soumyasaklani

Hi @Vanessa8580 @Wrangeld sorry I will need to drop out of this drive as something has come up but hopefully that means that one of the waitlisted folks can take my place in this massive convoy(s)!

Wife also wants to join in - we can bring +1? 

I'm very interested!

Thanks @Foxtrot Oscar @JeromeFJ it was fantastic being back on the sands after an 8 month break. Thanks for organizing & leading a nice, educational drive & I certainly enjoyed playing the 2nd lead! 

14 hours ago, Foxtrot Oscar said:

Good evening and a warm welcome to all new joiners to this club !

@Vasja Zupan– Prado

@Ameera AlMarzooqi-LC 100

@Luiz Nóbrega- Pathfinder

@CEdric Rodrigues- Patrol

@Paul OR-Prado

@soumyasaklani- Prado(welcome back  )

@Krishna R - Infiniti QX56

@shailendra singh vilkhu- Montero Sport 

@Sam HSuper Safari 

@Nadeem Ansari Landcruiser

@Waqar Ahmed Khan Patrol

@abms2ktrooper Isuzu Amigo

Great to see so many of you signing up for your first drive. As a basic introduction, kindly reply to the following:

1) Can you confirm the 4x4 you will be driving ?

2) Do you have prior off-roading experience ? If so please clarify

3) Does your vehicle have front and back towpoints ? This is mandatory before being eligible to join.

 

Tools Needed

For your very first drive with us, we would like to ask you to bring a pressure gauge, deflator tool, and a compressor to inflate your tyres after the drive. (the one near the gas station is usually defective).

The next tools you will be needing from second drive onwards, are a walkie-talkie, off-road flag, and a decent shovel. If by any chance you have these tools already you are of course welcome to bring them along on your first drive.

Welcome aboard! 
 

Thank you! Looking forward. 

And confirming I have all the gear. See you Sunday!

Hi Angela, just to let you know, I am/was a Fewbie last year but had to take a break since May for 8 months because of a shoulder surgery. I've just rejoined & felt it best to start with this absolute newbie drive to r5efresh & ease myself back into desert driving. 

Trust you'll let me join this drive & hopefully looking forward to resuming offroad driving.

Thanks, 

Soumya 

Heartiest congratulations @Foxtrot Oscar Angela!

1 minute ago, Frederic said:

Hi @soumyasaklani yes there is a waitlist, so I’m afraid I’ll have to remove you from the RSVP

No worries I just realized as much - sorry for the confusion! 

1 minute ago, soumyasaklani said:

Hi @Frederic - sorry  got trigger happy when I saw a spot open up & RSVPed for the event. I don't know if I was #1 on the waitlist or not. 

So please let me know accordingly & I'll leave if not. Apologies!

@Frederic going into the message trail I realize there are more WLs in front of me (I just wait listed myself yestreday 8th May). So I'll RSVP no...

Hi @Frederic - sorry  got trigger happy when I saw a spot open up & RSVPed for the event. I don't know if I was #1 on the waitlist or not. 

So please let me know accordingly & I'll leave if not. Apologies!

Hello @Lorenzo Candelpergher sorry I’ve had a issue with my right shoulder and I’ll need to pull out from the drive, in fact might need to take a break for a bit as I get this sorted. I’ll miss out on what would have been my 1st fewbie+. Enjoy and see everyone sometime soon!

Many happy returns @Srikumar

Heartiest congratulation @Foxtrot Oscar Angela

Thanks from me too @Luca Palanca Falsini this is my 2nd drive with you - my 1st fewbie & this 5th fewbie ones. I really appreciate that you push us to do new things with an eye out for safety & learning of course - crests, pop-outs all valuable learnings on how they happen & how to fix!

Thanks too to @Gaurav Soni for loaning me a flag 2nd time it fell,  @Shaaz Sha & @Dodi Syahdar for their guiding roles in the drive. Wonderful to meet/ride with everyone else. See you next time!

@Lucas Neo @TT_Dubai just picked up from this thread that you're from Singapore. I'm Singaporean too, so hello to you & hopefully we'll see each other in the sands one day!

Apologies @Ale Vallecchi everyone, won't me able to join this drive but looking forward to joining another one of your scenic ones Ale, hopefully someone on waitlist can take the spot!

Looking forward @Lorenzo Candelpergher and hope to drive with you another time!

Belated many happy returns @Gaurav. 

Great paced drive with a good mix of everything including a good view of gazelles and the bar in the middle of the desert thanks @Yousef Alimadadi . Always great to keen on the learning experience with @Chaitanya D @Nabil Bishara in the drives. Great experience riding with everyone, till next. Some pics of the day, have a good weekend. 

Thank you & see you tomorrow!

53 minutes ago, Chaitanya D said:

Trip Report:

Glad to catch up with a great bunch of newbie drivers who signed up on this Carnity night drive at Margham. We drove along from Lisaili to Margham village through some technical areas , small to medium dunes and some sharp drops. Having the support of @Jeepie and @Wrangeld made the whole drive well supported and anchored  all throughout.

@Soumya Saklani did 2nd lead role to perfection in his prado , except some minor refusals and stucks. Rerouting as advised by me in some tricky areas , thank you.

@Darren Brooke drove the LWB Tahoe really well. I was expecting some stucks /refusals considering the LWB but really impressive how well you drove. You almost got out of a soft patch with shovelings and some maneuvering which was a delight to see. Very immersive driving considering you made it all through with just one assistance.

@Ahmed Mostafa did well in his LWB pajero, some refusals and stucks as expected . His second drive of the day and great to see your enthusiasm along with Trekkado, and Morshedi. 

@SyedObaidmissed out on this drive, no confirmation of joining after he was added to the drive upon him wait listing.

@Lakshmi Narasimhan managed his position and his LWB Pajero with some refusals. Driving in dark takes some practice but it was good to see you managed most of the terrain with no issues than the last time we drove in daylight. Good to see you sticking to Newbie drives to learn and get better before jumping onto higher level to get the learning right. We did see some animals , but as we drive through they obviously hide away in the dark.

@GauravSoniwas our center forward for the night and he managed all the recoveries/tugs under the watchful eyes of the seniors on this drive. You need to communicate clearly on the radio (which you did for most of the time) and wait for the acknowledgements from the car having a situation. How your are improving at it each drive is impressive. Thanks for your support my friend.

@Niekku driving her FJC was totally blank on the radio, goes to show how well you were in the back of convoy which consisted of many having done their masterclasses (with @Ale Vallecchi). I was sure of your basics being right and hence your position, and you managed well. Great driving and enthusiasm.

@stavros papachristos some refusals which are all part of the game especially at the back, managed his red wrangler well. Good to get your feedback asking for drives on Saturday which I/we will definitely try to arrange considering the availability of many leads who tend to have a working day on Saturdays. But nevertheless , will arrange.

@Pierre de Maigret good to catch up after a gap, and your style of driving with a FJC is "kind of " impossible to get stuck/ have a refusal. Another member who was radio blank - great driving . Fantastic to see how you are applying all that you learnt in the masterclasses (with me).

@Alain Canivet-Abikhalil another member who had a masterclass (with @Wrangeld) , drove his wrangler well. Some minor refusals which are always expected being at the back end of a longish convoy. Always great to see your smile and enthusiasm on all the drives you have been with me.

@Jeepie was the sweep , and always reassuring we don't leave anyone behind. Her calm and clear approach with right communication is always a delight to have on any drive. Thank you so much for supporting the drive along with Richard.

@Wrangeld was our Fly sweep meaning he was flying to any position where there might be need for an assistance or get into a position where we might need some re routing. Having mentored me from my early days in this club ( along with Marjan @Jeepie) , it was a nice little challenge for me leading a newbie group while he was on the drive. For sure his mastery over technical dunes is great. All the guidance's/advises learnt from you both were applied and hence we drove for most of the time even if it was with newbie drivers in the dark. Thank you!

Some stats in the pic below

Thank you everyone for the COVID appropriate behavior all along the drive.

If you have completed the required number of drives please apply for your promotion to next level at ease, no hurry. Remember to learn, relax, and enjoy your drives. For most if not all this is a weekend activity /hobby and hence not a race to the next level. More information and link to apply below

Off road Club Grading Structure V.2.0 - Discussions - Carnity.com

See you all some time soon, enjoy your week !

 

 

 

 

 

@Chaitanya D thank you for an enjoyable & educational drive. Lots of firsts for me - 1st night drive, 1st time 2nd lead & 1st time stuck on top of a dune! Always used to wonder why cars get stuck on the crest, now I know 1st hand ;-)!  Great experience demystifying night driving - very enjoyable & lots of learning, thanks too to @Wrangeld @Jeepie @GauravSoni

@Chaitanya D looking forward to this drive, my very 1st night drive

1 hour ago, Lorenzo Candelpergher said:

Dear Desert Wanderers, 

this RSVP is now closed.

Unfortunately, due to the need to extend a business trip in Europe, I won’t be able to lead this drive and @Ale Vallecchi kindly accepted to take over the lead, for which he has my gratitude.

Please find below the convoy order:

@Humayun Ghias, @Mobeen Anwar, @soumyasaklani, @Pacific, @Ahab Shamaa, @I.M.Shousha إسلام أبوشوشة, @Serafino, @rajeshkumar rathod, @MUHAMMAD Kashif RAZZAQ, @Ale Vallecchi, @Yousef Alimadadi, this drive is going to be fun but, since many of you are new to Fewbie level, it will also be technically demanding, more mentally for the drivers than mechanically for the cars. It will require your full and undivided concentration at every step, so make sure you come well rested 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 1 (446.00625MHz).

Please make it to the meeting point on Saturday afternoon, ready to go (i.e. already deflated and flagged) by no later 3:00pm (sharp). 

Sorry to hear @Lorenzo Candelpergher  hope to drive with you in the future & looking forward to 3rd drive with you @Ale Vallecchi!

Thanks Lorenzo, looking forward to this interesting drive with you & everyone else. 

3 hours ago, Ale Vallecchi said:

"Looking up gives light, although at first it makes you dizzy" (Rumi) - Ridge Riding Bonanza Report

Before diving into the trip's report, I'd like to start a new way to introduce my reports, with the words of the great Master Rumi, inspired by some of the things that the drive allowed us to do, seek, or overcome. 

Looking up we did, to the top of the dune, looking for the right line to reach the ridge, during this "premiere" Ridge Riding Bonanza drive. And perhaps, it made some of us dizzy, while riding the taller dunes we encountered, trying to stay on top, yet looking for a safe exit down.

From the very beginning, at the outskirts of Al Aweer, almost to the very end, near Mahafiz's mosque, the landscape gave us an endless set of extremely long range dunes, a true paradise for ridge riding lovers, which we tried to exploit to its maximum. I have counted 50 ridges driven, on the drive's recorded track, some of which very, very long, As announced, the main difficulties in riding the top of these dunes were twofold: first, the vegetation, sparse enough not to be a nuisance, but sufficiently omnipresent, all the way to the top of the dunes, to present obstacles that needed constant navigation, and second the wavy, curvy nature of the ridges, which needed actual driving, and not just powering through. 

These two characteristics, required a very careful choice of approach to reach the ridges, the ability of exiting the dunes, when necessary, avoiding the small sappy trees dotting their slopes, and most of all an absolute concentration, and control of the car, while on top of the ridges. Continuous accelerations, or decelerations were necessary to make sure one didn't overshoot a curve, lost momentum on an upturn of the dune, or veered out of control on a downturn of the next line. At times, the cars came almost to a standstill on a bumpy spot, just to power out and regain momentum on the following straight line. An additional safety requirement was added to the drive, which called for every car to exit the ridges whenever a car driving in front, anywhere in the convoy, got stuck or had problems. This made sure that we avoided multiple stucks on the ridges, and also functioned as a training exercise on choosing the right side, and line, to safely exit a ridge.

Considering all these challenges, it was amazing that, in the end, we finished the drive with only 2 stucks on ridges, both self recovered (with the help of a bit of shoveling), and a few refusals, coming mostly from climbing steep slopes at an angle, or reaching a ridge from the slip-face. 

My great thanks go to @Niki Patel, who managed to follow all instructions, and making a few significant re-routings imposed by the treacherous terrain, to @MUHAMMAD Kashif RAZZAQ, who has now become one of my most trusted Center Forwards, and to @Nabil Bishara, who calmly and expertly swept the convoy to safety (not an easy task from a very heavily marked trail). 

Hats off to @sheri and @soumyasaklani for debuting at Fewbies in such a tricky drive, to @Hossam Anwar, @Trekado, and @Ahmad Shaker, for driving with poise and control, and to @Thomas Varghese, @Ranjan Das and @Mario Cornejo for skillfully, and safely, navigating the back of the convoy on a well trodden, and unstable, path. 

At the end of the day, we all retired with another long and fin drive under our belts, having driven for 67.7 Km, in 3:58 hours (of which an abundant 3:10 moving), at an average speed of 17 Km/h (of which a brisk 21 Km/h while moving, considering we were often on ridges, or snaking between trees). 

Enjoy the rest of the weekend, have a great week, and see you soon in the sand. 

Thank you too @Ale Vallecchi - learnt a lot about ridge riding & driving focusing on both ride quality & importantly safety which you always keep reminding us of & the need to act swiftly but safely. Was a very enjoyable drive too. Thanks too to 1st lead, CF & sweep @Niki Patel @MUHAMMAD Kashif RAZZAQ @Nabil Bishara for your support & guidance too. Till next!