First Contact 2014

[Iqsaan]

It was a welcoming sight , arriving at Bayader shops to find the place filled with Almost 4x4 members ...
Deflation , Flags up and briefing ... The group was split into three convoys , Newbie , Newbie+ and Intermediate.

I was part of the intermediate convoy which was charged to Desert Lizard who decided to make the trip an All Lead session .

Each intermediate member was given a chance at lead under the watchful eye of DL with Arminjune as sweep.
For most of us , it was our first opportunity to lead . For me , it was exciting yet a bit scary but I drew comfort knowing that DL was always on hand to assist if something went wrong . With that said , every intermediate was up to the challenge and I enjoyed the different style of each lead ... Dastoori , Hockey , Bombays , Sandskull , Nasirdub each carved out great tracks to follow and added a personal touch making each lead unique. Of course , the best leads of the day were by DL and Arminjune with their wealth of experience.

We drove to Iftaar bowl then Super Bowl and were back at Badayer by 11am. (unfortunately Bombays had to leave us about half an hour into the drive due to problems with his Jeep ... I hope these are rectified soon)

Leading adds a whole new dimension to desert driving requiring an increased degree of alertness of your surroundings and total control of your vehicle and it's capabilities.
As lead you no longer have the comfort of following the tracks of the car in front of you or watching their approach to a dune but have to carve a safe path for others by learning to read the dunes , being aware of hazards in front , to the left and right of you and at the same time finding the perfect position to crest the dune.
I began my lead afraid and stressed , however , by the end of my short session , I actually enjoyed the freedom that comes with the position.

Thanks Desert Lizard for giving us this opportunity.
Thanks Arminjune for the work at sweep
Thanks Dastoori , Hockey , Sandskull , Nasirdub , Bombays for the wonderful leads.

[Mohammad]

-5 Newbie .. Thank you Abu Jimm, Rashidjass and Iskander. started on time with easy drive and went all way to end with similar pace and keeping it safe... There is one part missing in the track below but do not worry Abu Jimmy ensured that we are on ground and we were not flying off the ground but it seems from the excitement I forgot to resume my track record in that period of time!!

Thank you all and have a great weekend ahead of you....


[ATTACH=CONFIG]1745[/ATTACH]

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[TR="bgcolor: #e3e3e3"]
[TD="colspan: 2"]Name:[/TD]
[TD]Track 001[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 2"]Date:[/TD]
[TD]3 Jan 2014 8:35 am[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="bgcolor: #e3e3e3"]
[TD="colspan: 2"][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 2"]Distance:[/TD]
[TD]20.4 kilometers[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="bgcolor: #e3e3e3"]
[TD="colspan: 2"]Elapsed
Time:[/TD]
[TD]58:22.3[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 2"]Avg
Speed:[/TD]
[TD]21.0 km/h[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="bgcolor: #e3e3e3"]
[TD="colspan: 2"]Max
Speed:[/TD]
[TD]51.6 km/h[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 2"]Avg
Pace:[/TD]
[TD]2' 51" per km[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="bgcolor: #e3e3e3"]
[TD="colspan: 2"]Min
Altitude:[/TD]
[TD]145 m[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 2"]Max
Altitude:[/TD]
[TD]211 m[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="bgcolor: #e3e3e3"]
[TD="colspan: 2"]Start
Time:[/TD]
[TD]2014-01-03T04:35:08Z[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

[kerpas]

Today I was on the newbie 5+

The day started very excited with an amazing briefing made by Strawb & Yoghibear. The plan was to remove our smiles from our faces with a difficult drive :grin:.

Indeed was more difficult than last week but to be honest I prefer that way. As expected we have some stucks on the first minutes and Strawb nearly give up with us, but everybody keep smiling :grin: and asking to maintain the level.


We tried to maintain a short distance within the cars, but that effort create more problems because if somebody made a mistake the following cars had no room to avoid the same mistake.

Soon or later the first stuck has to come, and mine decide to come today… very good lesson on what to do and what not to do. Yoghibear and Zorro were so gentle and help me. Thank you very much guys, I really appreciate your help :applouse:.

We continue driving towards Ifftar Bowl and I followed the wrong track away from the convoy. Once again Yoghibear and Zorro come to help me with guidance back to the convoy, I’m really sorry to keep you busy… it was not on purpose.

For the first time I was really scared , not because of the drive or the dunes… No! it was because we almost crash 5 cars. It’s amazing but we create a traffic jam in the desert… After crossing the top of a dune, I found in front of me Oxanalu going backwards, on the right Green Giant was trying to avoid a car contact with Oxanalu and on the Left was Muaz trying to do the same. The three cars were in front of me in a V pattern blocking the track so the only option I had was to brake to avoid the contact with any of the cars. Due to the position of the cars on the dune the car driving behind me, didn’t saw the problem ahead and almost crash with me.

We continue driving back to the meeting point with few more stucks and second rounds on the convoy but very excited drive indeed.

Maybe for Strawb, Yoghibear and Zorro was not a nice day because we keep them very busy, but for us was a great drive, the kind of drive we need to keep learning from the mistakes and get more experience. Thank you very much for it, and please don’t give up with us… we are still smiling :grin:



Hope to see you soon

[Andre]

Many thanks to Abu Jimmy for organizing the first drive of 2014 and leading the Newbie -5. Thanks also to Rashid Jass and Iskander for keeping the convoy going.

Today's drive is like a refresher to start the year for newbies. As promised by our lead to make the trip smooth and in rally style. I think in some areas we did it slow because of the track marks that crosses everywhere on some of our routes and sometimes caught us during climbs and even left some dents, scratches and brake-ups on some vehicles (including me).

However, I learned to manage my approach and speed on this kind of situation without getting stuck or losing momentum (maybe car power is a point or maybe I'm getting more familiar to handle my car). Hope so!

I'm very glad that I'm part of club's first drive of this year as this might be my only trip for the next couple of months, will be out for a while.

cheers to all.

[Eric Hummer]

First of all thank you to Abu Jimmy for organizing this drive... the first drive of the year......

I drove with 5+ convoy lead by Strawb and watchful eye of YogyBear and Zorro on the wheel.... as promised by Strawb and Yogy that the drive will be a fast phased and we will be doing some intermediate drive during the course of the day.

The drive started with full speed but we slowed down along the way as some of us were strugling some of the climb and have to take second to third try before making it on the top of the dunes and 3 to 4 cars behind of the convoy got lost couple of times as it was not able to catch up on the lead.
Some of us got stock on that day including myself... lesson learnt is even from stationary position you will got stock :secret laugh:... i stop on the bottom of the dunes just right at the edge of a small ditch as we were waiting till other cars to join the convoy... i was looking behind me and i saw the car that I'm following take the right turn to join the other cars so i started to move going to right as soon as i hit the gas pedal my car started to sink in the sand and there i got my first stuck of the year.......
Strawb came to the rescue and pull my car from the back but didn't work so Yogy advice to pull it from the front... after the i got pulled and out from being stuck...Yogy told me that my right front tyre POP out..OOUUCCHH!!!! again my first pop out of the year... but we managed to put everything back together with the Help of Strawb and Yogy.. BIG Thanks..

Sorry for causing the delay guys.... Hoping this is my first and last stuck and pop out this year.. Crossing finger:sad:... Thank you to Abu Jimmy, Strawb, Yogy and Zorro

[Rashidjass]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1747[/ATTACH]

We reached Al Badayer shops around 8:00am and I was really happy :triumphant: when I saw the parking area was full of Almosters :028: .

After short briefing by Abu Jimmy we slipped in to 3 convoys Newbie, Newbie+ and Intermediate.

In our convoy Abu Jimmy as a leading marshal, Iskander as a rescuer and me as a sweeper

We were total 16 cars including marshals

The route was perfect for newbies, It was very entertaining & smooth. We started on time and ended on time and all the drivers did very well,

We end our trip with zero stuck and zero pop out.

Thank you Abu Jimmy for wonderful lead and Iskander for his support as a rescuer.

Special thanks to all the drivers who this trip.

See you soon :038::038:

And some pictures https://www.facebook.com/rashid.soomar/ ... tif_t=like

[Arminjune]

Awesome drive nothing to complain about, I think all did great, Thanks to all specially DL.
one stuck but it was tough luck if you ask me.

one thing I liked was that no one was pushing over there limits to show off. and all went home in one peace :D

if I have to make comment I would say only leave more space between drivers, not only because you might get stuck if the car in front of you gets stuck, also if the car behind you is close, you have other getaways other than backing up.

also if the car in front of you gets stuck, you know you should find a safe place that points downwards so you don't get stuck to, but also remember there are cars behind still coming, make a space for them to move around.

these are not complains, just reminder :D because I have done them all and was lucky to have someone advising me

[Iqsaan]

[quote=Eric Hummer;31913]
Sorry for causing the delay guys.... Hoping this is my first and last stuck and pop out this year.. Crossing finger:sad:... Thank you to Abu Jimmy, Strawb, Yogy and Zorro[/quote]

Hi Eric,

There is no shame in getting stuck or having a pop out ... The important thing is to realise your error and to learn from it ... We are all here to learn and are always learning no matter how skilled we are ... Remember it is better to get stuck than to be overpowered and launch your vehicle off a dune or rollover .

Safe driving!

[Oxana]

I was in the 5+ convoy lead by Strawb and with two Guardian Angels Zorro and Yoghybear.
Because "Newbies +" pretend to act as "Intermediates -", Strawb decided to show us the difference between levels. The high speed on the soft dunes with the loads of crossing crests for the convoy, which was settled up in a free style.


Our trip started with the words: " Now you're smiling, but you won't see these smiles today again" ... and the rest of the story was a disaster. Don't get me wrong, we LOVED it! However when I analyzed every single part of the trip separately, I have started to feel so ashamed by my consequences.


I'll share it with you in my own way, like I always do. (Don't mind the counting, lessons 1-3 were on my previous trip.)


Lesson 4. "The radio device situated in my car to inform the convoy members about troubles with my car and to keep me updated about all the situations outside of my car"


One of us got stuck, he didn't inform the Marshals immediately and couldn't inform us later because of the radio signal not being able to go through the high dunes and the distance between us. His car wasn't with us for at least 20 min and no-one had even realized it until the very last moment before he appeared again during the break. Honestly speaking, I wouldn't like to be in his place.

Once you get stuck, immediately inform!
Once you lose the car behind you, immediately inform!
Once you see a danger on the track or close to it, immediately inform!


Here is the link to the Basic Principals of Communication with Two-Way Radio (guys, it is not boring and is a highly recommended short topic to read, if you haven't yet)


Lesson 5. "The minimum and the maximum required distance is equally important. Failure to follow this rule will destroy the Buddy system and will lead you to trouble"


Loads of times we ruined the convoy system by passing each other like children without thinking of ourselves and others' safeties. There was a couple of times when we were close to having an accident. We got stuck many times because of what we've done as a team. Also, it was one of the reasons why many of us couldn't follow the leader's track and needed to ask Yoghy for help....


I would like to express my deepest appreciation to Yoghybear and Zorro for that patience while rescuing and collecting us, also to Strawb for keeping his promise and showing us that we still have a lot to learn.


Thanks Strawb, Yoghybear, Zorro and our Friday team.
Love you all and hope to see you soon.


P.S. Dear Strawb, it was so exciting to be a second car after yours :like:

[SINGH]

Hi All

Sorry for the late report, as i was busy in getting Goldy back in to shape for the next desert trip and she is fit to hit the sands now...:yaeh am not durnk:.

As it's explained above by our fellow almosters that we all met at Badayer shops at 0800 hrs, followed by a welcoming note from Abu jimmy and than we were split into 3 convoys. I was in the first convoy i.e 5- (although i registered for 5+, but final decisions are with Marshals), well it was confirmed by Abu jimmy that today we are going to have a smooth drive and it did started in the same way. Few small smooth dunes to warm us up as well as for our cars and then .....here came a steep climb....wao it was good...and goldy made it to the top smoothly and than we waited for a while for other fellow drivers to make to the top.

Later, one by one, we started the descend and continued the drive....but....there was glitch waiting for my goldy ahead.......there were small bumps in between the two dunes and my speed calculations went wrong which made goldy to fly on those two bumps....& i believe all the drivers had a little bit of tat..... We were waiting for the convoy to join us and Taurus, who was following me, found something unsual underneath my goldy, thanks buddy, you got good eyes.

We checked and realised that Mounting bracket (on Axle) of RH rear damper has lost its welding from one end......oh no...(again the same thoughts....do i have to go back to tarmac)....showed it to Abu Jimmy and the first thing he said...."Please be nice to Goldy"....which showed his true love & pain for his ex drive...:Psmiley:.... upon inspection he confirmed that i can continue to drive and said, in case the bracket fully cames off, we can remove the damper and the same happened after we climbed to the Red rocks (Correct me if i am wrong).....

Dear Abu Jimmy, Rashitdass(+the boys with him) & Iskander, please accept my BIG thanks for giving unconditional support and helped in removing the damper....you guys are too good... and sorry to rest of the drivers, i made you to wait.

Finally thanks to all the fellow drivers for making our drive a succesfull one.

See you soon in sands....