And if you ever come back to Dubai on a business or leisure trip, plan half a day off and give us a shout, so we can plan a drive to remember the good old times!

DRIVE REPORT Dear Desert Wanderers, I have always loved the Fossil Rock - Faya daytime drive, but I must say its night version exceeded by far my expectations. The whole convoy was extremely punctual at the meeting point at Khatam, so by 7:04 we were already in the sand. We immediately made our way up east, to reach the highest possible viewpoint from the rocky hillside of Fossil Rock, but once again our expectations to have a glance at a red sunset on red sand had were not satisfied, as the horizon was foggy (the great heat of the season doesn't help) and the sun had already disappeared. Climbing up didn't prove that easy: nasty bushes and tricky ridges, turning all of a sudden from round and fat into thin and sharp crests made very soon the first victim, @Darren Brooke who had to be winched down as there was no space for a proper rope tug. We then moved down, crossed the pylon track and ventured into the stretch of Khatam Desert on the east side of Fossil Rock. We made our way through a bushy area and found our next (one of many...) challenge of the day in steep climb that, with the churned sand and the unfortunate upshifting problem of earlier Pajero, forced @Danish Mohammad to give up after several attempts. After a quick reroute we could start again, only to stop a bit later to manage, one by one, with a few attempts, a daring criss crossing following a long side sloping inside a big bowl. Fun stuff, but not obvious to manage as it is difficult for everyone to build momentum to cross on top of a dune you can't really see: this is why, after the first struggles, I decided to lit up the way with my car lights, so the top ridge could be seen from below. As we moved further west, we reached the famous Long Dune, whose majestic lenght could only be guessed by a careful look at its shilouette against the dark blue sky. It was quite a view for me, once I turned around at the southern end of the dune, to see the lights of the convoy lighting up the long hillside. After having satisfied our side sloping ambitions for the evening, we quickly made our way to the top of Fossil Rock, where we had a regenerating break before throwing ourselves in the dark along the steep east side. What an adrenaline shot! When everyone made it to the bottom, since our timing was very good, we opted for a short digression to a very nice buch challenging area located on the east side of Fossil Rock requiring a very long ascent on soft sand. Climbing to the higher grounds, just below the rocky cap proved to be very difficult for everyone, so we split the convoy in small groups, so that each group could benefit of following the best line behind me. Almost everyone made it to the top, which was an amazing achievement. Those who struggled, @Darren Brooke, @Danish Mohammad and @Lakshmi Narasimhan, were limited mostly by the capability of their cars in the churned uphil sand. At this point we had quite a clear idea of the convoy's excellent capabilities, so, after cooling down @Lakshmi Narasimhan's transmission oil which had overheated during the many attempts made to climb up, kwe could head south heading full throttle into another great deal of challenges We reached the southern edge of Fossil Rock, climbed up the nearby 1st and 2nd rock, quickly reaching Camel Rock, where we took a 360 panoramic view of the imposing bright rock over the red sand. Night time driving is all but easy: one wants to be close to the car in front to have his way lit further ahead and a better idea of the line to follow, but he constantly ends up being too close as every driver tends to hesitate more in the dark, slowing down unespectedly. Also, when hesitating, one lifts the foot from the throttle and momentum is unavoidably lost. This explains the many refusals and the a couple of crested stucks by @Abdul Rahman AK and @Lakshmi Narasimhan, all promptly recovered with the precious help and radio guidance by @GauravSoni and @MUHAMMAD Kashif RAZZAQ, perfect Center Forward and Sweep. Thanks to their support moving/stopped time ratio remained very favourable as we proceeded south, reaching Camel Rock first, then The Sphynx, both viewed with a complete 360. I won't forget the thrill of driving along the edge of the most eastern crest of dunes leading to Faya: on the right side we had the relatively reassuring dunes landscape, one the left a dark abyss, the sabkha at the bottom and the shilouette of the saw-toothed crest of rocky mountains in the distance. Reaching Faya from the north is everytime an inspiring crescendo. As my lights pointed high while crossing some dunes, I could have glimpses of the next tall dunes ahead, while we kept on riding one round ridge after an other. We played around a couple of huge bowls, climbing the back side of Faya, until we reached the last big bowl from where a daring criss crossing was needed to make it to the other side. To make it easier, I placed my car a few meters after the target criss-crossings point and radio guided everyone across. Big kudos to all, as this maneuver was definitely a very challenging one, as pushing full throttle into the absolute dark while criss crossing is definitely not something that comes natural! Once on the other side, we descended at the bottom of Faya's renown big dune, where everyone had their fair share of attempts to make it to the top. Congratulations to all those who succeed (included @GauravSoniand @Lakshmi Narasimhan, who decided to head back to try again after the drive end) but equally to those who didn't, as, once again, it was mostly their car who stopped them. By 11:35pm we were out on the tarmac. We drove for 4h 31', of which 3h 25' moving and 1h and 6' stopped, covering 48.6km at an average moving speed of 14.3km/h and an astounding descent of +562/-551m which tells a big story about how daring climbs and descents. Everyone did extremely well. I only had eyes on @Werno, a perfect, ice-cold, 2nd lead, not a single time in trouble, and on @RooRzOn, who handled his Y62 extremely well in all situations. Congratulations to everyone else: @Abdul Rahman AK (ouch, what a pocket you hit!), @Darren Brooke (the right distance at night will come with practice) @JeromeFJ (week done not hesitating on your @Lakshmi Narasimhan (4h 30' drive were not enough for you 😂) @Danish Mohammad (hard time with your Pajero's upshifting problem) and @Russ (2nd last in the convoy without any problems!). Great thanks to @MUHAMMAD Kashif RAZZAQ and @GauravSonifor their great help. See you soon in the dark again!

Yes, my bad. I have to make at least one mistake every time, to keep the thread alive.. 😂😂

Dear Desert Wanderers, this RSVP is now closed. Please find below the convoy order for our drive: Should @GauravSoni not confirm his presence, the convoy order will remain unmodified, with @JeromeFJ following directly @Darren Brooke in position no. 6. @Werno, @RooRzOn, @Abdul Rahman AK, @Darren Brooke, @Gaurav Soni, @JeromeFJ, @Lakshmi Narasimhan, @Danish Mohammad, @Russ, @MUHAMMAD Kashif RAZZAQ, this drive is going to be quite demanding from a technical point of view due to the additional complexity coming with the limited visibility. It will require a great deal of concentration at every step, so make sure you come well rested and hydrated and that and you don’t have any reason for being distracted. If you plan to eat before the drive, please do so early enough in order to avoid ending up with discomfort during the drive. Please remember to wear closed shoes and long trousers, in order to prevent unpleasant encounters with scorpions or snakes that are more frequently roaming around. Also, please consider carefully if you wish to bring passengers along with you. We will be using Carnity Channel 4 (446.08125Mhz) See you later, ready to go (i.e. already caffeinated, deflated, flagged and briefed) by no later 7:00pm (sharp), so make sure you make it to the meeting point at least by 6:45pm. The meeting point is confirmed as per initial drive post: E102 Sharjah - Kalba Road, Khatam Exit - https://goo.gl/maps/jm81jL8cLwADN65R8

OK. I will assume you are in, then in case you opt out.

Good morning @Darren Brooke and @GauravSoni, are you still interested to join the drive?

Dear @Danish Mohammad, @JeromeFJ, @Abdul Rahman AK, @Lakshmi Narasimhan, @Werno, @Russ, @RooRzOn, you are confirmed for this drive. @Darren Brooke, @GauravSoni, you are waitlisted for your 2nd drive. Have a nice week!

Congratulations @Marwan HaddadHaddad, looking forward to the next Fewbie drive with you!

Congratulations @Russ, a very well deserved promotion, after having seen you handle your Raptor swiftly across the challenges of Al Bataeh! Looking forward to driving toghether soon..