New 2025 Club members

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presa
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Dear Newbies, CMs and participants, please use this topic to write about your experience at the drive.

We had 3 convoys driving in Sweihan this afternoon.

@alshamsi_m did a briefing on how to drive with Almost4x4 at the desert, important tips regarding driving and how to be safe, among other topics.

I had a convoy with support from our General @Barish, @orlantsev and two of our dear intermediates, that were brave enough to join morning and afternoon, thank you for the support!!

Drivers did great, driving safely, hearing the support team whenever needed, without much to say!

Get your tools checked so you can join next weekend!
Bkhrais
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As a first experience it was wonderful. Really enjoyed. Felt safe because of the experience Marchals. Very organized and I noticed SAFETY FIRST. Really enjoyed every second. Looking forward for next adventure.
Blake
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My first experience with almost 4x4, I learnt a lot of valuable tips to help become more confident when off-roading. The event was very well organized. The briefing was very clear and made easy to understand allowing me to learn important practices. I really enjoyed the overall experience.
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brett
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Dear Almosters
The Weather on Saturday was very pleasant, it arrived at the location in Sweihan around 1pm to await the arrival of the New Club Members.
It was set to be a large gathering with some 40 new drivers registered. Once the new members arrived and we helped with tips on deflating etc, our founder @alshamsi_m started the introduction and basic safety briefing. This allows the new members to get some basic theory information before heading into the desert.
Due to the number of drivers the group was split into 3 convoys, this ensured there was plenty of support from marshals and intermediate and advance drivers assist the new drivers.
I was positioned in the middle of @optimus Convoy with @AhmadHasan in 2nd lead, @nidal78 sweeping in the Jimny and @dorudoru floating all under the watchful eye of @alshamsi_m . So, the club members we well supported no matter where they were positioned in the convoy.
Our convoy had a wide selection of vehicles, FJ’s, Prado’s, Landcruiser, Jeeps and a couple of emerging Chinese brands.
@optimus picked a very nice track for the Club Members introductory drive, in the most part all the drivers did really well for their first experience, with only a few stucks and second tries. I only had the opportunity to do one recovery of a crested car – I was expecting there would be more. The new drivers need to learn all the tricks and skills that will develop over the next few drives should they choose to continue to enjoy the desert with Almost4x4 – radio communication, correct following distance, managing the approach and decent speed at obstacles, etc etc

The Drive came to a conclusion around 530pm where we were joined again by the other 2 convoys to inflate our tires, there were mostly smiles all around for the Club Members with many of them getting their tools checked by the marshals so they can achieve their first start and join us again next weekend as “Newbies” and continue their development journey with almost4x4.
A huge thank you to all the Marshals, Advanced, Intermediates and Crew for attending the drive and making it a tremendous introduction event to our Almost4x4 family.
Until the next Adventure

Brett
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Almost4x4

I want to express my gratitude to you and Danillo (Presa) for the warm welcome to the Almost 4x4 community. It was an incredible experience on Saturday, and I truly felt part of a group that is serious, well-organized, and supportive.

The level of organization and emphasis on safety really stood out to me, and it gave me confidence to enjoy every moment. The camaraderie within the group, combined with the clear and easy-to-understand briefing, made the event not only educational but also immensely enjoyable.

Being part of such a professional and fun community has been a privilege, and I’m excited about learning more and participating in future adventures.

Thank you once again for making me feel welcome. I look forward to seeing you and the team soon!

Best regards,
Alex A Fraga
AAF Red Jeep 🇧🇷
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CARLOSS
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Hi everyone!

Another batch of eager newbies another batch of Almosters. Nice to see new faces and not only the old ones Psmiley

After @alshamsi_m master class, we all hit the tracks in different convoys. I supported @Scorpio ’s one along with @Rashidjass and it was good fun. New members were brought to Nagra which I believe it was experience for them on the "ratatata" thing thumbsup

Scorpio tailor made cool a very nice track with almost no second tries and no recoveries, as far as I remember.

We called if off for the day just before the sunset so everybody went home safe and with a smile in their face…not too back for a random Saturday afternoon.

Let’s see how this new batch is evolving…next time Marshals wont be so kind and viking rope will start showing off! whut
tando
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Hello everyone,

First of all, I would like to thank all the Marshals, crews, and trainers. The entire team was very kind, helpful, and professional.

I arrived at the location around 1 p.m. The weather was hot, around 30 degrees, with a clear sky. I prepared my car by deflating the tires, installing the flag, and securing items in the trunk. Then, I took a tour and met the participants. Around 2 p.m., Mr. @alshamsi_m started the introduction about the drive, convoy, and major safety issues in a very comprehensive and humorous way. The introduction lasted around 40 minutes.

Following the briefing, we were divided into groups. A total of 32 newbies attended and were split into 3 groups. I was in the second group, which was led by @optimus. Two Chinese cars (Tank and Haval) were at the front (after the leader), followed by two Pajeros (one of them was mine), and FJs at the rear of the convoy. I set my GPS (Gaia GPS app) and joined the drive.

My car is a 3.8L Pajero GLS, equipped with a front skid plate and a kill switch. I have no upgrades on the tires or suspension. I borrowed a radio from @dorudoru. The drive started at 3:07 p.m. and lasted 2 hours and 48 minutes, covering 19.71 km.

The route itself was not difficult or intimidating for me. I was able to handle almost all the passes with a good mindset and calm approach. On one of the slopes, I stopped horizontally, which was an unsuitable situation and caused stress due to the risk of rolling. However, thanks to the crew’s help and support, I managed to resolve it. I hit and damaged the rear bumper on one of the dune tops. The front bumper was also hit, but no significant damage was observed. Due to the soft sand formation, I had some wheel-spinning issues but managed to self-rescue easily.

The drive finished around 5 p.m. After inflating the tires and having my basic equipment checked by @optimus, I headed back to Dubai around 5:45 p.m.

Even though the drive itself was not very challenging for me, it was very helpful in learning basic skills such as driving in a convoy, observing and communicating with other drivers, approaching and leaving dunes, and beginning to understand the limits of my car (at least the rear bumper 😊). I’ve decided to install a rear skid plate, trim the front bumper, and invest in upgraded tires and suspension for future stages.

Hope to see you all again and join other drives.

Eren
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Barish
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Hello everyone,

As usual to mention, CM drives are always exciting as we have new drivers, new excitements followed by new experiences.

Basic concepts and safety rules were the main highlights to the new members in the briefing along with the convoy discipline. Demonstration of the concepts have been well performed post the briefing for our new members to get used to practices of the theory.

Welcome again to our club and congrats for your stars; dont forget: changing is nothing without improvement.

See you next time.

Barish
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alshamsi_m
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Hello Everyone

We have not seen this turnover of Club Members for a while now. We see many people register but then we don't have a show up at the event day. Although, we would have a big support team..... This time it is back to the old days cool

Although, it was a bit hot the members looked focused and enjoyed the theoretical part of the training . The practical part was another story and I can see that everyone were givining their feedback!!

I have a strong feeling that we are getting a good number of this batch who are determined to go to the next level.

My best wishes for all and looking forward to see you soon

Cheers
Shamsi
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As the first experience driving in the sand, this was an amazing day getting to know the club members at Sweinham. We started with an introduction to driving in the desert by @alshamsi_m which was very insightful and getting to know the rules. After that we split in different convoys and teams. The drive through the dunes of Sweinham, leaded by the team leader @presa was awesome, challenging and a great day to experience my car and how the club works. Definitely a 5 star experience.
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