[rohitoasis]

I was actually not prepared for this. MY expression now is similar to what one sees in beauty pageants. I had prepared another set of draft responses to the questions in case my request was rejected. So was not prepared for this introduction.
So let us start my story in a Military hospital in Barmer, Rajasthan circa December 1985. Or is it too early in the flashback??

Lets move on to Dalhousie, Himachal Pradesh circa 1990. The life at Air force base was fun. Especially the commute to the first grade class all they way downhill. Summer travel in a Swaraj Mazda. The winters were the most fun. You get to chose between chain clad Jongas and Shaktimaans jingling away their footwear, crushing the glass sheet of ice on the road. Only occasionally did the MG410 soft top gypsy rear its head and by god did I love it. Another automotive memory was far away from the road in fact in the tunnels being built for Bhakra Nangal project. In the darkness of the tunnel two eyes glow and run snorting at me and scare the living daylights out of me. Turned out to be an excavator. Was too scared to even notice what it was clearly.

Every summer holiday, travel down to native place in Kerala would be fun because they would bring gifts from Doctor uncle as GI Joe figurines and Jeeps and tanks. Good memories those.

1992, Dad gets transferred to Air Force Station Sulur near Coimbatore and we move to my Native place in Palakkad Kerala. Househunting leads dad to a house 10 feet away from NH47. What else would I need? Sitting atop the gate and observing cars, guessing the cars from a distance based on their sound would be the main timepass that I would indulge in. (Thank god the cars of that period did make some noise.) This fascination of mine would be supplemented by my uncle with his subscription of Indian Auto and Auto India. One fine Christmas vacation a gift I got would blow me away. A September 1992 edition of Automobile Magazine. It featured my all time favourite car, The McLaren F1 concept. (The 550 Bhp concept with the mirrors in the A pillar and not the production version with the mirrors on the door). I keep that magazine till date. The image of Rockstar lookalike Gordon Murray made me decide that I had to become an engineer.
Much before high school my cousin and engineering student would explain two stroke, Four stroke, CVT mechanism and a whole lot more. I wish I could call him the cool cousin, but his boring Splendor was nowhere cool when compared to my other cousins RX 100. These two were my first riding experiences and as time went by cousins kept adding CBZ, Pulsar. Coming from my dads 1984 Bajaj Super, boy did I enjoy these steeds. As luck would have it, I got into the most prestigious Engineering college in Kerala into mechanical engineering. College of Engineering and its Mechanical engineering lab was another dreamy place to be in. A radial Engine, A Rolls Royce V8 were the ultimate eye candy to anyone in these lab and a wet dream for geeks like me. Hours of Warcraft III, Counterstrike and Age Of Empires later, i did manage to get placed into Larsen & Toubro Limited.
12 Hour work days for years and my time on the likes of RTR, R15 etc made me long for a ride much like the RX 100 of the yesteryears and then the Duke happened. 2 weeks to complete 4 years of ownership, this little one still brings cheers to my face. If my will went, I would keep writing more and more on my love for automobiles, but I guess I would have bored you guys enough.
Real sorry for the ultra long post, I have to earnestly thank you for letting me into this forum. Hoping to have a fun time interacting with you guys.

Cheers

Rohit

[zaheer5776]

Originally Posted by rohitoasis

So let us start my story in a Military hospital in Barmer, Rajasthan circa December 1985. Or is it too early in the flashback??

What a pleasant surprise! Really happy to welcome someone who reminded me of my wonderful past and made me nostalgic!

It was in the year 1985 I landed in Barmer when my Dad who was working in Indian Air force got transferred and to be specific it was uttarlaai Air force Station. I joined 1st standard at Kendriya Vidyalaya Uttarlai. Can't forget those days. The Bus journey from Barmer to Uttarlai. And the time spent at Air force station Uttarlai after we were allotted quarters.

I have so many memories of that place. The Camels, The Sand, The MIGs hovering around all the time. Our Prayers or National Anthem would stop at school if a MIG would pass closely with a big sound! By any chance do you remember the Open Theatre in Uttarlai in case spent time there?

And yes I have owned a splendour and studied mech engg too. I could really relate with many things what you have written in the introduction

[rohitoasis]

Thank you gents for your kind welcome and for reminding me of the planes. I seem to have missed mentioning that in my intro. Sorry. Have been following the plane posts here as well in this and enjoying it every bit.

I was only born in Barmer in 1985, My sister would have been studying in Uttarlai in 4th Grade or so at the same time. Yes they do tell me stories of the camels and the desert coolers. Good to know within our uniqueness are so many commonality. And automobiles being the glue that binds us is the reason i just love this forum.

[Tushar]

Welcome to the forum mate and that's quite an intro! We all have the motoring bug here, but it's interesting to see the different ways in which we all got it. Keep an eye on the motorcycle troubleshooting threads. I bet your mechanical expertise can come in handy for someone. Cheers!

[anandpkumar]

Hello there.....welcome.

Originally Posted by rohitoasis

As luck would have it, I got into the most prestigious Engineering college in Kerala into mechanical engineering. College of Engineering and its Mechanical engineering lab ........

Are you referring to CET? I too am an alumni from CET - Mechanical engineering, though I think I would have been there a few years before you. The Mech Lab there is quite good, and I remember the rotary aeroplane engine there.

[rohitoasis]

Originally Posted by anandpkumar

Hello there.....welcome.



Are you referring to CET? I too am an alumni from CET - Mechanical engineering, though I think I would have been there a few years before you. The Mech Lab there is quite good, and I remember the rotary aeroplane engine there.

Thank you very much sir. Yes sir you are right. A proud CETIAN i am. Wasn't that engine a thing of Beauty?

Originally Posted by Tushar

Welcome to the forum mate and that's quite an intro! We all have the motoring bug here, but it's interesting to see the different ways in which we all got it. Keep an eye on the motorcycle troubleshooting threads. I bet your mechanical expertise can come in handy for someone. Cheers!

Thank you sir for your kind words. I am slowly getting the hang of posting on teambhp. Was struggling initially not being able to quote other threads. Though i have to profess, seeing the awesome tinkerers in this forum, i do kind of feel that i have so much more to learn.

[anandpkumar]

Originally Posted by rohitoasis

Thank you very much sir. Yes sir you are right. A proud CETIAN i am. Wasn't that engine a thing of Beauty?

Yup, it is! I still remember cranking some of the old diesel engines in the lab. Those required 3-4 strong guys to crank and get started. Good to meet a CET alumni online. Which batch of Mech are you? I passed out in 1998 - that's quite a while back, but still have very fond memories of that place!

I remember a little eaterly on the back side of the college (near the Mech lab) called 'matha', where you get kerala meals. And also another 'fancier' eatary called 'Lords'. Are those places still around? been ages since I have saw the CET campus. Ah, am getting nostalgic!

[rohitoasis]

Originally Posted by anandpkumar

Which batch of Mech are you? I passed out in 1998
I remember a little eaterly on the back side of the college (near the Mech lab) called 'matha', where you get kerala meals. And also another 'fancier' eatary called 'Lords'. Are those places still around? been ages since I have saw the CET campus. Ah, am getting nostalgic!

I followed you out 9 years later. Yes these two eateries were available even through the 4 years (2003 to 2007) I spent there. Been close to a decade since i went there myself. Last heard about college on the inauguration of the new entrance gate and the 75th Anniversary.

Dear Admin: Understood about Back to Back posts. Will follow the same in future. Regret the multiple posts. I was looking for the edit button to add this post. But was not able to find.