Ride the Lightening

[Loca]

Dear Almosters,

there was a lot of excitement around this drive where the name alone contributed to create a sentiment of excitement and concern

Most of the Inters didn't want to miss it and our Marshals gave them many opps by opening a 2nd convoy. Two convoys, two Leaders, @presa and @Agalon

Unfortunately I cannot share a full report as my car had an issue and I had to quit the drive. For the approx 45 minutes I was in I can tell you it was the fastest and most adrenalinc drive I had experienced in life (so far ). First time I had a passenger with me in an Intermediates drive and his face was white and mouth dry

@Agalon must have had bread and shark pate' for breakfast as he led possessed by Devil

Thanks @Agalon for having arranged this drive and tons of thanks to @alshamsi_m who safely escorted me back to tarmac by drawing extremely smooth lines to circle around big dunes on rear wheels traction only. My highest respect to you, BuSalem

I can't wait to read from the survived whu

See you soon Friends
ciao

[presa]

Hi Almosters, good morning!

We had a very nice drive on a - not very common - area, were there are medium & big dunes, sharp crests and a lot of bowls and ditches.

Everyone in my convoy did great, the flow was awesome with very few second tries... a few times seems that I was driving solo :)

Three cars found ditches, including mine, and end up with some bumper scratches, not counting a small touch from a car at a wired fence, while we were heading out. We had two popouts, that were fixed fastly by our experienced intermediates with support from our marshals.

The first area was so good that we spend a lot of time playing around and before I notice, we had less than 1 h to leave the desert before the sunset.

After getting dark we meet the first convoy near Seweihan entrance point and enjoy 10min at a very pleasant breeze. I would stay longer, but not someone might have commitments, so we head to the exit point.

A special thank you for @Solmaz , @Rashidjass and @Daggerfall for being support for this drive, and @Agalon for organizing it.

[optimus]

Hello my fellow inters and respected Marshal's!

After completing the morning drive, i was so much looking forward to join the afternoon drive.
While on my way to al faqa petrol station, i got a call from my wife,
that i had to attend to one emergency at home. So with a heavy heart i had to terminate my afternoon plans. So for me the drive had ended even before it was started!

until next time!

[Jasper]

Hello everyone!

I’ve missed few intermediate drives in the past weeks and I was eager to join this drive but missed to get in the registration time again. Luckily additional seats were open! Thanks @Agalon and the marshalls!

I was in @presa’s convoy (last intermediate driver) and we had such great time playing in the dunes. Few second tries and few pop outs were there. Had my share of a second try as the sand is quite soft and not enough momentum to climb. There were instances that I thought power was not there and the culprit was the tire pressure. During our break we re-checked and deflated again back to 10psi. There we hard bumps that I experienced (I know our leader had more!) and this resulted in my AC condenser to crack. The bumper that was installed in my car had very little clearance and it hit the condenser during the hard bumps. Found it the hard way as I have to change the condenser and the pipes as well (car now is in Marshall’s).

Going home in the evening from Sweihan with no AC but looking back at the afternoon drive makes it worthwhile.

Thanks @presa for the amazing lead! I am sure everyone enjoyed. Thanks to @Solmaz, @Rashidjass and @Daggerfall for looking after us!

Take care and see guys again next time!

[Booy]

Hello Almosters,

@Agalon cooked up a very special track that put everyone through their paces.

Well done to all the intermediates in our convoy. It was an adrenalin charged drive for our members, and from my vantage point I could see that the comfort zones were pushed to another level

It was a pleasure driving with everyone, and I am looking forward to our next adventures together in the sand.

Take care and stay safe...

Regards,

Booy

[Mabubaker]

After a long week, standing all 5 days at GITEX, I needed something to reset my body and brain,, well this drive in Sweihan restored me to factory settings [emoji56]

Arrived to the meeting point on time,,, after a quick briefing by @Agalon I was assigned to his convoy as a second lead[emoji85]. I couldn't believe it when he said it for the first time so I replied.. what what?? @Agalon said: You are my 2nd lead!

The drive started, and shortly a pop out were announced,,, few moments later the rock and roll started [emoji1783]. It felt that @Agalon were exploring and leading simultaneously. And the outcome was super amazing!! Well done leader!

I learned a lot in this drive, especially the importance of the 2nd lead role in such drives, not only the bigger distance that gives you the time to manoeuvre when instructed by the leader, but also keeping an eye on the leading car to have a better sense of the track.

Finally, thanks @Agalon for organising this trip and giving me the oportunity of 2nd lead. Thanks @alshamsi_m and @Booy for supporting the convoy.

See you soon!

M Abubaker



Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk

[Mahmoodyasin]

Hi All
Ride the lightening ... a much talked about drive on fire , organised by @Agalon, was finally there.
we huddled up at the meeting point with @Agalon splitting the attendees into two groups. I was placed in @presa convoy, where an immediate shout was .... @presa ....(pointing at me) you are my second lead.... me . @Daggerfall .....dont kill him....in a low voice and a comforting smile wink.
@presa started off with mild arches before moving towards long climbs and sharp crests, while the guardian angels @Daggerfall @Rashidjass & @Solmaz floated around. It was a challenge to keep up, and moreover to be ready to navigate away in case of any hurdle in way of the lead. Just after half hour the lead faced a soft sand patch and came to rest on it. Using his skills to self recover @presa was out in no time. Right when i got a bit comfortable, a sharp turn at a climb got me into a pop-out, making the car slide into a ditch. luckily i got the car to slow down before it went and kissed the dune wall. While the pop out was swiftly fixed with an immediate assessment by both @Daggerfall and @Rashidjass, @presa exercised his mechanical skills and brought the front bumper back to its original shape. .
In no time the convoy took a start again, with the same no mercy spirit but this time I was placed right at the back. @presa progressively raised the level up, to an extent that he started enjoying the pace and the cresting at the huge dunes. Some of us had few second tries and an additional pop out on the way, which didnt made us lose time.
As we were approaching the Nagra dune, we could spot @Daggerfall like a hawk scanning the convoy from the top of nagra ( a pleasing sight ). we made our way to him before moving towards the exit where we met the 1st convoy. we had a nice 15 min relax time on the dune with pleasant breeze flowing.
Finally a short drive towards the exit where everyone inflated and headed there way.
Big thanks to @Agalon @presa @Daggerfall @Rashidjass @Solmaz @Booy @Shamsi for making us enjoy the day with an awesome company.

Till next time

Mahmoodyasin
Black Fj cruiser.(Darkstallion)

[presa]

Hi All
Ride the lightening ... a much talked about drive on fire , organised by @Agalon, was finally there.
we huddled up at the meeting point with @Agalon splitting the attendees into two groups. I was placed in @presa convoy, where an immediate shout was .... @presa ....(pointing at me) you are my second lead.... me . @Daggerfall .....dont kill him....in a low voice and a comforting smile wink.
@presa started off with mild arches before moving towards long climbs and sharp crests, while the guardian angels @Daggerfall @Rashidjass & @Solmaz floated around. It was a challenge to keep up, and moreover to be ready to navigate away in case of any hurdle in way of the lead. Just after half hour the lead faced a soft sand patch and came to rest on it. Using his skills to self recover @presa was out in no time. Right when i got a bit comfortable, a sharp turn at a climb got me into a pop-out, making the car slide into a ditch. luckily i got the car to slow down before it went and kissed the dune wall. While the pop out was swiftly fixed with an immediate assessment by both @Daggerfall and @Rashidjass, @presa exercised his mechanical skills and brought the front bumper back to its original shape. .
In no time the convoy took a start again, with the same no mercy spirit but this time I was placed right at the back. @presa progressively raised the level up, to an extent that he started enjoying the pace and the cresting at the huge dunes. Some of us had few second tries and an additional pop out on the way, which didnt made us lose time.
As we were approaching the Nagra dune, we could spot @Daggerfall like a hawk scanning the convoy from the top of nagra ( a pleasing sight ). we made our way to him before moving towards the exit where we met the 1st convoy. we had a nice 15 min relax time on the dune with pleasant breeze flowing.
Finally a short drive towards the exit where everyone inflated and headed there way.
Big thanks to @Agalon @presa @Daggerfall @Rashidjass @Solmaz @Booy @Shamsi for making us enjoy the day with an awesome company.

Till next time

Mahmoodyasin
Black Fj cruiser.(Darkstallion)

BTW thank you Darkstallion for being 2nd lead for most of the drive.
The 2nd leader is a very important position and might sometimes, take the hit to keep the convoy safe!!

[Johanna]

Hi everyone,

we had a fast and smoothly flowing drive from the Al Ain airport to Sweihan. I joined @presa convoy in the front as car no. 4. We only had a very few delays and most of the time we flew over the dunes with quite a nice pace and radio silence most of the time. It was so silent for some time, that @Solmaz checked her radio in between.

@presa found some nice climbs, bowls ands crests for us so we could enjoy the rollercoaster feeling

I had @Cyndi as my passenger and we had some good fun during the drive, girl you are welcome any time again

We were already on our way to the exit, when I realised that this was the first intermediate drives which went super smooth for me. No pop out or stuck, no overheating and not even a second try. And while I was enjoying this feeling of success and driving happily into the sunset...I overlooked some barbwire in the sand. Cars in front of me either saw it early enough or were just lucky to miss it. Bu when I went over a small dune, I hit the barbwire which was on the ground covered by sand. It scratched my front, but thanks god it didnt cut the tire or got tangled around the wheel.´
Part of the game
We found the other convoy on our way out and stopped for another break. It was already getting dark, but we were sitting on the ground, enjoying the amazing weather and dreaming about lamb chops and bonfires.

Finally winter is here, and I hope to see all of you next week at EIB get ready for BBQ guys.

Thanks everyone for this afternoon, you are the best

[Mahmoodyasin]

Hi All
Ride the lightening ... a much talked about drive on fire , organised by @Agalon, was finally there.
we huddled up at the meeting point with @Agalon splitting the attendees into two groups. I was placed in @presa convoy, where an immediate shout was .... @presa ....(pointing at me) you are my second lead.... me . @Daggerfall .....dont kill him....in a low voice and a comforting smile wink.
@presa started off with mild arches before moving towards long climbs and sharp crests, while the guardian angels @Daggerfall @Rashidjass & @Solmaz floated around. It was a challenge to keep up, and moreover to be ready to navigate away in case of any hurdle in way of the lead. Just after half hour the lead faced a soft sand patch and came to rest on it. Using his skills to self recover @presa was out in no time. Right when i got a bit comfortable, a sharp turn at a climb got me into a pop-out, making the car slide into a ditch. luckily i got the car to slow down before it went and kissed the dune wall. While the pop out was swiftly fixed with an immediate assessment by both @Daggerfall and @Rashidjass, @presa exercised his mechanical skills and brought the front bumper back to its original shape. .
In no time the convoy took a start again, with the same no mercy spirit but this time I was placed right at the back. @presa progressively raised the level up, to an extent that he started enjoying the pace and the cresting at the huge dunes. Some of us had few second tries and an additional pop out on the way, which didnt made us lose time.
As we were approaching the Nagra dune, we could spot @Daggerfall like a hawk scanning the convoy from the top of nagra ( a pleasing sight ). we made our way to him before moving towards the exit where we met the 1st convoy. we had a nice 15 min relax time on the dune with pleasant breeze flowing.
Finally a short drive towards the exit where everyone inflated and headed there way.
Big thanks to @Agalon @presa @Daggerfall @Rashidjass @Solmaz @Booy @Shamsi for making us enjoy the day with an awesome company.

Till next time

Mahmoodyasin
Black Fj cruiser.(Darkstallion)

BTW thank you Darkstallion for being 2nd lead for most of the drive.
The 2nd leader is a very important position and might sometimes, take the hit to keep the convoy safe!!

Your welcome @presa. Would love to drive with you again.

Mahmoodyasin
Darkstallion