Hi everyone!
First thing first, even though brown pants were mandatory for this drive fortunately, there was no need to burn them all after the drive!
First time in Umm Al Oush and I am sure that it won’t be the last one…every minute of the almost five hours communing (in & out) was paid off with only the 1st hour driving. We could have finished just after that, and the drive was already worth it.
Beyond the technical details of the drive, playground, etc., to me, the most important things are the way you feel while driving (a) and the “aftertaste” that keeps in your mind for the next few days (b).
(a) I was completely excited & focused since the very beginning enjoying every single minute of the drive (1st hour, again, it was epic), I felt the car under control performing like never before and I got into the zone in which everything was making perfect becoming completely integrated within the car. Big dunes, bowls, medium dunes with never-ending side crossing…on man! It was like surfing on the dunes.
I read that the first part was a bit messy for some, but for not me, as in the front of the convoy the flow was amazing. In one of the breaks I was even asked for something said on the radio and I was so immerse on the driving that I could not hear/remember anything.
(b) Only after special drives I have this “sweet aftertaste” that lasts for a few days and G force was one of them. Off the top of my mind, I got similar ones such as GNFD, All lead, A fistful of Dunes, Heads will role, The Long Scout…, and almost 2 days after it, I still have this embarrassing smile in my face showing that the drive was a blast!
Now the negative part
: After more than 2 hours of glorious driving I must confess that I let myself go at the end of the drive (level was not that high) and made a stupid mistake (too fast and sharp turn while approaching a dune) due to overconfidence causing a pop-out and wasting some convoy’s time. Lesson learned for the next ones, hope it won’t happen again
, sorry guys and thanks for the quick support.
At this stage, I should have already proceeded with the acknowledgements…while writing I have also achieved flow state (I may need to visit the psychologist): Thanks
@optimus for organizing, leading and showing us “how it is done”; Master of Masters
@alshamsi_m , for keeping an eye on all of us even though he did not appreciate
the first convoy’s set up after Mahmood (David, Sorin and myself following) and
@Rashidjass &
@Scorpio as a “combo” for staying vigilant all the time. Same for both
@Mahmoodyasin (always nice to get your advice) and
@orlantsev . And my mates, who did really well
I cannot wait for the next inter drive (full day drive, inshallah).
Cheers
Carlos