Offroading into the Clouds at Choma Kunda-Coorg

vishnu7185 · 18th July 2008, 11:18

That was just amazing.. I wish i could be a part of any such trips... Bangloreans please do give me a shout if anyone plans for one..

tsk1979 · 18th July 2008, 11:18

wow, you sure had a fun time at Coorg Samurai. Seems like the Ruts were bête noire of the jeep!
Something with diff locks could have easily climbed out I guess!

vinod_nookala · 18th July 2008, 11:20

woooww,
You all were indeed in heaven....desperately we need such place to go offroading near chennai. As you rightly said this trail seems to be more interesting than coorg trail. Way to go samurai san!! Any videos?

Iam loving it!

srishiva · 18th July 2008, 11:21

Man, I need to hasten my plans for a gypsy (since I did not read them along with words like "problem").

A great trip indeed. You make it so lively. Thanks.

SRShrikanth · 18th July 2008, 11:34

AWESOME travelogue with some brilliant pics indeed.

At this rate, Samurai Sir - you could easily create a unique program comprising of a 3 night & 2 day package amongst the greens. With lessons in basic 4x4 exploration & digital photography rolled into one.

That will keep your weekend passion running & also impart knowledge to newbies like us.

Do visit this thought.

Regards & look forward for more.

khan_sultan · 18th July 2008, 11:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsk1979

... Seems like the Ruts were bête noire of the jeep!
Something with diff locks could have easily climbed out I guess!

ofcourse, 200 BHP + 400 KGm Torque + 33" tires + etc etc would also help

Buddy, that's the fun.. taking on the terrain with just the basic 4x4. what would be the fun otherwise...

sudev · 18th July 2008, 11:54

wow. and wow again.
you have had one heck of a weekend. if OTR was cake this was the icing. waiting for next adventure.

tsk1979 · 18th July 2008, 12:34

Samurai, I am wondering, would the GV had gone up the hill(with the metal skid plates and all)? I think you should take the GV also on some OTR trip(not so extreme, but something more tame)

shankar.balan · 18th July 2008, 12:43

Superbly written and photographed! Much appreciate your work on this. Having grown up on tea and coffee plantations around South India, I sure can appreciate all that you said about your feelings when enveloped by clouds.
It is truly an amazing feeling and somehow gives (some of us atleast) a sense of perspective about how small a human really is, in comparison to Nature. It also gives you an all pervading sense of peace.
How I wish one could get away from it all, back to the lap of Nature, accompanied by one's trusty steed!
Well done Samurai!

MM440 · 18th July 2008, 12:47

Hey Nice pictures dude,I didnot curse in Tamil that was just Kiran and I having a heated argument about how to go about things in Tamil,obviously you didnot understand it either.lol.
cheers
Jammy

Samurai · 18th July 2008, 13:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Samurai, I am wondering, would the GV had gone up the hill(with the metal skid plates and all)?

I feel it could have handled both days, but not without damaging the front and rear overhangs, that would taken a pounding and there is no skid plate protection there. That is a major concern while taking expensive SUVs off-road, damages. This is not something to worry about with basic Jeeps.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MM440

Hey Nice pictures dude,I didnot curse in Tamil that was just Kiran and I having a heated argument about how to go about things in Tamil,obviously you didnot understand it either.lol.

From the distance that's how it looked, but everybody was smiling including Sarvinder.

IronWolf · 18th July 2008, 13:49

Samurai - Lovely write up and pics as usual.

Quick question for the pics where the red jeep got stuck looks like it would have been better to just go off the trail there to the left.

I am just going by the pic, you were there. Do you think so?

The AP jeep looks clean and simple. Do you know the year of the 4x4 MM540?

Any videos, pretty please?

DirtyDan · 18th July 2008, 13:54

A hauntingly beautiful spot, and I imagine it changes character as the light and clouds change. The big mountains up here change their personalities sometimes several times a day, smaller are no less intriguing and sometimes more intimate. I was born and raised in smaller ones and I still carry them with me.

I am wondering what is wrong with your cooling system. Weak water pump? Impeded flow somewhere? Radiator too small? Lazy coolant ? (I hate that, strong union.)

I may be obstinate but I still think these jeeps can be modded and made over to be stone cold freaking reliable. I want to drive and enjoy them, not skin my knuckles turning stripped bolts et cetera. Besides, you can get sweaty and dirty doing that mechanical stuff and who needs THAT?

khan_sultan · 18th July 2008, 13:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by IronWolf

Quick question for the pics where the red jeep got stuck looks like it would have been better to just go off the trail there to the left.

No. On the left was a huge ditch -- it's just not visible in the picture. Infact Sarvinder would have landed up there had we not stopped him

This was the only way -- slightly keeping to the right.

VJ_MAVRICK · 18th July 2008, 13:57

Nice photographs tagged along with the usually very well written report Samurai Sir!.

18th July 2008, 11:18	#16
vishnu7185 BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Trivandrum/Bangalore/London Posts: 89 Thanked: 10 Times	That was just amazing.. I wish i could be a part of any such trips... Bangloreans please do give me a shout if anyone plans for one..
	() Thanks

18th July 2008, 11:18	#17
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,688 Thanked: 23,489 Times View My Garage	wow, you sure had a fun time at Coorg Samurai. Seems like the Ruts were bête noire of the jeep! Something with diff locks could have easily climbed out I guess!
	() Thanks

18th July 2008, 11:20	#18
vinod_nookala Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Mumbai Posts: 1,737 Thanked: 431 Times View My Garage	woooww, You all were indeed in heaven....desperately we need such place to go offroading near chennai. As you rightly said this trail seems to be more interesting than coorg trail. Way to go samurai san!! Any videos? Iam loving it!
	() Thanks

18th July 2008, 11:21	#19
srishiva Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 4,372 Thanked: 2,260 Times	Man, I need to hasten my plans for a gypsy (since I did not read them along with words like "problem"). A great trip indeed. You make it so lively. Thanks.
	() Thanks

18th July 2008, 11:34	#20
SRShrikanth BHPian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: B'bay/Stockholm Posts: 254 Thanked: 8 Times View My Garage	AWESOME travelogue with some brilliant pics indeed. At this rate, Samurai Sir - you could easily create a unique program comprising of a 3 night & 2 day package amongst the greens. With lessons in basic 4x4 exploration & digital photography rolled into one. That will keep your weekend passion running & also impart knowledge to newbies like us. Do visit this thought. Regards & look forward for more.
	() Thanks

18th July 2008, 11:54	#22
sudev Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 3,863 Thanked: 3,253 Times	wow. and wow again. you have had one heck of a weekend. if OTR was cake this was the icing. waiting for next adventure.
	() Thanks

18th July 2008, 12:34	#23
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,688 Thanked: 23,489 Times View My Garage	Samurai, I am wondering, would the GV had gone up the hill(with the metal skid plates and all)? I think you should take the GV also on some OTR trip(not so extreme, but something more tame)
	() Thanks

18th July 2008, 12:43	#24
shankar.balan BANNED Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 11,797 Thanked: 27,236 Times View My Garage Infractions: 0/3 (13)	Superbly written and photographed! Much appreciate your work on this. Having grown up on tea and coffee plantations around South India, I sure can appreciate all that you said about your feelings when enveloped by clouds. It is truly an amazing feeling and somehow gives (some of us atleast) a sense of perspective about how small a human really is, in comparison to Nature. It also gives you an all pervading sense of peace. How I wish one could get away from it all, back to the lap of Nature, accompanied by one's trusty steed! Well done Samurai!
	() Thanks

18th July 2008, 12:47	#25
MM440 BHPian Join Date: May 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 144 Thanked: 40 Times View My Garage	Hey Nice pictures dude,I didnot curse in Tamil that was just Kiran and I having a heated argument about how to go about things in Tamil,obviously you didnot understand it either.lol. cheers Jammy Last edited by tsk1979 : 18th July 2008 at 13:06. Reason: quoting whole post removed for better readability
	() Thanks

18th July 2008, 13:49	#27
IronWolf Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Benga-loo-ru Posts: 1,569 Thanked: 45 Times View My Garage	Samurai - Lovely write up and pics as usual. Quick question for the pics where the red jeep got stuck looks like it would have been better to just go off the trail there to the left. I am just going by the pic, you were there. Do you think so? The AP jeep looks clean and simple. Do you know the year of the 4x4 MM540? Any videos, pretty please?
	() Thanks

18th July 2008, 13:54	#28
DirtyDan Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Dharamsala, H.P Posts: 2,108 Thanked: 1,666 Times	A hauntingly beautiful spot, and I imagine it changes character as the light and clouds change. The big mountains up here change their personalities sometimes several times a day, smaller are no less intriguing and sometimes more intimate. I was born and raised in smaller ones and I still carry them with me. I am wondering what is wrong with your cooling system. Weak water pump? Impeded flow somewhere? Radiator too small? Lazy coolant ? (I hate that, strong union.) I may be obstinate but I still think these jeeps can be modded and made over to be stone cold freaking reliable. I want to drive and enjoy them, not skin my knuckles turning stripped bolts et cetera. Besides, you can get sweaty and dirty doing that mechanical stuff and who needs THAT?
	() Thanks

18th July 2008, 13:57	#30
VJ_MAVRICK Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Sydney Posts: 1,239 Thanked: 34 Times View My Garage	Nice photographs tagged along with the usually very well written report Samurai Sir!.
	() Thanks