[speedzak]

I reached back home some minutes ago.
It was nice to meet up with Ramky. A slim version of A S H V I N's balld and beautiful crown!

I as usual arrived late at the venue by 3.5hours. We were supposed to meet up at Casino by 7pm. By the time I reached there it was 10.30pm. Nothing I'm proud of or boasting about, but this is to inform everybody that I (kasam se) dunno what and who happened to be there before that.
But I think Trrk (I'm very sorry sir), was there as usual by 6.55pm or earlier. Very different from normalcy, Ripper and Nikkibike was there when I reached. I barely got my body unharmed from Nikki's attack. Lol!

Mansidea had requested very much in advance for a designated driver for his Scorpio. He nicely got into his Signature pourings while Ramky was steadfast on Vodka. Some had beers and we sober guys had juice and mocktails. :(

Discussions carried on from photography to metering to ICE to business to mysterious phone calls to zig zigs to photoshop to offroading to safari to dunes to Bangalore tunning scenes to VGIS to hardrock to 13ad! and more....

After we left Casino at 1am or so, we reached BTH to eat something. About 30 dosas and 10 coffees later, we spent another good half an hour or so enjoying the Landmaster views. Nikkibike was precisely pointing out each and every irregularity on the body. Man! This guy amazes me. It was 2.30am or so. He was desperate for his bed. There was hardly any good lighting. Still...!! He picked out many points which could/should be rectified. Wow!

After some admiring job and blah blahs, we decided to split near to 3.00am.

Somebody has taken pics and I think they'll soon upload it too.

[JayD]

Since Zak has pretty much summed up the meet, i'll just upload the pix.

Mansidea giving Nikki a class on photography while A S H V I N dozes off!


No No NO- I click button, I get foto, i like playing with the arrow inside my lens!



Nikki is still wondering Mansidea is saying!


Mansidea gives up on the class, and proceeds tio have a nice chat with A S H V I N'S friend!


A S H V I N'S friend made a lot of new buddies yesterday!!


Fire extinguisher??

[JayD]

Mansidea wanted a photo session with the landy in Fort cochin. We all laid plans for it and decided to go in the early morning to get good shots. Zak and Aha arrived here in the morning, but Manoj was nowhere to be see, and no response to calls!! And since there was only a phone cam with us we had to cancel the meet! But hey! we saw something we hadn't seen for the past 2 weeks! The Sunrise!!

[SumitB]

Are these actually beer cans?

[trrk]

Hi speedzak,

> But I think Trrk (I'm very sorry sir), was there as usual by 6.55pm or earlier.

Please! As I explained to Mansidea and Ramki, I can't break the habit of being punctual! I was there at 6.50PM as the roads were free via the old thoppumpady route.

Since my family worries a lot if I don't reach by promised time, I had to leave by 9.30PM.

There will be more meets and eventually we will meet!

Thanks for calling me yesterday!

[jkdas]

SumitB; guess 5lit ones for A S V I N !

Didnt you gusy talk about the new Pete's for Scorpio?

[ramkya1]

Hai People,

Manoj, thanks for linking up, phoning and getting behind the meet.

It was great meeting up with some of the ghosts from the machine in flesh, so vibrant and lively even @ 230 AM in the morning. I think it must be jet fuel instead of bood in those veins, SOME were very energetic and the enthusiasm infective. Honestly, I enjoyed a night out after a long time and touched base with my past in so many ways.

I've lots of memories in Cochin and around from the wild old bachelor days of the 80's and mad biking. Some of the people in a way live what we have lived and stuck sweet & painful memories of those days. Thank you guys for the wonderful night.

And yes, my crown found kinship with Ashwin's. Ashwin we need to encourage more people to follow our ISTYLE, may the tribe grow.

Steeriod, the Landy is a beaury, didn't have enough light to see the innards clearly. The first sight impact is lasting and the pop-up indicator is a scream!!!! If it's fully functional without manual assist, it could scare the pants off unwary.

PPL where are my photos, or is it chopped off because I own a Scorpio? Manoj, this one is up to us, unwarap your camera and upload the goodies....

Trrk, thanks for that note. When everyone is caught up in a "TWISTER " world, it's great to see someone standing up for timings..... Zak this is not an arrow against you

Happy Driving,

--Ramky
========

Originally Posted by ramkya1

Trrk, thanks for that note. When everyone is caught up in a "TWISTER " world, it's great to see someone standing up for timings..... Zak this is not an arrow against you

Dont worry ramky- Zak is immune to arrows aimed at his legendary punctuality.

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by SumitB

Are these actually beer cans?

They are draught beer kegs. Can be bought from Cochin International Duty Free, but you need the home dispenser.

[mansidea]

Originally Posted by JayD

Mansidea wanted a photo session with the landy in Fort cochin. We all laid plans for it and decided to go in the early morning to get good shots. Zak and Aha arrived here in the morning, but Manoj was nowhere to be see, and no response to calls!!

I am sorry. reached back home around 3 am & just dazed off. i even missed The Mass & woke up at 10.30. Spent the whole day at home to compensate. coming in full sleep mode for a photo session would'nt have done justice to the landy also.

Originally Posted by trrk

Thanks for calling me yesterday!

It was our pleasure & also appreciate your effort to make it on time even from 60km away.

Originally Posted by Steeroid

i wont be there since am in bangalore, but I guess my Landy will be there?

Santhosh, She is a beauty & did attended the meet.

Originally Posted by Steeroid

mansidea actually called for a meet??????? :o

Watch out.. more to come.

some pics from me & again sorry for the poor quality. My cam is not good in low lights as anything above ISO 200 is a mess. for eg. the last 2 pics in ISO 3200

Our Guest ramky with Mah1r, trrk, JayD, Nikkibike, JayC?, & Rippergeo


up close with ramky, Mah1r & trrk


Nikki's joke enjoyed by JayC & ripper




Just for the feel of the venue


When AHA, zak & Ashvin with spaces joined us


Thanks to all for attending even on a short notice.

[MaserQ]

Guys couldn't make it for this one as there was a wedding in the family which took most of my weekend. Had no idea it would go on so late, otherwise would have dropped in to say hello to ramky.

Originally Posted by rippergeo

Dont worry ramky- Zak is immune to arrows aimed at his legendary punctuality.

He might not be, if you aim at his tyres.

[speedzak]

Originally Posted by MaserQ

He might not be, if you aim at his tyres.

Don't!!!! My tyres are the only thing which keeps me alive and going. So, no aiming there.

Maser, Next time, keep in touch when you are in Cochin. You won't know what we are up to in our BHP adventures!

[ramkya1]

Hai TBHP/ COCHIN PPL,

During the meet we discussed a lot about off roading and skid-plates, here's a linky to the Karachi Off roading club, their video "Adventures in Hingol" is a MUST WATCH, hair-raising stuff. Though this guy Mansoon is too loud, this is some club with real off roading stuff, exciting desert runs with ordinary looking people and fentastic team-work. I would call this real off-roading and somethin to learn from.

Adventures in Hingol - Video - 4x4 Offroaders Club Karachi

Another linky is to the film "world's fastest Indian" an exciting racing story; some ppl there wanted a linky, a must watch film, I wold say.

The World's Fastest Indian (2005)


And yes, Zac, I got some ABC's of ICE on that night; I thought a system that makes a lot of noise with some bass is great until I heard the clarity of ICE on your Qualits. Will do some reading / research on the subject to understand the basics thoroughly.

Happy Driving,

--Ramky

========

First of all, my apologies for not organising a full fledged meet and D R I V E.
Have been desperate to get out of the city for a few weeks now, and have been pestering the Kochi gang every weekend for a Mini D R I V E.

Finally shanghai'ed Nikkibike, Vivekji05 and JayD into this D R I V E
Decided at short notice, and after some gentle persuasion, managed to rope in the above mentioned unfortunates on this trip.

Met in front of Whyte Fort at 7.15, set off in 2 cars, My Pete'd Swift, and Vivek's CAI growl Baleno.
Roads were deserted at this time of the morning,being the 25th of december also helped. The air was cool, light was great, visibility was brilliant.
Reached muvattupuzha in 45 mins,Thodupuzha in an hour and an hour later we're standing in the parking lot of Greenberg resorts at Kulamavu discussing Nikki's abuse of Vivek's car on the 12 hairpins from Moolamattom to Kulamavu

Maintained a steady 80-120kmph pace throughout.
Absolutely Delightful roads-smooth surface, plenty of traction with lots of curves to exploit. People who had been on the monsoon D R I V E will remember. The roads are still just as good as they were in July.

Some pics
My favourite view of my car. Clicked by Kochi TBHP's unofficial photographer(my bro) Who also got violently car sick at the 2nd hairpin and destroyed my rear seat.


Returning from breakfast


The Gang


Dude! You should smoke these headlamps!!!!


Nikki documenting chassis dynamics of the Hercules


These gears are NOT synchromesh!


We're at the viewpoint, who cares? There's a CAI that needs to be inspected!


Happy Swift :-)


To JayD,nikki,vivek, nikki's long suffering family and my bro- Thanks for joining me on this Mini D R I V E. 200kms of unbridled fun.

PS- I also snagged myself a pair of sparingly used Tarox rotors during this ride.What a beautiful Christmas present for myself! Reviews after installation and TDs, to be posted on the Pete'd Swift thread soon.

[Steeroid]

You lucky dawgs!

I wonder if nikki is wondering whether he can machine certain parts of that Hercules at his factory to make it better. I wouldnt put anything past him.