[SPIKE ARRESTOR]

@mohan thats a butch looking Nissan, only thing is the pintle hook at the rear, it will reduce your departure angles by some amount

[Tejas@perioimpl]

GS has written the report here:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/4x4-ex...ch-2010-a.html

[Tejas@perioimpl]

Danny and friends with 3-4 gypsies will be going to Shahpur /Igatpuri side tomorrow to explore the place. If anyone is interested, please contact him.

[jaysmokesleaves]

Guys.. any plans to offroad this coming weekend on Sat/ Sunday ?

[mohan]

If there is no new place to think out for a fresh OTR then Alibag may perhaps be the new destination.

We can have a full fledged OTR the whole day (27th March)and relax at Parnakuti farms with food and juice and start the next day(28th march)

We have 3 areas to cover
1) Climbs and descends of all possible dimensions.
2) Sand,plenty of it.
3) Slush again plenty of it.
We can start off with climbs ,go on to sand and then finish off with slush.

Late evening at a beach resort , cottages ,hammocks ,coconut trees ,fried fish, malvani chicken,music and hungama.
Next day get up,pack up and head back home.

Me and local guys had done a mini OTR at Alibag months ago,putting up the videos for a general idea.
After that we have discovered many new SERIOUS trails.

So if we are serious enough then we must plan early so as to book the resort.We must know exactly how many people are coming and their food choices.

YouTube - Gurkha Trax and Gypsy on a muddy trail.

YouTube - R.O.C.K First mini OTR-14.2.10

YouTube - ALIBAG OTR

[jaysmokesleaves]

It does look interesting. I hope everyone can agree on the dates. How about this weekend instead ?

[pdev29]

this weekend we can again go on saturday night, it will be fun.

[Crazy4Power]

Hi Mohan,

I am OK with this OTR but the only thing which I would like you to consider the stay in Jungle instead of resort, it will be more fun. you can refer to your earlier post.

Cheers!

Alok

Originally Posted by mohan

Dear All,
I had been to the Phansad Forest and wild life sanctuary this Saturday.
It is 25 km from Alibag.
The landmark is Birla Temple , from which it is 12 km ahead.
It is a 50 sq Km area and needs atleast 2 days for exploration.
The officials are very cooperative and extremely knowledgeable regarding everything to do with forests and wild life.

Vehicles are permitted only upto a limit ,however with advanced permission ,we can take a forest guard with us who can guide us through the entire forest.

No new trails are allowed.

LIVING IN THE FOREST

1) TENTS: about 5 tents are available ,each tent can accomodate 15 people.(Price Rs 500 /day),no mattresses or other frills provided.
Personal tents deep in the forest is allowed ,with permission, and only if there is a group of a minimum 4.
2) GUESTHOUSE: Can accomodate atleast 10 people and needs advanced booking. (Rs 850/Day)
3) FOOD: Regular vegetarian food is available ,breakfast,lunch and dinner at a composite package of Rs150 per person. As per Government rules you are not allowed to consume Non-vegetarian food in the Forest Campus.

WHAT'S IN THE FOREST:-
This forest is still unadulterated by poachers,illicit traders ,casual romantic freaks and "rave" enthusiasts.
The forest has many species of birds including the endangered white necked vultures.It has a family of leopards and is known for giant squirrels. Deers,boars,hyenas ,monkeys etc also are plentiful.
The forest has at least 10 watering holes , 3 Watch towers at Strategic positions and an observation kiosk just adjacent to a watering hole where you could see a leopard right in front of you.
Overall it is a haven for Bird enthusiasts and biologists.

WHAT ABOUT OFF-ROADING?

You can't reach the heart of the forest without a 4WD vehicle,but as such this trail is not a OTR standard trail,meaning this trail dosent need any skill to negotiate.
Although at some places there are very many deep descends and climbs,callousness could mean disaster.
Yes there are good Off-roading trails in the viccinity (just outside the forest campus).
This forest would be very mean during the rainy seasons ,with lot of running streams and with slush. However leeches abound in the rainy season and so do ticks.

OVERALL CONCLUSION
1)Wonderful site to relax,trek,drive in the forest and do some off-roading in the vicinity.
2) The forest is extremely safe and no event of animal attacking humans is known till date( or for that matter humans attacking humans is known)
3) The living arrangement is excellent (as per forest standards..no 5 star amenities).
4) The sea is close by and the relatively clean Kashid beach which stretches for 5 kms is nearby the forest campus( 5km if you have a 4WD and 10 km otherwise)
5) This trip need at least 2 days and can't be covered in a hurry.

If any one wants any further details please PM me.

I am sorry the photographs have not come sequentially.

[Tejas@perioimpl]

Originally Posted by pdev29

this weekend we can again go on saturday night, it will be fun.

Devang, are you talking about lonavla? Full moon is on next weekend. It'll be more fun then for any night OTR anywhere. And also the locals got very agitated last time. Let's give them a break.

Mohan, how far is this place from bombay? And how many obstacles are there approx?

I'm with alok about the tents.

[pdev29]

i am ok with any place, but lets go this saturday night.

Night OTR is fun, its not only OTR but we get to chill and do some timepass,

the best part is we wont be fried because of heat.

so are we on for this weekend?? any place will do.

[Crazy4Power]

@Devang - The night OTR which we enjoyed lot was on Full moon Night, this Saturday it will be too dark, it is really difficult to find the new obstacles with the visibilty of your headlights.

I agree that night OTR's are more fun, I dont mind partying hard & sleeping this weekend and do properly planned Night OTR on 27th Mar.

Originally Posted by Crazy4Power

Sorry Guys I also have attend some family function on Sat evening.

@Tejas, Thanks for the rope, prbly I will collect it from you somewhere near Nerul on Sat or Sun if u will pass from nearby.

I am jst wondering that this Sat night must be very dark, below is moon Illumination details for Sat night in March.

13th Mar 6.4%
20th Mar 19.9%
27th Mar 91.8%

For the night OTR we should definetly plan for 27th Night & Mumbai gang it will compulsory to attend.

Cheers!

Alok

[mohan]

Today in the evening Allan and his entourage (Including his friend from Nagpur) had been to Alibag for a test in sand.
It was a feast to see all his beauties on road and their performance.
Spent a very nice evening,posting some pics and video.

There is a long belt of slush which I had alluded to before ,the kind of which is clay, wouldn't allow any vehicle to pass through. Allan's friend(keep forgetting his name Sorry) made a right remark "Nothing on 4 wheels can cross this". His Gypsy could atleast make it 30 feet ,My Gurkha was stuck within 8 feet of travel.

YouTube - Gurkha trax and Gypsy trying out slush

[mohan]

Alibag as such is 2.5 to 3 hours drive from Mumbai.

There are 2 options here

1) We do a proper OTR-meaning ruts,climbs ,sand ,slush at ALIBAG,retire for the night at a beach side farm.

2) We go further 40 km from Alibag to Phansad wild life sanctuary. Off roading here would be milder and we would stay put at the Forest itself and have a jungle safari and a beach side sand-drive.

I will have to take prior permissions(landowners, for driving on the beach etc.) ,food ,staying arrangements etc so it wont be possible this Saturday/Sunday.

Even for the next Saturday/Sunday(27/28) time is short enough,so lets decide fast.

[genesis]

Originally Posted by mohan

Alibag as such is 2.5 to 3 hours drive from Mumbai.

There are 2 options here

1) We do a proper OTR-meaning ruts,climbs ,sand ,slush at ALIBAG,retire for the night at a beach side farm.

2) We go further 40 km from Alibag to Phansad wild life sanctuary. Off roading here would be milder and we would stay put at the Forest itself and have a jungle safari and a beach side sand-drive.

I will have to take prior permissions(landowners, for driving on the beach etc.) ,food ,staying arrangements etc so it wont be possible this Saturday/Sunday.

Even for the next Saturday/Sunday(27/28) time is short enough,so lets decide fast.

The weekend after the next is a long weekend. April 2 Good Friday, April 3, April 4. Does that give more time to plan and more time to enjoy (both at the OTR and then back home with family ) ?

[mohan]

Excellent bhai-done hai.