Liwa - into the deep

[orlantsev]

Hello all,

I was eagerly anticipating this Liwa trip to the extent that I build my schedule over it. I really hope that it is not the last trip before hot weather starts.

Since last week I was already spending in Abu Dhabi I avoided the trouble of having to secure the PCR test. Hoped to head to the camp earlier, but was held back by some meetings and eventually left at 5 pm.

I only expected to catch up with @osman , but upon reaching the camping spot just minutes before it got dark I saw around 5 chairs, but no human around. I was not sure why @osman needed 5 chairs and which supernatural forces took him, but left his camping gear. While waiting for answers I decided to scout for a tent spot and complete my check in formalities without realizing that Liwa is unforgiving to fully inflated tires. It was not long before I got stuck in a soft patch. Since I still had my ‘casual Friday’ outfit on my I resisted leaving the car to deflate hoping that low gear and diff. lock would rescue me, but no. It was not exactly how I planned to start the evening. Gladly the chair owners soon returned and rescued me.

It was a great evening under full moon and at its peak we were around 20 people. I have accomplished the most important task of burning all the wood which has been travelling with me for over a month checking in and out of hotels. From this week onwards I can finally check in to a hotel just like any other normal person casually walking into lobby with juts suspension parts in hand.

Thanks to full moon setting the tent and preparing for the night was easy. Interestingly there was no fog at the camp site despite heavy fog which the drivers who joined in the morning reported. The drive started on time. There was almost a match between intermediates and newbies so everyone was well taken care of. Myself, @rapailo and @Mabubaker were floating. The track was very carefully planned by @alshamsi_m in accordance with drive level, but still giving taste of big arches and medium size drops.

Generally it went all smooth except for two episodes caused by, probably, the same mistake. On the arch driver breaks or releases the gas and the car gets stuck along the wall in a very dangerous situation. Dangerous for the driver and the car, and for the support team who need to climb up the sand wall in the heat to work as a human ballast while the car is being carefully directed straight down. The drive finished exactly as planned at around 5 pm. It was the first time I liked the fact of being in Abu Dhabi as it meant 1 hour less before I could hit the bed.

[David]

Great drive, Shamsi took the 5+ to a fantastic area, my first time in that section and I was very much looking forward to it, it did not disappoint, hoping to go back there. Camping the night before always adds to the excitement, great chitchat (the master of campfires Rapailo was on attendance and that always ensures great variety of topics and plenty of laughter)

One long convoy, Shamsi leading, Rapailo and Mabubaker alongside advanced driver Orlantsev floating for support with us the intermediates inside the convoy to provide assistance when needed.

The leading car knows what he is doing, I have done a few supporting one day drives with him by now and the process is always the same, things move with more difficulty in the morning, that is the time being used for "polishing" mistakes and assisting the drivers with helpful advice, in the afternoon the convoy moves with much more fluidity, there is no doubt that these long drives give participants a massive boost in their confidence and skills.

Distance in between cars seemed to be a topic that required correction frequently, drivers need to adapt and be able to move faster/slower in order to keep the distance with the car ahead at a safe length but at the same time maintaining fluidity ... don´t worry guys, everyone has been there before and it is just a matter of practice. Other than that only one "risky situation" that was resolved fast and efficiently and one car with mechanical problems that had to leave the drive earlier than expected, I don´t know how but Shamsi always has a "safe track" within a couple of Kms from whenever you are in the middle of nowhere to take you back to tarmac.

Thank you to all the explorers, advanced driver, intermediates and newbies that made it to Liwa to make the drive possible, special mention to Shamsi not only for arranging the drive and leading if not also for kindly sharing his knowledge about areas, fences, tracks, ... when asked.

See you on the sand soon.

[CARLOSS]

Hi everyone!

Going to Liwa is always special (believe it is my fourth time within the Club) and not only due to the drive itself but everything else: camping, chit chatting with friends, meeting new people, astonishing landscape, beautiful dunes changing the color from bright colors in the morning to dark ones in the afternoon etc.

Somehow, going to Liwa is like “recharging your batteries” for a few weeks waiting for the next “Liwa” to come.

And all thanks to @alshamsi_m who knows the area and the drivers' capabilities like anyone else in the Region. Big thanks to our founder for the time, dedication and efforts spend on us from newbies to marshals.

And now the drive: Shamsi took the lead with Mando on “new shoes”, @Mabubaker , @rapailo and @orlantsev floating and a decent number of interm supporting the convoy (@Laarni , @Ehab , @David , @Tomvanhouten , @osman , @dorudoru …an usual suspect missing was @brett who was missed.

As expected, drivers were a bit rusty early morning (previous night cold temperature for sure it did not help ) but after a few hours the convoy performed quite well and we were able to do around 116km in total time 7:49h and moving time 4:36h which is not too bad considering the lunch break.

I recalled a past Liwa drive when +5 passing by the same areas and doing a few same drops…one year back when newbie…good old times.

Typical issues: No proper distance (including myself ), radio communication, some tracks' changes, bouncing jerry cans etc. but I would say that nothing major happened except one nasty stuck in the wall successfully sorted by the Team.

I hope (and pray ) for another Liwa drive before the summer comes.

See you soon!
Carlos

[galindakis]

Hi Almoster family.
Two days after Liwa I’m still impressed by the beauty of this place.
We (sophie and me) hit the road Friday around 18h. I was a long drive in the dark until the last gas station where we found @CARLOSS . From the we went together to the camping spot.
When we arrived the fired was already set up. We joined and the magic started, we learned a lot listening to @rapailo @alshamsi_m @Mabubaker .
After a super nice time around fire everyone went for a nice sleep, Liwa dunes were ready for us .
Saturday morning we had a big breakfast so we had energy enough for the long day ahead.
@alshamsi_m designed a fun and complete drive for 5+ newbies.
I can only say that I was amazed by the beauty and the difficulty of this place. First time there and looking forward to be there again.

Thanks to all the support team who did an amazing job like always.

Last, I’m really happy to be inside this club. I really love the atmosphere and safety first principle.

See you in the sand.

[Mghoneim]

Hello Almosters,

After the long wait to see the beatiful Liwa dunes, the time has come and I am packed and driving down to AD. Just around the corner at hameem road I joined a small convoy of with @Tom , Lara , @alshamsi_m . Arriving to the campsite post 5 pm to see only Osman is there, as I am deflating and getting ready to setup I hear the famous Shamsi "lets go for a spin". Two minutes into the drive and I realized liwa is a totally different game, the dunes are beautiful and there is a decent amount of cones. I was super excited and so was my FJ, few more minutes later we were trapped in a large soft patch. It took some time and a lot of ropes to recover the bogged cars. Finally we are out and heading back to the campsite.

A beautiful gathering through the night with lots of laughter, burning wood and drivers joining every few minutes. Next morning, the drive started on time and we started exploring this beautiful place with quiet interesting drops and terrain. We managed not to loose more than 15% of the convoy after we lost @AZK89 followed by @rapailo. A lunch break was due, we sat had lunch and chit-chatted a bit and off we go for the remaining of the drive to Hameem city.

A lot of thanks to @alshamsi_m , floating marshals , and intermediates for organizing and supporting this drive.

Mghoneim

[brett]

Hi everyone!

Going to Liwa is always special (believe it is my fourth time within the Club) and not only due to the drive itself but everything else: camping, chit chatting with friends, meeting new people, astonishing landscape, beautiful dunes changing the color from bright colors in the morning to dark ones in the afternoon etc.

Somehow, going to Liwa is like “recharging your batteries” for a few weeks waiting for the next “Liwa” to come.

And all thanks to @alshamsi_m who knows the area and the drivers' capabilities like anyone else in the Region. Big thanks to our founder for the time, dedication and efforts spend on us from newbies to marshals.

And now the drive: Shamsi took the lead with Mando on “new shoes”, @Mabubaker , @rapailo and @orlantsev floating and a decent number of interm supporting the convoy (@Laarni , @Ehab , @David , @Tomvanhouten , @osman , @dorudoru …an usual suspect missing was @brett who was missed.

As expected, drivers were a bit rusty early morning (previous night cold temperature for sure it did not help ) but after a few hours the convoy performed quite well and we were able to do around 116km in total time 7:49h and moving time 4:36h which is not too bad considering the lunch break.

I recalled a past Liwa drive when +5 passing by the same areas and doing a few same drops…one year back when newbie…good old times.

Typical issues: No proper distance (including myself ), radio communication, some tracks' changes, bouncing jerry cans etc. but I would say that nothing major happened except one nasty stuck in the wall successfully sorted by the Team.

I hope (and pray ) for another Liwa drive before the summer comes.

See you soon!
Carlos

I was there in spirit
My wife said i was a grumpy oldman all weekend because i wasnt in Liwa !!
For sure i wont miss the next one

[alshamsi_m]

Hello Everyone

This is the second time this season I'm taking the 5+ to Liwa to try what our "Desiny Land" looks like. Unfortunately, not many showed up as expected but to be fair "They didn't know what they were missing" !!! The Oldbies/intermediates on the other hand were killing to get in because they know that any drive to Liwa worth the waiting

The night was amazing with the moon and the company but the next day was nothing less. We had a convoy of 20 cars but that didn't stop us from having a great time out.

Thanks to @rapailo & @Mabubaker for the support and looking after everyone.

We are going to have one long drive to the corner of UAE so get ready for 160 kms in Liwa and I think there will be another STARFISH dunes too !!!

So looking forward to drive with you soon after the GNFD

Cheers

[AntonT]

Dear Almosters,

I remember well how all the participants of the Liwa Marathon shone a week after the expedition in December last year. Then I thought that a week had passed, and it was difficult for many to find words to describe their emotions about the experience. Having been there, I understand that it is really not easy to tell your story.

It all started back in 2006 when I bought a book Off-Road UAE at a gas station in Al Dhaid. I re-read it many times and tried many of the proposed routes, but Liwa always remained unreachable at the level of a dream. Even when I was lucky to get into the Almost4X4 club, I did not think I would visit Liwa so soon.

Last-minute repair of my Kamikaze the day before the drive, escaping from work on a workday, persuading my girls to join the trip was no big deal when I was about to meet my 15-year-old dream.

Everything was excellent - overnight camping, hunting for the rising sun with a GoPro, a friendly breakfast with newly obtained friends, and of course, a ton of adrenaline from the trip.

The drive mastered by @alshamsi_m , hovering over the sands @Mabubaker , @rapailo and @orlantsev and support from @CARLOSS , @David , @Tomvanhouten , @osman , @dorudoru , @Ehab made the trip undeniably unforgettable. Breathtaking drops, the beauty of the Liwa desert and the roar of engines will remain in my memory forever!

With almost4x4 dreams come true! Thank you all for the incredible emotions!

[David]

Beautiful trip report Anton, there are many “sides of Liwa”, hopefully you will get to see them all!!!

Dear Almosters,

I remember well how all the participants of the Liwa Marathon shone a week after the expedition in December last year. Then I thought that a week had passed, and it was difficult for many to find words to describe their emotions about the experience. Having been there, I understand that it is really not easy to tell your story.

It all started back in 2006 when I bought a book Off-Road UAE at a gas station in Al Dhaid. I re-read it many times and tried many of the proposed routes, but Liwa always remained unreachable at the level of a dream. Even when I was lucky to get into the Almost4X4 club, I did not think I would visit Liwa so soon.

Last-minute repair of my Kamikaze the day before the drive, escaping from work on a workday, persuading my girls to join the trip was no big deal when I was about to meet my 15-year-old dream.

Everything was excellent - overnight camping, hunting for the rising sun with a GoPro, a friendly breakfast with newly obtained friends, and of course, a ton of adrenaline from the trip.

The drive mastered by @alshamsi_m , hovering over the sands @Mabubaker , @rapailo and @orlantsev and support from @CARLOSS , @David , @Tomvanhouten , @osman , @dorudoru , @Ehab made the trip undeniably unforgettable. Breathtaking drops, the beauty of the Liwa desert and the roar of engines will remain in my memory forever!

With almost4x4 dreams come true! Thank you all for the incredible emotions!

[osman]

Hello Almosters,

After missing the last Liwa trip, I was over excited and left home very early for the camp so that I would enjoy the sunset. First part of the plan worked really well, I was the first one to arrive and got the stuff that needed to be out out. When I started enjoying the view, preparing to take some pictures, all of a sudden a party of five arrived, making me to feel like a lone cowboy circled by the Indians in a western movie. Luckily, I did not get any arrows or tomahawks! Shortly after the chairs are out and the tyres were half full, @alshamsi_m said lets go for a spin so we went all. At the beginning, my head also had a spin and at one instance I thought if that was my second interm exam in Liwa?? But this did not last long as we spent the rest of the time for rescue operations until the dark. This time the rescue train had 7 ropes connected, If I am not mistaken, this was a record? We had one more car to pull at the meeting point when we arrived and then sit down and enjoy the fire.

As more campers come, more fire wood piled-up and got used. This was the biggest ever camp fire I saw. We all had a good share on global warming and some responsibility of possible price hike on IKEA furniture. @rapailo, @Mabubaker and myself were the last three staying late around the fire. After I setup my tent and inflating the mattress, I realized that I forgot my sleeping bag at home and decided to make use of beach mat to see how long I last. Well, not too bad actually, I went to the car after 3, enjoying the heater time to time. Next time, I will not bother with the tent at all.

@alshamsi_m set the order of the convoy of 20. @Laarni was the second lead, then the cars had the upgrades after the last CM drive followed and then the earlier CM attendees. @Ehab was the sweeper as Media. We had many intermediate support so that every second newbie, there was an intermediate in the convoy. @rapailo, @Mabubaker and @orlantsev were floating.

The drive went well, with nothing more than usual second tries and stucks. Two similar instances of a tricky long high arch where the drivers hesitated to accelerate and turn down and therefore got stuck inclined on the side. Rescue was no issue on both instances. One car had to leave very early for personal emergency and another one in the mid way due to technical issue. We had more like a technical drive area in the afternoon, kind of a eggs in the basket area. But with some difference, the eggs were not like Lara's minions but more like ostrich eggs - the scale changes in Liwa!!

We finished after five and here comes the worst part: Drive back to home for another 2.5 hours of boring highway drive. What to do, keep driving and dream on the next trip...

Until see you again, you may enjoy the pictures below.