[dhanushs]

First of all, I would like to thank team BODA for a wonderful event once again. We had an amazing time there.

• Super Track. Vehicle Testing as well as Driver Testing tracks. (The best thing about the BAOTR.)
• Comfortable beds in the middle of nowhere.
• Good Facilities.
• Yummy food, and in time. We had tea/coffee brakefast, lunch, snacks, snacks, and dinner at the right time and in plenty.
• As usual very friendly hosts, and, the amenities provided in the middle of nowhere.

I'll try to share whatever I've experienced in the event, in a short way.

All the pictures I've taken from Facebook. All credits to respective photographers. Especially Rajesh from Kushalnagar, and Nikhil Kariappa

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Being a calender event for us, especially me, since 2012, the moment this years dates were published, I booked myself in, and luckily most them from our team joined. The check in time, was mentioned 5:00 PM in the handbook. It was a 5 - 6 hour drive for us to the trail, hence we decided to start around 11-12. However, as usual the take off got delayed.. By around 3-3:30PM, all of us finally gathered around and decided to leave Wayanad. In 5 Vehicles. One LandCruiser 80 series, One MM550 ISZ Petril, One MM550 with Turbocharged Nissan heart, One 500D, One MM540DP.

Well, we were already late and on top of it, my MM550 with Turbocharged Nissan heart burst an oil pipe from Gundulpet. Ran around frantically only to know you cant get a spare pipe till you reach Nanjangud. So, went the jugaad way of fixing it - Condom, gasket maker and tape. It held up till Nanjangud, where I got a tata indica oil pipe. By the time the fix was done it was already 8PM. Put pedal to metal and reached the OTR spot at around 11PM.

However, one more of our team mates in his MM550XD reached the spot early and registered for all of us.

Vehicles coming in for the event.






Vishnu, registering for all of us. Manning the desk is Robinson, Rajesh, Prabhu, and I guess Prithvi.





Loads of parking space at the location.





The secured campsite for around 200 participants + marshals.





Participants from all over South India coming in







The Gokak Team





Krishnarajatantri from Mysore.





The ever cheerful Lokesh Aradhya.



Chief Guest & Jeep Encyclopedia - UBS Sir posing with Prithvi



Barani or commander handle in tbhp





The ever enthusiastic Thirunelveli Guys





Sam Kurian from Kottayam, in his remapped Thar adventure edition.





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We still hadn't reached, and I guess Viji was getting tired, hence I got a soft call asking where I was . Shared our location, and ETA. The good hosts were ready to wait however late it was.





Meanwhile, dinner was served. Viji kindly offered to save 12 of our dinner quotal, till we reach.







Almost all the participants had reached. Now, khan and team at the registration counter waiting for the last batch.



Note : Fellow members who were there @BODA event, please feel free to pen in your thoughts too. And and loads more pictures.

[dhanushs]

Finally, we reach.

The Land Cruiser.



Rajesh's MM540DP



Jinnu's MM550 ISZ petrol



My MM550 with Turbocharged Nissan heart.





The MM550XD.



After checking us & the last entrants in, the Marshals wind up registrations and come in for dinner. Time was around 12:00 AM.





Catching up with friends.



Briefing about something. Well, Prithvi was the marshal who was in-charge of our stays and everything around the place. So, I guess the briefing was about bed bugs? . Jokes apart, the stay in the middle of no-where was super comfortable.



Some midnight fun.





Time to crash in the tents. We had a tent for ourselves. 12 of us.





Note : Fellow members who were there @BODA event, please feel free to pen in your thoughts too. And and loads more pictures.

[dhanushs]

Day 1

Day 1, began on a positive note. With all of us expecting a good day of off-roading and jeeps ahead of us.





The campsite, which offered comfortable stay, had hot water in the morning for bath!. And, all the amenities provided were clean and hygienic.





After freshening up, breakfast was served. Nice and tasty it was.



Viji, leading the way...



With breakfast done, Prithvi & Rajesh gave a short briefing about the day. Do's and Dont's, safety briefing etc..




Which all the participants listened carefully.





One of the sponsors.



And, then, the flag off by UBS sir.





There were, four stages and whole of the participants were split into four groups. We got Stage 4 & Stage 1. for day one, and Stage 2 & Stage 3 for day two. While everything about BAOTR'15 was excellent, the only grouch I had is the track was atleast 75% similar to last years. Yes, difficulty level was higher due to more number of modified vehicles, but then, most of it was same. ie, the basic technique on how to capture it was more or less the same. As a result, I or rather we from last year, found it easy, and expected, with less surprises, unlike last year. However, kudos to BODA team for making some of the obstacles really challenging which will test the man and the machine.

Unless you weren't careful about it, yes, this year too there were topples, broken axles, scratched paint, bent bumpers, mudguards, broken underbody etc.. etc.. One thing I've learnt about BODA tracks is that - listen to the spotter. You will breeze through...

The convoy split into groups waiting to leave. When we left, we got a bottle of water, Minute maid each.. And our lunch packets. Which had rice, curry, a packet of potato chips, a bar of chikki & a small sweet.







The obstacles start. Steep dips, long inclines etc etc.. testing the man and the machine thoroughly.













Some getting stuck at weird angles.



Some getting pulled out.



Another must have thing about BODA events. Lot of thorny bushes to scratch your paint.



Pradeep, marshal from BODA leading the way from the front.



This particular black Thar had a lady driver Sahana Shetty, who came alone with her Thar. Respect her passion for driving. She broke her diesel tank morning in Day 1, but came back later in the day, with all her energy and did well.. Tackled obstacles in style.. Like this..



The day was about to end with this rut obstacle. Which we did without much problem.



Some came in at a wrong angle and had to pushed and pulled to sort the mess out.



After the rut obstacle, the day was almost done, with just one more obstacle remaining. The slush one. Light was fast fading off, and the slush was already dug up pretty well by all the Jeeps. Hence the marshals were giving options weather or not to do it.

Well, in our batch I guess me and Tantri were the only ones to do it. By the end of the day, finishing this obstacle. I felt glad that my project was performing extremely well. Be it rocks, or articulation obstacles or ones which needed momentum.

Sams Thar stuck in Slush.



After which we all turned back to the camp for a tasty snack + dinner.

But I guess, some vehicles still went for the night drive stage which was planned earlier.



Note : Fellow members who were there @BODA event, please feel free to pen in your thoughts too. And and loads more pictures.

[khan_sultan]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to 4x4 Excursions. Thanks for sharing!

[datvichrox2]

Indeed, a well organized event, with good food and facilities. I came alone as usual, but made new friends.

Captured some videos on phone/sj1000

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1gXzdf_kRY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlY582vO8rs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyjrDosaE3Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJv9r6HxIZA

Will post photos and more videos later. There's a lot to share!

[GTO]

Superb report! Lovely pictures, excellent captions, great attention to detail. Thanks for sharing

The way you speak of the event, it appears to have been very well-organised. Pat on the back to the BODA team, it's no small feat hosting so many folk.

Some neat looking rides & excellent obstacles + terrain.

P.S. Your Jeep needs new tyres

[dhanushs]

Originally Posted by GTO

Superb report! Lovely pictures, excellent captions, great attention to detail. Thanks for sharing

Thanks!

P.S. Your Jeep needs new tyres

those are road tyres.
I have brand new 33 x 12.5 x 15 Maxxis Bighorns.

This is how we go for events more than 200kms away. And change tyres I n the location so that the MT's don't wear out super fast

[hisunil]

Very detailed Capture with pics & comments, a Short video compilation below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mU4Af6pTTkA

Cheers
Sunil

[Jaggu]

Wow super duper coverage and thank you so much for sharing, esp for folks like me who had to miss it :-/

[Seventhgear]

Great pics Dhanushs. Seems you guys had a great time.Though the pics won't be doing any justice,the organizers have definitely put in a lot of effort .And all this for the love of the sport.Keep it going guys.

BTW did the landcruiser take part .Didn't see any snaps of it in action.

[Samurai]

Hey Dhanush, thanks for the short and sweet report. I had plans of attending with my DI Jeep before I put it on sale, but my work schedule threw a spanner in the works.

So, what was the effect of RFC on BODA event? I know terrain was same as last year, but the obstacles must have been tougher to satisfy better equipped vehicles.

Amazing pictures, thanks to the contributors dhanush and datvi. The whole event is looking so raw, so natural. This is just the kind of thing I am sure that makes all those hours of work with the off-roader worth it.

[Wanderers]

Hi dhanush

Thanks for giving us the wonderful account of the Annual OTR. Keep it going

The best part I liked was the planning & arrangement made for all the participants. The Camp looked glorious and resembled a mini town in the hills.
The rut obstacle must be thrilling.

When do we have such event in Delhi ? Tanveer are you listening.

[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by dhanushs

This particular black Thar had a lady driver Sahana Shetty, who came alone with her Thar. Respect her passion for driving. She broke her diesel tank morning in Day 1, but came back later in the day, with all her energy and did well.

Woah ho ho. Sahana is the HR Director at my work spot. Never thought she would take her Thar to do what it was designed to do. Well done Sahana.

[JASMEET MATTOO]

Superb review. Lot of amazing pictures and it just makes me drool over the mahindra thar's once again. Have to think of how to get one and soon