Gazelle trail  convoy got off to an easy start on small  gently sloping dunes in Al Qudra.

The small convoy quickly got to an area   where the long, gently sloping dunes had extremely steep leeward slopes that needed to be crossed with caution. These dunes were however perfect for long side sloping.  I had almosr forgotten how much fun this area could be, and probably spent more time than planned here.

After a short dash across a sabkah we arrived  at a crossing that’s always been a challenge  for Junior convoys. The combination of super soft sand and tightly packed dunes demanded that every member of the convoy should read the terrain ahead, and adjust following distance accordingly.  Fortunately for us, this crossing only claimed one stuck, which our sweeper trainee managed brilliantly with a little shoveling and clearly guided self recovery.

The cooler weather and late sunrise meant that the resident wildlife was out and about later than usual.  So We were treated to viewings of Oryx and Gazelles at different stages of the drive.

The second half of the drive comprised mainly of moderate to high paced side sloping which was interspersed with the occasional straight crest. As we approached the exit the terrain was dotted with grassy outcrops which made for an extremely bumpy and slow end.

Great driving by Fouad and Marco, you guys kept things moving along nicely, even in some really tricky areas. Thanks for keeping the convoy safe Johann, your guided self recoveries and second tries were very efficiently executed.