Whiteout!

tsk1979 · 15th February 2010, 16:24

It hasn't snowed entire night, and the clouds are almost gone. This means getting some amazing views of the snow clad mountains.
Unfortunately, there is still some haze, but sun is coming out.
First we will have breakfast in the market, and then try our hands at skiing.
The view
from the front

Back of the rest house

The back yard

But before all this I need to start the white elephant. Though its almost 9am, and sun is out, the temp meter still shows "-0 degree C". This means overnight it was below zero, the the diesel may have waxed a bit.
anyways, I switch on the ignition. The service light goes off, and few seconds later the heater light also goes off.
I decide not to crank, but give 3 more doses of heater.
And then I crank. She starts immediately. The clatter is deafening and I can hear the windowpanes ratteling, but it will do.
A few minutes of idle has her settling into a nice clattery stable idle, no more surging. That went away with the fuel pump change.

After that we laze a bit, and around 10am we start the day, first to breakfast.

The road to narkanda is all white. Total whiteout! thankfully, its powdery, and I am not sliding into the berms any more

The ride

The whole scene looks out of a disaster movie, minus the disaster. We had come to see snow, and right now, there was a ton of it everywhere.

After a quick bite, it was time to walk to the ski slopes.
Normally a motorable road goes to the slopes, but today, there was more than 3 feet snow on the road, and we would have to walk the half km

TO BE CONT........

motomaverick · 15th February 2010, 17:29

wow! love the snow on the safari makes it look cool. So only the bison & the elephant were able to make it to hatu hotel premises

By any chance you got the pics of that fortuner in snow?

lordofgondor · 15th February 2010, 18:22

Wow man, the first pic of the white morning is a true dreamscape!

Splendidly beautiful.

Technocrat · 15th February 2010, 18:39

Looks like another Great Weekend adventure of yours, great pics again

It feels really nice to see you put to use the 4X4 on a regular basis

SS-Traveller · 15th February 2010, 18:40

This certainly is a delight - though I was expecting this from your FB teaser.

. Hooked.

tsk1979 · 15th February 2010, 19:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by motomaverick

wow! love the snow on the safari makes it look cool. So only the bison & the elephant were able to make it to hatu hotel premises

By any chance you got the pics of that fortuner in snow?

It was pretty dark(7:30ish) and snowing. So no chance of pics

Quote:

Originally Posted by lordofgondor

Wow man, the first pic of the white morning is a true dreamscape!

Splendidly beautiful.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Technocrat

Looks like another Great Weekend adventure of yours, great pics again

It feels really nice to see you put to use the 4X4 on a regular basis

Quote:

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

This certainly is a delight - though I was expecting this from your FB teaser.

. Hooked.

Thanks guys!

StarVegabond · 15th February 2010, 19:51

Amazing snaps there tsk1979
i was mesmerised by the snow clad vehicle

it is like being in wonderland.hope to there some day.

COUGAR · 15th February 2010, 19:58

COUGAR.... jealous!!!

i think i am going to head down to Delhi next. anyone up for a bike ride to Narkanda?

mustang89 · 15th February 2010, 20:48

just one word comes to my mind-AMAZING
the pics,the environment,the ride,the writeup!

ptushar · 15th February 2010, 21:12

Those photgraphs are class... sheer class... This is something I would want to do once in my life...

And to think that here I am, reading this late in the night at office. I need to do some serious reality check on life!

Vid6639 · 15th February 2010, 21:18

One question Tanveer. When going to these places with such low temperatures, do you need to prepare the car?

I mean like in Us you need to use anti freeze in engine oil or fuel?

Is it not that cold even where you went that you dont need anti freeze?

EssYouWe · 15th February 2010, 21:20

+1 to what NC said.

Congratulations on spreading all the envy!

SamtheLeo · 15th February 2010, 21:39

Wow That is one good time to go to Narkanda. I am taking clues out of it & the moment i have my 4X4 ready this is the first thing we are going to do.

Although what could be done on 2wd i have done in Kashmir, but 4wd beats it handsdown.

BTW why you have choosen AT tyre for you white elephant

KSM-Vtec · 15th February 2010, 21:55

wow here we go again!!!! i have to quit my job in mumbai and move up north....great pics TSK

tsk1979 · 16th February 2010, 01:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

Amazing snaps there tsk1979
i was mesmerised by the snow clad vehicle

it is like being in wonderland.hope to there some day.

Quote:

Originally Posted by COUGAR

COUGAR.... jealous!!!

i think i am going to head down to Delhi next. anyone up for a bike ride to Narkanda?

Quote:

Originally Posted by mustang89

just one word comes to my mind-AMAZING
the pics,the environment,the ride,the writeup!

Quote:

Originally Posted by ptushar

Those photgraphs are class... sheer class... This is something I would want to do once in my life...

And to think that here I am, reading this late in the night at office. I need to do some serious reality check on life!

Thanks for the complements guys!
tushar, pune is not too far. Pick up your bike/car or whatever, and drive. After all March 1 is holi

Quote:

Originally Posted by vid6639

One question Tanveer. When going to these places with such low temperatures, do you need to prepare the car?

I mean like in Us you need to use anti freeze in engine oil or fuel?

Is it not that cold even where you went that you dont need anti freeze?

Nope, nothing. Actually I don't think anything needs to be done until -10 degrees or so(except for anti freeze diesel). The coolant itself is anti freeze, and glow plugs ensure good 0 degree start.

Quote:

Originally Posted by EssYouWe

+1 to what NC said.

Congratulations on spreading all the envy!

Quote:

Originally Posted by SamtheLeo

Wow That is one good time to go to Narkanda. I am taking clues out of it & the moment i have my 4X4 ready this is the first thing we are going to do.

Although what could be done on 2wd i have done in Kashmir, but 4wd beats it handsdown.

BTW why you have choosen AT tyre for you white elephant

Yup, 2WD does fine at most of the places, and where it does not you can always walk. However, if the place is too far, get an alto or an 800, they go where even 4WDs can't. No kidding, honestly.
As for AT tires, I broke all the bridgestone HTs. Some got torn, some got bulges, and some wore out in a weird fashion. Then I got more HT tires, and they got cracks under the main tread from just highway driving.
Then I decided to get AT tires.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSM-Vtec

wow here we go again!!!! i have to quit my job in mumbai and move up north....great pics TSK

Thanks KSM... you can always drive up from mumbai too ! Planning leh again this year?

15th February 2010, 16:24	#16
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,726 Thanked: 23,057 Times View My Garage	A white morning It hasn't snowed entire night, and the clouds are almost gone. This means getting some amazing views of the snow clad mountains. Unfortunately, there is still some haze, but sun is coming out. First we will have breakfast in the market, and then try our hands at skiing. The view from the front Back of the rest house The back yard But before all this I need to start the white elephant. Though its almost 9am, and sun is out, the temp meter still shows "-0 degree C". This means overnight it was below zero, the the diesel may have waxed a bit. anyways, I switch on the ignition. The service light goes off, and few seconds later the heater light also goes off. I decide not to crank, but give 3 more doses of heater. And then I crank. She starts immediately. The clatter is deafening and I can hear the windowpanes ratteling, but it will do. A few minutes of idle has her settling into a nice clattery stable idle, no more surging. That went away with the fuel pump change. After that we laze a bit, and around 10am we start the day, first to breakfast. The road to narkanda is all white. Total whiteout! thankfully, its powdery, and I am not sliding into the berms any more The ride The whole scene looks out of a disaster movie, minus the disaster. We had come to see snow, and right now, there was a ton of it everywhere. After a quick bite, it was time to walk to the ski slopes. Normally a motorable road goes to the slopes, but today, there was more than 3 feet snow on the road, and we would have to walk the half km TO BE CONT........
	() Thanks

15th February 2010, 17:29	#17
motomaverick Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,898 Thanked: 989 Times View My Garage	wow! love the snow on the safari makes it look cool. So only the bison & the elephant were able to make it to hatu hotel premises By any chance you got the pics of that fortuner in snow?
	() Thanks

15th February 2010, 18:22	#18
lordofgondor BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: UP 16 Posts: 936 Thanked: 159 Times	Wow man, the first pic of the white morning is a true dreamscape! Splendidly beautiful.
	() Thanks

15th February 2010, 18:39	#19
Technocrat Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: GTA Posts: 14,815 Thanked: 2,703 Times	Looks like another Great Weekend adventure of yours, great pics again It feels really nice to see you put to use the 4X4 on a regular basis
	() Thanks

15th February 2010, 18:40	#20
SS-Traveller Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: New Delhi Posts: 8,197 Thanked: 27,779 Times View My Garage	This certainly is a delight - though I was expecting this from your FB teaser. . Hooked.
	() Thanks

15th February 2010, 19:51	#22
StarVegabond Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,891 Thanked: 43 Times	Amazing snaps there tsk1979 i was mesmerised by the snow clad vehicle it is like being in wonderland.hope to there some day.
	() Thanks

15th February 2010, 19:58	#23
COUGAR BHPian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Delhi Posts: 548 Thanked: 94 Times View My Garage	COUGAR.... jealous!!! i think i am going to head down to Delhi next. anyone up for a bike ride to Narkanda?
	() Thanks

15th February 2010, 20:48	#24
mustang89 BHPian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: new delhi Posts: 348 Thanked: 0 Times	just one word comes to my mind-AMAZING the pics,the environment,the ride,the writeup!
	() Thanks

15th February 2010, 21:12	#25
ptushar BHPian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Pune Posts: 348 Thanked: 271 Times	Those photgraphs are class... sheer class... This is something I would want to do once in my life... And to think that here I am, reading this late in the night at office. I need to do some serious reality check on life!
	() Thanks

15th February 2010, 21:18	#26
Vid6639 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 17,757 Thanked: 43,812 Times View My Garage	One question Tanveer. When going to these places with such low temperatures, do you need to prepare the car? I mean like in Us you need to use anti freeze in engine oil or fuel? Is it not that cold even where you went that you dont need anti freeze?
	() Thanks

15th February 2010, 21:20	#27
EssYouWe Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Lucknow Posts: 1,391 Thanked: 18 Times	+1 to what NC said. Congratulations on spreading all the envy!
	() Thanks

15th February 2010, 21:39	#28
SamtheLeo BHPian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Melbourne Posts: 451 Thanked: 26 Times	Wow That is one good time to go to Narkanda. I am taking clues out of it & the moment i have my 4X4 ready this is the first thing we are going to do. Although what could be done on 2wd i have done in Kashmir, but 4wd beats it handsdown. BTW why you have choosen AT tyre for you white elephant
	() Thanks

15th February 2010, 21:55	#29
KSM-Vtec Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: MH-02-India-Bombay-Bandra Posts: 1,562 Thanked: 446 Times View My Garage	wow here we go again!!!! i have to quit my job in mumbai and move up north....great pics TSK
	() Thanks