Almost4x4

Hi Almosters

The plan was to have a night drive but it was decided to merge both trips and 2 convoys.

I joined the intermediates convoy led by @Daggerfall and supported by @Carlos

Trip started with fast pace where we did not leave a single crest untouched, the weather was amazing in the morning and we were able to reach Nagra in less than 1 hour with unnoticeable issues.

The second part was toward old lady, few second tries, 2 stucks (one was mine ) and finally a popout by me also, its been a while since i got one but when its done it must be done right (in a v ditch)

Thanks to my fellow almosters @Carlos @Aljamhi @bobpavan @AhmadHasan and @Dauntless we were able to go out before mid day it was a difficult one and took sometime, thanks again guys, i own you one.

Looking forward driving with you soon.

Regards

Hi everyone,

Even though I was supposed to support @Scorpio 's +10 Newbie drive, I ended up supporting the interm one led by @Daggerfall l. As usual, I was willing to have "a walk in the park"drive for the sake of removing some dust out of my driving skill after 2 months without driving and I found myself in a fast pace inter drive in Sweihan, oh mamma!. All in all, all the rust went away after a couple of dunes and I needed to tight my seat bell and drive around 5,000rpm all the time.

Apart for a few second tries, stucks and a pop out inside a bowl with more than 50 degrees and no breeze (thanks @Ehab for the work out ), everything went well as expected when the convoy is managed by Daggerfall with his "Almost" perfect lines made on an apparent effortless way. Nothing to do with drivers who ending up sweating like dogs (including myself) while trying to keep up the pace.

As mentioned above, we were done with Nagra in a blink of an eye, so we did continue till old lady. By the way, pls don’t tell anybody but Sweihan was in perfect conditions with soft sand and almost no bushes.

We all ended the drive with plenty of adrenaline in our veins and willing to come back again next week.

Thanks to all Marshals present and fellow drivers.
See you.

Hi Almosters,

As mentioned, we moved the drive to the morning since only two members had registered. Even with the morning participants, it was a small convoy of four intermediates.

As we always say, less is more in the desert — and it proved true again. We reached Nagra in less than an hour at a fast pace, with everyone managing to keep up. From there, we looped back for a while and returned to Old Lady, which made it feel like two tracks in one drive.

Because of this change, we had to pass through a few bumpy areas, but overall the drive was smooth and enjoyable. Apart from a few quick second tries, all the intermediates performed really well, and we wrapped up before the weather became unbearable.

A big thanks to @Scorpio for allowing us to move to the morning, and to @CARLOSS and @Ehab for the support.

See you all next time!

Dear Almosters,

The +10 newbie drive was amazing with marshal @optimus leading the way, and @Rashidjass and @Scorpio floating. The drive was both thrilling and exciting — with a couple of second tries and minor breakdowns, we still managed to complete it safely and enjoyably.

It was a fast-paced drive, and everyone gave their best to keep up with the convoy.

It was truly a pleasure driving +10 under the guidance of such experienced marshals.

See you all in the sand next time!

Killer drive with the most calm and respectful Marshall @Daggerfall .

Thank you for a fantastic drive @Daggerfall. Your calmness as a person is the best part of you, that lets you drive without hesitation and at extreme ease, while the ones at the back are sweating with the route you take . Few second tries had to be there with the track chosen by @Daggerfall. Second tries means - a better learning for next time!!

Fantastic and enjoyable drive at fast pace hitting every crest we saw. Looking forward for a night drive .

First you learn to pull an oar, then you may take the helm

My First +10 Drive
This was my very first +10 level drive, and the anticipation filled me with excitement. In preparation for the adventure, I did my utmost to ready both myself and my machine—upgrading my vehicle with a professional suspension system, a sport air filter, a cold air intake with snorkel, and an on-board radio. A heartfelt thanks goes to @Rashidjass for the support.
To commemorate the occasion, I even turned to AI to design a drive poster—an emblem of memory that, perhaps, will inspire a new tradition among Club Members: recording our own reflections after each drive and paying tribute to our Marshals.

The Early Bird
On the morning of the drive, I departed from Sharjah at 4:30 AM, savoring the serenity of the road to Sweihan. The cool, empty highway offered a rare sense of calm. Shortly after joining E311, I was delighted to encounter another early riser, @Rashidjass , also relishing the journey.

The Right Entrance
After a brief gathering at the petrol station, the group set off toward the meeting point. Yet, as so often happens, technology had its tricks. Google Maps sent some members along a misleading shortcut, carrying them in the opposite direction. I, faithful to the app, arrived a little later than the rest—though in good spirits.

One Event, Two Drives
At the meeting point, we were met with a pleasant surprise. Alongside us, a group of intermediate drivers and Marshals had also assembled. What began as one event soon unfolded into two parallel journeys: an Intermediate Drive, led by @Daggerfall supported by @CARLOSS and @Ehab , and our own +10 Drive, guided by @optimus with the steadfast support of organizing Marshal @Scorpio and floating Marshal @Rashidjass .

Arches All the Way
At 7:40 AM, our VIP convoy of eight drivers and three Marshals rolled into the Sweihan dunes. The mission was clear: to test ourselves against the medium-to-high arches and embrace the intensity of serious off-roading. It was both exhilarating and humbling—a chance to confront weaknesses, discover strengths, and glimpse the road ahead for improvement.

The Black Diamond Has Fallen
Among my proudest possessions was my 2007 TRD Special Edition FJ Cruiser, one of only 3,200 ever produced by Toyota Racing Development. Its body gleamed in the rare Black Diamond Pearl—a true gem of engineering and endurance. For years, it had carried me faithfully, and on this very drive, it crossed a milestone of 250,000 miles.
Yet fate had its own design. Somewhere within the Sweihan dunes, the oil indicator lit up, and soon after, the engine surrendered. My Black Diamond had reached its final resting place. From that point onward, I continued as a passenger, witnessing the desert from a new perspective—still grateful, still proud, but bidding farewell to a loyal companion.

A Hard Farewell
As our steadfast Marshal @Rashidjass towed me gently off the dunes toward the entrance, arranging for a recovery truck to carry my wounded hero to its resting place at the recreation yard, I felt the weight of parting settle heavily upon me. Under the unrelenting blaze of the Sweihan sun, it was a farewell both harsh and humbling—a final bow for a companion that had carried me through countless journeys.
Yet even in that moment of loss, gratitude prevailed. I was safe, I was secure, and I was not alone. Around me stood brothers of the sand, whose presence turned sorrow into strength. To all of you, I extend my deepest thanks. @ahmed77moharem @ mrwkassem @Haidy79 @Ahmedalabassi

Phantom Line
What was supposed to be SandMan Night Drive bloomed into Phantom Line as the Intermediates joined with the Newbie 10 Plus convoy for an early morning run in Sweihan. The sun was high and so were spirits. After the register was taken, the group split into two convoys: Inter and N10+ with @Scorpio leading the N10+ supported by
@Rashidjass and @optimus

With @Daggerfall leading the Inter convoy, we wasted no time and shot off to a rapid start. He did not fail to impress, leading us dune after dune, crest after crest, with smooth lines and perfect rhythm. Everyone was locked in, balancing their machines and pushing their limits. In what felt like no time—just 40 minutes—we had already reached Nagara! The laughter and disbelief of how fast we had flown through the sands set the tone for the rest of the drive.

From there, we moved on to Old Lady, where the long sweeping dunes gave us some truly spectacular play time. The rhythm of carving lines in those big, rolling dunes was pure joy.

Of course, no true offroad adventure is complete without a little drama. A couple of crested cars were handled swiftly, and in the final 15 minutes, an overheating engine was given a pause, and a pop-out gave the boys a chance to shine. They jumped into action and made quick work of it. Still, the unforgiving summer sun demanded its toll, so rehydration was in order—and thanks to Ehab’s mini pump-action water holder, he got himself a quick desert shower .

With that, we wrapped up and made our way safely out of Sweihan—tired, sun-kissed, but more than content. Another morning well spent, another memory carved in the sands.

Thank you @Aljamhi, @Ahmad, @Bobpavan, @Carlos, and @Ehab for another fabulous Saturday

Hi Almosters,
When I signed up for the trip, I figured it'd be a chill 10+ Newbie run with a little spice since @Scorpio was organizing.
But when I got to the meeting spot, I realized I was wrong, haha! There were 4 Marshals (@Scorpio, @Rashidjass, @optimus & @Daggerfall) and 2 Explorers (@CARLOSS & @Ehab) – Wow!
We had 17 cars total, split into 2 convoys (Intermediate & 10+ Newbie).
@optimus led the 10+ Newbie convoy.
@Scorpio and @Rashidjass were floaters, and I was lucky enough to be 2nd lead.
It was a super fun trip, with fast driving, big dunes, side arches, and switches, plus some stucks and second tries.
We started in Sweihan, went to Nagra, and then back to Sweihan.
Big thanks to @Scorpio, @Rashidjass & @optimus for an awesome trip!

We gathered on Saturday morning at 7:00 AM, and I was glad to see that all the marshals and drivers were already present at the meeting point on time. The atmosphere was positive from the very beginning, and after a short briefing, we divided the convoy into two groups: one for the intermediate level drivers and the 10+ drivers.
The plan for the day was mainly to practice speed driving and arches all the way through swiehan hills till nagra, and everyone was excited to get started. In total, we had seven cars joining the trip. Unfortunately, two of them faced breakdowns early on and couldn’t continue with the rest of the drive. Even with those minor issues, the remaining cars carried on smoothly, and the trip continued without any major problems.
Leading the drive was @optimus , supported by @Scorpio and @Rashidjass floating, who did an excellent job managing the convoy. The overall pace of the drive was quite fast, but it was enjoyable and kept everyone engaged throughout.
By the end of the day, despite the couple of breakdowns, the trip turned out to be fun and smooth. Everyone had a great time practicing and driving together, and the positive energy of the group made the whole experience even better.
many thanks to our marshals @optimus , @Scorpio & @Rashidjass

when this trip was posted I got excited since it has been a while for +10 drives with marshal @Scorpio organizing the excitement went higher ....
We all arrived early to find our marshals even earlier ....
The big surprise was the presence of @optimus & @Rashidjass &@Daggerfall then @Scorpio and @Ehab @Carlos as explorers ....
We were divided into 2 convoys @Daggerfall took the intermediates ....
We were led by @optimus quick and fast style marshal ....
Small brief about what to expect..then we hit the sand ...
Our marshal took us fast and high side cresting on swihan sfot sand ....
Our @Rashidjass &@Scorpio were floating and observing us
We tried going on a crest then switching ...
With many second tries and some stuckes we learened more and more ...
In part of the trip @optimus took me a second lead to learn more ...this was spectacular can't thank him enough for all the effort...
At last we finished the track with a bit technical eara..
Over all amazing educative long trip.....
While inflating @Scorpio chatted with me giving me a lot of important instructions and advices...
Thank you all ...see soon on sand