Basic training 2 convoy had anticipated tire deflation in total darkness. However, much to our surprise, sunrise over Al Qudra desert was so early that the convoy arrived at the meeting point in almost full daylight.

After a quick run down of the key elements of the drive and a safety briefing by our sweeper, the group was off to brush up on some familiar skills.  We started nice and slow in a technical area north east of the meeting point where straight cresting was the order of the day.

During this section of the drive the convoy got to hone their skills at descending long steep slopes, serial straigt cresting and throttle control over small almost vertical steps.

As we exited the technical area, the dunes opened up and presented a beautiful opportunity to increase the pace and enjoy some side sloping action. Unfortunately, the mail pigeon didn’t reach the back of the convoy, so following distance was far from great. Needless to say, this resulted in the  front of the convoy having to slow down and even stop occasionally.

During the mid-drive break the poor following distance was addressed, and the key aspects of side sloping were explained. Thereafter the convoy headed off to practice side sloping in high and low gear.  The group displayed good control of their vehicles in high gear, however, side sloping in low gear proved to be a lot more challenging.

As we started to make our way out of the desert, we encountered a few stucks and second tries so we stopped for a short while to recollect ourselves in preparation for a high speed exit.  The convoy did a much better job of keeping pace after the break. Following distance was not perfect, but a big improvement was noted.

This group could benefit greatly from getting to know their machines better by playing around with gears and finding what works best for their respective cars. Remember that high revs should not be feared,  your car can handle it. This is the only way to gain full control over your car in an unpredictable off-road environment.

Thanks for the excellent safety support throughout the entire drive Zoubeir (SW). Nice second lead Juggy. It was good to see the Pajero on the sand again.