Team-BHP > 4x4 & Off-Roading > 4x4 Excursions


Reply
  Search this Thread
52,801 views
Old 15th June 2010, 17:21   #16
Senior - BHPian
 
pulsar56's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Sydney
Posts: 1,172
Thanked: 342 Times

Now, that's the best way to welcome the monsoon!
The pictures in the first post have got most of us hooked to this thread.
Awaiting for the rest of the details to unfold!
pulsar56 is offline  
Old 15th June 2010, 17:21   #17
BHPian
 
siddartha's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: bangalore
Posts: 671
Thanked: 24 Times

ANOTHER SUPER ! SUPER! offroading trip.

my personal high points of the trip:

1. view of the valley and other mountains from the mountain we were on.

2. managed to get the spidey stuck so bad that it needed to get winched.

3. driving my gypsy rally style thru 10-12 kms of continous uphill slush in the pouring rain and making it without getting stuck.

4. realising that the rest of the feild was stuck in the slush while i had already reached the resort and was enjoying my refreshments.

some not so high points:

1. had a punture on the way, and the spare blew in 20 mins of changing it. drove with khan's spare till we fixed the puntured tyre.

2. not being able to complete the trail and abandoning my vehicle due to tyre and clutch issues.

Last edited by siddartha : 15th June 2010 at 17:25.
siddartha is offline  
Old 15th June 2010, 17:37   #18
Senior - BHPian
 
Blue Thunder's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Right here .
Posts: 1,655
Thanked: 386 Times

Now, I know what 3M stands for :-)

looks like everyone had a lot of fun-in-slush. Any close encounters with leeches? And where exactly is this trail in Munnar?

More pics/details please.
Blue Thunder is offline  
Old 15th June 2010, 17:54   #19
BHPian
 
robinson.s's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 188
Thanked: 86 Times

Had a terrible leech bit on my face. Got back to bangalore and showed to a doc and put me to anti bactics. :-)
robinson.s is offline  
Old 15th June 2010, 18:21   #20
Senior - BHPian
 
V-16's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: mumbai
Posts: 4,594
Thanked: 950 Times

Awesome pics. Looks like you guys had a blast. Now get ready fro the Maharashtra Chapter and the AKC and EXAMM OTRs. Fun unlimited. Am personally looking forward to meeting many of you guys who are scheduled to come.
V-16 is offline  
Old 15th June 2010, 18:42   #21
Distinguished - BHPian
 
Red Liner's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 5,209
Thanked: 18,023 Times

Some from me:

1. Sreeraj getting stuck at one point and unable to get out. He got the ribbing of his life from the rest of us.

2. Prabhu AV towing up Siddu, and his rear door opened up and all his luggage came flying down, all tools flying in all directions, while the gypsy got pulled up like a toy

3. Watching Jayesh and Benji drive the damn out of their jeeps - what joy! Bob enjoyed the view from behind (which he usually does)

4. Climbing the hair-pin bends on our jeeps at top flight in the afternoon with close to nil traffic in fantastic roads

5. Making a decision to go to the resort in the dead of the night to avoid camping with the leeches and to get a shower and change of clothes after 48 hours of sweating/chattering (weather conditions kept changing).

6. The resort was on the most crazy mother of all slush trails...at one point we had almost decided to come back...THANK GOD we managed to go front.

7. Tip toeing through a stone pathway meant for goats to get to another trail to the mountains (as explained by siddu).

8. Bob trying to avoid some stones and almost falling off the cliff. This is like jumping from the frying pan into the fire. And then using a tree to winch out.

9. The drive back...where nobody wanted to drive...

Robi, Rajesh, Jayesh, Satish, Benji...we really cannot thank you enough. From the bottom of our hearts - THANK YOU SIRS!

Last edited by Red Liner : 15th June 2010 at 18:54.
Red Liner is offline  
Old 15th June 2010, 20:56   #22
BHPian
 
jack33's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: kochi
Posts: 128
Thanked: 8 Times

Hi guys, it was really a great pleasure to meet u all and have those modded beasts tested on our trails. We could have made it little more enjoyable, if we had planned early. And hats off to the Bangalore guys for hitting the trails directly after driving all night.I don't have much snaps of the real hardcore actions as most of them were in the night!!, so here comes a few.
Attached Thumbnails
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-dsc_45410028.jpg  

Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-dsc_45400027.jpg  

Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-dsc_45360023.jpg  

Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-dsc_45320019.jpg  

Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-dsc_45280016.jpg  

Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-dsc_45250013.jpg  

Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-dsc_45240012.jpg  

Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-dsc_45230011.jpg  

Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-dsc_45170006.jpg  

Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-dsc_45110002.jpg  

jack33 is offline  
Old 15th June 2010, 21:15   #23
Team-BHP Support
 
ampere's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 17,919
Thanked: 12,881 Times

TOO GOOD ... Period.

When did the convoy leave? Need some more juice/spice for the stake to taste even better! (as if it was not to start with)
ampere is offline  
Old 16th June 2010, 01:27   #24
Team-BHP Support
 
Jaggu's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 20,204
Thanked: 15,840 Times
Mmm

Monsoons have started, jeep's are almost ready and then the itch to offroad starts.

Now lets jump start the trip pictorials As usual BLR boys never stick to plan and the 1130pm start is pushed to 12.30 am and right before the start Viji realizes his jeep radiator is dry. Good it happened next to civilization and we fill the jeep and start. As usual first stop is just couple of Km's away at Attibele.
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm1.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm2.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm3.jpg

Move on move on, somebody shouts and then i see a facebook message from Sidhu. Guys pull over at cofee day!! and i share the cofee with
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm4.jpg

Soon we are greeted by the rains as we approach Krishnagiri toll.
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm6.jpg

Pretty uneventful trip till the outskirts of salem, where we come to know Sidhu had punctured one tyre and spare just went in. Prabhu does some checks on his menace and we move on.
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm9.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm10.jpg

We zoom past Salem and enter road towards Madurai and see Sidhu pulled over. He has blown the replaced tire now!!! Those tires served him well for 21 years!! No am not kidding. Frantic planning and its decided we will call gang from Kerala to pick up some yummy Geo's and bring it to Munnar for Sidhu. But then it's 4 in the morning, so we will wait for couple of hours and then wake the mallu boys. Spidey's spare Mudzilla goes in and we drive slow. Yeah right, Sidhu as usual speeds away lol

Dawn breaks and we find a place to have coffee and repair the tire. Team ahead is getting peewed off at our frequent stops, but what to do. We are like this only.

Soon we regroup just after Dindigul, where we filled up and stop and this road side dhaba for bfast. Only to realize that the tourist bus before us cleaned up the kitchen. So its only coffee for the time being! Rajesh was carrying some idli's and boiled egg which some munch on, others stick to biscuits.
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm11.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm12.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm13.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm14.jpg

Drive on and we finally enter western ghats sometime before noon!!
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm15.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm16.jpg

Finally by 4 or 5 pm we reach our base camp and the duck backs come out.
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm19.jpg

While sidhu locks the FWH manually, totally manual lol. The asin has broken springs so get the tool box and fix the OE hubs.
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm20.jpg

So we start the trail. This is a very solid incline, pictures dont do justice at all. Ruts, slippers surface and then more ruts. Throttle modulation is the key, low throttle = no climb, high throttle = slip and slide to the ruts. Some do it in style, some get stuck.
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm22.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm23.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm24.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm25.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm26.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm27.jpg

Example of what happens if you dont get it right, you go sideways and risk of topple lol
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm28.jpg

Some more climb shots
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm29.jpg

Last edited by Jaggu : 16th June 2010 at 12:54.
Jaggu is online now  
Old 16th June 2010, 01:33   #25
Team-BHP Support
 
Jaggu's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 20,204
Thanked: 15,840 Times

So lets continue with the first climb, its slippery and nasty if you get it wrong. You cant even tow here coz the tow vehicle will just skid. Only winch is an option but for that one has to turn the vehicles around, which is another pain, moreover chances of the vehicle slipping, good it had not rained that bad on Day 1.
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm31.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm32.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm33.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm34.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm35.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm36.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm37.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm38.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm39.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm40.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm41.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm42.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm43.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm44.jpg

Khan grinning after the first 2 climbs
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm45.jpg

Move on few 100 mts and then there is this RT hand turn, which has to be done as a 2 point turn so that the vehicle can be placed as close as possible to the rock face. Sidhu's gypsy with old tyres means he has to gun it and he got it lil wrong and.
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm46.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm47.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm48.jpg

Few even placed the bet that Sidhu won't climb, but bangalore huduga proved everyone wrong Once he clears rest follow one by one. Look at the sleep deprived hand held shots, only the low bonnet and spidey seem's composed lol
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm49.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm50.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm51.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm52.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm53.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm54.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm55.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm56.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm57.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm58.jpg

And the convoy moves on, light has started fading and we hit a road block.
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm59.jpg

Culprit Sreeraj.
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm60.jpg

Last edited by Jaggu : 16th June 2010 at 16:39.
Jaggu is online now  
Old 16th June 2010, 01:38   #26
Team-BHP Support
 
Jaggu's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 20,204
Thanked: 15,840 Times

Sree is stuck royally and somehow seems to be getting into trouble, is it lack of sleep or the heavy gum boot which he is not used to. Or is it wrong tyre pressure, which we found out only later on the way back!
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm62.jpg

Robi decides to pull him out but the towing is difficult due to a series of ruts. We filled one of the nastier ones with rock and finally he manages to do a Sreeraj pull of Sreeraj Look at the white smoke from the aggressive engines.
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm61.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm63.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm65.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm66.jpg

Move a lil further and one of the low bonnets from Kerala has parked on the side, it has lost the gear box, only 2 low is working and with this climbing up is dicey, though the farm house is only 500 mts away. Look at the second picture closely, you can see the brake light in the distance.
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm67.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm68.jpg

Convoy moves further and at about 100 mts from farm house we are stuck again! Tree has fallen, this area is filled with pine and eucalyptus plantation. Each strong wind is accompanied by fallen trees lol
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm70.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm72.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm73.jpg

We are all dead tired and food is yet to come. Sidhu and Jayesh had taken spidey back and managed to get it royally stuck on the way back. Some of us had cup-o-noodles and were walking aimlessly in the blind. I somehow lost track and dozed off in the rear seat of Sreerajs 550.

Later i came to know that, 2 teams went down and finally winching was required to get spidey back. But then some more adventurous lot tried going further up to the Vattavada dam at the middle of the night. End result, got stuck in slush and had to return early morning!!

I wake up and see Mr Spidey.
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm74.jpg

As usual with us, we cant turn back without completing what we started, so it was decided that Khan in Spidey navigated by Jayesh and Robi in invader photographed by myself are gonna attempt it Sidhu who generally sleeps till 12 got the whiff and sleep walks into the rear seat of invader. So we set off to the dam.

Iam shooting sitting inside the bouncing, slipping, sliding invader so please excuse the quality.
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm75.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm76.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm77.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm78.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm79.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm80.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm81.jpg

There is cut trees, slush, nasty drops and then the pine forest. You will get an idea later on, coz i was not holding on to my dear life on the climb down. Which was atleast slow. Climb up is full blast coz otherwise one will get stuck royally.
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm82.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm83.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm84.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm86.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm87.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm88.jpg

We finally manage to slip and slide over the nasty slush incline and passed the previous day's record, hooraaah and then we see this
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm89.jpg

Not to worry, just drive over the vegetation, Roby is leading and he knows the terrain, so no chance of falling off any cliff. But then you cant dispute nature and we soon come to a grinding halt.
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm90.jpg

Good that it was 2 vehicles and that too Spidey tailing. If it was a convoy it would have been couple of days stuck in this place. Wondering why?

Well track is barely 1 vehicle wide, its slush and grass and superb incline. Convoy stopping means the vehicles would have got stuck without any chance of tow or winch lol

Last edited by Jaggu : 16th June 2010 at 17:22.
Jaggu is online now  
Old 16th June 2010, 01:43   #27
Team-BHP Support
 
Jaggu's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 20,204
Thanked: 15,840 Times

Out comes the axe and Robi starts cutting down the fallen tree's.
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm91.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm92.jpg

We were planning to use the rope to pull down the rest but then Sidhu took over and did a great job.
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm93.jpg

Robi's invader
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm96.jpg

Pine forest continues, there is a fallen tree which was chopped during last trail. The gap is just about ok for the invader anything more and one will be stuck.
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm97.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm98.jpg

And finally we are almost there, really long and steep climb and it goes on and on and on.
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm99.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm101.jpg

And we finally made it, and the victory thumbs up.
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm102.jpg

This is the view that greeted us and words cant really express what we felt then. After 2 nights and 1 day we finally achieved what we set out.
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm103.jpg

Dam, well what dam? Yes its a small check dam mostly made for irrigation and mostly the reason why the trail exists. Would have been used to transport the materials. Yeah every 3 years the tree chopping happens and the forest dept do it up a bit.
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm104.jpg

Check this rock out, there is another trail up there and darn tricky. Last time apparently a vehicle slipped and almost rolled down. This time we are not trying coz rest of the gang would kill us if we had any more fun.
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm105.jpg

So to compensate for the betrayal i thought i will capture the view, 360 degreee view. Yes if someone can stitch it, it would be great.
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm109.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm110.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm111.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm112.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm113.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm114.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm115.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm118.jpg

Well this is me.
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm120.jpg

Last edited by Jaggu : 16th June 2010 at 18:19.
Jaggu is online now  
Old 16th June 2010, 01:48   #28
Team-BHP Support
 
Jaggu's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 20,204
Thanked: 15,840 Times

ps: it was raining, glass was fogging and most often shot from inside the vehicle so dont expect great shots.

Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm123.jpg

Now these guys got a brilliant idea to cross the lake!! Thankfully after some debate it was decided that they will not, coz it was getting late!
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm126.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm128.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm129.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm130.jpg

So after some chit chat later we return and then i realize what madness it is, the climb is so steep, one slip and then you are done. Look at the way in which the invader just disappears down suddenly lol
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm132.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm133.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm135.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm136.jpg

This was the cut tree i had mentioned earlier, one has to sneak between at an angle.
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm138.jpg

Return journey continues, look at the slush. This is where people got stuck the previous day. Its soft and slippery. If you stop, plan for couple of hours lol
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm141.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm142.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm146.jpg

Ok now this is a very innocent looking hump of a rock. Tricky part is its really at a nasty angle and if the tyres slip, you go down, really really down. There are no trees also, to stop you lol
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm147.jpg

Thick vegetation which covers up lot of things, dangerous things
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm148.jpg


Moving on, look at the cut stumps. They are again nasty, coz they pop up and down when vehicles pass. Notorious to get in between propeller shaft and cause trouble. Spidey got away with a nasty one stuck on the side of the fuel tank. This we noticed once we got down to the farm!
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm150.jpg

Last edited by Jaggu : 16th June 2010 at 18:41.
Jaggu is online now  
Old 16th June 2010, 01:54   #29
Team-BHP Support
 
Jaggu's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 20,204
Thanked: 15,840 Times

Better view of the logs, nasty nasty logs
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm151.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm152.jpg

The trail downhill and the different views from the vehicle.
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm155.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm157.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm158.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm159.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm161.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm169.jpg

We clear the wooded area and behold, the rest of the BLR boys are slowly chugging up. We were very lucky that we met them at this spot, or else it would have been a great mess. To turn or to reverse in either direction it was next to impossible. Also we had to convince the guys not to try the trail now, it was already too dug up with the previous nights and the morning drive by the invader and the gypsy. No way so many vehicles can attempt it, especially since it was constantly drizzling and making it more slippery.

We decided to attempt another one, where everybody could drive and enjoy the trip rather than spending a whole day or two in recovery.
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm162.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm163.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm164.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm165.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm166.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm167.jpg

There was a small clean patch where we could reverse. Tight fit but we somehow managed.
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm168.jpg

And we all decide to go back
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm172.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm173.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm175.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm176.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm178.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm179.jpg
Munnar Monsoon Magic! Updated!-mmm180.jpg

Last edited by Jaggu : 16th June 2010 at 19:26.
Jaggu is online now  
Old 16th June 2010, 08:27   #30
BHPian
 
LKCRUISERS's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Colombo
Posts: 71
Thanked: 45 Times

Wow! The twilight zone of India! Where is this place ??
LKCRUISERS is offline  
Reply

Most Viewed
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Team-BHP.com
Proudly powered by E2E Networks