Paradise city VII

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Tomvanhouten
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Hi everyone,

After some rest, in the afternoon, it was time for 'planned' Intermediate drive.

Briefing: inters who drove in the morning go to the back. Ok, let's have fun!
The intention was to drive to Old lady, but unfortunately @Laarni and myself had to call it a day around 430pm due some enormous headache which interferes with the concentration. So, actually didn't reach the Old lady dune, but hey enough opportunities to come!

@Daggerfall leading, @AndreAJ as a second, @Solmaz and @presa coaching from where ever needed. And off course @orlantsev to make sure nobody gets left behind. Those were the people ensuring safety.

From the back of the convoy, it was rather easy to follow as all crests were gone and I noticed that this is for me, a learning point towards the front of the convoy. I say to myself now, get in front more and learn to bulldozer for the rest instead of relaxed playing around at the back. Guess everyone has their own points to focus on.

Lovely drive, great company, thank you all!

Tom
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Sorin
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As I’ve been part of the morning drive as well and fasting, going to the village for lunch wasn’t an option for me so I decided to head to the main mosque to pray and wait for the drive meeting time.

Headed out of the mosque immediately after prayer as sleeping inside is not allowed and went & parked the car in the underpass that we use to make a u-turn.
It was shaded and breezy so I took rest there with the windows open and a million flies until about 1:50 PM when other off-roaders decided to use the same spot to deflate.

Made my way to the meeting point and got going in the second drive of the day.

As I was waiting in the car while we were all waiting for @Lenny to arrive, I didn’t hear the instructions that the ones who participated in the morning drive should stay at the back of the convoy and positioned myself 4th car by mistake and at one point ended up right behind the leading car due to the multiple second tries and @Daggerfall was surprised to see me there :))

Made my way to the back of the convoy and continued the fun drive.

We went to Old Lady and had nice challenging dunes to cross to and from.

At one point we came to a dune that seemed like any other regular mid-sizer with a radio notice that there is a ditch on the other side of the crest.

One by one the second tries started and watching from the back I was puzzled as to why the guys were able to reach the crest, ride it a bit, then go back down to the right for a second try wtfsmilie

Something was afoot here…

Then came my turn and as I climb, reach the crest & look to my left, I see not a ditch but the doorway to hell :)))) a huge hole that could easily swallow a few cars! I floored it up the crest and barely made it but this was a really tricky one because the crest was going up not down :))

We made it to Old Lady and played a bit then headed to the exit.

Full of adrenaline, full of love for Leo and full of hope for a new summer season in chill mode :D

Thank you to @Daggerfall , @presa , @Solmaz and support @orlantsev for making this drive happen and happen safely


See you all soon!
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CARLOSS
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Hi everyone!

I am sure that I reported pretty much the same thing in the last interm drive with @Daggerfall so I will try not to repeat myself too much: It does not matter whether it is winter or summer, with or without AC, long or short pants…I am always sweat like a pig when driving with him brigade.baka-wolf.com . And it is not because I am scared on the contrary, I have tons of fun, but for the level of adrenaline that his drive’s style produces in me. thumbsup

The selected playground was not the best I have ever seen because there was plenty of bushes and diches everywhere, but still Daggerfall managed to make “highways” cool within the dunes creating an amazing flow completely safe and “clean” for the rest of the drivers. I don’t recall any significant bump in a bit more than 3h drive. Ok, to be honest, I had one but because I took 1 meter right the original track…on my account. whut

And as Sorin reported before, in one of the climbs we saw the inferno patapon on the left side and still we managed to succeed after a few tries.

Magnificent dunes in Sweihan area making never-ending chains of fun driving in safari style with plenty of side cresting…specially the last part was amazing with no radio comm. for several minutes with all drives doing an incredible job…and this is what we did till the drive came to an end just before the next drive’s registration challenge…it turned out that my car’s trunk was receiving the best data in the area with 3 successful registrations done! Next time I will charge 100Dhs each! Psmiley

Finally, I would like to thank @Daggerfall for organizing and leading this amazing drive, @presa , @Solmaz and @orlantsev for taking care of us and my mates for playing safe and making this beautiful brotherhood.

A couple of further comments before I go: 1) Congrats @Sorin for your new Toy…I saw you driving like you already owned this car since the last year. Incredible drive!. 2) @presa , interm drives are missing you a lot TT TT …just telling you that in case you have nothing to do any of the upcoming Saturdays blank

Radaman Mubarak to all my second family and see you in the night drives :ninja:

Carlos
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PedroLeal
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Hello Almosters,

this was just the best drive I have experienced so far! eyes on fire
Wait... don't get confused... I joined this drive as a passenger! Psmiley
@presa was kind enough to invite me to be his passenger, so not only I was joining a Intermediate drive, but I was experiencing it in a floating marshal car. thumbsup

I delayed this trip report to give me time to find the right words to describe what I felt, but my adrenaline levels are still too high and I can't stop smiling, and can't think.

@Daggerfall was the leading marshal, @AndreAJ the 2nd lead, @orlantsev the sweeper, and @Solmaz and @presa were the floating marshals.

As a newbie, I was curious to experience how higher is the level of intermediate drives compared with newbie drives (including 10+).
I was expecting it to be 1 step higher than 10+ drives, but believe me, it's way higher than that. And so is the fun!
I was amazed to watch how these inters were driving those lines, side cresting, shaving and switching sharp crests, some times from the wind side, some times from the soft and steeper side, with correct angle and momentum.

The flow was amazing with the drivers keeping the perfect distance between each other.
I realized that both convoy flow and correct distance goes hand-by-hand.
You keep the correct distance, you help the convoy to flow. With that, you keep your adrenaline levels high and focus sharper, and at the end you have lots of fun!

There were some second tries being called and I learnt a very important lesson: It is ok to call for a second try, there is no shame of doing it.
Calling for a second try shows that a wrong judgement was made (maybe related to approach angle or speed) and the driver acknowledges it before he/she puts himself at risk, and goes for another try, understanding what he/she did wrong and learning from it.
Thanks for the lesson guys!

I hope I'll have the opportunity again to go a few more times as a passenger to some interm drives. The fun is in another level, but mostly, the lessons I take from it are pure gold.

Thank you @presa for the invite!

I hope to see you in the sand soon!

Ramadam kareem to all my almoster brothers.
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presa
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Hi Almosters!

After a great morning drive with the 10+ we stay, on the same area, for the afternoon with intermediates.

@Daggerfall lead the convoy and had a blaster, as usual! Pace was very good and the convoy performed greatly.

I was very happy to see that all drivers were playing safely and at a good level, excepted at on single place...

According to @CARLOSS and @Sorin it was Inferno Climb & Side crest grin grin grin grin grin

That was a side crest, by the soft side, going up, with a 15m (3 cars) ditch at the middle of the climb. There were about 10-15 second tries, but everyone made it safely, although some drivers pushed too hard before calling for a 2nd try.

Thank you for @Daggerfall for organizing the drive, @Solmaz and @orlantsev for the support and KUDOS for all participants, since you kept an amazing level during the drive.
orlantsev
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Hello all,

I was away for 2 weeks after Heads will Roll, and just came back day before the drive. Oil leaked out of my jack during the previous drive, but I wanted to be ‘tools compliant’. The tire shop checked the jack and refilled it with oil, but it still did not work – they said issue was with a pump, and it was not worth repair, so I bought the new one.

Staying in Abu Dhabi meant shorter distance to the meeting point. As it was mentioned earlier the convoys were split and the intermediate drive in the morning was fast. The convoy was small – just 7 cars in total. @Daggerfall took us behind the Nagra dune which is amazing. Normally I used to come to it either from the front or from sides.

With the start of Ramadan eating options were few, so after refuel most of the drivers met at Lulu express for some grocery shopping. Upon returning to the meeting point with @presa , I realized that I forgot my sunglasses at the petrol station. I returned there and they were kept by the petrol station attendant – love this place where you can safely leave things and find them in the next hour!

Due to this I did not have much rest before the afternoon intermediate drive. This time the convoy was bigger, but it did not feel as the drivers were performing great. Being at the back of the convoy means the crests are flatter, but there is an added challenge of broken tracks, which means that sometimes driver needs to deviate slightly from the track and this always holds certain risk.

At around 5 pm I started to feel the jet lag, so decided to leave with @NahorJP whose passenger was not feeling well. To our surprise we did not even finish inflating before the rest of the convoy arrived. It was a great day in the desert … a day which is becoming increasingly dominated by FJs 😊

Best wishes
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AndreAJ
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Hey Guys,

Well what can i say about our drive? what word or words could explain this drive? Simple...... It was absolutely AMAZING!!! GREAT FUN!!! damn i had such a fun drive.

@Daggerfall was in one of his great driving moods and really gave us a drive to remember, as second lead i was under the impression he wanted to leave us behind in the desert, it was low flying from the start, pedal to the metal and hang on to your steering wheel.

@Solmaz , @presa and @orlantsev had there hands full from the start to ensure the herd stayed together and safe. If it was not for them we would have left cars behind in the desert.

We drove in one of my favorite locations, beautiful sharp dunes with allot of soft and great bowls. In this part of the desert momentum is king but even more important is your approach to the dune do this wrong and you end up with second third and fourth tries, Ask me i know, and no matter what people say second tries are far safer and you learn from them. (Never attack these dunes with anger or embarrassment of not making it)

Thanks to the rest of my family who with out these drive would not happen, @Tomvanhouten , @Rooies , @CARLOSS , @Jasper , @Laarni , @Lenny , @NahorJP (nor sure if i should mention @Sorin as he joined the dark side of the force)and @osman. You guys are great and drove like desert warriors, true high speed Bedouin's with Horse power.

I look forward to our next drive,

Andre
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osman
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Hi,

With a some deviation from his favorite ACDC tracks, @Daggerfall took us down to the paradise city where the grass is green and the dunes are pretty.

Four intermediates plus @orlantsev from the morning drive joined the second intermediate drive in the afternoon. @Daggerfall made his fairness call and asked the morning intermediates to be at the back of the convoy, leaving the front part to the drivers who did not have a taste for the day yet.

Since the convoy size is almost doubled from the morning drive and the level of the drive is high, we had a very long snake on the sand, with relatively more stops. But the overall flow was still very good. Looking from the back, when I see some climbs looking almost vertical walls, I was questioning myself how that can be possible. But when you follow the lead, not to afraid to put the pedal to the metal, you do it. Every such climb and side crest is another appreciation of marshal's skills.

After we said goodbye to @Laarni and @Tomvanhouten, the dunes changed a bit while approaching Old Lady and the whole convoy got into the "zone", where the radio was silent, everyone is quietly executing one crest after the other, no stop, no second try, just drive. Amazing! But this did not help one passenger to get sick, I probably would fall sick if I were a passenger as well. We then say goodbye to another two cars while heading to our last climbs and bowls at Old Lady, then shortly after reaching to the road driving among the farms.

This was not a drive but a day to remember, thanks to @Daggerfall for the amazing lead, @presa and @Solmaz for the great support, even your presence is support itself. Great team, wonderful memories, see you soon.
Warning: Sand is addictive... and also the sea salt.
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