Solo Challenge Reborn

[Johanna]

Hi all,
this time I skipped the camping part and left home early morning at 5 am.
I met [mention]Issa[/mention] at the Al Ain Road petrol station and we drove together through heavy fog to the camp site.
Around the left over of the campfire we met the usual suspects and spent around one hour with chit chatting and coffee.
The place soon was filled with all level drivers, while inters and advanced did the solo drive challenge, two newbie convoys started after the last solo driver left, driving the same track.

Intermediate drivers were sent in three minutes intervalls, advanced drivers were sent in between to provide help when needed.

We received the GPS points via PM the day before, so it was up to every driver to either create a track out of the given points or just follow the points one by one. It was my first proper solo drive and I was a bit nervous in the beginning, especially when I was waiting in line to start my drive.

[mention]alshamsi_m[/mention] and [mention]Abu Jimmy[/mention] warned us not to drive about our level of confidence and better find a way around an obstacle if we feel we probably cant overcome it.
This was my strategy from the beginning: stay safe and dont do crazy stuff, finish the track in time and dont get stuck, but practise some side crests on the way.
The first area was small to medium sized dunes, so I quickly gained confidence after the first easy side crests.
Some bowls around the points PINK6-8 raised my adrenaline level quickly, as I had to make decisions quickly: side crest into the bowl, not knowing whats on the other side? Or find a way around?
I decided not to take chances and avoided any bowl I could not check before entering. After you did the crest, you need to react fast on the given situation and quickly measure the following: any ditches/bushes in my way? How narrow is the bowl? Where is an exit point?
So I skipped the side cresting into the unknown bowl for this drive and continued to find a safe way with some medium sized side crests.
The second part of the drive was fun, I was more relaxed, dunes were bigger and bowls had an easy entry and exit, so I drove a few, but always with an eye on my GPS as the destination came closer: the beautiful and majestic Naqrah dune. Arriving there at around 11 am, I found some fellow inters and advanced drivers already playing there. We reached the end point all together at around 11.30am.
[mention]alshamsi_m[/mention] said in the briefing, after the drive we will be another person. I am not sure if I am another person now, but defintley a person who learned a lot.
Driving behind another car in a convoy is a totally different story.
You can trust that the track is safe, you dont have to navigate, so you can focus completly on your own driving. In a solo drive (especially in an area like Sweihan) you have to deal with two more components: find your own safe way a decide quickly and keep an eye on your GPS so you dont get lost.
I am pretty sure that these skills will be devloped fast if you practise it, and this drive was a great opportunity to do so in a safe way, thanks to all the advanced drivers for keeping us safe.
I personally achieved my goal: I played safe, I reached in time, I did not get stuck and - most important- I had fun and even had the chance to do a rescue.

Three things I learned today:
1. Trust your instinct when you are alone, most of the time it is correct
2. Its important to find your own way and style of driving, dont blindly follow others (not talking about convoys here)
3. I really love my second family in love


So the drive was a full success, thanks to the organizers to make this happen. And special thanks to [mention]Saeed FJ[/mention] for getting my flag thumbsup

Have a great day and see you all in the sand have a nice day

[Gabor]

Thanks Johanna!

You already told almost everything, what I wanted ORLY

The benefit of advance driver was extra points if they rescue any of inters. As I know, they collected only a few points, it means, the inters did their job quite good. :)

I also met with a stucked participant, but it could happen a long time ago, so I didn't have any usable technic to rescue him. :)

[presa]

Hi Almosters, this Friday was an amazing drive!

I especially enjoy the Solo drives & challenges!

This one was an intermediate & advance drive, were they were navigating, by themselves, through Al Ain Airport to Seweihan.

The Marshalls and Founders were very kind and created 2 convoys (10+ and 10-) that went from the same starting point to the same finishing point, KUDOS for the Marshals and Founders for keeping the hungry newbies well fed!

The first area "pink points" were very interesting! We should definitely do more drives in this area. Sometimes I go to nearby areas for work, so I will do some exploring within this area since it has medium dunes, soft bowls and some pretty nice crests very suitable for intermediate & above playing around!

The second area was Seweihan like, with all the adrenaline of climb as much as you can dunes & 30meters side crests :)

My personal experience was great! I started getting stuck in the first dune grin grin grin
In front of everyone playingsmiley playingsmiley playingsmiley
To make it funnier there were 2-3 jeeps doing the same track before me... laugh is on me for this one!!
So I started the challenge with -1 point wtfsmilie wtfsmilie wtfsmilie

I would be pleased to have some pictures of it :)

Anyway, after a self-recovery, I followed the given directions, trying to avoid the previous tracks, but keeping an eye on it for anyone in need for a pull...

Me and my passenger, [mention]Jasper[/mention] were enjoying the track and we crossed with some other players and Mashalls, like [mention]Issa[/mention] , [mention]Daggerfall[/mention] , [mention]giorgio[/mention], [mention]Barish[/mention] but I got a bit far from the track near point 5, since there were some amazing crests, that need to be explored :)

After crossing the pipeline, around point 10 if I am not wrong, I came across [mention]jose[/mention] who was unlucky to enter in a small but very soft ditch.

Here is the video from the rescue, filmed by [mention]Jasper[/mention], who was at a higher ground.

VIDEO

After the video were posted there were some questions about it, so I will put my view:
- both cars were well deflated (I was 8psi as well as Jose), with 4L and diff lock on
- Jose was already shoveling for a while...
- The back was deep in sand, so wasnt a good idea to pull from the back
- Chassis were on the ground
- the angle of the filming is from above, so the right side of the jeep is uphill
- other pulling angles havent the needed traction due to its higher grade. So that was the lowest grade angle for the pull (altough we all know that the ideal angle would be straight, but there were no traction to do it, so this was the closest to a straight angle)
- before the filming I tried other angles to see if I could get some traction, but couldnt
- FJ do the pull slowly, you can even notice that I wasn't accelerating when the rope extend, to put less pressure on the jeep
- the idea was slowly turn right the jeep, so he could go out
- after the car starts moving is clear that the area had very soft sand, as you can see that both are digging a lot until they go out

An alternative method would be to use a winch, but none were avaliable.
Two ropes were not an option, since the rope would grab sand, and there were a ditch if the FJ moved 3meters forward.
Two cars on train style would endup on the same angle problem, and would be harder to modulate the pull strenght.

[mention]Saeed FJ[/mention] was watching the rescue from a higher ground and his input is welcome!

With this pull and 1 stuck I am back to 0 on my score :)

After those 5 min, we keep driving for a few minutes, on small dunes but technical area until we saw a dog on top of a dune.

The dog was dehydrated, so we rescued it, gave it some water and took it to a veterinarian. But I don't think this count as a point in the challenge arr. arr. arr.

With the dog in the car we drove on a much smootier pace, using a partial existent fence road until Nagraa Dune, were several intermediates & advanced were playing around!

A few keep playing while I went to the end point, at the tree, near Seweihan Forest. We chitchat for a while and I decided to head home.

I came across 4 burned cars:
- Lexus SUV (same as gabor picture)
- Luxus SEDAN (maybe an lx430)
- Old Patrol - car to be confirmed
- Old cherokee

How many have you guys see??

[Johanna]

Amazing report [mention]presa[/mention] and thanks for the detailed explanation of the rescue, I saw some negative comments on Facebook below the video.

And since the experience yesterday I am hungry for more, so if you go for exploration (regardless the area) let me know!

Oh, and I found three burned cars

See you in the sand

[Saeed FJ]

After crossing the pipeline, around point 10 if I am not wrong, I came across @jose who was unlucky to enter in a small but very soft ditch.

Here is the video from the rescue, filmed by @Jasper, who was at a higher ground.

VIDEO

After the video were posted there were some questions about it, so I will put my view:
- both cars were well deflated (I was 8psi as well as Jose), with 4L and diff lock on
- Jose was already shoveling for a while...
- The back was deep in sand, so wasnt a good idea to pull from the back
- Chassis were on the ground
- the angle of the filming is from above, so the right side of the jeep is uphill
- other pulling angles havent the needed traction due to its higher grade. So that was the lowest grade angle for the pull (altough we all know that the ideal angle would be straight, but there were no traction to do it, so this was the closest to a straight angle)
- before the filming I tried other angles to see if I could get some traction, but couldnt
- FJ do the pull slowly, you can even notice that I wasn't accelerating when the rope extend, to put less pressure on the jeep
- the idea was slowly turn right the jeep, so he could go out
- after the car starts moving is clear that the area had very soft sand, as you can see that both are digging a lot until they go out

An alternative method would be to use a winch, but none were avaliable.
Two ropes were not an option, since the rope would grab sand, and there were a ditch if the FJ moved 3meters forward.
Two cars on train style would endup on the same angle problem, and would be harder to modulate the pull strenght.

@Saeed FJ was watching the rescue from a higher ground and his input is welcome!

hello everyone, i was driving in the area and I saw @jose and his car and I decide to go and check if he needs anything, in the time I reach him already @Presa was there for the rescue, and when I saw the area it was very difficult because the only way to bull him from front,
first tri presa bull him directly straight and wasn't working because of the soft sand, and the ditch after few meters which can't use 2 rope,
presa decide to bull with the only angle to adjust the JEEP and then it could be easier and that what happens
from my point of view, this was the only way or winch

[Saeed FJ]

What a drive nothing can be like this.
Driving, navigation, learning, enjoy and the most important build confidence in your skills.

I will start early morning when I wake up very late around 6:30 am, first thing came to my mind oh shit I will do anything to reach and do the drive, I was wearing my clothes and I called [mention]Abu Odai[/mention] and also he says: yala come do not miss it, I left home from Sharjah 6:40 and I did small calculation we are 17 intermediate driver the marshal will send one every three minutes that’s mean 17*3=51, in this case if I reach 8:30 I will be ok but I will miss the briefing but it’s ok I need to do it.
GPS gave me reaching the destination on 8:28 am, and I start, 7:30 I call [mention]Abu Jimmy[/mention] to inform him I will be late but I will be reaching before 8:30 and the answer was it’s ok, take care in road there is a fog, and I was haa even this will be against me.
Luckily I reach the meeting point ready for driving on 8:12 and the briefing was going on only I miss the attendance, the briefing was helpful from our great Founders and marshal.

The drive started with sending 3 intermediate drivers and one advance, when my time came and I got the green light to move I start moving and just me and my GPS, the firs area was amazing I start reaching point after point and in the middle where I found a good and clean crest for play I directly went to it, I certain area, I was climbing and found one flag on sand with almost flag, I couldn’t stop in the same spot because it was in middle of high dune, once I reach to the top I park the car and I went down I toke it and put it in my car and I recognize that is [mention]Johanna[/mention] flag, then suddenly Shah he came to my car he thought that I’m stuck and followed by Dagerfull and I run away, I met SCORPIO in the way PRESA rescue as will , and I continue to the points till reaching the straight area and in front of me al Nagrah dune and I can see some cars are playing there, I was moving to it but couldn’t resist the dune on my right I went to the fence area and start play till I reach anther fence holding me to reach al nagrah dune, I kept looking till I found one small area the fence is Brocken and I can inert to reach al nagrah, and I report that I already reach al Nagrah dune as we were instructed to do in briefing. I stope there for small rest and I saw Johana and I gave her the flag, and I went up to nagrah dune and continue to the other point reaching the tree (last point) found [mention]Abu Odai[/mention], [mention]giorgio[/mention] [mention]Issa[/mention] [mention]haider alnuaimi[/mention] and [mention]Gabor[/mention], toke my chair and set tell others Driver reach.

Overall the drive was very successful, build high self-confidence in our driving skills.
non-forgettable experience, I'm proud to be a part of ALMOST4x4.
special thanks for Organizer, our founders, marshal and everyone work to make it happen.

see you on sand

[jose]

Hi all

At this point all has is said. Has been a wonderful drive, for me the first with the new car. Starting I was careful to see how was responding, and I was wondering, smooth, powerful, with very good grip and feeling very light with the impression that you was flying over the dunes, opposing to old car that need always keeping a lot of momentum and avoiding areas with soft sand or hill very incline, to not said any about the warnings of overheating. I was gaining more and more confidence till point that think that will never be stuck.... I was wrong!!! I slide lateraling after a small dune in a ditch with very soft sand and stuck there, starting dig to try self recovery, but @presa come after very short time and help me in rescue, perfectly described before. Thank you for your perfect help, that I'm sure most of people should need a winch to doit. I learn with that that Jeep can also be stuck if you don't pay enough attention.

After that we arrive to Naqrah dune and play there for a while to finish in the tree refreshing before leave back home.

Wonderful day with many learnings and enjoying with the new toy.

That you the organiser of this event, @abu jimmy and @alshamsi , and @presa for his great recover,
and of course to all of you for the support given to old team "jose/hummer", better understood for me now.

See you in the sand

[Petr]

Let me say first: this was an amazing and completely different experience.

I was driving to the meeting early morning in the pre-dawn dark and passing thick fog patches. Since I abandoned my FJ I had been too worried about the size of my JK tank so I decided to go and take petrol at the nearest station to the meeting point that was actually 9 km past it, so it made me to drive another 18 km forth and back. I also filled a 20L jerrycan scared. Later that day [mention]Agalon[/mention] explained what I should have realized by myself - even if I consider 20l/100km consumption I would be out of the desert several times before emptying the tank. Yet I arrived to the camp on time.

At the briefing I took away a couple of important points [mention]alshamsi_m[/mention] mentioned:
1) it is not a competition, the time to the destination doesn't matter
2) don't drive beyond your capabilities, don't stretch yourself
3) you will be a different person after this drive (which [mention]giorgio[/mention] mimicked promptly :-D)

I was grateful for this information. I decided to maximize the enjoyment - I stopped at several view points to enjoy the scenery in total loneliness and take a couple of pictures before proceeding. I also didn't follow exactly the track, when I saw an interesting crest or a "virgin" sand, I wen't on that route. Sometimes the excitement brought me quite far from the given track and I had to give it a large correction. This is why I didn't meet may cars on the way - just [mention]Scorpio[/mention], [mention]Saeed FJ[/mention] and a Jeep couple - I suppose it was [mention]giorgio[/mention] and [mention]Issa[/mention]. I thought Giorgio is such a social person that he couldn't simply help himself to make the solo in the way it actually honours it's meaning :-D.

This way i got to the middle of a huge bowl. It was somewhere between AS1 and AS4. With heart beating I made a few cycles inside, when the devil started to 'whisper in my ear "Hey buddy, go and make a side crest on the top, you can make it!" . But the idea was too much "shit in my pants" and also I replayed [mention]alshamsi_m[/mention]'s voice "don't do anything beyond your capabilities" so I told devil f*ck you and instead made another circle and exited at the bottom.

I felt I played really hard, and all the excitement and adrenaline made me tired, so for getting to Old Lady I chose the easiest path I could. Here I met many family members playing at the wall. I took a break, got a snack and somewhat refreshed I continued in more playful mode to the end. Again there were many interesting dunes and bowls, but I felt I had enough and didn't want to make a mistake at the very end.

Then I spotted the trees and most of the members already sitting in the shade. Knowing the fun is getting to the end, I was looking to some last challenges, and I found a razor sharp dune of a middle size that was untouched, at the end of desert before the plateau. For a moment I thought - don't be silly, if you get stuck there, you will be displayed to the eyes of the whole group, don't show off! But the devil saw a second chance and said "Go, you are skilled enough to handle it".

So I climbed up this beautiful untouched dune that appeared to be a heap of super soft sand and in a second I ended up sitting on the top helplessly like a crippled duck. The next second I heard in the radio [mention]giorgio[/mention], who was comfortably sitting under the palm with others and puffing from his midwakh, "Petr, engage A-Track, hahaha". F*cking devil (to make it clear, I don't mean Giorgio ;-))

Thanks to [mention]Scorpio[/mention] and [mention]presa[/mention] the duck was pulled down and limped on it's own towards the trees.

The drive was a fantastic experience, and I truly appreciate having the chance to experience it. Driving alone is a very different, I'd dare to say a spiritual experience. Thank you marshalls [mention]Abu Jimmy[/mention], [mention]JockJKU[/mention], [mention]rashid[/mention], [mention]Daggerfall[/mention] and [mention]Solmaz[/mention] and the non-marshall ;-) [mention]alshamsi_m[/mention] for us to have the chance to be there.

[presa]

And since the experience yesterday I am hungry for more, so if you go for exploration (regardless the area) let me know!

Nice!! If we get in trouble we will have two phones to call for help grin grin grin grin !!!

[giorgio]

Let me say first: this was an amazing and completely different experience.

I was driving to the meeting early morning in the pre-dawn dark and passing thick fog patches. Since I abandoned my FJ I had been too worried about the size of my JK tank so I decided to go and take petrol at the nearest station to the meeting point that was actually 9 km past it, so it made me to drive another 18 km forth and back. I also filled a 20L jerrycan scared. Later that day @Agalon explained what I should have realized by myself - even if I consider 20l/100km consumption I would be out of the desert several times before emptying the tank. Yet I arrived to the camp on time.

At the briefing I took away a couple of important points @alshamsi_m mentioned:
1) it is not a competition, the time to the destination doesn't matter
2) don't drive beyond your capabilities, don't stretch yourself
3) you will be a different person after this drive (which @giorgio mimicked promptly :-D)

I was grateful for this information. I decided to maximize the enjoyment - I stopped at several view points to enjoy the scenery in total loneliness and take a couple of pictures before proceeding. I also didn't follow exactly the track, when I saw an interesting crest or a "virgin" sand, I wen't on that route. Sometimes the excitement brought me quite far from the given track and I had to give it a large correction. This is why I didn't meet may cars on the way - just @Scorpio, @Saeed FJ and a Jeep couple - I suppose it was @giorgio and @Issa. I thought Giorgio is such a social person that he couldn't simply help himself to make the solo in the way it actually honours it's meaning :-D.

This way i got to the middle of a huge bowl. It was somewhere between AS1 and AS4. With heart beating I made a few cycles inside, when the devil started to 'whisper in my ear "Hey buddy, go and make a side crest on the top, you can make it!" . But the idea was too much "shit in my pants" and also I replayed @alshamsi_m's voice "don't do anything beyond your capabilities" so I told devil f*ck you and instead made another circle and exited at the bottom.

I felt I played really hard, and all the excitement and adrenaline made me tired, so for getting to Old Lady I chose the easiest path I could. Here I met many family members playing at the wall. I took a break, got a snack and somewhat refreshed I continued in more playful mode to the end. Again there were many interesting dunes and bowls, but I felt I had enough and didn't want to make a mistake at the very end.

Then I spotted the trees and most of the members already sitting in the shade. Knowing the fun is getting to the end, I was looking to some last challenges, and I found a razor sharp dune of a middle size that was untouched, at the end of desert before the plateau. For a moment I thought - don't be silly, if you get stuck there, you will be displayed to the eyes of the whole group, don't show off! But the devil saw a second chance and said "Go, you are skilled enough to handle it".

So I climbed up this beautiful untouched dune that appeared to be a heap of super soft sand and in a second I ended up sitting on the top helplessly like a crippled duck. The next second I heard in the radio @giorgio, who was comfortably sitting under the palm with others and puffing from his midwakh, "Petr, engage A-Track, hahaha". F*cking devil (to make it clear, I don't mean Giorgio ;-))

Thanks to @Scorpio and @presa the duck was pulled down and limped on it's own towards the trees.

The drive was a fantastic experience, and I truly appreciate having the chance to experience it. Driving alone is a very different, I'd dare to say a spiritual experience. Thank you marshalls @Abu Jimmy, @JockJKU, @rashid, @Daggerfall and @Solmaz and the non-marshall ;-) @alshamsi_m for us to have the chance to be there.

Although social it was not me. I did not see another driver until I arrived at AS 25