[suman]

Originally Posted by doctorkats

maybe we could get a gypsy, team up and hit the mountains bro?

Sounds like a damn good idea but I don't think the timing (early October) would work for me ..........Sideways seems to think the Safari would be able to do it fine but even so, I seriously wouldn't want to thrash a new (or even relatively new one) on those stretches on a continuous basis

[khaadu75]

Originally Posted by Samurai

That doesn't look too bad, post an image of a really bad stretch.

What i was showing was our definition of a smooth tarmac ... , and I dont have too many pics of a real bad stretch as for us thats normal -- and makes us want to click national highways and stuff as thats a rarity

Heres another one I found ...



A closer shot of the same spot ...



Cheers

[moralfibre]

I want to be a spectator to the Raid this year. I am trying to get in touch with the organizing commitee to see if I could be of any help to them for managing the event.

[Sideways]

Doc and Suman, guys, be prepared for a suspension rebuild after you get back. Maybe more, depends on how you handle the situation.

Although reliability is controlled in terms of speed, what happens is that on some stages in order to save the car (only because service crew are not allowed in this category) you tend to take it a little easy. But you need to remember that this time needs to be made up and you have to push like hell.

Last year we were doing about 100 to 110 coming down Baralacha - Suicidal it defineately was. We lost time due to a block in the diesel filter and had to make up. Now when I look back I feel like kicking myself for doing what I did. But then thats Motorsports !!!!!!!!

I will put up some stats with regards to how many entered and how many finished etc., just to give you guys an idea.

[khaadu75]

Originally Posted by moralfibre

I want to be a spectator to the Raid this year. I am trying to get in touch with the organizing commitee to see if I could be of any help to them for managing the event.

Hey, Get in touch with TT ( Vijay Parmar ) and Im sure they would be more than glad to have you help them . But remember you cud be in the middle of nowhere waiting for hours in freak weather for the vehicles to come through .

Originally Posted by samurai

That doesn't look too bad, post an image of a really bad stretch

Here are a few more pics but these arn't taken by me , but are from another travel forum and taken just short of Jalori Pass and the raid travels thru there







Cheers

[Samurai]

My wife and I were interested in doing this sometime, so the roads don't bother me. But after hearing the description from Sideways of doing 14 hours of driving per day without taking lunch breaks or photos, we lost interest. We want to do the Manali-Leh drive without any pressure, like a leisure trip taking lots of photos on the way.

[khaadu75]

Sideways , last year two cars went down .. one went right after CS 1 finished . My point is that one has to be really stupid to go of on that stretch of the road as its a frigging broad road with superb tarmac , though maybe thats what got them excited after the bad first stage that they decided to push the car and ended up over pushing it .

One should know their vehicles and their own limits .... crossing ones own limits usually leads to the same fate , be it in the raid or in normal day top day driving . One shud remember to respect the mountain roads , and not take them for granted ever .

One tip that sideways missed out ... Try not to look down the hill side :-) !!! Coz you just mite see nothing for thousands of feet and that can give ppl a lot of sleepless nights .

Cheers

[moralfibre]

Originally Posted by khaadu75

Hey, Get in touch with TT ( Vijay Parmar ) and Im sure they would be more than glad to have you help them . But remember you cud be in the middle of nowhere waiting for hours in freak weather for the vehicles to come through .

Anything for motorsports buddy. Thanks for the advice I shall get in touch with Mr. Vijay Parmar.

[nkapoor777]

Volunteers/Officials are the real backbone of the event. Hats off to these guys. We competitors thought the event is tough for us, but imagine their plight, leaving in the middle of the night (hardly getting any sleep) so that they reach their positions well before the first vehicle is flagged off in the morning. Then waiting in extremely hostile conditions for the vehicles to come through, making sure that all of us jerks pass safely from each of the checkpoints. Then spending long hours for arranging meals, night stay for every one, preparing leg results, heck man, I thought driving was tough.

Moralfibre - Get in touch with TT, I am sure he will be glad to take you on board.

[madan80]

@ sideways: apologies - did not refresh page before posting, hence the overlap!

[nkapoor777]

Samurai: We saw some really treacherous stretches on the Raid last year. But I can tell you one thing, taking a photograph was the last thing on our minds. Survival Survival Survival, was the only focus, especially if you on a Wagon R. I remember slotting the car in the first gear and driving for almost hours on a stretch. That damn thing just won't get into second. It just started sliding downwards.

I would like to share with you all the scariest moment on Raid last year for me and my wife: Goes like this -

We were heading for the end of Leg 2 at Tabo, HP. We were supposed to refuel at Kaza which is about 60 Km before Tabo. We were awfully slow and running last since it had been a very very rough day. As destiny would have it, as soon as we reached Kaza, the pump's motor blew up. They were unable to find an electrician who could fix it. 30 minutes lost. Darkness approaching. We set off without fuel as it was getting dark. It was just past six and it was pitch dark.

We were about to get into Tabo when we hit a roadblock. Our tulip told us that there is a bridge ahead but its broken. You bet it was, I could see huge stones blocking that bridge entry. As per the tulip, we were to take the adjacent bridge. I started climibing that one. A few metres later, i stopped as I couldn't see a thing. I got out to check what was there. To my horror, I see that the bridge is broken as well. We were just six feet away from the edge. I still can't figure out what made me stop the car there. Boy, that was an escape. Then we had to go down to the river and cross it amid pitch darkness. I didnt care how many stones were hitting on the underbody, or if the car would stall in the water. I just slotted it in first and floored the pedal to the floor till it couldn't go any further.

[madan80]

@ Khaadu - did a M800 compete in the Raid? (from the pics that you posted)

[nkapoor777]

The first hand experience of seeing such pure sights of nature compensates for all the hardship.. Heaven is the word which comes to mind.. I have not seen Heaven personally but I think Mountains more than
compensate for it.







Mods: This is the first time I tried to upload pics. Used the thumbnail option as recommended. I am not sure if it worked.

[nkapoor777]

Originally Posted by madan80

@ Khaadu - did a M800 compete in the Raid? (from the pics that you posted)

Madan80: The M800 you see in the pics is probably one of his own private trips. However, there was a M800 in 2005 driven by a lady driver. She finished the Raid, the car was well prepared before hand with underbody protection, raised/stiffened suspension, etc.

[Sideways]

Originally Posted by khaadu75

Sideways , last year two cars went down .. one went right after CS 1 finished . My point is that one has to be really stupid to go of on that stretch of the road as its a frigging broad road with superb tarmac , though maybe thats what got them excited after the bad first stage that they decided to push the car and ended up over pushing it .

No Khaadu, it was still on a CS. We were comng down some mountain - cant remeber the nmae right now. NK, do you remeber where Bijoy went off ?

Oh yeah, the drops, I didnt look outta my window even once - Brrrrrrrrrr !!!!!!!!

One more thing I forgot to mention - BLACK ICE. It's a thin sheet of transparent ice which forms on top of the road. You hit this at high speed and you are a gonner. Keep your eyes peeled for black ice.