Marshall Pshasha welcomed all drivers to the event and after this the intermediate drivers gathered for the drive briefing.
Following the briefing the convoy order was initially set as:
*****Petro (Kevin) - Ram1500 (Lead for 1st leg of trip)
****Mr Magoo (Rob) – Silverado (Lead for 2nd leg of trip)
**Bitto (Ahmad) - Fortuner
**edumarcato (Edu) - JK
**Stouchka (Justyna) - JK
**Sheena (Sheena) - FJ
***Sarab (Ahmed) - R50 Mid convoy Advance support
**Sunaif POVVAL (Sunaif) - Prado
**strocifer (Alexandre) - FJ
**robertolandi (Roberto) – FJ Sweeper
****ShaanibMi (Shaanib) – FJ floating support to the convoy
We headed in the general direction of the gatch track to the east with plenty of opportunities to side slope and straight crest along the way.
The weather was warm and clear for the drive but the rain earlier in the week provided a reasonably firm base to drive on compared to the usual soft sand we are more accustomed to.
We made good progress with all the drivers doing well with only a few 2nd tries and a couple of snatch rope assists for the pickup trucks in the group (I wonder who they could be ?
), that hung-up on some of the sharper hard sand straight crests we encountered. The recoveries were safely undertaken by Ahmad and Shenna under guidance, so it was a good learning moment, well done!.On arriving at the gatch track I took the convoy lead and continued in the general direction for Nagra, taking the higher dune ranges and choosing to stop in the lovely, elevated spot of Urs tree (not sure this name is correct), which overlooks Nagra from the west.
After our break and with the light starting to fade, we made our way back to the start point to end the drive just as the sun was setting.
Many thanks to Marshal Kevin, our mid convoy advance support of Ahmed, Roberto for sweeper, and explorer Shaanib for support everywhere in the convoy, and of course to Jeepzilla for your kind sponsorship of the breast cancer awareness drives.
I hope to catch up on drives with you all sometime soon.
Rob.