[DKG]

Originally Posted by xtreme power

expect a few breakdowns, some might be real major also...record of all garages on route and near the otr spots

Valid observations.

Support teams and Paramedics would be essential services for such an event to handle any emergency mechanical or otherwise.

Originally Posted by siddartha

western ghats is a BIO DIVERSITY HOTSPOT which is under severe threat , which means that there are numerous groups/organisations (both govt and non govt) who are into researching /conserving of the western ghats.

So we have to ensure that we dont attract thier wrath or we have to find a way to work with them. The other good thing about working with such groups is that they will be a great resource in terms of routes/trails and places to stay/camp.

Very true. There is no question of going in and getting out before anyone finds us out. We need to do this with the consent of the local authorities. With people travelling long distances at considerable expense we cannot afford to leave anything to chance.

[ex670c]

Hi Guys,

I would suggest a 3 Day OTR in and around Belguam/Goa or Mumbai/Pune.

Or Even Coorg. Let it be mid-way so JEEPers and 4x4 ers from Mumbai/Pune/Goa find it attractive to drive down.

Sept End to avail the Gandhi Jayanthi Holidays

Itinerary for 2010
Sept27 - Chennai - Tumkur
Sept28 - Tumkur - Belguam
Sept29 - OTR Day#1 - 2 stretches
Sept30 - OTR Day#2 - 2 stretches
Oct01 - OTR Day#3 - 1 streches
Oct02 - Belguam - Tumkur
Oct03 - Tumkur - Chennai

The OTR Stretches have to be planned to
Start - After Breakfast 1000hrs
Lunch Stop - 1300 hrs
Post Lunch - 1400 hrs
Trail End - 1800hrs after this drive back to the hotel.
Dinner - 2100hrs

Also 2 routes have to be planned per day, in case there are more than 20 vehicles as
2 mins per vehicle per obstacle = i.e 40mins
This is excluding recovery or breakdowns.

Day#3 the OTR can be a competitive section of 5-10 obstacles in a loop, where the sponsors can give away prizes on merit, and the young, competitive and aggressive ones can do a "official" mine is bigger than yours.

This will also give all participants an opportunity to watch others in action.

Regards,

Arka

[ex670c]

Originally Posted by siddartha

As interesting and tempting as it may sound , a 4*4 expedition through the western ghats , but we have to know that the western ghats is a
BIO DIVERSITY HOTSPOT which is under severe threat , which means that there are numerous groups/organisations (both govt and non govt) who are into researching /conserving of the western ghats.

So we have to ensure that we dont attract thier wrath or we have to find a way to work with them. The other good thing about working with such groups is that they will be a great resource in terms of routes/trails and places to stay/camp.

or we get in and get out before getting caught.

Hi Siddu,

We can tie up with the conservationist groups to provide our vehicles and members for their expeditions if it is vehicle mounted.

There is a serious shortage of 4x4s and experienced drivers we can even fill in that gap.

Regards,

Arka

PS - MPSreenivasan gave me this suggestion in 2008, a pre-requisite is good noise,light,water & fire discipline from the participants.

[ajitkommini]

Originally Posted by ex670c

Hi Siddu,

We can tie up with the conservationist groups to provide our vehicles and members for their expeditions if it is vehicle mounted.

There is a serious shortage of 4x4s and experienced drivers we can even fill in that gap.

Regards,

Arka

PS - MPSreenivasan gave me this suggestion in 2008, a pre-requisite is good noise,light,water & fire discipline from the participants.

This might be a good resource:

Tread Lightly - Recreation Tips

I've been following this thread with fascination and I think it's a great idea!

[DKG]

Arka lets do a poll on what time of the year is most prefered

July first half
July second half
August first half
August second half
September first half
September second half

How do we create a poll? Mods pls help in creating a poll

[KSM-Vtec]

I think you will have to approach the mods for that.

Originally Posted by DKG

Arka lets do a poll on what time of the year is most prefered

July first half
July second half
August first half
August second half
September first half
September second half

How do we create a poll? Mods pls help in creating a poll

[Dippy]

Note from Support:

A poll has been added to the thread.

[svsantosh]

Guys, one input from me.

Please add the season/weather next to the poll options. That would make it more interesting. Take help of Samurai-Sharat and Goa and KL guys to understand the seasons. I remember monsoon being the best time to be in the westerns...

[DKG]

Originally Posted by svsantosh

Guys, one input from me.

Please add the season/weather next to the poll options. That would make it more interesting. Take help of Samurai-Sharat and Goa and KL guys to understand the seasons. I remember monsoon being the best time to be in the westerns...

SV I guess its fair to say all the poll options promise wet weather and slush country

On the event calendar The Palar Challenge takes place around August 15th at Chennai, so please factor that in. I am not aware of any other events already planned. I am hoping offroaders from the western ghats/vicinity will make this the main event for the region. Over the years we can shift along the range to cover newer places. But basically lets all pool in and make one really wild offroad event for the western ghats during monsoon which will become a permanent fixture on our offroading calendar

BTW this is in no way an effort to create a new event. The main idea is that western ghat offroading events during monsoon season should dovetail with each other. This whole thing could very well be a series of offroading events being organised by separate groups. I think that's perfectly okay.

Lets just setup a calendar whereby should someone want to do them all in a span of a week or 10 days they can hit all the events.

I am prepared to take some time off and simply do all the events across the western ghats. So it it means that I start with the Goa boys and then onto the Coorg event to something in the Nilgiris I am game.

Ultimately its local organisers who will make the events happen. By dovetailing all the western ghat events we kind of create a major event.

And as Arka mentioned earlier over the years once we build a knowledge base of trails across the ghats and forge some understanding with Forest officials we can plan a Camel Trophy style expedition running over hundreds of kms of offroad trails.

For the time being though lets just coordinate individual events into a tight calendar which participants can attend (factoring travel times from one location to another)

[Samurai]

Santosh, the entire June-Sept season is monsoon. Delayed monsoon could see less rains in June. However, July will have maximum rain. August will have hard to moderate rains, September will have moderate to less rain. September will have the worst roads after 3 months of pounding.

[DKG]

How does something like this sound

Rajmachi
Goa trails
Agumbe
Coorg
Nilgiris
Chennai

Like a marathon monsoon offroad festival !!

Obviously not everyone would want to do them all. But you never know few guys may just want to ! Think about it even guys from outside India will come down if this kind of a offroading event bonanza awaits them

The best part of dovetailing all the events is that everyone gets a chance to participate in one or more depending on the time they can take off.

Ideally all the above events should dovetail within three weeks with time set aside for travel from one location to another

In terms of who does what we already have the:

Bombay offroaders doing Rajmachi
Goa offroaders have their trail
Bangalore guys could choose their trail (Agumbe is just a suggestion)
Somwarpet/Coorg event
Something for the Nilgiris
TPC in Chennai

Something like this is worth taking time off for. So even if its done in a sequence taking weekdays into account its well worth it considering you collectively build a massive festival scenario which would lead to something very special.

[DKG]

As I see it we should all work toward a:

monsoon festival across the western ghats
winter session across Rajasthan and the Rann
summer session Leh/Ladakh/Uttaranchal/Arunachal etc

So three major groupings of offroad events. This will be wild !!

[adc]

Very interesting and great initiative. Trail adventure driving will be at its best during this time.

Since last year always wanted to do a chasing the monsoon kind of journey from Kanniyakumari to Saputara, Dang along the western ghats. Of course, the vehicle limitation will bound myself on the state and national highways only.

[DKG]

Request to altaf,devang,allan and Tejas lets make Rajmachi a great show. We'll drive down from Hyd. Am sure Chennai and Bangalore offroaders will participate too. Will need your help in tips on where we can stay etc at Lonavla

Likewise Goa guys you have a great opp to build something all of us could drive down for. Please set the ball rolling and firm up some dates so we can make plans.

Ideally if you could both dovetail fantastic. Start the party in Rajmachi and end in Goa !!

[vinod_nookala]

Guys,
How many days off are you planning to take off from your work? Lot will depend on that. 10 to 15 days in a streatch will be impossible to take off from work.

Plan shorter trips.