After the Tempest Trek

[Mghoneim]

Dear Members,

After spending the morning with the fresh newbies avoiding the bushes in Dubai desert, I was full of hope to find Sweihan in a better condition.

Arrived early to the Meeting Point to find our founder @alshamsi_m and @Elly , and just for the record, @orlantsev was the fourth to the meeting point just for the record .

The 10+ Newbies started to arrive as well as my fellow intermediates, and we were set to drive with a long convoy led by @Mabubakr ,floating @orlantsev ,and @alshamsi_m. Supporting intermediates were @Ehab ,@marco ,@Giovanni ,@nidal78 , hope I didn't forget anybody.

We started the drive and after the 3rd arch I was thinking , finally we are driving on proper sand and I hear on the radio @Aljamhi reporting a pop out. The weather is getting hotter and we need to be careful with our tire pressures and with our driving as well.

Fixed the popout quickly and continued our track heading towards Nagrah where we played a bit there, and started heading back on the other side of the farms.

I think the convoy was performing well (atleast in the front where I was positioned), I heard many comments on the radio for keeping a safe distance to maintain convoy flow in the back. On the way back from Nagrah some members had a couple of seconnd tries on the same climb ,just because they have trust issues. It is always a blessing to have somebody on top of the dune telling you ITS FLAT, DONT STOP ACCELERATING.

I hope the lesson was learned for the next time as the next level doesn't have this much pampering, you will be busy working on your survival skills.

We finally arrived by sunset to the inflation point with everybody's smile on his face.

Once again thanks to @Mabubaker for organizing and leading, @alshamsi_m & @orlantsev for safe guarding , @Ehab for sweeping and the rest of the intermediates for support.

Till the next drive

[AntonT]

Good day, Almosters!

There was one more remarkable 10+ drive in Sweihan!

Despite the challenging terrain, our convoy maintained a smooth flow. We drove for 1.5 hours, tackling the terrain with ease, before our first break near Al Nagra Dune. It was a pleasant surprise to meet and share a short chill-out with another Alshamsi Offroad Team, further strengthening our off-road community bonds.

The drive was full of arches and climbing to high dunes, reaching max engine capacity - above 5000 RPM.
All drivers enjoyed bumpy Nagra's hills at different difficulty levels, but time was close to sunset, and the convoy rushed out of the sands.

Thanks to @Mabubaker, @alshamsi_m and all interim drivers for organizing and support of the "After the Tempest Trek" drive.

Drive with Almost4x4!

[alshamsi_m]

Hello everyone

I reached the meeting point early to have a nap because I felt the heat in the morning drive.

The Drive was organised and lead by @Mabubaker who gave us amazing safari style drive . Which was fast and continued for 1.5 hrs before we take the first break .

Also the 10+ were allowed to Challenge Al Nagrah under marshal's supervision. So they were the tips and techniques to overcome that challenge .

The Drive towards the sunset was the on top of the . Where we enjoyed the colours of the sky and the dune with a beautiful mix.

Till next time, keep the sand flying

Cheers
Shamsi

[Mabubaker]

A great day in the baby liwa desert with almost4x4 senior newbies.
Main purpose was to see the newbies ablity to have precision aiming and control over their cars preparing them for the next level. In general, the convoy did well.
The dive was a good test for my new ride aka. Jenien, only fixing a bit of plastic rubbing, otherwise Jenien is ready run.
As @alshamsi_m mentioned, the first 1.5hrs reaching Nagra was almost non stop which gave us a good time playing at Nagea and the way back to road before sunset.
Thank you @alshamsi_m for taking care of the convoy. Thank you @CARLOSS for taking the second lead position @Ehab for sweeping. Thank you support team @orlantsev, @Mghoneim , @mpodroid , @Giovanni, @nidal78.
And thank you newbies for the great time!

Until next time, take care snd see you soon!
M Abubaker

[CARLOSS]

Hi everyone!

In the last few months, I have been joining as many drives as I could as it is acting like as sort of a therapy or balsam after long and tiring working weeks however, whenever I am joining a newbie drive I normally put myself in “Eco mode” meaning that both my mind and body are in a very relaxed mode expecting a normal and easy drive.

As usual, I was completely mistaken as @Mabubaker delivered an outstanding drive for a +10 with a bit of a teaser about what an interm drive is. Long runs in the walls and some steep climbs reminded me my early inter drives. No side cresting though which will come in due time, I guess, and a decent pace a bit hard to follow by some newbie fellas…I spent some time keeping an eye on the rear-view mirror and saw some of them struggling a bit...meanly in the walls.

With all that, I needed to swift a “mental” gear in order to properly follow Mabubaker and my forecasted “chill out” drive went to the trash bin which it was a nice surprise, not expected at all.

Even though the convoy was very long the group did it quite well and we covered a decent area till we reached Nagra with only a couple of interruptions: A pop out and a falling flag but all in all quite good.

I dont want to even mention the beautiful chain(s) of dunes we did not challenge as I dont want to cry...

On a personal note, I had a lot of fun and it was joyful to see how some of the newbie colleagues are growing and making progress…maybe, next time I see some of them it will be in the next level .

I would like to finish my trip report with thanks to Mabubaker for the excellent drive and for trusting me as a second lead and Master of Master @alshamsi_m for taking care of the convoy.

Strong interm presence also which demonstrate the commitment of my brothers in supporting new generations.

Take care and see you soon.
Carlos

[orlantsev]

Hello all,

I have been mostly away since January and have not joined the drive (except one failed attempt when I did not reach the meeting point due to burst tire).

Weather is still mostly pleasant. Despite heavy recent rains sand was soft, and not much vegetation.

I was glad I was allowed to float which made the day even more enjoyable as I could play on a side.

The convoy did very well that there was no need for much of support.

One of my observation is that not many drivers check pressure and air down during the drive. As a result some were reporting 13PSI pressure towards the end of the drive. For me I use every single break in the 1st hour of the drive to check air pressure and adjust accordingly.

It was great to see gradual transition of Marshals away from FJs. The 4Runner looks wonderful :) Maybe that sets the trend.

Have a great week, everyone.

[Paddy]

As an avid off-road enthusiast, I couldn't help but notice a drive posted on the forum that mysteriously eluded the app's visibility. Curiosity piqued, I reached out to @Aljamhi to clarify the situation, only to find the drive magically appear on the app later that night, around 11:30 PM.

To my delight, the drive was orchestrated by none other than @Mabubaker , igniting my excitement for what lay ahead. Eager to secure my spot, I swiftly registered, proudly becoming the second participant to sign up for the adventure.

The day of the drive finally dawned, and anticipation coursed through my veins. With adrenaline pumping, we embarked on a journey filled with heart-pounding thrills and breathtaking challenges. While the drive didn't feature any side cresting/cresting, it more than compensated with its intense pace and daring climbs along vertiginous walls.

Every twist and turn tested the limits of both man and machine, demanding unwavering control and precision with each ascent and descent. It was a rollercoaster of action-packed moments that left us exhilarated and hungry for more.

A big thankyou to @Mabubaker for the drive and @alshamsi_m , @CARLOSS , @Ehab ,@marco ,@Giovanni ,@nidal78 and @orlantsev for supporting the drive.

See you all on sand soon.

~BR
Paddy

[Ely]

Dear almosters,

It was a pleasure to drive for the 1st time under the lead of AbubaKer! Thank you for organizing « After the Tempest Trek » I believe we were all looking forward to it !

This was a really smooth drive mainly safari style with big arches. Although, and I think this is an important highlight, we were a long convoy (about 18pax) we cruised nicely around Nahil dunes with nearly not a single disconnection through the whole drive! This shows how good were our marshals and support team. So a big thank you to AbuBaker, Shamsi and our intermediates for their supports and guidance.

Not to mention that I was driving at the back of the convoy, which I usually found challenging… but actually this time I thoroughly enjoyed it ! I felt the pace was slower than in front and this was more relaxing. The real challenge was to pick the right line… but the intermediate drivers in between helped us out to pick the right track.

We also benefited from the direct instructions of our Marshals for one high climb and some great tips on throttle power and gears in general.

I am very excited to see you all again soon !
Take care !