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David
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All Newbies Family drive starting in UAQ and moving around the green sabanas of the Northern Emirates.

I had not been able to drive for some family issues for a couple of weeks and I knew before hand I will have to call it a day before the end of the drive for the same reason but very keen to attend even if it was just to greet friends.

2 convoys, one lead by Shamsi with Scorpio as support and the 2nd one (the one I was in) lead by Giorgio with Rashid as support.

Very scenic environment even more after the rains we have had this year, extremely green, beautiful sight in contrast to what we are normally used to. Very enjoyable easy drive to do with the windows down while enjoying the fresh air.

However this terrain can be very deceiving, it looks easy because there is an expert lead ahead, otherwise very easy to end up in a ditch or with your font bumper against a bush!!!

Hopefully see you on the sand very soon!!!
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Tomvanhouten
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Hi everyone,

After a great BBQ night, we enjoyed the amazing scenery of UAQ and RAK desert which was more like driving in Africa. Beautiful greens, wadi's as far as you can see and a very nice track which was taking us thru all the nice spots.

We had a good convoy with a lot of people driving after their CM, all and all people were doing good, especially if the lead car was finding some soft spots from time to time, we expected some stucks, but the convoy managed very well!

I enjoyed my time with my passenger with some good chit chats and laughters so time passed like it was nothing!

Thank you everyone for the great time once more and see you next time,

Tom
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CARLOSS
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Hi everyone!

This drive reminded me some of the Ramadan night drives that normally Master of Masters @alshamsi_m prepares for Newbie drivers…with natural light in this case instead of artificial off-loads ones but same type of scenery. thumbsup

Checking on my records, I have never driven "that North" and as described in previous trip reports, it is like driving outside UAE with all this green stuff everywhere and explosion of bushes and trees. Plenty of tracks (most likely used by the local farmers for daily commuting…a short of a E11 inside the desert cool ) with some untouched areas as well.

I was assigned to Master of Dunes @giorgio convoy with Mr. Paradox @Rashidjass floating and steering some minor recoveries. Plenty of inter support and nice bunch of good newbie drivers was the perfect recipe for a smooth and lovely drive.

Based on my gps recordings we drove around 131km during a bit more of 5 hours being only 40min stopped. Considering a few little recovery/second tries breaks, the coffee & karak break and some technical ones it is not bad at all.

I took advantage of a quiet drive to take my notes on Giorgio’s tracks selection, the way he dealt with natural obstacles, etc. A master class playingsmiley recorded in my brain just a few cars behind him.

We finished on time, with stomachs ready to get home and smiles in our faces.

See you soon…still wondering who will be the first one posting a full day interm drive for 2023 session thumbsup ...

Carlos
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.
I was lied to!

@giorgio promised a drive in UAQ, we weren't even in the UAE, to the best of my knowledge we somehow ended up in southern Africa, but I can't be certain.

What an incredible drive with a great team of drivers of all levels. The drive, over such diverse terrain, ran smoothly exposing us Newbies to a wide variety of experiences. By the end of the trip really I began to have a real 'feel' for my Wrangler. I could feel my confidence growing in myself and my ride, and I am raring for the next Newbie trip - what will you throw at us next Almost?!

My keen passenger, avid photographer, budding driver, wife, Delia (@Oasis), was thrilled, and got some more great shots of the event - even though I had to almost dump her before we even started because as the convoy began to leave she was no where to be seen, until I finally found her photographing camels in the distance oblivious to the sound of 50 or so engines starting up! :XD:

Thank you as always to all of those who helped organise the trip, and for all the support of the rest of you who came together to create another memorable experience.

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brett
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Dear Almosters

It was a fresh (chilly) morning in Umm Al Quwain with the meeting point just off the highway. My wife had reached the meeting point with our 2 Kiwi visitors ready to experience a day in the desert. It was a large group of Newbies, intermediates and marshals ready for a test of endurance.
Thanks to @giorgio for arranging, our founder @alshamsi_m and to his supporting marshals @Rashidjass , @Scorpio
Attendance was taken with drivers split into 2 convoys. I was assigned to the convoy led by @alshamsi_m
We had numerous intermediates positioned throughout the convoy to render any required recoveries and support @mpodroid , @Tomvanhouten @Laarni @PedroLeal and @osman as sweeper. I was in my familiar position as 2nd lead.
A huge shout out and thank you to @Tomvanhouten and @Laarni for offering up their passenger seats for the kiwi visitors – hope you were able to understand their accents – it is English they speak grin .
It was a reasonable fast paced track drive with only a very small obstacles challenges for the newbies. Everyone did really well with only a few 2nd tries and from memories not Viking robes came out for the entire drive, surprisingly no pop outs either ! the newbies will experience these in the drives ahead.
As mentioned it was a very laidback and scenic drive green and fresh scenery, we encountered wildlife in the form of campers, camels, sheep, goats, donkeys and even a couple of dairy cows !. a few stops for Karak and chit chat and before we knew it we had completed over 100km – by now it was starting to tell that this was a test of endurance and concentration for the new drivers, small mistakes were starting to creep in also towards the end the area became a little more technical, not eggs in the basket technical but still some challenges for the newer drivers. The call was made to bring the drive to a conclusion next to the highway all in all a total of approx 120km.
But as my wife’s car was left at the meeting point our kiwi visitors were about to get the experience of a slightly higher level drive back to the meeting point @alshamsi_m lead us at a much faster pace on the track. And then we found a couple nice climbs giving the visitors an adrenaline rush ! again thanks Tom and Laarni, they had big smiles and they are still talking about those climbs !
Until the next Adventure

Brett
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alshamsi_m
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Hello Everyone

I received a comment from a member before the drive objecting to drive tracks instead of pure sand and high dunes. So I asked him the question : how many times in the year do you drive in a GREEN desert ??? He said : Never until now .... So I told him : This is the change we are giving to you as a club.

I believe the new comers in our family are lucky because some of the newly upgraded experienced an endurance drive which usually comes either after 10 drives or rarely after 5 drives ... So you guys are extremely lucky thumbsup

Since the marshals designed a surprise track for the members, we expected that some might not get it or might not have the endurance so we made 4 exit points for whoever wants to leave but a little twist grin The best part was at the end cool

As mentioned in the above reports that the whole track was really interesting even for the senior members including the member who objected in the first place :yarr: . We had another successful event with everyone went back home with new beautiful memories.

Till next time, be tuned because it is going to rain more drives and Ramadan Night Drives are coming back too.

Cheers
Shamsi
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Amazing trip in UAQ but different than the usual type of trips. We witnessed heavy rain few weeks back but did not expect this much green scenery.

Enjoy watching

basil
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Id like to start thanking the marshals for the beautiful scenic, seemingly easy drive, the challenge of which turned out to be endurance.
I was very excited coming to this drive, because this was my first drive w almost 4x4 in my new xterra, also a drive covering over 100 kms is something I find very tempting.
After all the drives in the desert this was the first time I saw the desert green, the drive started at around 7:45 ish and we were in the desert till about 1:30 pm . 5+ hours in the dunes was really crazy cause keeping my focus and concentration at par were challenges I wasn't expecting.
Although the drive was pretty much on the flat, we did have a lot of surprises throughout. Looking forward to a lot more drives to test the limits of my Xterra, with some of the best marshals I've ever driven with.
Oasis
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Better late than never! 😬

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