Eid Drive - Joy & Tears

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brett
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Joy & Tears 14th May 2021

Good Morning Almosters

We all met at the designated meeting point, there were a lot of very eager drivers there already when we arrived at 415pm. What a sight to behold with more than 40 vehicles. The socially distanced briefing by @alshamsi_m was short, and group was split into 3 convoys, it was time to get moving in order to not draw too much attention, being that we were a large group.

The drive was posted as an easy Family drive as a farewell for @Booy @Solmaz @Agalon turns out it was also @Daggerfall birthday

Being a “Family Drive” I decided this would be the best opportunity to venture out in the FJ (Wasp VII) for the first time, expecting mostly tracks and a few climbs. How wrong was that assumption !!.

I was in the convoy with @Scorpio leading. We were I think vehicles in total. I will not try and thank everyone who took part in the drive as it is too difficult to remember due to the high number of participants, Founders, Marshals, Advanced, Intermediates and Newbies.

So off we headed along the track – this would be a very short section and I might add the only “Track” section. Within no time we were in the dunes. Some very technical short but very steep drops, a few climbs, and a generally fast pace. Wasp VII performed really well, and I was pleased with my performance, it was a major difference from driving the spirited Wasp VI that sometimes seems to have a mind of its own. Wasp VII allows for a much more stable and forgiving drive.

There were a number of 2nd tries throughout the convoy, as some of the climbs were rather steep and quite technical. The area is full of clumps of vegetation and these present a different type of hazard, if you hit them, it is like hitting a rock !! with the Wasp VII not yet lifted it also meant we were bottoming out on the vegetation as we bounced along. At one climb there was a batch of vegetation to pass on the approach to the climb and then the warning had came over the radio “Do not Fly", I approached it slowly over the vegetation then trying to gauge my approach speed to the crest I ran out of power and traction, so a reverse back and an instruction to take a line a few meters to the left (no pre-climb vegetation) I was able to nicely clear the obstacle.

As the sun was setting, we arrived at the group meeting point and it again was a sight to behold with all the vehicles parked up and the group mingling and chatting sharing food and sitting in a large semi-circle. The children all running around playing in the sand. What a great culturally diverse Family Almost4x4 has.

A lovely cake was presented to the birthday Celebrants and as a farewell for the departing Marshals. The condition of the cake was evidence of the rather bumpy drive prior to it being presented !

My wife and I on behalf of our Newbie Group presented to @Booy , @Solmaz and @Agalon with a memento photos of their involvement with Almost4x4 as a gesture of thanks for the support and guidance they have given to us during our time with Almost4x4. At that point there were a few tears shed.

I drove out to the road without off-road lights, I have them fitted but as spotted by several marshals they are not yet wired (I will get that sorted this week). The track out was actually the type of drive I had been expecting !

My take aways for this drive :
- Driving a different vehicle requires a period of adjustment – especially for a newbie.
- Radio communication is paramount for a smooth flow of the convoy.
- The Almost4x4 family will miss the advice, support, and guidance from the departing marshals.
- As always, watch, listen and learn at every opportunity.

A huge thank you to all for making this event a memorable drive and gathering

Until next time
Best regards
Brett
Wasp VII
Until the next Adventure

Brett
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Tomvanhouten
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Hello everyone,

although we had to cancel the drive due to some very bad food ate the night before, I thought writing something to our departing Marshalls is the right thing to do.

We sincerely apologize not being present and really missed the feeling of being altogether and sharing the good memories we have.

Both @Laarni and myself, would like to thank @Booy @Agalon and @Solmaz for the constant support and fantastic patience shared.
To us, it was amazing being in the desert with you and we have learned a lot during the times shared together.

Once again, thank you so much and remember:

Out of sight, is never out of the heart!

Thanks

Laarni and Tom
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CARLOSS
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Hello everyone!

Joy & Tears drive was a special one for a few reasons: Having the opportunity to say “all the best and see you later” (I never say goodbye) to our beloved departing Marshals @Booy , @Agalon and @Solmaz and bringing my kids as passengers as it was a while since the last time I brought them.

Once again, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all Marshals and specially the above-mentioned ones because of their continuous support, time, patience and valuable lessons given for free thumbsup …hope that sometime in the future I will be able to pay all that back.

The drive itself was not as expected. I was expecting a relax mode drive, family friendly, but I found myself dealing with climbs, steep drops and nice pace which I appreciate a lot at the beginning. And my kids too (thanks @Scorpio for that). However, just at the very end, my kids started to feel a bit dizzy :sick: (sure that all the food they ate during the drive did not help at all) so I started to make some shortcuts and lower the pace as much as I could for making the remaining part of the drive pleasant for them.

We finally made it and were happy to reach the meeting point without any major incident, all sound and safe Psmiley , and had a lovely time chitchatting with our peers, sharing some food and seeing our kids playing with some others.

I was saying earlier that Marshals and the supporting team do that because they love to (as we do) without expecting anything in return (apart from watching us having issues with small dunes playingsmiley ) but what really surprise me the most it was observing @alshamsi_m giving us money for that! OSMILEY Later, I learned that it is a tradition because of Eid so thanks again for that. thumbsup

As I said many times before, my family and me are pleased to be part of this beautiful Almost 4x4 off-road family. One of the best things that has happened to us since we came over to UAE. in love

Looking forward to joining upcoming drives (newbies +20 please! blank )

Carlos
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It can not be described any better than what Osman did on the chat "The drive I wished I never registered for". Great to see so many cars attending the drive and many of them coming along with their families, yes, something I might have to work on but my kids say they will only come if they are allowed to drive so they might have to wait a few years ...

Let's start from the beginning, Booy, well, probably the Marshall I have interacted with the most so there is no doubt I am going to miss him greatly, a few Newbie drives with him plus I will always be grateful for allowing me to join Newbie+10 drives ahead of time, I am also sure he proposed for me to take the intermediate exam, afterwards as intermediate he was the leading car in my favorite 2 drives to date, the 2 where I felt I gained more confidence as a driver and all because of him.

We all know that Marshalls can drive but to me, what makes the difference, is the fact that they are only Marshalls from the moment when the drive starts to when it comes to an end, afterwards and in between just another friend around a campfire or trying to find a shade from the sun sharing stories and willing to offer help and advise. I had never driven with any other club and I was always scared to join one as I know that I would not have dealt well with the "I am the Marshall attitude" but in the Almost family I got completely the opposite, and Booy is a perfect example of it, thank you not only for all your help and guidance if not for always doing it with a friendly smile.

This brings me very easily to Agalon & Solmaz, the 2 Marshalls that we are all hoping got a sending off party but they will stay around ... I did not know who they were for long, yes, I am sure they were there for EIB and my intermediate exam (announcement came from Solmaz) but I do admit that had I seen them in the street (well, mall, we are in Dubai) I would not have recognised them ... until a +10 Newbie drive in Liwa that I attended as support, all of the sudden I started thinking, who are this lovely couple sitting to my right???, somehow their warmth and easy smile caught my eye straight away. The next morning I saw them floating around the convoy (of course Agalon roof off) in what I thought was the most romantic thing I had seen in a long time.

I really really hope they do not leave, I have not experienced yet enough of Agalon´s driving style, only a small taster in Badayer spoiled towards the end by the traffic and the tracks everywhere, no doubt he can do things differently and we need to see more of that!!!. Solmaz, well, I had already a plan in my mind, after following her once in Al Faqaa and seeing Daggerfall´s video (best ever desert video) following her in the "big dunes" I was going to start begging in September for her to take us there .. even if that meant being on her bad list again (no doubt worth it).

I do believe that "what goes around comes around" so I hope that the 3 of them, wherever life takes them, find people willing to do for them as much as they have done for us.
Last edited by David on Sun May 16, 2021 7:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Ehab
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Joy and tears, finally my fifth trip with Almost4x4, looking forward joining more challenging trips.
Its really sad to see 3 marshals @Agalon @Booy and @Solmaz leaving at the same time, wish you all the best in your future and hope to see you soon.

I drove with @Agalon once and it was really an amazing trip, with him leaving now, i think we “Jeepers” will have to think of buying FJ’s TT TT TT TT TT TT No no and no thats not happening, we would like to be entertained always and enjoy each and every trip (only possible with Jeep) and not only “drive” (typical FJ experience).

Most of Jeepers arrived early to the meeting point, it was nice to see most of the colors and models of Jeep Wrangler, check below:

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Image

And yes there was a single FJ which i removed from the photos just to keep the picture nice TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT

I was in @Scorpio convoy and for sure it was not an easy track, many jumps (sort of flying in some cases), many steep drops and few areas where we were trying to figure out the track due to the very soft sand. I had my children’s with me and it was my youngest daughter first long desert driving trip, i had to slow down in the middle of the trip to avoid vomiting incidents, its too hot to go for deep cleaning these days :;^^: :;^^: :;^^:
That caused a gap between me and the car in-front of me but i was able to follow the track without getting lost TT TT TT TT

Thanks @brett for noticing the water leakage from the trunk, i am grateful it was not a petrol leak.

It was nice weather in the usual club camping area and thanks to @alshamsi_m to remind us with the eid tradition of Eidiyah, thank you, the kids will never forget it.

Going back from the camp to the road was a nice solo experience, its my first time using one of my saved Gaia tracks to follow a previous track, my intention was not to check on the production of vegetables and fruits being produced in Marqab farms, but that what happened, i think i visited all of them, i was just making sure they do not need anything TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT


Here is the video for the trip, enjoy it and specially the flying attempts at 4:53 and the technical challenge at 5:17 and remember to change the resolution to 4K

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alshamsi_m
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Hello Everyone

This Eid drive was another big event with over 60+ cars at the meeting point cool . The weather was a bit windy but I believe it is better than hot brigade.baka-wolf.com .

Thanks to all who joined and made another beautiful memory in our family


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presa
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Hi Almosters!

This afternoon we had a nice trip as EID celebration with Joys due to the birthday of @Daggerfall and Tears due to the goodbye for @Solmaz , @Agalon and @Booy .

I truly wish all the best to all of them, people that will always have a special place in my and many other Almosters' heart!

Drive was family oriented, so nice and easy with a few stops to talk, reaching the meeting point by 18h00.
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Solmaz
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Hey guys,

Joy and Tears were exactly what we had this drive. It was such a great day with most of our Almost family around. I know a few were with us at heart even though they had to be somewhere else. The support and love we received were honestly overwhelming at times.

@Agalon and I were in @Scorpio's convoy and it was a proper challenge for our newbies. We had the privilege of riding @alshamsi_m 's new and improved Mando, which was a treat after not putting my tires on the sand for a few weeks. Another treat was being the passenger of @Cyndi for a bit with my best doggo Snowy on lap.

But the highlight of the day was the evening when we got together after the drive. Celebrating eid as a community, with our actual and chosen family around us reminded me one more time why we call it Almost family. What our founders have created with Almost4x4 is more than a sports club for sure, and I am forever grateful for this night and all the adventures we had with you.

I would like to thank again all of you for the gifts, good wishes and prayers. Looks like some of those have reached their destination and we might have some good news on our way.


And here is the last addition to the jeep club: @brett

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brett
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Hi Solmaz
Hope all goes well
🤣 i have a similar collection of vehicles displayed in the same place.
Until the next Adventure

Brett
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piotr
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Coming slightly late (it's been crazy 2 weeks), but I also want to trop my quick note here.

It was an awesome drive, my 3-year old was looking forward to it for more than a week! ("Daddy, when are we going to drive with the monster trucks?") :) Also, this has been one of the rare opportunities to take him with me, as the Newbie 10+ are sadly too rough for him :(

There was an impressive array of cars at the meeting point, but we all got organized quickly and efficiently, and off we went. We were driving with the convoy led by @alshamsi_m - which meant nice and gentle lines, a crest here and there, and a few more technical approaches to spice up the play. My passenger enjoyed it throughout, particularly watching the one or two recoveries we had. Sadly, his wish for a sand shower for the car was left unaddressed. pacman

At the end of the drive we had an amazing evening, so many Almoster kids having fun in the sand - like in a proper family gathering :) We were chatting, eating cake and (unfortunately) bidding some farewells. Truly a bitter-sweet moment, I will miss our dear Marshals - I have learnt from you so much!!! (actually I could see that so clearly during this drive!)

Life has to go on but all the great memories will stay with us for life!
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