[Passiontodrive]

Originally Posted by Sorcererenator

congrats Jatinder & Neeraj, for a podium finish in your first ever such-an-event participation.

Cheers,
~A~

@Sorcererenator: Thank You very much Sir,
It was all because of your good wishes and support...

I would also like to thank Mr. Sudev Brar for Navigation training and tips...

@Sudev Sir: First 3 Days penalties over 20 minutes, 4th Day 4 minutes, 5th Day 2 minutes... and Last Day only 39 seconds... You said again and again "Boys go and practice". But we did nothing to practice. Now I understand what is the value of time in TSD. Thanks a lot once again.

[sudev]

LOL Jatinder - Good recovery. Next time you need to be doing top level competition.

[Passiontodrive]

@Sudev Sir: We survived first 3 days because of your tips and tricks only (without navigation) experience you shared with us was great...

initially we were not using Road Book but hats off to tips (they worked and worked well, e.g. look around, look up and down for TC, track 3 cars ahead and 3 behind, remember their color scheme and competition numbers... what a shortcut) we managed to be in competition... but in last 3 days we used all the training and navigation skills and with every day passed we gained experience and confidence. Many experienced people were doing mistakes but we remained with our confidence and result was amazing...

[throttleking]

Congratulations Jatinder & Neeraj, where are the pics?

[Passiontodrive]

Finally I made up my mind to share my experience with my team at Team BHP… I know I am not a good writer but will try to make it good, Mods please edit my posts if you think they cannot match standards of our community, because I am not so good in describing things in English.

But before starting: Hey, I am not a newbie now, just noticed: I am a Bhpian, Good reason for me to smile. Thanks a lot.

Year 2008: Somewhere in the month of May, I was standing in a market of Sangrur with some of my friends, we were planning for a drinks night, and suddenly we saw an Esteem Car with Raid De Himalaya stickers… Oh, it was looking so cool and nice. I ran after that car and asked the driver what is Raid De Himalaya? Is it a race or just a long driven rally? Etc. etc. etc. His reply was I am not owner of this car and this car belongs to my Sir Mr. Rajesh Chalana, he is a regular rally driver and belongs to Ganganagar, I got his number and called him, such a nice guy, he might receiving these kind of queries from lot of people but still he gave me time.
Now the target decided: First question how to get into it?
I searched the web for Raid website, checked each and every page (link) in the website, my first finding was: Rally is very costly. I tried to raise funds, but failed. In the meantime RDH 2008 passed.
Year 2009: Month of April, Everything was set, raised some funds till now, Studied almost all the things, got experience from other rally drivers by again and again calling them, my biggest strength my Dad game me permission not only to participate but also promised me to pay Rs. 50,000/- for Raid but a black day of my life came. Dad Expired. Sorry Let me stop for some time, will try to write later.

Year 2010: Everybody in my family, friends, office and circle knows that I want to participate in RDH but due to one reason or the other I failed. One day my Boss Mr. Amarpreet asked me to check Team-BHP, what is Team-BHP? A website where someone was selling a rally ready Esteem Car, OK I was searching for a car and found it on Team BHP. But let me study what else is here, Oh my God, this site is full of information, how I missed? First point is becoming a member of Team BHP and did that in first attempt and chooses my name as Passiontodrive.
While searching and studying our community I found my partner Neeraj, he was also looking for some partner but with some experience in rallying, I too was amateur but we both joined hands and now the journey starts.
Category we decided: Adventure
Vehicle we decided: Gypsy or Esteem
First thing what we did is we paid the entry fee, now what about vehicle? Neeraj found Mr. Amanpreet Ahluwalia from web, and we contacted him and ordered a gypsy.

Gypsy: Army based disposal vehicle, modifications required were:
1. Roll Cage,
2. Basic Strengthening
3. Rally Cabin
4. Two Spare Wheels
5. Rally Seats
6. Auxiliary Fuel Tank
7. Sump guard etc.
8. Circuit Breaker.
9. Fire Extinguisher.
10. Complete engine overhauling
11. Paint job etc. etc. etc.

Order given, amount transferred, but you know the strangest thing: We haven’t met personally, not only we and Aman, but even me and Neeraj. Good. This is the height of faith and we all maintained the same faith till end. Good Show Neeraj, Aman and Jatinder too GOOD SHOW.

(Pictures Sent By Aman on regular intervals)

Next part is completing documentary formalities: Very hectic job and that too in the absence of Neeraj, Sometimes I need some information from him but as he in US and this time must be sleeping but what to do, I need to call and I called and this guy is so amazing that while sleeping deep he answered all the queries without wasting even a moment. Special thanks to my company I was not so busy in my job and we completed all the formalities in time.

My first visit to Noida at Aman’s place. This is first picture clicked by my mobile for Raid.

I met Aman for the first time; I haven’t seen so many gypsies under one roof before that. Met some more rally enthusiast. Want to share their names but can’t say they want me to do so or not.

We used to call each other on daily basis; my mobile bill was rising due to long ISD calls to US (Neeraj) and STD calls to Noida (Aman).

Aman promised us the delivery of vehicle in August 2010 and he is a punctual guy. He did it. Oh my God. Very difficult to identify is the same vehicle? Great, Wonderful, Awesome etc. etc.

Now shopping starts: but before that I would also like to thank Mr. Sudev Brar (team BHP) I read almost all the posts and specially his thread “My Mougal Road Rally”. It helped me in planning all the things in right way and right time. Sudev Sir Thanks again. We made a list of necessary stuff required, starting collecting small things was not so easy.

Biggest question: Navigation?

Adventure category is all about TSD (Time, Speed and Distance Calculation). We know nothing about navigation, and again Sudev Sir stepped in, he decided to train amateurs like me. I attended the one day session and you cannot imagine my feelings at that time, I was feeling on top of the world. We have Good Vehicle, we are good partners, we have completed all the formalities, we purchased all the necessary stuff, we purchased GPS, Neeraj booked his ticket from US to India and more important we know how to navigate.

Note from the Team-BHP Support Team: Please use the "edit" button if posting within 30 minutes of the first post, instead of creating another back-to-back post.

[Passiontodrive]

2nd October 2010: Neeraj reached India at about 9.00 PM. I was there at the Airport to receive him and we were seeing each other for the first time, Great Feeling. We spent that night together in understanding each other and sharing our preparations. It was decided that I will reach Shimla on 7th and Neeraj will join me on 9th.

7TH October 2010: I was not going alone. Aman, George, Nutan, Abhaash, Deepak, Abhey we were all travelling to Shimla in convoy. It was all full of fun.

As I was the first to participate in Raid De Himalaya, so got some coverage in local Media also... he he he

saala main to celebrity ban gaya

Reached Shimla, check in done. So many rally cars were parked there, all were colorful with so many designs, very nice view. I clicked pictures of all the vehicles (including some bikes too) in the parking of our hotel.

Bikes with some more gypsies...

Sorry I have to go now.. will post further soon..

Note from the Team-BHP Support Team: Please use the "edit" button if posting within 30 minutes of the first post, instead of creating another back-to-back post.

[MileCruncher]

Boss Amazing story. One can feel the story coming straight from your heart. I also want to do it. May be someday.

BTW can you tell me how much it cost you for getting the whole Gypsy done ?

Keep the story flowing.

Cheers

[wbd8779]

A photograph of Passiontodrive"s car that i clicked in the hotel parking where we were put up..

[sudev]

Looked up this thread after a long time and am spell bound. Great work and keep that story flowing.

[wbd8779]

I had clicked this pic at the start , this was the Austrian KTM contingent , the guy in the middle with the beard has also participated in the Paris Dakar rally . I recently got another pic of him with the newly crowned F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel.

The sound that those KTM's made was something to remember.

[wbd8779]

Posting some random pics that i have . i cant seem to post a majority of them as i cannot downsize the pics (i have over 400 ) nearly all of them are over the 1mb upload limit.

[wbd8779]

My raid…

Since Passiontodrive has taken a break , I will start with my own raid experience .

I have been a active participant in rallies , mainly of the 2 wheel kind till around 1999 , started in 94 with the Emsa (eastern motor sports association ) rally in Calcutta (had just turned 18 then ) and for the next few years did as many events as possible ,including the K1000 , chickmanglur and the CMSC monsoon rally . Managed a few podiums , and with the limited resources that me and my cousin had (we were after all jobless college students ) did pretty well.

Then in 96 we had a awful crash , I broke my arm in 7 different places , my cousin M , was in coma for 4 days and we were pretty much out , the bike was a complete write off and with stern warnings from our parents ur rallying career came to an end .

Fast forward to 2010..

Had climbed up the corporate ladder *short climb yet* but had not let go of my motor sport roots. Still have a first owner (me) 94 model Suzuki Shogun which I go blasting about now and then and scare people. Have also been active in the Delhi Rallying circuit as a spectator/volunteer in the recent past.

Suddenly on the 5th of October a dear friend (he shall remain nameless here) calls me and TELLS me that I am going for the RDH 2010 which is starting on the 10th and I go what?? . Anyhow since was on a short sabbatical (between jobs ) this opportunity could not have come at a better time . Now I ask him the critical Question Who am I going with , and I which category ?

I am told that I will be participating as a navigator I the XTREME T2 category with Taufeeq Mughal . Now I did now taufeeq but I had NEVER EVER sat with him in a car and had never seen him drive

To be continued..

[Passiontodrive]

sorry friends I will complete my story later as after my last post I survived a major accident and broke my left thigh, still in hospital, rod and some plates are fitted in left leg, bike crashed, I was sitting behind. One request to all friends if possible (I am again requesting If possible) please don't mix several stories at a time, it will confuse us. Thank You

[sudev]

Sorry to hear about your accident Jitinder. No confusion. It is better to have all stories of Raid at one place. Also you can use something like ImageMagik to quickly re-size lots of pictures at one go.

[wbd8779]

Some more pics

Get well soon passiontodrive