[sudev]

A musical video made by one of the participants.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hMhfnkNADXo

Next activity on Sunday May 20th.

Any other city group wants to start local chapter?

[sudev]

Trail blazing pictorial

First is the briefing for all at start.


Second driving through narrow first track


Third is trying sandy patch with 2WD and 4WD modes


Urban jungle folks see wildlife (!!!) upclose


Fifth is conference in middle of jungle to discuss 2WD AWD 4WD and hill assist.


Narrow farm trail overgrown with grass on both sides.


And before the last tray of yummy poori bhaji and lassi to finish the outing.


Last is partial group picture.

[sudev]

Trailblazing #XX

Sunday May 26, 2019 at Off road Adventure Zone (ORAZ) Gurgaon. Time from 0700 to 1000hr.

2wd, 42w and bike all can participate.

Trophy and prizes to be won.

Event details on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/events/495685390964706/

[sudev]

Trail Blazing #XX (twentieth event and nothing X or XX or even XXX about it) was held at Gurgaon on Sunday 26th from 7 to 10am. Encouraging turn out of twenty seven starters in cars, SUV's, Jeeps and a bike!

There were three categories:
1. 2WD Vehicles
2. 4WD vehicles
3. Bikes

Also in each category there was a special recognitions for all women team winners.

After briefing to explain what the rules of the game are and the challenges all participants were flagged off.

The objective was to reach as many of the thirty five points as you could within maximum of two hours. You had to be back at finish circle within two hours or you were disqualified.

All monitoring was done using ClueRace app that was installed by all users on their smartphones.

Just so that you did not break speed limit the app kept track of the points visited and speed during the event.

All the points were visible on the map and the challenge was to get to them - sometimes you had to get out of the car and walk / run to the point to get ClueRace app register your successful visit. For each successful visit competitors earned bonus.

At end of two hour time taken from start to end (and speed penalties if any) were deducted from bonus earned to get nett points and ranking.

It was fun family activity and every one enjoyed the experience. Next edition - #XXI - soon.

Let the pictures do the talking cars and jeeps trying to find a clue point. Its there on the map in their hands but unless you are really up close and within the zone it does not mark your presence.

[sudev]

For some of the points you had to get out of your car and walk to the point with app in your hand to the pin point location.

Here is crew in Thar trying not to get out but going round in circles to do the needful.








And this guy was smart. Parked his car got out with app in hand and located the point by walking through the bushes constantly looking at the app screen showing the marker on the map. And as soon as he got the point he runs back.






These guys also figured out the correct system

[sudev]

As soon as the participants finish the app displays their individual scores. And the moment last car rolls in the results are ready and prizes are distributed.


All women team in the Ford Figo got their trophy as well.


Jumping with joy the crew was disappointed and thought they would not win


Crew made up of family with equally excited children


These friends were serious competitors but had greatest of fun pulling each others leg after the event recalling horrors and blunder of navigations they did. But still won a podium.


This crew from Dehradun proved that you did not have to be local to win.


Suparna the lone rider won the podium.

[sudev]

Next Trail Blazing events:

Gurgaon June 30, 2019
Chandigarh July 07, 2019

Check up on Facebook about the events ad registration https://www.facebook.com/traiblazing/

[sudev]

Trail Blazing XXI today at Chandigarh is going to be fun.

Length: On road 60% Off road 40%
Points: On road 20% Off road 80%
In car : On track 60% Run up 40%

Yesterday's rain means slush patches all over. Two hours and 40 points to be covered. Not possible to cover all so strategy and navigation is going to be important. Will post event pictures and report.

[sudev]

Trail Bazing #XXII

Gurgaon on Sunday July 28, 2019.

ZERO entry fee with 100% cash back gift coupon for online payments. Once you make payment you will get link for online entry form and a 100% cash back gift voucher that be spent on buying range of goods from www.giftsonair.com*

Categories:

2Wheel Drive Car's SUV's*

4Wheel Drive SUV's Jeep etc.


Registration fee schedule*Trail Blazing #XXII*
Total people in the Car/SUV/Jeep

Rs5000 One or Two

Rs6000 Three

Rs7000 Four


More than four people not allowed in car.

Click here to know more about the event*https://www.facebook.com/events/2223844121045574/


Event Venue:*https://goo.gl/maps/hpdkV7wsUU8x7YpQ8

[sudev]

Trail Blazing #XXI was held at Chandigarh on Sunday July 07, 2019. There were two categories formed for the event - two wheel drive and four wheel drive vehicles.

Trail Blazing is a new concept on motoring and driving fun wherein the challenge is to find your own route. At the start each participant is given a map of about thirty ~ forty points spread all around.

The scoring and map guidance is done by “ClueRace” app that runs on competitor’s smartphone and it automatically marks visit to clue points when you reach within 10~20 meters. Thus many points were created by organising team which were not on the road or the track but slightly away from it.


To reach people had to step out of their vehicles and walk or run to location while keeping a keen eye out on the map with marker point being displayed on app screen. See the picture where 2WD car crew are running in to bushes to get the clue visit marked in the app. The competitors have to decide which points to go for and then using onscreen maps work out the best route for them to take. It does sound easy but in practise it is difficult enough and very challenging.



To illustrate the point look at the map giving satellite view. The yellow line led to one point but before you can reach the second point there is a sandy stream bed to be crossed. It was not possible in 2 wheel drive vehicle and even in 4 wheel drives was not an easy task as the next picture shows. People in 2WD cars could get ut of their car and run to capture one point just after the sandy stream bed but other points were further away. See the car parked behind the jeep which is doing exactly that. The ideal path was green line so even though you lost one point on yellow line you could get three points and the going further even more as tarmac road led you back.


Easier points on the road or just off the tarmac roads were given lesser bonus marks and the most difficult one higher bonus marks. A temple on hill top was very interesting clue point. You had to park the car at the foot of the hill and then climb up to the temple to earn those bonus.






Not that going was any easier for 4WD vehicles. Points set for them were equally hard to reach but then 4WD drivers want always take their vehicle to location rather than walk or run. This led to people getting stuck or enjoying their 4WD prowess as is shown in these pictures.

The level of difficulty can be gauged from the fact that out of potential 60,000 points available the best finishers could achieve was 30,000. Most of the competitors could manage 15,000 or so in two hours allowed.

Apart from maximum time allowed, beyond which you got disqualified, competitor’s also could not exceed speed of 45 kmph and if they did speeding penalties were applied automatically by the ClueRace app. This kept overall safety of participants in check and control. As soon as each participant reached the finish point ClueRace app showed them their individual scores and winners were announced shortly after the last vehicle got in.


Winners:
4WD
1 Gurmeet Virdi
2 Harmanpreet
3 Nur Jagman
2WD
1 Dribjot Singh
2 Ravdeep
3 Puneet Nangli
All Women
*** Shamsheer Rana

The next Trail Blazing is scheduled for July 28, 2019 at Gurgaon.

[sudev]

Next Trail Blazing is scheduled for Sunday 13th September at Sahibabad - Delhi NCR. It's mixture of mainly on road and few off road points. No entry fee. Optional breakfast at fixed rate at starting point Lolz Cafe'

More at https://www.facebook.com/events/2439047379754131/?ti=cl