Liwa Marathon - The Tank Side

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Ozgur
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Hello everybody!

I had registered for the Liwa trip and started to complete with all the requirements about the trip and camping. 2 x 20 Lt jerry can be required and I have asked before 1 week back to some people who have experience,somebody suggested plastic Jerry can, someone metal Jerry can. I have decided to go with metal jerry can.
I had asked about sleeping bag suggestions from chitchat group from telegram. Because I was searching on the forum, someone before 3 years back experienced 15-degree sleeping bag was not sufficient. That’s why @CARLOSS suggested to me 10-degree one at least because next week it will be colder. Also, @alshamsi_m suggested a shop (called Istanbul Picnic Accessories @Al Badayer) the sleeping bags look reliable and thick. But we had done our shopping already before and there was no time, we had changed immediately before the leaving from Dubai to camping spot drive. The 10-degree comfort temperature sleeping bag was okay, I have used it at Al qudra as well after 2 days from Liwa, I wear thick and I didn’t sweat or feel freezing. But of course, it will depend on your body and how do you like to feel comfortable. You can use it as a reference, the temperature was 13 degrees Celsius at the camping point Liwa in the morning.
Tuesday almost 10.30 pm, we have arrived at the camping spot and we had immediately joined to chitchatting, we had nice nights with the other campers, after that, we had slept for exciting Liwa driving morning.

Around 7 am we have woke up and started to have breakfast and fix the stuff into the car.

@alshamsi_m has organized the drive and he started to the briefing.
Lead by @alshamsi_m
Second Lead by @brett,
Rescue and support by @Rashidjass, @presa, @Mabubaker,  @Rooies@Sorin@Tomvanhouten
Sweep by @orlantsev

After the briefing, we had lined up and we were ready for our +5 newbies Liwa drive. We had started unforgettable and having a lot of new experience drive. We had big drops, high dunes arches, even a bowl. We drove from 9 am till 4.30 pm, because of some mechanical issues.
I have learned from this drive;
-if you follow the front of the driver, you will do so much better whatever you’re seeing from that driver moves.
-approaching angles are so much important while climbing at arches or bowl.
-if you approach well at the maximum point of your arch movement before your power goes down, you need to have your position to leave that area with the remaining power.

While driving we might have quite a lot of second tries. Especially @Tomvanhouten was driving in front of me, he worked so hard for recoveries. That’s why how I appreciated you people.

If I will not be in this family, sadly I couldn’t go to Liwa by myself and do camping over there and drive whole day. It was an unforgettable drive from my side.

Thanks a lot for our senior drivers in the family, spending time for us and trying to send you back home safely, and sharing your experience with us! Special thanks to @alshamsi_m and all other performers all day! Also thanks for the survivor's gift who drove all day!
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Tomvanhouten
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Hello everyone,

arriving late in the camp, meant a small chat around the campfire and quickly finding a place to sleep.

After having slept like a little baby, waking up in this beautiful area is already a treat, but the day wasn't even underway! And what a day it would be!
We were briefed at the camping point wit the first surprise of the long weekend: a different radio channel! After some struggles with the radio setup we were ready to drive.

The drive was smooth with a recovery here and there, but nothing out of the ordinary. Energy was saved for the other days to come brigade.baka-wolf.com
Estimate, we done roughly 85km, so we didn't succeed to make the planned 120km but all was safe and we had a super time!

Thank you everyone for the lovely drive, good chats and everything else.

see you soon,

Tom
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alshamsi_m
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Hello Everyone

Liwa is a different school and that is why we don't go easy on the members " To make them stronger " . The first surprise was no meeting point so you have to drive alone in the dark, what they didn't know that the camp is designed in a way that even a first-timer can come 18km in the dark without help.

Secondly, as mentioned by @Tomvanhouten we introduced the FRS which was needed because of the static from other radio disturbances.

The drive was a mix of everything and the target either we finish 120 km or we finish at 5 PM, well we finished at 4:30 PM and from the look at the new members faces they were more than happy to see the road again grin

We got a surprise from @AntonT to gift all the members who are doing LIWA MARATHON 2021 with a keychain as souvenir cool

Finally I would like to thank all the supporting team and the marshals who joined us for DAY1

Best Regards
Shamsi
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Vika
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Hello everyone!  pacman

So the long-awaited Liwa Marathon 2021 flew away, leaving, as always, the warmest and unforgettable impressions and memories.  Three unforgettable days and three nights with cozy evenings near a campfire with friends, filled with a huge number of jokes and funny stories, sunsets and sunrises, the Milky Way, morning fog, covering all the Liwa, beautiful terrains and routes in love .

As always, everything was professionally prepared and organized by a team of impeccable founders, marshals, rescue and support team.  But what I especially want to highlight is that Liwa Marathon has become completely different, different from the previous ones.  This marathon made it clear once again that Almost4 × 4 is not just a professional club that teaches us off-roading, it is a club that first of all teaches us to be BETTER, stronger, more tolerant, more attentive to each other thumbsup

I am infinitely happy to be a small part of Almost4 × 4 and I never tire of thanking all the organizers and all the club members who made this event happen in love

Till then...

Yours Viktoriia :innocent:
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presa
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Hi Almosters, we had a great day!

I arrived at meeting point with family about 21h, being the track to reach the camping spot very easy, @shamsi_m did a great scouting job for the camp area.

We had a great chat with the campers, until 0h where most decided to go to sleep and get rest for the next day... but then @Abubakar arrived, so I decided to have a 15min chat with him, that lasted for 1h30 grin grin grin grin

Interesting enough there were some frogs near the fire at the camp... I am 99.9% that was NOT someone snoring :you_re_kidding_right: :you_re_kidding_right: :you_re_kidding_right:

Next morning myself and family wake up just before the sunrise and could take a few photos from it. Weather was - guessing - around 18-20oC with a very pleasant breeze. Everyone joined for breakfast and I discovered that Rashid bring Big Red and was sleeping nearby...

The drive started around 9h with a convoy (including floating) of almost 20 cars, being led by Shamsi.

Area is large with long not too step climbs, large dunes with reasonable easy tracks (if you know what you are doing), some nasty ditches and... many soft sand spots... I deflated my tires twice on the first 2h of drive, since the on the very soft sand your car will struggle having a 2psi increase in tire pressure.

Convoy was doing good with good flow and a few second tries during the first hours of driving. Until we reach a deep bowl, that looked more like a cone.

The leading car decided for a classic track, where you enter the bowl from the soft side, reach the bottom and climb making an arch at the hard sand side of it. Leading and second car did great... the rest of the convoy not that much playingsmiley playingsmiley playingsmiley

We have great videos from it, but there were, at least 15 second tries on that spot. It was a great way of pushing the 10- newbies out of their comfort.
The key takeaways are:
- have your tire pressure checked. From the moment you see that there is a harder spot to be conquer, you can use the 2nd tries to have your tire pressure checked, so you don't struggle at your time
- listen to the marshal. To suceed at the climb was necessary to have a good initial speed. Drivers were not following the instruction from the marshals on the track to be followed and the need for using all the engine power.
- dont get nervous. Is easier to say than to do, but once a driver did the same wrong track 3x, meaning he was being given instructions but was not able to process it and execute, due to being nervous. At this moment is important to slow down the execution, rehearsal the given instruction and understand WHY it will be better (this can always be asked to Marshals that will be happy to give the rational over the instruction)

After this specific spot there were a few more second tries but the convoy did well considering the area and experience of it.

We had lunch at about 14h and drove until 16h30.

Many, like myself, inflated and got the road back home, but a few luck ones went to the next camping spot for the 2nd day of Liwa :)
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Mabubaker
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After finishing an 8:00 pm business call, I made the fove from Abu Dhabi towards the camp site. I reached around 11 pm, thinking that everybody will be asleep, however, luckily I found a good company awake around the campfire along with @presa. We had our usual chit chat with a great scene of milky way 🌌

The difference in skill level between the drivers was relatively high, but this is normal and expected in such drives with newbie drivers. During the drive, some drivers who are focused and listens to marshals instructions were able to show progress in their skill level within the drive, but some others, lost focus and kept doing very similar mistakes.

@alshamsi_m created a challenging, but safe track to minimise the risk of drivers mistakes while maintaining the higher adrenaline level.

Finally, thank you member for joining this drive, I am sure you learned alot in this drive, keep practicing to enjoy higher level drives.

Thank you for marshals and support team for leading and supporting the drive.

Take care...
M Abubaker
Flor
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Hello everyone!
Awaited Liwa for a long time, it has been one year since my first and last time in Liwa!! So when I discovered this new opportunity I managed to get 2 days off and I did it! It was my first time without Kids nor my lovely @CARLOSS and I have to say that I really enjoyed it 🙈🙈🙈🙈
Camping by myself, using for the first time @Booy tent, and I have to say that it was so easy to pitch it but to fold it back it was a nightmare, then I decided to put it on the top of my car and I went to the breakfast place where @alshamsi_m helps me to fold it back successfully in seconds. 💪💪💪
The drive itself was really nice , I enjoyed it a lot and realized that I felt again so confident!
Thanks to all the marshals and support always there!!!
So glad to share this drive with some old friends @brett @Viktoriia @Laarni @Tomvanhouten and the new ones!😊😊😊
and always thanks to the marshals for giving us such an amazing experience!
Hope to see you soon!😊✨✨
Flor.-
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Rooies
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The first meeting point was "close" to Abu Dhabi so I decided to stay at home & leave early in the morning. The drive to the meeting point was nice & quite & the sunrise was beautiful. Cold summer is here as @alshamsi_m calls it yaeh am not durnk & at one stage I used my cars heater ORLY as it was just a bit nippy. I found @orlantsev & another member at the last fuel station & from we headed to the meeting point. Arriving at the campsite there were quite a few people already, I saw that there was a lot of dew, tents & cars were wet....so sleeping outside on the stretchers might not work.

We had the briefing after everybody packed up & as @Tomvanhouten said the first surprise the frequency wtfsmilie, eventually got it right & the convoy started moving. We inters decided that @Tomvanhouten would be infront to make up for all the lost recoveries while he was driving BigRed grin .

The scenery was beautiful & I saw @presa stopping to take some pictures. The convoy was moving nicely, but here & there the following distance was a bit big. There were second tries & @Tomvanhouten also had some work upfront, I had one recovery & the body language of @Rashidjass was very funny grin .

The convoy upfront went through a little bowl with an arch. The BIG Landcruiser was the first car to provide the "entertainment" & eventually got out. I did the bowl/arch & joined the rest watching the other cars do the bowl/arch, next was the Pajero providing the entertainment.....after several tries & lots of help from @alshamsi_m , @Rashidjass got the Pajero out of the bowl/arch.

At one stage we hit a nice flat area & the speed increased, some members were a bit hesitant to floor it...... Time was running out & we needed to head back to the road.

Overall the drive was good, we did not do the complete track as was planned, but overall it was a good drive.

Radio communication, following distance were some problems & as stated before some members are hesitant to drive it like they stole it.

During the inflating we all got a nice key chain made by @AntonT , thanks buddy. Heading to the last fuel station was a long slow drive, but we made our own little convoy & headed that way.

Thank you @alshamsi_m for organizing the drive, the others marshall/advance & inters for the help during the drive.

Till we meet in the sand again, stay safe.

Greetings,
Rooies
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