[svsantosh]

Gogi's RCL is the pick of the pics. The last pic on page.3 is a out-standing one... 2 faces bang-centered across the 2 windscreens.

BTW - Thar is elusive even in pics? Patience is under test!!

[V-16]

Goldfish Bowl..... thats hilarious!!

Seriously it was fantastic fun.

When i reached, everyone was water fording. Tejas hopped in and said "Chal Gogi ill guide you lets go" and i did. Wow it was fun, so i did it again....




.....and again......this time with my mechanic Razak



till i saw a crazy bunch of guys doing this






My first doubts were brushed aside when everybody was climbing the banks at the waterbody. Behrambhai goes." Gogi try kar, aaramthi chadi jasse, 2nd gear ma, low per nakh ne chari ja" [gogi try it, will climb easily, put into second low and climb]

While i was at the banks awaiting my turn in line and studying my predecessors to try and note any special technique, Allen passes me and says "2nd low, and crawl up dont rush and dont leave the throttle" gives me the thums up sign and zooms up what seemed to be an almost vertical bank. i did what i was told like an obedient student and at the risk of making myself look like an idiot if i couldn't do this, attempted the wet climb. I must tell you, the NDMS tyres are made for this. Crawl is what i did and i reached up as if it were a flat ground.

Easy does it. My wheels are not in the air as i was crawling, planted with all fours...amazing this Hurricane powered CJ is!!




After a few more climbs and descents, i was beginning to feel like a pro in this. Lesson one over, i was ready for the next.

The first dry climb i was standing and wondering if my CJ would take it, looking at bigger more rugged looking machines gasping to make it to the top but nevertheless reaching there. The next question i asked myself, do i have the skills to do it? I dont have a roll bar, no seat belts, neither skid plates.... no way i was gonna attempt this.

As i was pondering Pinky Paaji slapped my back and said, "I know its your first time, everyone goes through this, you have a beautiful short chassis machine, i f i had that, id be trying verticle walls, come, ill ride with you and guide you" Then Behrambhai goes, "Gogi take it on, you will sail through this easily and not topple"

Phir kya tha....vroom vroom and i was on the top easily with Pinky Paaji explaining what to do. The CJ had made me feel like a conqueror first at the lake bank and then here, i was ready to go anywhere.




Then another try alone,, (confident ho gaya that na bhai!!)





Then the deep slush, in which Imran had nose dived into. No way was i going to make it through this, after all no one else was even trying. Before i was trying to figure what Imran was thinking when he attempted this, along comes Allan and zooms through this part. Now im trying to figure what Allan was thinking.

Allen pats me on the back and says, "Chalo boss lets go, ill come with you" Im trying to say "Are you nuts, did you see how deep the slush is?" but i quietly start the CJ and obediently drive up to the place i have to dip into the Chocolate looking deep place which must have been a pond, not very long ago. In a jiffy im in and out...wow i did it!! Suddenly im looking at the CJ with new found awe!! Was i glad it was mine!!





I can go on and on about the abilities of this go anywhere, humble looking vehicle but im equally impressed with the gypsy's off roading abilities. Maybe i should start looking for one soon!!

Sorry using pics taken and posted earlier by all you guys, but a story without pics is not interesting to me even today, no wonder i prefer reading comics!!
Guys with cameras, please upload pics and videos. Thanks.

[Tejas@perioimpl]

Originally Posted by svsantosh

BTW - Thar is elusive even in pics? Patience is under test!!

Ok, here's a teaser (pics: rahul, aka rhandle):

@Jay: these are Maxxis Trepadors 235/75/15. Performed brilliantly.

I'll say what happened next and give more details about the OTR later when i am in the mood to do a write up.

Right now, i'm enjoying the pics! Soumya, you da man!

[gsferrari]

Some videos of Geoff the Gypsy in action and a few other cars as well. I have TONS more videos which I'll post on Tue/Wed.

Geoff the Boat!

YouTube - Untitled

Geoff the Wildebeest!

YouTube - Untitled

Geoff the Mountain Goat:

YouTube - Untitled

Geoff the Hilly Goat:

YouTube - Obstacle 3 trimmed

Geoff Dive-Bombs Alibaug and then loses his tail!:

YouTube - Untitled

[khan_sultan]

Originally Posted by V-16

....

Seriously it was fantastic fun.

............


After a few more climbs and descents, i was beginning to feel like a pro in this. Lesson one over, i was ready for the next.

.........The CJ had made me feel like a conqueror first at the lake bank and then here, i was ready to go anywhere.

....... Suddenly im looking at the CJ with new found awe!! Was i glad it was mine!!

...

Gogi, this is sooooooooooooooooooooo nice. Feel happy reading your experience. I bet, even after 50 years also you will not forget any moment of 'your' first OTR. You may do 100's after this but this one will remain special as this is the one that makes you believe in 'go anywhere' mindset.

Now, that you have been '4x4 drugged' , you will look for any excuse to do this and suddenly the mumbai monsoon and roads will be looked at it in a new light.

[ladak.imran]

Gogi sir, it was Ibrahim's gypsy, stuck in the slush. My gypsy is the white one with black ragtop

[vinod_nookala]

How did thar's front bumper got damaged?

[motocamp]

The reason for the Damage is simple... Mahindra have forgotten their roots and the thar in my mind is another prime example (no disrespect to Behram).

Why does a vehicle that is being designed and will be sold as a premier offroader (7.5 lacs?) need to have those stupid rear bumpers which will be ripped of anyway?

The Chassis at the front is too long at the flat fender and needless to say the cat is toooo low slung.

This is not a jeep being built purely for offorad but a cocktail of various mahindra vehicles with 4x4.

Sorry if i have offended anyone.

[vinod_nookala]

Originally Posted by motocamp

The reason for the Damage is simple... Mahindra have forgotten their roots and the thar in my mind is another prime example (no disrespect to Behram).

The Chassis at the front is too long at the flat fender and needless to say the cat is toooo low slung.

This is not a jeep being built purely for offorad but a cocktail of various mahindra vehicles with 4x4.

Sorry if i have offended anyone.

Motocamp,
Do you mean to say the front overhang on a Thar is more than regular MM540?

I know it is low slung, but pics dont suggest it to be so low to damage front bumper so much where older jeep would walk away.

How come atleast the approach angle is similar to a MM540?

Please elobrate on this.

[motocamp]

No it is not the same as the 540, it uses the chassis that is used on the new major i think and it definately has a longer overhang.

It will surely hit the ground at a steep departure angle.

[offroad_maniac]

Originally Posted by vinod_nookala

Motocamp,
Do you mean to say the front overhang on a Thar is more than regular MM540?

I know it is low slung, but pics dont suggest it to be so low to damage front bumper so much where older jeep would walk away.

How come atleast the approach angle is similar to a MM540?

Please elobrate on this.

yeah. its time for Thar Pics.

@ OTR Members. Great Pics & nice trail. Let there be more incidental writing explaining each trail. Feels like being there...

[V-16]

Sorry Imran I meant Ibrahim....sorry!
Motocamp, ithats what I meant when I said in my post for the thar when I mentioned that people at M&M should listen. Secondly most people who buy Offroaders, hardly ever make the machines see the terrain they were built for. But you are right. I hope guys at M&M are reading this.

[genesis]

Originally Posted by genesis

Until a certain someone decides to attack elsewhere yet again

Inspired by Ibrahim's heroic attempts to conquer the steepest part of the bank



The brand new gurkha (with mala still hanging) approached



But met its match and retreated



Allan tried a couple of times but slip slided away







And in the end when Ibrahim finally threw up his wheels for another day



We shifted gears



And moved along to the next spot a few kilometers away

Where the word had already spread and a demanding audience gathered in breathless anticipation...



to be continued tomorrow...

[gsferrari]

Short video of the Thar tackling what I count to be Obstacle 5. This is the one after the long hillclimb. The obstacle is a sharp sliding descent followed by a depression right in front of the ramp out of the pit.

Thar in action folks...

YouTube - Thar_Obstacle_3

[genesis]

Originally Posted by V-16

Coming to Soumya who is the resident photographer and scriptwriter, have you considered Bollywood as an option?
Seriously you are damn good at your narratives and pictures, keep em coming. P.S. Why did you leave so early the next day?

Why join Bollywood when I can get an opportunity to hang out with
'The Fast And The Furious' as well as the 'Bold And The Beautiful'!!
Had to leave early because it was my mom's birthday and I had to get back to Mumbai.

Talking of which, one name who deserves special mention is Rahul (rhandle) who flew down from Delhi to Mumbai and then drove to Alibag just for the OTR. Bravo!



He does find us a tad bit less disciplined than the NIOC though!