[AVR]

Bought a sparingly used Thar a few months ago and got it painted the original White but in Raptor finish. Few pics of it going offroad

[rch_vijayant]

After hibernation of almost one year I took my 2003 model 540DP 4wd for an outing in countryside.

[DirtyDan]

This is west of Palampur, east of Chamunda. This is the front range. Note the cloud formation being influenced by the peaks. Looking at the farms and villages is intriguing, too. That these people live very ecologically is not lost on many of us up here. Quite a few of these farmers will double as carpenters, electricians or they will have a government job somewhere nearby. Many have something more than the land to rely on. And, many don't. An MM550 or a Thar is handy here.

[rdst_1]

Originally Posted by DirtyDan

This is west of Palampur, east of Chamunda. This is the front range. Note the cloud formation being influenced by the peaks. Looking at the farms and villages is intriguing, too. That these people live very ecologically is not lost on many of us up here. Quite a few of these farmers will double as carpenters, electricians or they will have a government job somewhere nearby. Many have something more than the land to rely on. And, many don't. An MM550 or a Thar is handy here.

The men need to hold a second job. In fact many of the households will usually have men working in some other city while their wives handle the families and the fields and they come every sowing and harvesting season to help.
With the rise in population though, many of the old activities are not ecological anymore. I don't know whether you are a native or how long you have been living here, but I currently live around 30kms away from Palampur. Have been coming here for 30yrs now and permanent resident since 2015. Have seen so much change that I now yearn to move to someplace even more reclusive. With farming becoming a secondary activity for most households, joint families broke up and now there are too many houses and too many resources being used up unnecessarily, even in villages.
I am guilty of the same as well and the realization dawned on me after building a big house when I would have been better off living in a small cottage instead.
Do you travel on a lot of backroads that you find the Thar handy? The road network in this area is pretty good now that a normal car seems to be a better choice because of them being more comfortable.

[DirtyDan]

Originally Posted by rdst_1

Have seen so much change that I now yearn to move to someplace even more reclusive.

Mankind has fouled pretty much the whole freaking planet. Our part of Himachal is still relatively good, though,....relative to Delhi where they make bricks out of the air.

I flew past Ceti Paragon 16 last week for a recon. The locals were all wearing face masks. I kept on going.

[DirtyDan]

Near Palampur, H.P. looking East along the front range. About 7 degrees down here in the flatlands. Colder in these mountains about 6km away north. If you keep going, West Nepal is 3 days to the right. Pokhara and Kathmandu can be reached by Thar. I have been into West Nepal with this Thar. If the virus and the border bureaucrats permit, this Thar will maybe go to Pokhara and the Annapurna area. Roads between here and there test your backside, for sure, but it's doable.

[DirtyDan]

I try to get up in the mountains here several times a month. A bad day in the mountains is better than a good day down in the flatlands. I always take my friend and co-driver and we do spot and guide each other. I have two rear view mirrors, one for the passenger/co-driver to the left.
More eyes means more safety in tight spots. I removed the passenger visor and the second mirror is fastened to the visor base via two screws. I find it handy.
And how often does the driver really need the left visor?

[dhanushs]

One from my side!

[DirtyDan]

18C and a little puffy up there today. Some clouds but the mountains mostly showing through. This is a river valley running due north maybe 5km west of Palampur, H.P. You can see these mountains are snow capped. They are maybe 14,000-15,000 feet high. Millions upon millions of pine trees up here giving off pure oxigen. Nice just to be up here breathing the air.

[DirtyDan]

Silver-grays this day. Heavy clouds with thunder-bumpers trying to form in mountain valleys, and, as you can see straight above the passenger's window, large forest fires on the ridges about at the tree line. There is so much smoke and heat up there that it may be affecting the weather.

[Tejas@perioimpl]

With this crazy heat, can't wait to slip and slide around in the monsoons:

[DirtyDan]

Northward ever northward west of Palampur, snow caps in sight up this river valley, looking for a village road, a goat path, a hydroelectric maintenance road taking us up and up into the front range. Trying to get a couple more day trips in before the monsoons cloud up the place until September.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWooDCkkkVQ

[DirtyDan]

Heading north up a dirt road into the mountains near Chamunda. The monsoon is about to go full bore and I was trying to get one more trip up there before the monsoons cloud up the joint until September. If I don't see a leopard, eagle, martin that's okay. It's grand just being up there, especially in a capable 4X4. These are front range peaks, 12,000 to 15,000 feet or so. Still snow up there in late June.

[Rajith]

Legend Reborn.

After owning 5-Thar Crde, 2-bolero 4x4 i am back to my first love.

[DirtyDan]

Originally Posted by Rajith

Legend Reborn.

After owning 5-Thar Crde, 2-bolero 4x4 i am back to my first love.

I consider this to be a thing of beauty, a work of art. Form, function, simplicity all in one package. And, you are keeping it spotless. Way cool, my friend.