[star_aqua]

Originally Posted by robinson.s

Except for the mishap happened to my windshield.

Or else we would have not slept till morning..

[dwaraka]

Originally Posted by robinson.s

A good and well organized OTR. Really enjoyed every bit of it. Including the dr

Dwarak Sir: Thanks for organizing this event, hope to see many more in the coming months.
Yes, have all the pictures you have taken, give me a days time will upload all, as have been traveling a bit.

Regards

You are welcome. folks like you make the event more colourful and meaningful. True offroading is team spirit.

Pictures deceive. These water crossings are not as easy as they appear. Participants know it.

[dwaraka]

Here are more photos from my hold. Hope you will enjoy. Not the quality.

[Blue Thunder]

Looks like this OTR was fun-filled and there was scope for good amount of off-roading as well. The terrain definitely does look interesting. I missed participating in the annual OTR in January 2010, and based on the feedback from the Chennai gang, I realised I had missed out on a lot of fun. Hopefully, I will be able to make it to the next annual OTR at this same location.

The camping and night-out in the open is the icing on the cake. Lucky you , Bangy guys !

Please do upload the high-res pics soon.

[Blue Thunder]

Hi, Jaggu, Nice report and pics !

Originally Posted by Jaggu

...First special stage ...
Second special stage...

I know there is a smiley in the above post, but thought I will clarify anyway .

'Special stage' is a term that one normally comes across in competitive events (both rallying and off-roading). In off-roading parlance, it is used to refer to a set of obstacles, usually moderate to high in terms of terrain toughness. So, it sounds a bit out-of-place in a non-competitive event like the Avalakonda OTR.

Just as an example, I have been a couple of times to the Kelambakkam quarry here in Chennai. We get an opportunity to try simple, medium and tough obstacles in this quarry. There are some tough obstacles there, but calling them a 'special stage' would be an overkill, IMO !

[Jaggu]

Originally Posted by Blue Thunder

I know there is a smiley in the above post, but thought I will clarify anyway

Yup it was just to add some masala, you know us, we are not good at this competitive thingie. Anyways since i am a lil tied up to write a proper report, we will have to limit it to overkill's

So i came back to the base parking and did some shooting, this time with the longer lens. A different perspective of the rock and the climb and thats end of day 1 SS's.







We move on to MP's farm which is a nice lil trail drive. Star_Aqua wanted to know what DwArF could do wrt speed driving and i tried to satisfy him the best

[dwaraka]

Originally Posted by karizma9292

Oh ok . Your gypsy looks nice sir . are those 235 coopers or 30" coopers . Sir your gypsy standing on top of that boulder is like simba the lion standing on the rock in LION KING , aint it similar

Attachment 427716

Great picture comparison Sugan. Been updated as front in suzuki_gypsy-india.

[B-2R]

Terrific weekend...thanks to Santosh for signing me up just in time and a personal thank you to the marshalls and everyone who put this togther and helped us get in, through and over everything.

"Next is when" ?


Fantastic mix of rock, trail, carving a path where there was none, some stream crossing, some tight spots, lots of paint scratches with pushing though heavy undergrowth, great views...you could actually see the hills we climbed and the lake we came around....someone's suggestion of splitting up into 2 groups and climbing adjacent hills and then getting pics was spot on. That would probably be the only way i could convince someone (who hasnt been on one of these OTR's) that i was serious when i said "look up there ... thats where we were today morning with the jeep".










Will add more pics and video shortly.

[dwaraka]

Last mile to camp site was a 500 mtr slush on muddy road. That stretch almost everybody zipped across spraying up the water to height of 15 ft. Little exaggeration. ha ha ha

[SPIKE ARRESTOR]

Originally Posted by IronWolf

One of the biggest incidents was mine :(

What happened? Danny where the heck are you hibernating these days? You are not seen in other OTR's along with Bangalore boys.

Spike

[karizma9292]

Originally Posted by dwaraka

Great picture comparison Sugan. Been updated as front in suzuki_gypsy-india.

Thank you Dwarak sir . Got his idea when my neice was watchin lion king back home and i thought i'd do this . Dwarak sir why did you not take your Ipsy.

[dwaraka]

Originally Posted by karizma9292

Thank you Dwarak sir . Got his idea when my neice was watchin lion king back home and i thought i'd do this . Dwarak sir why did you not take your Ipsy.

Ipzy was cooling heels to allow me walk the trail and do marshalling .

Correction to my previous message, slush patch was only of 50 mtrs not 500 mtrs as I have put it. Regret the mistake.

[vinmechanic]

Awesome pixx... can anybody tell me what does that saffron flag on vehicle signifies... I saw that on many cruiser bikes and converted vehicles in US.

[swastikviji]

Few pictures from my camera,

[Jaggu]

So we had a nice get-together BLR boy's style and few of the guys left in the morning after breakfast. So it was some 8 jeeps for day 2, which meant a lazy start.

First was a rock climb. Nasty lil boulders so one has to be careful, we reach a flat area and decide to take a small break.



Sidhu's 410 plate is acting up and the check plate has come out.



While he fixes the plates i take some pics of Spidey and DwArF



After a break convoy moves after fixing 410's plates. But only for 10 mts or so, Viji's 550 with those mudzilla's displaced a rock which in turn ruptured the oil sump!



So some more shots of the area while we wait.



Its decided that the 550 will be taken to MP's farm where mech will fix it, but towing a jeep down that hill?! Without engine or power brakes??!!



Anyway the foldaway tow bar came in handy and it lasted exactly till the steep slope from where the 550 could manage to level ground and then be towed using ropes.

We continue up the rock, pictures of which is already posted. Its a dead end so we also return to meet up with break down gang. Continue further down to the dried up nalaah cross. This one is real tricky, approach has a nasty pit on left hand side. Then the decent at an angle with a deep rut deciding where you point your wheels. Followed finally by the climb, water has washed away soil leaving nasty holes between the tires. One has to be careful and follow the spotters 100%. And then MP's strict instructions, DONOT mess up the trail!

The circus that followed.









Without much issues we cross this, leaving the trail also in pretty decent shape. We proceed to climb a rock phase and then decent it, decent is fine but exit is through thick vegetation! Virgin trail, where closed jeep's gather scratches and open jeep drivers scream!





After a small break and refreshment we proceed to one of the last SS's. Again a ravine to cross, tricky approach and then a sudden climb. It was dry so we didnt have much fuzz there.







After this we reach the stream crossing where everybody has a good time cooling down. We got back into the previous day entry trail and retrace our path back to BLR. Had a quick recap at Kamat for lunch and return to our respective houses by evening.

So that was some pictures and the micro report from my side about this years Avalaconda OTR experience.