Let’s Rumble

[Rajalingam]

Dear Almosters,
Thank you Bu Salem for posting the photo taken by me. I was about to post and saw it was already there
I was excited to go to Sweihan as this is my first ever drive to do in this region away from Dubai and Sharjah
Map was showing 1:45 hours from my location and in actual took almost two hours to reach in reality. Hence 5 minutes delay to the meeting point. My radio had problem of mic which will get activate without pressing the PTT. Brut was the life saver at that time and special thanks to him
Three convoys were formed and I was with the 1st convoy which lead by Mr. Al Shamsi. The route was discussed and the support team + marshal was confirmed.
I was given the opportunity to take the second position in the convoy which was a surprise and at the same time I was asking myself, am I able to make it in second position. The drive was started off smooth and every 100 meters the pace increased. Started with small dunes and bowls. The Sweihan is best place to test and improve your skills. The downs were smooth compared to the previous drives as those were sharp drops and you need to slow down to avoid scrapping/damage your bumper.
I worked hard to catch up the pace of the little beast going in front of me. Many times I heard him to close the gap and another time do not come close. In the previous drives I used to wait for the car in front to give clearance every time crossing the dunes, but this time I just followed the Bu Salem's flag with confidence that the MacLoud Joinior in front cannot be stopped. Bu Salem is very generous to slow down and gather the convoy back together before moving to next level. At the same time Scorpio did a great support to guide the convoy on track and together
When we are getting the feeling that the drive is going to finish in few kilometres and I started to feel that today I did a great job (shouldn’t do it until completing). To the surprise I was struck in a 450 position in which the car will overturn if I do anything wrong. Bu Salem helped and guided to come out from that struck. I didn’t expect that the car will come out that easy by following the instructions.
One of the car is nosedived. Arun handled the situation with ease and smiling face. I would be worried if I was at that place and it taught me how to handle the difficult situations or unexpected events.
Nagra dune is the amazing to see and hoping to drive to the top one day. The little beast conquered all the way to the top of the Nagra dune and my lucky fellow passenger got the chance to sit with Bu Salem for this adventure. Scorpio made to the top of Nagra dune and it was like a ship cruising in the sea, great show
My trip to Sweihan was an exciting and challenging adventure that tested my skills and taught me valuable lessons. I had a memorable and rewarding experience, and I’m looking forward to more such adventures in the future.
Special thanks to the organiser, support team and the marshals to make this drive as a memorable one
I extend my special thanks to the organizers, support team, and marshals for making the drive memorable.
Thank you


View from the top

[Paddy]

Lets Rumble

I wish to start this trip report with a big thank you to @giorgio for presenting us with the first drive of the season, where we could actually meet new and old members of the club.

This drive had 25+ newbies registered, good amount of support and 6 Marshals. I was sure it will be a really nice drive where its going to be a new learning experience.

Before the drive AZK89 booked passenger seat with me, so I reached to the pickup point at sharp 2:00 PM and to my surprise we both reached there at the same time. He parked his KIA and we started or journey towards the real meeting point.

Once we reached to the meeting point temperature was above 45 degree but it didnt feel like hot as excitement was too high.

I started deflating tires and mounted offroad flags. After making vehicle ready for the quest I started to meet and greet fellow almosters.

In previous trip reports everyone talked about what happened in the drive but let me give you a brief of what happened before the drive, @giorgio was waiting for us on the meeting point, and to his surprise his car was getting hot. Upon investigating we found that we had almost no coolant left.

Now it was time to call one and only @Rashidjass. He came assessed the situation and gave a quick fix/workaround.

Now we headed for the briefing, after attendance and intro to the drive convoys were divided based on drives. 5-, 5+ and 10+.

@AbuSalem took charge of 5- convoy with his mighty Jimny with supporting Marshal @Scorpio.
5+ was led by @Giorgio with supporting Marshal @Daggerfall, and Finally 10+ convoy was led by @Abubaker with supporting Marshal @Rashidjass.

I was part of 5+ convoy and thankfully I was assigned a responsibility of second lead. followed by dear friend @Ely . Thats not all I had AZK89 as passenger so drive was going to be fun in all aspects .

It was time for me to implement what I learned in my past drives as well as learnings as passenger. @giorgio is really good in adapting to driving styles based on the response he receives from the cars in the convoy.

He gave all of us taste of what we should expect from next levels, as well as kept the pace of the drive well adjusted to keep all drivers safe in the convoy.

I was able to follow his tracks until AZK89 asked @giorgio for more , then he himself came for our rescue.

Overall this was a perfect @giorgio drive, well adjusted for each member in the convoy and not to forget he was driving a car with a quick fix by @Rashidjass.

I am grateful to all Almost4x4 marshals, intermediates and Founder for keeping this family as it is.

Looking forward to see you all on sand soon.

~BR
Paddy

[Faizan]

Hello Everyone,

I can't differentiate if Giorgio went easy on us or we improved, Hard to decide. The drive was a little fast paced. It was very hot and tyre pressure kept increasing. Two times i had to stop and reduce tyre pressure.

Giorgio told us to keep the window open a little bit to hear your engine noise. When i applied this trick it improved my ride a lot. Also i was constantly trying to notice the car in front of me and not to make a full hard turn.

I saw our floating marshal DaggerFall doing some really great stuff on high dunes like it was nothing, I thought when will I reach to that level :P

After the ride we sat together and shared some jokes and stories that added to the fun.

Overall i really enjoyed this ride. No stuck. No pop out, some second tries and no damage to car this time.

Thanks Giorgio, Daggerfall and support.

[osman]

Hello Almosters,

When I reached the meeting point only a minute or two later than the meeting time, most of the drivers already turned-up, showing high interest and excitement. I was assigned Giorgio's convoy as a sweeper with 12 cars in total, including floating marshal Daggerfall.

From time to time, some cars needed assistance, either guiding for self recoveries by the marshals or a pull here or there when get crested. As the marshals repeated few times, sitting on the belly is better than uncontrolled flying followed by a poor landing. Also make sure to pay attention to what the marshals say & acknowledge on the radio.

The support team get to play a bit on the Nagrah dune, while the newbies are taking a short break, thanks to Giorgio.

I had to go back home and could not stayed for some chitchat and memory sharing after the drive - it was very tempting though, especially with a nice breeze.

Thanks Giorgio for organizing the trip and the lead, Daggerfall for the great support as usual. Plus all the marshals and the founder for dedicating your time and energy.

See you on 30th afternoon...

[MuddassirT]

Hi there!

Sweihan! What a lovely place
I liked this place more than the previous 2, had new experience getting to know my car better. Had installed the kill switch now as traction n abs was quite annoying.

The big dune was awesome, but only intermediate n plus could enjoy them.. for sure one day I too will conquer them

Regards
Muddassir T

[sandjose]

Sweihan Desert Drive: Unexpected Adventures and Camaraderie

All thanks to this amazing club for providing us the exhilarating opportunity to embark on a desert drive in Sweihan. As a newbie to off-roading, this adventure allowed me to immerse myself in the beauty of the Sweihan desert while learning the ropes of this exciting hobby This time me and my car came prepared with the basic mods to strike on the dunes and little did I know it would turn into a whirlwind of unexpected events, laughter, and unforgettable camaraderie among our group of daring adventurers.

The Adrenaline Rush: Surrounded by fellow enthusiasts, both novice and experienced, we set out to explore the vast desert landscape The weather couldn't have been better, with clear skies, creating the perfect conditions for our adventure. Navigating the dunes was both challenging and rewarding. As a newbie, I appreciated the guidance and support of our experienced marshals, seniors and fellow members We encountered a variety of terrains, from rolling dunes to soft sands, each providing a unique experience. Climbing dunes and maneuvering through sandy trails tested our driving skills and added an element of excitement to the journey.

The Lockout: Getting locked out of the car is usually terrible, but not with these people As one of us faced the situation everybody gathered around and in seconds 10 different ideas came Even though we ended up breaking a window, this unforeseen challenge further heightened the adventurous spirit of our day and increased the togetherness and bonding

The Nose Dive: As we tackled the challenging desert terrain, my adventure took a wild turn. During a dune descent that felt like a rollercoaster ride, my Prado (mostly me ) decided to take a nose dive, leaving my heart pounding and my vehicle with a little extra character in the form of dune-kissed damage It was an adrenaline rush like no other! The incident was a stark reminder of the importance of caution and experience in off-roading

The Spirit of Camaraderie: Following the incident, our convoy came to a halt, and fellow adventurers immediately rallied to provide assistance. It was heartening to witness the spirit of camaraderie among the group Naming a few @bu Salim, scorpio, paddy, Rashid, ghoneim, mudassir, raja (sorry I’m learning all the names ), everybody, quickly came to the rescue, using their sturdy vehicle to tow my car out of the desert. Moreover, the group collectively worked together to assess the damage and assist in pulling and pushing the vehicle back into a safer, drivable shape. The collaborative effort and willingness of the team to support one another were truly remarkable. Even after the drive my fellow members are enquiring about my car's repair and its progress. Its a beautiful reminder of the tight-knit community we had formed during our desert drive, where our bonds went beyond shared adventures and extended into a sincere affection for one another and our vehicles.

Conclusion: As the sun began its descent, painting the sky with shades of orange and pink, we made our way back to our starting point, concluding an adventure that was, without a doubt, one for the books What started as a simple desert drive transformed into a laughter-filled day of unexpected thrills and the enduring camaraderie of our group Thank you @Giorgio for organizing this trip. This experience left us with lasting memories of the importance of preparation, safety, and the incredible bonds that can form when facing challenges together. It was a reminder that adventure often comes with surprises, and with a bunch of friends by your side, even the unexpected can become an integral part of the fun. As I headed back, I couldn't help but smile, knowing that this adventure would be one we'd be laughing about for years to come and looking forward to the next thrilling escapade in the captivating emirates desert

PS: The Nagra Dune, oh, what a beast it was! It stood there, taunting me, reminding me that it's a challenge meant for the off-roading titans. I sat there at the bottom, watching my fellow members playing around and conquering it, I couldn't help but feel the excitement building inside me. I'll admit, it got the best of me this time, but you know what they say, "If at first you don't climb, dune, dune again!" So, watch out, Nagra, because I've got my eye on you, and next time, you're in for a surprise – a surprise brought to you by the unstoppable team of adventurers!

---
Some snaps from the drive.

[alshamsi_m]

Sweihan Desert Drive: Unexpected Adventures and Camaraderie

Amazing spirit , looking forward to see you in the sand

[Daggerfall]

Hi Almosters,

It was another beautiful day in the desert with new and old faces all together.

Its always a pleasure to be a part of the experience of our new members have while making their first steps into a different world and to Almost4x4 family.

Our leader @Giorgio gave a mixture of different challenges to our members during the drive and everyone did good in general. Doing second tries , getting stuck are all signs of development and growth so never get discouraged. As you might notice we also enjoy being around and supporting our members the best way we can.

I couldn't stay after the drive due to some commitments but looking forward for the next ones to learn more about all our new members and share some good stories.

Thanks to all organized, supported and participated.

See you next time