Lost Horizons

[Mark B]

Liwa… What can I say. Liwa lived up to its reputation.


The camp on Thursday night drifted a little to the left as the original location had drifted over. Everyone arrived although at realty different hours. I met up with @alshamsi_m at the last Adnoc Oasis gas station around 9:15. Filled up and we mini convoyed to the camp. Thank goodness I did meet up with @alshamsi_m as I still do not have my night time off road lights and they were needed.


Good company and conversation around the camp fire. One sleep later, after breakfast, off for the warm up round in the dunes. The sand was much softer this trip, guess it got a chance to dry out, so there was no relief from an underlying hard layer.


We crossed dune chain after dune chain with bowls to defeat and ditches to avoid. At the end of most chains we made a drop to the desert floor. Some big some small. We ran along the Saudi border for a while then left into the dunes again.


We made it to the top of the 750 ft drop, but after [MENTION=1633]Yoghybear[/MENTION] and @alshamsi_m made the drop, they decided that the hard spots on the face made it too dangerous for the less experienced of the bunch (myself included). Satisfied we had cheated death, one more time, we headed back to challenge yet more bowls and crests.

@alshamsi_m taught us an new trick by arching over the intersection of the big dune faces where smaller dunes meet the bigger ones at 90 degrees. Saved us a lot of crests on the valley floor. Also made the crossing more fun. If that maneuver does not have a name, I will call it the roller coaster.


No real problems, a few second rounds, two pop-outs and the occasional use of the Viking rope. Got home at 9:30 and found I had dislocated my back bumper by coming off very steep dune faces. That license plate thingy on the Jeep acts as a scoop in those circumstances.


Thanks @alshamsi_m, @Yoghybear and [MENTION=1688]delta83[/MENTION] for taking the time to organize and run this trip. It is no small sacrifice on your parts and let it be known that we, the benefactors of your time, appreciate the efforts you make so that we may have days like Friday.


Mark

[desert_jellyfish]

Hey Mark....great to hear it was a fun filled yet still safe trip!

[quote=Mark B;41855]I had dislocated my back bumper by coming off very steep dune faces. That license plate thingy on the Jeep acts as a scoop in those circumstances.[/quote]

In regards to your comment on the license plate thingy at the back - you're absolutely right....i'm cutting mine off in the next few days hopefully! placing the license plate on the back of tire

[Mark B]

[quote=desert_jellyfish;41856]Hey Mark....great to hear it was a fun filled yet still safe trip!



In regards to your comment on the license plate thingy at the back - you're absolutely right....i'm cutting mine off in the next few days hopefully! placing the license plate on the back of tire[/quote]
[MENTION=2498]desert_jellyfish[/MENTION]. Now I am faced with the problem, do I replace the bumper now that the connections are weak, or do I reset the old bumper risking it coming off again. Decisions, decisions.

Mark

[matts]

@desert_jellyfish [MENTION=9155]Mark B[/MENTION] Replace it, put a tire carrier on that you can fix Jerry cans to! I am firm supporter of the 'leave only footprints' philosophy but as it turns out this weekend I left my rear number plate somewhere in Liwa this weekend!

[desert_jellyfish]

[quote=Mark B;41857]@desert_jellyfish. Now I am faced with the problem, do I replace the bumper now that the connections are weak, or do I reset the old bumper risking it coming off again. Decisions, decisions.

Mark[/quote]

I believe if you cut the license plate thing, it shouldn't scoop anymore - at least not as much as with the piece on

With that cut and resetting the old bumper, you should be fine....all depends on how bad/weak the bumper is though!

[matts]

Depends on how steep the dune is :) I've got a 4 inch lift and lost my number plate! Not really sure how or where though but its not the first time its come off!

[desert_jellyfish]

[quote=matts;41861]Depends on how steep the dune is :) I've got a 4 inch lift and lost my number plate! Not really sure how or where though but its not the first time its come off![/quote]

oh my! I'm guessing you haven't cut the scoop either?

[matts]

Nope but I am tempted, are you doing yours yourself or through a garage? Let me know how it works out

[ginger]

Thanks Mark. Well Liwa is definitely Liwa, and it was such a great opportunity to be going back there, that I had rearranged both my Thursday and Friday to attend!
The scale of the desert, the distance of the views, and the clearness of the night sky all make Liwa so much fun.

The driving started off with a rude wakeup, straight into those big bowls and side-sloping climbs. I started off with far too high tyre pressure and struggled in the really soft sand, but soon got into my stride. Bu Salem’s lead was mainly safari-style steady and flowing, but with some very interesting technical climbs, ditches and obstacles. The drive was certainly long and we saw some amazing sights, from Sabkah , to salt plateaus, through to gazelle , and even camel bones; but mainly it’s the emptiness and size that really hits you.

My car is missing a bit of plastic from inside the wheel-arch, but generally all went smoothly and of course with a few stucks. It was a shame we couldn’t safely try the 250m drop, but hopefully next time!

Many thanks to all the organisers, and of course to the rest of the convoy for making this a really fun trip.

[alshamsi_m]

[video=youtube;irUdFT_Z86s][/video]

This video is by [MENTION=8718]momo[/MENTION] .... my report is coming soon