O Solo Mio 2.0

[BettyPo]

1. You all did super right and please organize more of those trips!
2. None of us can be advanced enough to be thankful that you all exist and always take so good care of us...a 'Thank You' shall be typed at least by all challengers!
3. Time might be a factor....:057:

Okay Okay!

I was able to leave Dubai only by 8pm and the drive to Strata was fairly pleasant having my baby bro over for a visit. We arrived surprisingly after Capri, Yanka and Bu Jimmy who were sitting in the dark and no one else as yet. Thank God my would delivery guy arrived shortly after!
Meanwhile I punched in all coords to my GPS for the following day manually as I was unable to unzip an easy file:033: Well, I still gained knowledge as I have not done that before either:036: Members arrived one by one and the usual chit chat took place before I wished a Good night after 1.30am.
It was rather a sleepless night through some snoring symphonies and the wind picked up as well and shacked the tent from left to right and vice versa.
6am it was to get up, having coffee, packing up and to get ready for the briefing. Some (the usual lot) who like to sleep in needed a bit of wistle to get out of feathers. It reminded me more of Titanic when Kate Winslet blew for help....Capri, you need to reduce smoking:011:

A good detailed briefing got us ready to head out with a given 5 minute headstart over each other.
I was placed number 5 and waited for my turn, before making my own tracks covering 39kms plus. I took couple of extra turns while covering all points given as the virgin dunes just screamed for to be smashed, well, just too tempting to leave them untouched!!
I left some members behind:013: as I was told not to help and reached Naqra - point 15, finding Nbaker and Toby chatting which was meant to be a check point. I have never before seen Naqra itself track less and did what I had to do......PLAY! Finally my brother said that he felt a bit funny but was ok without stopping the car:011: After a while having some good laughs we decided to join the group who gathered at point 14 which turned out to be the most spectacular point in regard to 'learning'. This bit I will leave to Melfi to report as we missed the entire action going on over there.
A short break and time for some Chai catered by Rashid Jazz lead us back to Naqra in convoy where everyone got to play before heading out to the inflation point 17.

A good old style Mandi lunch treated us well thanks to Bu Tarek:024:

It was a great day out, not only the drive to count but the amazing company which I am proud to drive with.

Thank you all Marshals & Founders :043:

[CAMEL]

Sorry Chief..This new work assignment is taking too much of my time and concentration. This was the same reason i arrived home on Thursday evening at 9 PM and neha and the kids were ready, loaded up the car and quickly left to Al ain. I dint have a GPS(which again I blame on lack of time) and was lucky to find Omar at the deflation point and after a short drive arrived at the camp. Was nice to chat up, and the kids had their bit of fun.

The morning was fresh, quickly informed the marshals about my situation with the GPS, and i had to drive with the sweeping marshals Capri and Abu jimmy. Was a nice to drive behind Mini me, and realized what a marvelous toy she is!!

After the marshals made sure all the contestants had safely crossed Point no. 8 we drove some interesting tracks to join Melfi and moby in the situation,Which was quickly recovered there after all of us almosters did what we do best, challenge huge dunes, 2 wheel madness and all the fun!!


Thank you marshals....

[ROBY]

Fist of all, thanks Capri for the set up of my GPS:045:. The trip was enjoyable and unforgettable for me. To drive alone on my own responsibility was amazing.
Yes.. I remained stuck one time but as Shamsi said, I did a perfect recovery but it was not easy. It was very windy and I had sand everywhere.. eyes, mouth, ears ..but I did.

At the beginning, Marshals asked to intermediate drivers to jump some waypoits because mayby are to hard but I didn't. I have to learn and improve my driving, and at the end I reached all waypoints, especially the number 8 where I forgot to handing my ribbon:033:. Ops....

A Special thanks to Zico that has offered the lunch to all of us.:like:

I hope to join an other trip like this very soon.

[strawb]

my drive started with a long boring straight road to alain

stopped by a nice viewpoint i know about 5 kms away from strata to smell the fresh breeze of alain

moved on to strata and to my suprise the entrance to the campsite was undergoing road construction ........ my very clean car had to go thru mud which ended up splattering all over my nice and beautiful XJ

turned on all of my HID lamps and straight ahead i went ....... clicked on my waypoint to find out the campsite was around 600m inside ........ im familiar with the area and i know the sands were soft ........ but the CRAZY in me decided to go punch thru the dunes without deflating ...... I reached the campsite flawlessly at 35psi ........ saw the almost family all gathered around the bonfire with smiles on their faces knowing that its going to be a rocking desert weekend

set up our tent and had small chitchat with my brothers before going sleeping sleeping


we wake up with capri's whistle and on to the marshals briefing

the atmosphere was definitely fun for everyone who has done this before and you feel a bit of tension with the first timers ...... all was good and we were all dispatched

i was the 2nd to go and was the 1st advanced driver sent out .......... just so basically i can show the other advanced guys how to do it properly :060: :011:

as i recall from solo mio 1.0 .......... if there was a clean ridge and the terrain looked familiar ........ i crested and crashed the ridge as much as i could have ....... safety as i priority ofcourse ..........

i had to stop a couple of times as my co pilot was having motion sickness issues .......

there were a few souls in distress along the way and with true almost fashion .... you cant really not help them ....... im keeping quiet on who the ridge sitters are though

on to POINT 14 ....... i went up and around the dreaded MELFI ROCK A HOLE BOWL ....... saw it was crazy and decided to turn back .......as i was on my way up to the dune ..... melfi radios in to say "strawb ..... can you check whats in front of me?"

it was definitely a sight to behold as the words OH $HIT will come naturally .......

[img]http://i75.servimg.com/u/f75/14/62/86/87/img_2013.jpg[/img]


we decided to wait for help and we spent about an hour or so chitchatting about random stuff just to keep melfi cool and calm

Al Khatib came and with his DESERT OFFROADING BLACK BELT ....... simply drove Moby down the rocky bowl as if it wasnt there ...... Magic? ....... No its Khatibs illusions!!!!!

We all drove back to Naqrah on 2WD playing all crazy .......... if anyone sees photos that i had a rear pop out ..... those are photoshoped and not to be taken seriously

the highlight of this drive was one thing

MANDI MANDI MANDI

see you guys next week and keep the sand flying

[Sarookh]

As they say, picture speaks for itself, I have posted few picture describing the hole trip but few words would not hurt.

So, I took off around 21:30 heading to camp and I reached around 23:00, many were already there chit chatting around a small fire so I join, greeted every one and decided to enlarge the fire in an attempt for me to call for the MDG, she apparently was busy somewhere else and instead I made every body run away from their places as it was too hot (sorry guys that was not my intention :059:).

I personally loved the weather and decided to sleep and enjoy the open air and so I did until I was awaken by the cold breeze of the morning around 05:00, so I decided to restore the fire and while doing that I heard a noise of sleeping bag zipper and someone saying Hi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I almost jumped from my place thinking that it was some lost spirit looooool but I was not it was Geni Friend.

After couple of hours all was awake and getting ready for the Solo drive, as said before all drivers were given a number and the event started, I was the last one to take off and as it was no race, I decided to take all my time and enjoy every bit of that fresh, beautiful virgin sands and I did, took some nice pictures, climbed some high dunes and had it all.

While driving through the points I haven’t seen any stocks but I saw Geni in a very..…you know what let her tell you that story but I saw Strawb first pop up ever hehehehehe and I got it documented for the records (and that is no photoshop :011:.

As usual the event was a big success not only the area was amazingly nice and any offroader dream but it was because of the people who were there and made it very much a memorable.

Special thanks to 3ami Abu Tareq for the Mandie, Akramk Allah and a very special thanks to all our Gang of Marshals (Capri, Bu Salem, Abu Jimmy, ALKhatib, Bu Mahmoud,Lamboooooo) and all my follow drivers who joint the event specially Strawb hehehehehehehe.


Until we meet again take care and enjoy :045:

[bu-hamdan]

Thaaaaaanksssss Chief Capri for your instructions in how to install 18 points in my GPS in the easiest way.:cheerful:

I’ll start writing directly about off-roading in al Ain…

Started driving alone when Chief gave me the green light to move.
While driving & fighting the huge dunes:013:, met Kallas & Abu Tariq from nowhere. Asked them if they were facing problem but, they were fine.. ( one of them is a mechanic & the other one is a Rally navigator).

Enjoyed driving alone tell the place we all got together again where an FJ was in the middle of sharp drop & couldn’t move neither forward nor reverse.

At that stage everybody was thinking of what is next..

One of the experienced founders “ Al khatib” showed up & decided to drive the car in very special way to get it out from there..

After few minutes we all were clapping:045: for him because the FJ was back to safe place.

This was really an interesting show, but I don’t want it to happen again because it was tooo risky.

To be honest with you guys,
actually it is difficult to choose what was the next interesting part.. because everything in this trip was extremely interesting:028:.

• Nagra dune were Marshals allowed us to play as much as we wanted to. (Thanks Marshals & Founders)
• Following Mini Me to the inflation point with high speed.
• Gathering & enjoying the lunch. (Thanks Abu Tariq).

Decided not write everything, so my 2^nd family members will get chance to do.

Enjoyed it to the (exciting level) of feeling and waiting for the O Solo Mio 3.0


See you soon Almosters in sha ALLAH.:038:

[Sandskull]

[quote=bu-hamdan;25016]

Enjoyed driving alone tell the place we all got together again where an FJ was in the middle of sharp drop & couldn’t move neither forward nor reverse.

At that stage everybody was thinking of what is next..

One of the experienced founders “ Al khatib” showed up & decided to drive the car in very special way to get it out from there..

After few minutes we all were clapping:045: for him because the FJ was back to safe place.

This was really an interesting show, but I don’t want it to happen again because it was tooo risky.[/quote]

This particular event seems to be very interesting as strawb, sarookh n others also mentioned the dune with rocks on the bottom etc...I believe it was something new to learn and thus want to know in detail what and how it was and how was the rescue done. So, with no offense to the FJ's owner, can any one post the pictures of what happened? and also if there is a video of rescue, it would be a learning material for all.

[caprihorse]

[quote=Sandskull;25017]This particular event seems to be very interesting as strawb, sarookh n others also mentioned the dune with rocks on the bottom etc...I believe it was something new to learn and thus want to know in detail what and how it was and how was the rescue done. So, with no offense to the FJ's owner, can any one post the pictures of what happened? and also if there is a video of rescue, it would be a learning material for all.[/quote]

Check this and some pics from albums of friends at FB...

[video=youtube_share;J_CameZAdtM][/video]

or here

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 837&type=3