You always remember your first time - Ahmedabad's first mini-OTR

AVR · 19th August 2010, 17:19

A long-cherished dream came true on Independence Day. Having lived vicariously through the 4x4 Excursions section it became imperative to have the same opportunities at home.

Having had a Jeep for a few months now and having tasted blood at EXAMM at the onset of the monsoons, I was raring to get things moving in Ahmedabad. Already had a few like-minded friends in town and then met some more at EXAMM (Misal and Harsheed) and we got talking about Ahmedabad’s first mini-OTR. Work took me abroad for a month but I desperately wanted to be back and make the most of the monsoons. Once back Harsheed and I got started on the planning.

Intent:
To get others to taste blood so that we can eventually aim for an Offroading club in Gujarat (Haven't yet used Tejas’s expertise on acronyms!

)

Preparation:

Harsheed and I had been talking to friends about getting together on a Sunday and find some Offroading trails to get started. Last Saturday, Harsheed and I did a recce of a place about 45 kms from Ahmedabad, Utkanteshwar near Dehgam and and found a few interesting places. The recce was with my 540 and we managed to get a few inclines/declines/slush pits out of our way and decided to come back with a bigger gang on Sunday.

A Few pics and videos:

You always remember your first time - Ahmedabad's first mini-OTR-14082010176.jpg

You always remember your first time - Ahmedabad's first mini-OTR-14082010183.jpg

You always remember your first time - Ahmedabad's first mini-OTR-14082010184.jpg

YouTube - vid1

YouTube - vid2

Details of the mini-OTR to follow soon.

Adi

Jaggu · 19th August 2010, 18:51

You still are running on those tyres! man you are brave. Cant wait to read the whole thread.

genesis · 19th August 2010, 19:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaggu

You still are running on those tyres! man you are brave. Cant wait to read the whole thread.

That is the funniest thing I have heard all day!

Great to see the Ahmedabad Wheeling Dikros (AWD) taking the plunge.

AVR, my PM about Silvassa and Dangs still stands!

AVR · 19th August 2010, 22:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaggu

You still are running on those tyres! man you are brave. Cant wait to read the whole thread.

Come on man, I agree they ain't anywhere near M/Ts but they've done alright in most places. They did all of EXAMM day 1 without falling short anywhere. Well, except the famous descent/slide which was arguably more of a 2L v/s 1L issue and steering turn than probably the tyres. Am planning on Bighorns in a few months or when I do up the vehicle completely in the summers!

Quote:

Originally Posted by genesis

That is the funniest thing I have heard all day!

Great to see the Ahmedabad Wheeling Dikros (AWD) taking the plunge.

AVR, my PM about Silvassa and Dangs still stands!

1) I agree Saumya, this section hasn't seen too much humor today going by the activity on the other threads!
2) AWD sounds good. Keep 'em coming
3) Silvassa/Dangs is tempting. Let me get back to you on that.

Coming back to the topic:
Vehicles: a Classic (Misal's), a short-chassis Classic-type with the XD3P, a newly restored Ford, Harsheed's 1.0 Gypsy and my 540 with *those* tyres!

Given that everyone had a late Saturday night (mine ended at 4AM) we caught up around 1pm and moved towards the first part of the trail.

You always remember your first time - Ahmedabad's first mini-OTR-39798_417400756732_670836732_4882500_695216_n.jpg

You always remember your first time - Ahmedabad's first mini-OTR-39847_481259448083_838228083_6648863_6440626_n.jpg

You always remember your first time - Ahmedabad's first mini-OTR-39847_481259468083_838228083_6648867_2925684_n.jpg

You always remember your first time - Ahmedabad's first mini-OTR-39798_417400771732_670836732_4882503_5119154_n.jpg

This place was a soft wet-sand for a tributary flowing right through the middle of the town. Thanks to that, it wasn't only us having fun but a lot of the town folk too! We even had an ST bus stop with people getting down to watch city-folk entertain them.

You always remember your first time - Ahmedabad's first mini-OTR-39867_417401231732_670836732_4882543_7076992_n.jpg

And then there were people in high-spirits celebrating Independence Day!

You always remember your first time - Ahmedabad's first mini-OTR-40050_417399051732_670836732_4882386_1351934_n.jpg

Some action pics:

You always remember your first time - Ahmedabad's first mini-OTR-38599_417400131732_670836732_4882451_162119_n.jpg

You always remember your first time - Ahmedabad's first mini-OTR-39699_417400531732_670836732_4882487_6564463_n.jpg

You always remember your first time - Ahmedabad's first mini-OTR-40013_417399616732_670836732_4882410_512543_n.jpg

You always remember your first time - Ahmedabad's first mini-OTR-41048_481262473083_838228083_6648910_3978050_n.jpg

You always remember your first time - Ahmedabad's first mini-OTR-41048_481262493083_838228083_6648914_6743835_n.jpg

You always remember your first time - Ahmedabad's first mini-OTR-41048_481262483083_838228083_6648912_1176018_n.jpg

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After this we moved to a large tract of land (recently leveled from a low lying area to a road level land) and this is where the drama starts. The land looks rather slushy (dicey and tempting at the same time

).
We step out and walk around in a few places to do a recce. After a few yes/no's we decide to take the plunge and I take my Jeep and find a way to have some fun.

You always remember your first time - Ahmedabad's first mini-OTR-39651_417401461732_670836732_4882557_8256514_n.jpg

You always remember your first time - Ahmedabad's first mini-OTR-39651_417401456732_670836732_4882556_5959520_n.jpg

You always remember your first time - Ahmedabad's first mini-OTR-39886_417401361732_670836732_4882555_2804577_n.jpg

We also have Don Vito help us with the recce.

You always remember your first time - Ahmedabad's first mini-OTR-40783_417401626732_670836732_4882573_561500_n.jpg

This pugmark below should have served as a warning to go back!

You always remember your first time - Ahmedabad's first mini-OTR-40793_417402166732_670836732_4882614_8375817_n.jpg

So now starts the adventure that taught us a lot of things about OTR. Here's my Jeep coming down and slowly the slushy part gets worse but we chose to ignore the warnings!

You always remember your first time - Ahmedabad's first mini-OTR-35956_417401721732_670836732_4882581_4668230_n.jpg

You always remember your first time - Ahmedabad's first mini-OTR-40178_417401696732_670836732_4882579_4207580_n.jpg

You always remember your first time - Ahmedabad's first mini-OTR-41160_417401831732_670836732_4882588_2971775_n.jpg

You always remember your first time - Ahmedabad's first mini-OTR-41160_417401836732_670836732_4882589_788237_n.jpg

You always remember your first time - Ahmedabad's first mini-OTR-41048_481262498083_838228083_6648915_5664520_n.jpg

We get out of the above easily which gives us immense confidence. Cardinal mistake as it turns out. What happened next changed things for all of us!

Cheers,
Adi

To be continued...

svsantosh · 19th August 2010, 23:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by AVR

Cardinal mistake as it turns out. What happened next changed things for all of us

What better than having a 1st OTR (of any kind) and getting 'royally' stuck - you will never forget this for the rest of your normal life...

MAS · 20th August 2010, 00:03

Hi Adi,

Wonderful pics. Looks like you had a great time and a memorable adventurous OTR tour.

Awaiting to "see" Part - II

pdev29 · 20th August 2010, 10:55

aaha so misal and harsheel were there with you..
good to see you guys in action. ask them to join bhp too.
some more pics please

Tejas@perioimpl · 20th August 2010, 11:25

Congrats Adi! Good stuff & nice terrain.

Now let me think of a good acronym for you'll!

One word of advice: Don't do the recce alone. Hell, three vehicles with mud tyres got stuck during a recce just before EXAMM!

SPIKE ARRESTOR · 20th August 2010, 11:43

Hi Adi,

Hope you had sufficient recovery gear while doing recce. If no winches, at-least get a Tirfor, they come in real handy.

Spike

esteem_lover · 20th August 2010, 11:48

Nice pics AVR specially the one where the drunk old man gives the salute.

m_upreti · 20th August 2010, 11:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by AVR

Come on man, I agree they ain't anywhere near M/Ts but they've done alright in most places. They did all of EXAMM day 1 without falling short anywhere. Well, except the famous descent/slide which was arguably more of a 2L v/s 1L issue and steering turn than probably the tyres. Am planning on Bighorns in a few months or when I do up the vehicle completely in the summers!

Lovely pics and excellent terrain to test the vehicles, waiting for the next edition

h@r$h@l · 20th August 2010, 11:57

Guys,

Great pics.

Where abouts did you all go? Would be great to see you guys and join in someday. Though i dont have a off roader, but tagging along should be fun if you all dont mind.

Good going.

Cheers!!

AVR · 20th August 2010, 12:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdev29

aaha so misal and harsheel were there with you..
good to see you guys in action. ask them to join bhp too.
some more pics please

Yup have told them to join in too. More pics of the best part of the event later today!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tejas@perioimpl

Congrats Adi! Good stuff & nice terrain.

Now let me think of a good acronym for you'll!

One word of advice: Don't do the recce alone. Hell, three vehicles with mud tyres got stuck during a recce just before EXAMM!

Waiting on the Acronym Tejas. I thought of a corny one AAO (Ahmedabad Association of Offroaders). It gets corny when you say AAO Offroad karein

Quote:

Originally Posted by SPIKE ARRESTOR

Hi Adi,

Hope you had sufficient recovery gear while doing recce. If no winches, at-least get a Tirfor, they come in real handy.

Spike

Actually we just turned up. No recovery gear during the Recce. Hell even during the OTR we turned up with a spade, a rope and some foolish courage

. What's a Tirfor? Am surely gonna keep a nylon tow belt going forward

Quote:

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

Nice pics AVR specially the one where the drunk old man gives the salute.

This guy so wanted to join us. We'd to pretty much stop him from jumping on to one of the jeeps.

Quote:

Originally Posted by h@r$h@l

Guys,

Great pics.

Where abouts did you all go? Would be great to see you guys and join in someday. Though i dont have a off roader, but tagging along should be fun if you all dont mind.

Good going.

Cheers!!

Harshal, This is somewhere ahead of Dehgam in a place called Utkanteshwar. We are planning for the 29th. Drop me a PM and i'll keep you posted.

Tejas@perioimpl · 20th August 2010, 13:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by AVR

Waiting on the Acronym Tejas.

Here's a few simple and nice ones off hand:
GO4x4 (Gujarat Offroaders 4x4)
or
FourGO (4x4 Gujarat Offroaders)
or
GOAL (Gujarat Offroaders Association Limited)

4x4 cruiser · 20th August 2010, 13:57

Quote:

AAO Offroad karein

This sounds good, though it took me 2 or 3 tries to understand it intially. This offroading is purely addictive, once you start it, you never feel to stop. Looks like you guys had good fun, please continue with the next part. This daily soaps (to be continued.....)

have effected a lot of people on TBHP.

Cheers
Ravi

19th August 2010, 18:51	#2
Jaggu Team-BHP Support Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 20,215 Thanked: 15,907 Times	You still are running on those tyres! man you are brave. Cant wait to read the whole thread.
	() Thanks

20th August 2010, 00:03	#6
MAS Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Chennai Posts: 1,940 Thanked: 1,614 Times	Hi Adi, Wonderful pics. Looks like you had a great time and a memorable adventurous OTR tour. Awaiting to "see" Part - II
	() Thanks

20th August 2010, 10:55	#7
pdev29 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 1,039 Thanked: 288 Times View My Garage	aaha so misal and harsheel were there with you.. good to see you guys in action. ask them to join bhp too. some more pics please
	() Thanks

20th August 2010, 11:25	#8
Tejas@perioimpl Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bombay Posts: 4,423 Thanked: 9,582 Times View My Garage	Congrats Adi! Good stuff & nice terrain. Now let me think of a good acronym for you'll! One word of advice: Don't do the recce alone. Hell, three vehicles with mud tyres got stuck during a recce just before EXAMM!
	() Thanks

20th August 2010, 11:43	#9
SPIKE ARRESTOR Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Germany Posts: 2,854 Thanked: 1,532 Times	Hi Adi, Hope you had sufficient recovery gear while doing recce. If no winches, at-least get a Tirfor, they come in real handy. Spike
	() Thanks

20th August 2010, 11:48	#10
esteem_lover Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Madras/Py Posts: 7,556 Thanked: 502 Times View My Garage	Nice pics AVR specially the one where the drunk old man gives the salute.
	() Thanks

20th August 2010, 11:57	#12
h@r$h@l Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Melbourne, Aus Posts: 1,450 Thanked: 741 Times	Guys, Great pics. Where abouts did you all go? Would be great to see you guys and join in someday. Though i dont have a off roader, but tagging along should be fun if you all dont mind. Good going. Cheers!!
	() Thanks