Almost4x4

What is better than a mix of good weather, six rookie offroaders and a great support team at Sweihan afternoon!

We've driven towards Nagra, however it took more time than usual due to the promising skills of the drivers which teased for an upgraded track .

The convoy did pretty well, with few stucks and second trys but no major risks which is the most important.

Radio communication, keeping the right
distance depending on the flow and terrain, straight cresting, longer drops, drop and climb combo and proper stopping angle were the key techniques demonstrated in the drive.

Thanks @CARLOSS for keeping the convoy safe.. Thank you @Cyndi for the second lead, @brett and @Vika for the great support!

See you!
M Abubaker

Hi everyone!

“Up to Speed” drive was a perfect combination of Safari style with a bit dressing of straight small climbs and drops, perfect menu of our newbies -10 to practise their driving skills.

Area was beautiful, starting from the big Sweihan farm, reaching Nagra and way back to the farm. A bit crowded though when getting nearby Nagra with plenty of locals passing by and crossing just in front of us which took a significant effort to keep the convoy safe…at some point, it was more traffic management rather than an offroad drive.

Convoy did well, followed the given instructions and I believe they enjoyed the drive. What else can you ask for?

Our brave interm @Cyndi , @Vika and @brett , perfectly supported the convoy reconnecting and making recoveries, when needed. Viking ropes were expecting some action but our Marshal @Mabubaker was in a good mood last Saturday , I guess. Convoy was short which helped on keeping a decent pace.

All in all, a lovely drive finished on time with everybody happy.

For the records, the fast track from Nagra to the farm has changed (recently made wider with plenty of spikes in the middle) and some ongoing works…to keep in mind for next ones.

See you soon.

Hey everyone!

“Up to Speed” was exactly what the name promised — fast, fun, and full of action. Marshal Mabubker led the convoy with great flow, mixing nice fast runs with some tricky technical sections that kept everyone focused and smiling.

We kicked off from the Sweihan and headed toward Nagra, where the dunes got softer and taller. The pace was just right — enough to push the cars and drivers a bit but still smooth and controlled. Everyone handled it really well, with clean climbs, and lots of teamwork.

The area was busy near Nagra, with locals crossing every now and then, but the convoy stayed safe and organized. Great job from everyone keeping it tight and alert.

All in all, an awesome almost 4x4 drive — good pace, good people, and good vibes. Wrapped up on time, dust flying, smiles all around. Can’t wait for the next one!

Up To Speed
Dear Almosters,
Well, it was an interesting start to the drive – I was certainly not “Up To Speed” right from the start! I had not paid attention to the start time and left home estimating my time of arrival 3pm thinking this was the meeting time! Old Age starting to kick in!!
Fortunately, I arrived by 2:55pm and with the apex valves I was quickly deflated and ready to go without delaying the convoy.
Thank you to @Mabubaker for arranging the drive – so we headed off in the now familiar Sweihan area with new intermediate @Cyndi at 2nd lead, @CARLOSS floating and @Vika sweeping. I was mid convoy for support and recoveries.
As mentioned, there were a few occasions where the convoy got split with the track lost due to the large distances created within the convoy – this came about while the convoy waited for the cars to cross some crests one at a time to ensure it was clear to continue.
There were a few 2nd try attempts to cross the sharp crests although this was mostly just a matter of the driver backing up and trying again. Of course, with @Vika only having to do 1 Viking rope recovery from the top of a crest I decided to give her some more practice lol.
For whatever reason – loss of focus, soft approach, lack of correct approach speed, old age, no allowance for the additional weight of my new roof tent – I managed to get myself well stuck on the crest requiring the assistance of @Vika and her Viking rope to be dislodged, under the watchful – amusement of @CARLOSS lol happy to be of service keeping you guys amused and giving an opportunity to the newbies to learn
See You all at the Meat & Greet

Up To Speed Drive
Location: Sweihan
Direction: Nagra

The drive was organized by @Mabubaker , with @Cyndi as Second Lead, and @brett handling the support role in the middle of the convoy. We had 11 cars in total, including mine. @CARLOSS was our Floating Marshal, and, traditionally — I was the Sweeper, which I honestly enjoy every single time.

This drive was very rich in different situations that gave us plenty of practice. @CARLOSS spent almost the whole time on the top of the crests, keeping an eye on everyone and making sure all drivers were safe. When we were crossing the sharper and higher crests. You could hear almost everything over the radio —
“Too fast!”
“Too slow!”
“Stop, stop, stop!”
“Reverse!”
“Don’t fight it!”
“Go back!”
“Try again!”
“Support, please come, we need assistance here!”
And of course — “Very good! Finally, you did it right!”

At the same time, I want to mention one recovery moment where I took the Rescue role and helped Prado, and instead of using Viking Rope, we had to work with another red one.

Let me tell you — I felt that pull like never before! It was so strong, it almost felt like being shot from a rifle, with a real kickback in my shoulder. So guys, if you still don’t have Viking Rope, please get one — it’s absolutely worth it!

Just like it was written in the drive description, all the drivers had to practice a lot, driving the track with extra speed and i have to admit - the leader kept his promises. Thank you

Due to that fact we had a lot of lost tracks, more then usually, so we really had to pay attention. Clearance is very important! When you say “clear” and show that the next car can move, you don’t stretch out the convoy. The drivers behind you can follow the flow and not get lost.

Long story short, it was a wonderful afternoon surrounded by the great company. Everyone got back safe and sound, and that always means everything went really well.

@brett thank you for the bracelet.

Until next time!
Viktoriia