What NOT to do on Fossil Rock and why I drive with almost4x4
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Paul
- Advance
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2012 5:40 pm
- Location: Dubai
Hi guys
I thought i would share my experiences of the "Brave Deeds" drive on 9 March 2012. I won't bore you with the details prior to the event.....i also feel this goes beyond the normal 'trip reports' as it is feedback from one incident within the event.
We were descending down the east side of fossil Rock (steep side). I have done this descent once before, where we went straight down. This time we went across the side and then down the slope. There was thick loose sand and some rocky outcrops with more loose rocks in the sand.
I watched Naser, Gorgin and Sam1 go across and then down. Both Naser and Gorgin turned down before a big rocky outcrop and bumped over some loose rocks on the initial descent. It looked horrible. Sam1 went past the rocky outcrop and then turned down. Looked better, with less loose rocks. Now my turn....
I made it past the big rocks and tried to stretch it past a few more loose rocks before turning down. BIG mistake. The rear of the car started sliding down and i was loosing speed. I made a second mistake by not just turning down and bumping over the loose rocks. The next thing i know, i have come to a stop. The nose is pointing 45 deg up the slope and the whole car is leaning.... a lot!!!!
I just stopped for a few seconds.... OK, it is not going to roll over!!!
I didn't know what to do, so i picked up my radio and called for help. The reply "Don't move, I am coming"..... this was the best thing i could have heard.
I got out the car to have a good look. The back right wheel is sunk in the sand a little and the other 3 are all fine. I didn't want to try going forward and turn nose down the slope for fear of rolling over and i didn't want to reverse down.... wasn't sure if that wound be the correct thing to do.
The next thing, our lead Marshal, Alosh, appears. He had driven round the back to come to my rescue. Wow was i glad to see him. He had one look and said, "You are going to have to reverse all the way down..."
Alosh must have seen the look in my eyes..... and offered to do it for me. The thought of driving his car down was much less scary than driving my car down backwards. So i accepted his offer, with about 2 seconds hesitation.
Alosh did a fantastic job. Well done and thank you. I was surprised how slowly he reversed down. I would have tried to do it at "normal forward speeds". So i am very glad that Alosh did it rather than me. I learned a lot by just watching.
On the drive home, i kept thinking that i reacted differently compared to the same situation on a small dune. It must have been the obstacles i was trying to manoeuvre around and the height of the dune.
After getting home, i gave my car a good wash, vacuum and general rub down. Just to say sorry for abusing it and putting it a risk!!!
The things i learned:
1. Gravity will win.
2. Don't drive differently, just because you are high up a dune.
3. Get to know your limits and your cars.
4. Don't think you can go beyond this limit.
5. Have an escape plan.
6. Be willing and able to change this plan as needed.
7. Stay calm and react normally.
8. Always drive with almost4x4, they have the experience.
Thanks to Alosh for being out lead marshal and for rescuing me and my car. Thanks, i owe you big time!!!!
Thanks to almost4x4 for the professionalism of the trips and events. This comes from the dedication and experience of the founders, marshals and senior members.
Thanks you,
Regards
Paul
I thought i would share my experiences of the "Brave Deeds" drive on 9 March 2012. I won't bore you with the details prior to the event.....i also feel this goes beyond the normal 'trip reports' as it is feedback from one incident within the event.
We were descending down the east side of fossil Rock (steep side). I have done this descent once before, where we went straight down. This time we went across the side and then down the slope. There was thick loose sand and some rocky outcrops with more loose rocks in the sand.
I watched Naser, Gorgin and Sam1 go across and then down. Both Naser and Gorgin turned down before a big rocky outcrop and bumped over some loose rocks on the initial descent. It looked horrible. Sam1 went past the rocky outcrop and then turned down. Looked better, with less loose rocks. Now my turn....
I made it past the big rocks and tried to stretch it past a few more loose rocks before turning down. BIG mistake. The rear of the car started sliding down and i was loosing speed. I made a second mistake by not just turning down and bumping over the loose rocks. The next thing i know, i have come to a stop. The nose is pointing 45 deg up the slope and the whole car is leaning.... a lot!!!!
I just stopped for a few seconds.... OK, it is not going to roll over!!!
I didn't know what to do, so i picked up my radio and called for help. The reply "Don't move, I am coming"..... this was the best thing i could have heard.
I got out the car to have a good look. The back right wheel is sunk in the sand a little and the other 3 are all fine. I didn't want to try going forward and turn nose down the slope for fear of rolling over and i didn't want to reverse down.... wasn't sure if that wound be the correct thing to do.
The next thing, our lead Marshal, Alosh, appears. He had driven round the back to come to my rescue. Wow was i glad to see him. He had one look and said, "You are going to have to reverse all the way down..."
Alosh must have seen the look in my eyes..... and offered to do it for me. The thought of driving his car down was much less scary than driving my car down backwards. So i accepted his offer, with about 2 seconds hesitation.
Alosh did a fantastic job. Well done and thank you. I was surprised how slowly he reversed down. I would have tried to do it at "normal forward speeds". So i am very glad that Alosh did it rather than me. I learned a lot by just watching.
On the drive home, i kept thinking that i reacted differently compared to the same situation on a small dune. It must have been the obstacles i was trying to manoeuvre around and the height of the dune.
After getting home, i gave my car a good wash, vacuum and general rub down. Just to say sorry for abusing it and putting it a risk!!!
The things i learned:
1. Gravity will win.
2. Don't drive differently, just because you are high up a dune.
3. Get to know your limits and your cars.
4. Don't think you can go beyond this limit.
5. Have an escape plan.
6. Be willing and able to change this plan as needed.
7. Stay calm and react normally.
8. Always drive with almost4x4, they have the experience.
Thanks to Alosh for being out lead marshal and for rescuing me and my car. Thanks, i owe you big time!!!!
Thanks to almost4x4 for the professionalism of the trips and events. This comes from the dedication and experience of the founders, marshals and senior members.
Thanks you,
Regards
Paul
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Gorgin4325
- Moderator
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 8:04 pm
- Been thanked: 2 times
Hi Paul,
It was a good learning experience for all of us. We all saw what happened, and learned from it.
Glad to see everything was OK.
Cheers,
G
It was a good learning experience for all of us. We all saw what happened, and learned from it.
Glad to see everything was OK.
Cheers,
G
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Mubz
- Newbie
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2013 9:51 am
I couldn't agree less with Paul, Friday 22 Feb 2013 was my first expedition with Almost 4x4 and wow what a Family.
The Briefing from Abu Jimmy was perfect and to the point. and then the recovery of a non-Almos4x4 Convoy Land Cruiser by Almost 4x4 Marshal was simply the height of experience and skills. Learned 2 lessons.
1. Never Drive Alone in the Dessert.
2. Always Drive With Almost 4x4 Marshals ( they know their stuff)
Proud to be part of Almost 4x4 Family.
The Briefing from Abu Jimmy was perfect and to the point. and then the recovery of a non-Almos4x4 Convoy Land Cruiser by Almost 4x4 Marshal was simply the height of experience and skills. Learned 2 lessons.
1. Never Drive Alone in the Dessert.
2. Always Drive With Almost 4x4 Marshals ( they know their stuff)
Proud to be part of Almost 4x4 Family.
