[SS-Traveller]

Tanveer, adc has taken body damage too. Bent footstep and more. Want to find out how badly he's been treating his beloved TMT!

[HappyWheels]

Welcome back!

If this were just the teasers, can't wait for the travelogue!

Good to know you, your family and your Safari are back to base safe.

Have a good rest and start the travelogue.

[tsk1979]

Oh footstep damage. Its like a rock slider for the safari. Supposed to be bent

[PAVAN KADAM]

Adc, i now suspect, your Safari is certainly a 4x4 without a sticker.

C'mon, how can this be possible

But amazing. Just amazing.

Take enough rest,Waiting for the full report.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Oh footstep damage.

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

...and more.

adc sounded upset - it's not just footsteps only. That's what I'm waiting to hear about.

[adc]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Yup, that plateau is very very lovely, infact its an extension of the changthang plateau itself.

Originally Posted by rkbharat

awesome Anirban. This will be a Mother of all Logs and Pics.

and you managed Fukche to Demachok, you really lucky, how was the road

Beyond Dungti, the Changthang area continues and just as each and every region of Ladakh is different, this area also somewhat different from the other Changthang areas. Between 2 mountain ranges continues a big flat plateau. The vista is absolutely fantastic with Indus as wide a stream flowing alongside. Thanks a lot to the Major, who gave that crucial permission from Fukche to Demchok.

Originally Posted by MileCruncher

@Adc: Hats off to you and your family for the "wanderlust". I now await to read the whole travelogue.

P.S: Have you thought of writing a book compiling your travel saga and interesting anecdotes .

MC, Durga Puja one has to travel, but this time it was like we left in 6 hours notice for Ladakh, believe it!!

Do have wild plans on bringing out a travel magazine, but then where's the funds?? Looking out for an investor kind of fellow!

Originally Posted by suman

48 hours at Zoji La with the engine running & heater on!!! Safe travels back to Kolkata, looking forward to the real "Mother" of Leh travelogues in a while

In fact within the Safari it was quite cozy if one can mildly put as the heater was running all through. The moment I go out it was biting cold with wind. The only thing I had a worry about is with a nail in the driverside rear tubeless tyre which was losing pressure but very slowly, the pressure came down from 35 to 25 psi in those 48 hours.

Originally Posted by pramods

Hope to see all the place may be in 2011.

-Pramod

You and your family sure will in 2011. In fact a new road will be open by next year that will enable you to enter through Fukche/Koyoul and go out from Hanle towards Mahe.

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Lovely pics ADC. Good to see you doing Changthang. Hanle is indeed a special place. thats why it has always remained on our itinerary. Did you get a chance to get out at night and take a few night shots?
The night skies at Hanle are truly extraordinary, and when you look at them, you wonder is it even real!

Hanle when we were there, was more closer to the full moon dates and as such the skies were lit up in the night. Late night when the moon goes down, I did go out in between there was a slight cloud cover out there and the night sky was not that prominent. Well, glad it was like that because the night was super cold and going out from the mud house the coldness hits hard.

The best of the skies we got was at Chotta Dhara. First time tried out a night star trail taking the coldness in stride.

Looking at the blanket shot, it appears you had your fare share of morning start issues. We also had to do some circus at hanle due to extremely cold nights.
Thankfully, sun was bright, and intelligent parking solved the issue in 10 minutes!

The blanket was given by the Tso Morri homestay person otherwise the previous nights like at Pangoing I was putting a shawl over the battery only along with intelligent parking as you say. Whatever the blanket might have helped to keep the warmth for an additional half hour maximum, the coldness and wind in mid to end October is such, was somewhat surprised to see a fully hot engine running for 8 hours becoming cold in half hour flat. However, it did help on keep the battery okay, Covering the battery well of course is the key what I found.

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

How bad is the damage to your VTT-TMT? Let's take a look at that here, on your ownership thread.

Originally Posted by tsk1979

I guess its the tires and rim which have taken the brunt.

I suspect you will be needing new tie rods(if they werent new), and possible some new bushes too.

That said, due to lighter loads on front section in case of 2WD safari, the front suspension should hold up better than how it holds up on mine.

The intial plan for leaving somewhere towards Himachal was around 2nd week of October, the school holiday start around that time, wife's office was also closed from that days due to Durga Puja.

As such I had given the VTT for general servicing wiht oil and air filter change. I knew that on inspection they would say about the front tyre bushes and tie road as they had taken quite a brunt in all the 52k km.


As such the service manager called me on a morning and said that they are changing the bushes and the jumping rod. I gave them the go ahead - do note that this the morning the day I left. Till then nothing was decided to go to Ladakh. Early afternoon time I get a mail from the work that I do that it would be better if I take a leave early October.

So what follows next are some mad moments.

I call up the service manager, the front has been dissambled by then - to fix up everything, put the old rods and the bushes whatever, I will be taking the VTT in another 4 hours. He is stunned, protests that everthing has been taken apart. Anyway nothing doing, put everything back, give back VTT by evening in at least running form.

So as usual by Leh I was seeing some uneven tyre tread loss, so the bushes and rods were changed at National Garage at Leh. That what was supposed to be done at Calcutta was done at Leh and everything been good from then.

I damage that I has suffered is the left footboard. It was ripped in Arunachal in Eagle nest forest as I negotiated a very narrow hill road wiht just enough width for the tyres of a Safari and with a rock on the mountain side. Better to brush the rock than move it more towards precipice and as such the rubber came out in some parts. However this time as I was going down in a hairpin bend with packed hard ice in Zojila, the VTT slipped towards some iron pipes laid down by a broken truck. The footboard hit the iron pipes and the rod is protruded upwards.

The other damage, a freak accident, just like the richochet stone puncture, a stone come flying from the back tyre of a truck and hits the windscreen. Have a crack on the windscreen now at the extreme right end. Saw that the glass will hold up and will change it over here.

As for ricochet rock bending rim, I do not think its really possible, Most probably a rock edge jutting out of the road section did the damage.

This area did not have any rocks as such, flat somewhat beaten down track. I saw the rock at the last moment and knew it would do something. It was tapered at one end and going partially over it, it became a projectile, normally these hit the down side but the flat tyre sound immediately confirmed what it had done.

The tubeless became a tube tyre in Gramphoo and all was okay till the day we were heading towards Fukche and Demchok. We had a puncture at Nyoma in a completely clean metalled road. Now since it had tube now, the rolling action for just a few metres with luggage weight cut even the tube. The only person available around that route, in all of 200 km, is one guy at Chumathang. The tube was cut, and with no extra tube with me or him, I returned back to Leh. Bought a new BF Goodrich, a old but clean spare rim and repaired that rear cut tubed tyre with a new tube. I went this extra bit as we were heading towards the most remote Fukche Demchok and also had the idea at that time of trying Kyun Tso through Nidder.



BTW, the second freak rock accident was the stone hitting the windscreen.

Originally Posted by HappyWheels

Welcome back!
Good to know you, your family and your Safari are back to base safe.

Just it was good to travel, it feels good to be back also - all of us safe and sound. As for my luggage, right now will be carrying 2 tyres in the remote journeys. 4 tubeless on wheels, 1 tubed spare as given, and 1 tube spare that I have now from this Ladakh tour at the back.

Originally Posted by PAVAN KADAM

Adc, i now suspect, your Safari is certainly a 4x4 without a sticker.

C'mon, how can this be possible

But amazing. Just amazing.

Take enough rest,Waiting for the full report.

Thanks Pavan, 4wd I could never afford, we know how we stretched finances for a SUV. So try antics with this 2wd, but sooner or later I am going to get stuck one day.

The things that help a Safari VTT even being a 2wd drive is the great GC and torque of the VTT engine. I still remember the moments of taking VTT-TMT along the River Jayanti at Indo-Bhutan border.

One of the self-gratifying pic that I cherish!!!

[harimakesh]

ADC once again your Safari LX VTT and travelogue has added fuel to my India repatriation!

ADC is Lucky man TATA safarinin (exploring) & enjoying most of the beautiful Indian terrain along with his family.

ADC's Safari LX 4x2 is the best proven to outperform any other 4x4

OT: Every time I read ADC's travelogue I get very very intense passionate feeling to repatriate to India getting enabled. I am identifying what I am missing and found my rest of life goal ( 6-12 months exploration of India-circumbulating India from Chennai-Kanyakumari-Udupi-Goa-Surat-Veraval-Dwaraka-Ahmedabad-Udaipur-Jaisalmer-Amritsar-Vaishnodevi-kargil-Spiti-shimla-Delhi-Agra-mathura-Alahabad-Varanasi-Darjeeling-Gangtok-Guwahati-Arunachal-Kolkata-Vizag-chennai)!

[anujmishra]

Hi adc, welcome back from wonderful trip. It is great inspiration to see what an 2WD Safari LX can do.

I also bought same color as of you Safari LX. As you mentioned many times that you had inspiration for 4WD but could not stretch budget for it. Same condition here, I had inspiration for at least GX 4X4 but went for LX. Soon, I will venture out with my Safari for trips to India. My Safari is only one trip old Bangalore - Tirupati - Bangalore.

Waiting for Your Travelogues.

[adc]

Originally Posted by harimakesh

OT: Every time I read ADC's travelogue I get very very intense passionate feeling to repatriate to India getting enabled. I am identifying what I am missing and found my rest of life goal ( 6-12 months exploration of India-circumbulating India from Chennai-Kanyakumari-Udupi-Goa-Surat-Veraval-Dwaraka-Ahmedabad-Udaipur-Jaisalmer-Amritsar-Vaishnodevi-kargil-Spiti-shimla-Delhi-Agra-mathura-Alahabad-Varanasi-Darjeeling-Gangtok-Guwahati-Arunachal-Kolkata-Vizag-chennai)!

What can I say, those were some wonderful words!! The route that you outline is one of a kind route and do hope one day you can make this journey. the diversity in geography as well as in people that you will encounter will make this road journey one of a kind for sure. Maybe you can do what JSL does, he has his VTT parked out here in Mumbai, comes once in 2-3 months and travels out for some 15-20 days before he heads back to Gulf - and he has already covered 52k km in 2.5 years!!

Originally Posted by anujmishra

Soon, I will venture out with my Safari for trips to India. My Safari is only one trip old Bangalore - Tirupati - Bangalore.

Sure you will Anuj. Any travel is good journey, big or small.

[Sutripta]

Hi ADC,
All silent. Or have I missed some threads?

Regards
Sutripta

[n.devdath]

How is your TMT performing? Any updates on the new engine?

Its been a long time since we have seen your vehicle on TBHP and I believe that a travelogue too is pending from your side.

Is all well on your side?

[adc]

Originally Posted by n.devdath

How is your TMT performing? Any updates on the new engine?

Its been a long time since we have seen your vehicle on TBHP and I believe that a travelogue too is pending from your side.

Is all well on your side?

It was quite refreshing to get Sutripta-da's phone and met JSL the other week as he came into Calcutta for a short few days. SStraveller is also in the city, and hope to meet up this weekend!!

And what to say, I have been out of the forums for 3-4 months due to some of the my other work and/or just may be loss of interest[!], but travel is going on as possible.

The VTT-TMT has completed 65k km in its 3.5 years of existence and its troublefree. And as it does it is bringing us back from some quite unknown territories time and again!

Quite a few of travelogues are remaining to be written.

1. Scorching summer forest tour of Vidharba, May 2010

2. Ladakh/Changthang in the most "offseason" month of October, 2010.

3. Travel to interior very less known forest of Chhattisgarh, in search of wild buffaloes, Dec 2010.

4. Travel to a less known forest in Bihar/Nepal border, February 2011.

These are the major to be written and a smaller couple of travels. Keeping the month of March for completing all these.

Few photos to add to the writing.


Somewhere near Bihar/Nepal border, 1200 km from home, almost stuck, slided and anyhow got through the mess.







Somewhere in a Orissa forest, 800 km from home. Amazing pristine nature.




Somewhere in a no-go forest of Chhattisgarh, in search of wild bufflaoes, 1300 km from home. We were the only travellers out there in 2-3 years!





Its about time I reclaim my space in the forum again!!

[n.devdath]

Originally Posted by adc

The VTT-TMT has completed 65k km in its 3.5 years of existence and its troublefree. And as it does it is bringing us back from some quite unknown territories time and again!

Wow, that is nice. Looks like you are having a blast with your TMT and more specifically, with no issues at all.

I believe the TMT has gotten itself a new pair of shoes as well?

Please post your pending travelogues so that we too can accompany you to those exotic places. Take Care and keep driving.

[adc]

Originally Posted by n.devdath

Wow, that is nice. Looks like you are having a blast with your TMT and more specifically, with no issues at all.

I believe the TMT has gotten itself a new pair of shoes as well?

Please post your pending travelogues so that we too can accompany you to those exotic places. Take Care and keep driving.

Thanks much.

TMT got new pair from around the Western Arunachal trip in 2009 and till Ladakh/Changthang it was there. i have now removed the rear 2 tyres and put on the old bridgestone stock again as will be preserving the rear tyres for Ladakh travel this October again. The mud photo in those pics, shows the almost bald rear tyre. So, the front ones are new bridgestones A/T and the rear are old partially bald Bridgestones H/T.

Absolutely finishing up all the writing part by March.

One photo for all the text:

[Rahulk76]

ADC

Can you share the AT tire specs ?

Thanks
Rahul