Anoop Nair

Eid Mubarak to all of you...

Hi Ale @Ale Vallecchi The picture is amazing.

Are you going through Al Ula which is around 3 hrs from Tabuk I believe. I was there in Dec for a business trip (unfortunately not with the Jeep). The terrain was breath taking and really ripe for driving between the large rocks they have.

Congrats and well-done Ale @Ale Vallecchi . Always a fan of your free-flowing style....👏👏👏

3 hours ago, Gaurav said:

Congrats @Looper for having your drive supported by 3 Marshals.

These numbers may offer you warm-up stats:

• 8 out of 13 are Wranglers
• 9 out of 13 are Americans 4X4
• 10 out of 13 are LWB

Congrats @Looper I am sure you will have fun will all the stats...👏

Hi Varun @Varun Mehndiratta You have mentioned another Anoop in the list. See you tomorrow 😀

Congrats @Imteeaz. Well done buddy...

Price and lack of availability of second hand cars. Then the dread of seeing Al Tayer Motors recovery car and the invoice afterwards 😀

Hi Jerome @JeromeFJ I will have to bail out. Kids have holidays and wifey made different plan to head out to Al Wathba for 2 days. Catch up with you next time definitely.

Hi Misha @Misha Puskar The size obviously depends on if your Jeep is lifted or not and wheel size. JK comes in both 16" and 17" sizes I believe. As a general advice it's better to keep the current size for tyres to avoid any rubbing issues. For the type, I would recommend that you go for LT (which has 10 ply side wall which will give you more side wall strength) and AT tyres. BFG is standard coming as LT/AT but may be a little heavier for sand. Another favourite in the club is Yocohoma Geolander which comes as LT and non-LT version (the American spec with white writing is LT and without white writing is non-LT).  Geo should not cost more than 650-700/ a piece so should be within your budget mentioned.

Hi @GauravSoni I am kind of under the weather from yesterday, not taking a risk, so withdrawing. See you on the next one.

Congrats @Bjoern Hope you will enjoy this new level...

1 hour ago, Gaurav said:

This should remind us all why we always insist on "Three-bolt" recovery tow points as we have seen many factory's tow points fail with two-bolt systems. Two-bolt is acceptable for medium load but will surely fail under extreme stress. 3 or 4 bolt is the way to go.

Btw, the last pull from Raptor was still a medium intensity as Raptor itself was struggling to take the load on the soft patch and still, it broke.

Thanks @Gaurav for the advice. I have already given the car to add 2 nos of recovery points in the front and back (each). Tomorrow itself I will check with them and ensure that it will be three-bolt tow points as mentioned.

Hi @Benjamin this is a touchy subject especially for Jeepers. I personally feel that there is no need of a lift or not even a skid plate. But it is of benefit to have a firmer suspension which will allow you to negotiate bumpier terrains. For me I tried to change shocks from stock one without a lift but as i understand most of the shocks available for wrangler can only be installed with a lift kit. but if you are doing a lift then tires will have to be changed as well, so it's never ending. For the time being, I have decided not to do anything and keep it as stock.  

59 minutes ago, GauravSoni said:

Dear desert expeditioners/ dune surfers!

@Waqas Parvez @ASAD. @Vaibhav @Sunil Mathew @Anoop Nair @munkybizness @Santoso Marjuki @Mario Cornejo @Imran Kashif @Gaurav

@Dodi Syahdar @Pacific@Ranjan Das
welcome to the Liwa Expeditionary Adventure Drive “LEAD” !

We are all looking forward for this weekend with utmost excitement in anticipation of the thrilling adventure ahead! 
Please ensure that your mean machines are in top condition with any known issues sorted out and tested. 

I advise you all to be properly rested with sound physical and mental preparedness for this drive. Hence i suggested to avoid long drive on Saturday morning from Dubai to meeting point. 
 

i am planning to reach the starting point around 5 pm (while we still have daylight) on Friday and then find a suitable camping spot.

 

Hi Anoop, I believe that you would be joining the drive.. 

Hi @GauravSoni 90% yes now, will have a full confirmation by tomorrow.

Does anyone have my video @ Pajero bowl. If yes, please WhatsApp me on 050 4500597. Thanks

HI @GauravSoni I have added myself to the list of attendees seeing that there is still space, but my schedule for 21/22nd is tentative and may have to travel. Will reconfirm by first half of next week.

Hi Dr @M.Seidam I will have to remove myself as well. Some relatives are visiting so unable to stay away full day on Sunday. Catch up with you on the next one. Apologies.. 

6 hours ago, Hisham Masaad said:

@Anoop NairI can see you added your self to the WL, are you planning to join? I can see you  joining  @M.Seidam drive on Sunday. With the drive brief he mentioned, you should be sleeping the time we have our drive on Saturday. Please confirm to add you

Hi @Hisham Masaad I thought i will be able to manage but now i have an unavoidable meeting tomorrow at 12 and it will be too tight to reach there if I attend the drive, so will remove my wait list request. See you on the next one, thanks

Congrats @Waqas Parvez Well done 

Well done Gaurav @GauravSoni really well deserved 👏👏👏

@Warren Flay All the best for you and family wherever you go...

Wonderful write up as always @munkybizness. This time it seems extra special, kudos to you, amazing!

When @GauravSoni tells you over the radio ' something interesting is happening over here', you can be assured that it is something extra ordinary. This is how he described the extreme recovery with such calm demeaner and assuredness to us who was waiting at the subka !. Like it was another pop out and we were astonished at seeing what has emerged out of the dunes- 2 cars pulling the dead car through the tall dunes and technical patch.

It was my first outing at Qua. One thing assured me going to such distant and difficult terrain is Gaurav's as well as other @Carnity lead's 'no car left behind' attitude. Thank you @GauravSoni.

On the drive itself, the terrain and company were fantastic as usual and the 3.5 hr drive from Dubai was absolutely worth it even though like @munkybizness mentioned I felt like sometimes I was letting down Gaurav and the team who made the best laid plan for that day. But retrospectively, things not going according to plan is also part of the fun. Many of the drives I greatly and fondly remember are the one's which did not go according to the original plan.

Thanks @GauravSoniagain for a fantastic day spent on sand. thanks @Looperbeing the pillar of rock in the convoy (in fact I could n't believe that @Looper was not recording the drive on Gaia, such is the assuredness associated with him to do things correctly). @Mario Cornejo for the calm assured leadership, he brings to any drive. @ASAD. I have been driving with you for some time now and it's really remarkable how you have grown with your skill set but moreover, the calmness and other associated skills. Really well-done buddy. Thanks @munkybizness for the interesting perspective you bring to the drive. @Zixuan Huang - Charlie hope your car is ok and can be sorted out quickly. All in all, great company and great stories for such a long trip.

Thank you all for all the shovelling during the crest and encouragement at the bowl. thanks @GauravSoni for helping me with the gear selection advise and these drives are really helping me to figure out what works for me and the car.

If we do not meet before the new year, have a fantastic Christmas and New year ahead. May the new year bring new adventures and happiness.

Cheers to all, until next time....  

@GauravSoni where did you fill petrol from? (Al Qua 940?) Did you take E95 to reach there. It is showing approx. 30 min more for me if I take E66 / E95.