[sudev]

Once a women starts questioning you it is better to come out clean and not hide anything. They do have combined powers of long memory, traits of a super detective and above all a powerful tool called "intuition." So despite my attempt to divert the conversation the thread was picked up by her later in the day around lunch time:

She: So what rally were you talking about?
Me: Rally? What rally?
She: Do not be daft, you know perfectly well what I am talking about .. so?
Me: Well...you see there is this TSD event being conducted by...
She: So you want us to officiate there?
(See she did not say you, it is we. Since past few years we have been officiating as a team or both on independent work at many events)
Me: No not officiate..(taking the plunge) participate!
She: That would be nice.....when do we go?

I am like WHAT!!?? This is another things women have. To go off in completely different tangent. I was expecting a rebuke and she is almost wanting to participate!! But before I could say a word:

She: Huh I will have to re-schedule my kitty meet....and also make sure the servant does not go off on leave....oh and what about.. and how will I manage....

That was easy. Here she was already clearing her work schedule for the rally and conversation was happily one sided again.

She: What about the budget??

[sudev]

To enter a rally you need to do a loads of paper work and this trip cum rally is proving to be no exception. In principle you need to

Download and fill up entry forms
Pay the entry fee
Complete all attachment as required.

The devil is in details they say. Like..
....So we need three passport size pictures and two stamp sized one. Hey I only have passport sized one. Let us go to the studio and get some more pictures made.
....Both of us have donated blood umpteen times but still need to get blood group report. Hey its is even printed on driving license....still I need the report. So a prick at path lab later we are in possession a blood group certificate.
....Personal accident with high risk cover. My mediclaim one will not offer extension so both of us get additional accident insurance and the issuing office just would not issue a short term policy so we are covered for a full year. Hmmmm....should we do more rallies??
....I drive company car so have to get authority letter from the owner that I am going to use this in a rally. And have to get Rally cover extension from company that has insured the vehicles.
....We need competition license from FMSCI. Another round to doctor for medical certificate.
....A new problem created by FMSCI. Even if she is not going to drive she still needs to hold a valid civil driving license. Why? No use arguing. So got on mobile with her at home ring ring ring....

Hello kya hai?
Tera license chahiye.
Kyun?
Competition license ke vaste
Hey hold on
.........zzzzzzzzzz...........zzzzzzzzzzzzzz...... ....
Dekha abhi subzi jal jaati, aaj ka lunch kharab ho jata. Achcha phone kyun kiya?
License chahiye.....

Okay so end result of above is that she had a license but it has expired. Without her license our rally is dead (synonym with expired?) She does not drive so never got it renewed and is only going to navigate. Now what?

[sen2009]

So, what happened then?!
It's been 18 hours since your last post - one can even renew a license in that kind of time. Please progress the story at Rally Speed.

[sudev]

Originally Posted by sen2009

So, what happened then?!
It's been 18 hours since your last post - one can even renew a license in that kind of time. Please progress the story at Rally Speed.

If I progress at rally speed I would be back home from the rally before it even starts on June 25th!!


So answer to license problem was jugaad. That typical Indian word of great importance. Normally you need to renew the license within six months of expiry but Babu's have privilege of granting you exemption. Procedure apply giving "valid" reasons on stamp paper. And if found suitable your license would be renewed.

So applied for exemption - on a stamp paper application - and she stood in the line for an hour on a very hot Monday morning to make a pose in front of the computer camera.

And presto a "temporary" receipt was issued which allows here to drive till she collects her regular renewed license within thirty days. I wonder why they cannot issue the license itself with everything supposedly computerised.

Thank god I was not there with her else I would never hear the end of how hot it was how sweat it was how crowded it was......Credit to her she did it on here own.

By this time all other sundry papers were also prepared and all that was left was to post them off.

[alka]

He has always wanted to participate in motor sport...ever since I have known him.


Imagine his cheek to just inform me that he is going to participate in the Himalayan Rally way back in 1982. And this when I was nursing a three month old baby - our first born!

Not ask, not discuss just inform!

I gave up on him that day.....

[toiingg]

Welcome to TBHP. All the best for the Rally to you both.

[sudev]

No not I am not a MCP but PCM - Perpetually Caring Man.

I mean I did inform her didn't I?

These are moments of great decisions in ones life and there is no easy way to go forward. So you just state it.

I could have tried to put it across:

Loveingly - Dearest you know I love you. As expression of love I am participating....

Cryingly - Bwaahhh I know you love me (sniff) so I am participating.....

Sadly - Aaahhh I do not know how I will manage without you love while I participate...

Forlornly - I will just have to manage without your love while I participate....

Gravely - I shall bear the burden of your love while I participate...

Sheikhpearingly - On I know not how! But without thee love I shall! Onward goeth me to participateth...

Mumabyngly - Aila tumse pyaar karenga is ke waste rally mein ja-eelaa..

Sardarly - Oye aasiee tusee pyari lassi peesi te pher rally wich chale...

Whatever. The fact is I found it simple to state a decision than go through rounds of seeking approval and discussions cycles of convincing how it is okay to rally etc. etc. and getting rule book thrown at me


And she loved me enough not to stop me.

[sanjaykaul]

I love this thread for the compatibility story (Sudev and Alka Jee) and of course the Mughal Road. Looks like Abdulla,s are all out to get my motherland back on tourist map (if nothing else) at least they can try to do this.

The route (Mughal) is one of the best rally routes in country. The scenery on the way is breathtaking. I know you will be rallying (driving fast??) but please ensure you have loads and loads of pics (isn’t it navigator's responsibility to shoot pictures). Not sure if anybody on TBHP would have taken that route till now (pure security reasons since 1990) and hence members of this forum would have limited/no idea about the area but take it from me, the place is simply out of the world. Some of the areas near Shopian town are heaven. As they are not on tourist map, they are simply untouched and pure.

For the people who are interested, please visit the site Mughal Road. Sorry Sudev sir for adding information to your thread. This is sheer nostalgia and nothing else.
All the best for the rally but do get us loooooooooooooooaaaads of pictures please.

This thread will act as information for people who are looking for new routes to travel on. HV Kumar Sir, laluks, suman, deky, adc, ramkay1, Chevy_lover, tsk1979, are you all following?

[sudev]

Yep Sanjay the main reason for my going is to have look at the scenery there and not just hurry through. Chance of getting permissions on your own are rather slim for now so this opportunity is to be grabbed. Just so that you get iead of how beautiful this area is I am posting some pictures that I have "stolen" from some one who is already travelled that road. (with his permission of course full album on his face book page is at Welcome to Facebook | Facebook) :



@MODS: Am facing some problems with picture uploads. In the upload windows I keep see sending request to Team-BHP - The Definitive Indian Car Community - Home ..." message endlessly!

[sudev]

Finally got some more pictures of the Mughal Road uploaded.

Water, slush, valleys and pine scented slopes...and going much higher, much much higher....


Interesting building, roof covered with grass maybe to act as insulation?


The pass area - stark gully between peaks and wild weather.

[sudev]

To participate in a rally you need to complete two sets of forms:
One the application form / entry form for the event
Two the ASN form for competition license.

The first contains, apart from few lines on the form itself, loads of annexure....Driving License, Blood Group report, Personal Accident insurance with high risk endorsement, special rally insurance cover for the vehicle,, etc. etc. etc....and this needs to be submitted to the organisers before the last date of submission.

The second, ominous as it sound, is the motor sport association of the country. The Federation of Motorsport Clubs of India (FMSCI) which issues special license called the competition license.

As all the form were complete they were speed posted well in time. And a couple of days later a telephone confirmation taken that the forms had indeed reached the destinations.

Now begins the task of making lists.....

[sudev]

Just like any planning exercise it helps if you can make lists of things to do and then keep ticking off the items as they are completed. Capeche?

So till now my list was:
1. Remit entry fee
This was straight forward go online and remit money online to the organisers account as they had helpfully given the details needed at the web site.
2. Complete entry form...
When here we start branching as many items were needed to complete the entry form. Some have been described above.
3. make list of things to do....
Again a list!!

Actually there are more than one list that is made. One is about the vehicle readiness to participate in the rally. This again has two sub categories - Mandatory by regulations and Deemed essential by me. The former is dictated by a booklet a few pages (okay more than few really...but nothing like Emily Bronte or such) loveingly called the SR's by the organisers
S - Supplementary R - Regulations are issued by organisers of each event detailing how the event would be run, coordinated, what will need to be done to the car, how timing will be done and lastly what prizes would be given!!!

It is important to read the SR's as just assuming the rules could have serious consequences like being denied a start!! Just imagine travelling so far only to be told X...Y....Z is not complied with and you are out of the event. It could be something as little as not having your crew names written on both the fenders along with blood groups.

So you gotta do what you gotta do. Downloaded the SR's and read through them.......

[sudev]

Did any one watch the preview of Mughal Road run by TimesNow channel yesterday? It will be telecast again today at 10:30 and 17:30.
The Moghul invasion - Part 1-Times Drive-Weekend Shows -TIMESNOW.tv - Latest Breaking News, Big News Stories, News Videos

Awesome challenges to be faced while doing this rally. Even though the web site says TSD average will not be more than 40kmph on those roads that will be like flying to maintain the average.

[sudev]

To make lists and to do activity planning I am using FreeMind software (it is legally free and downloadable from web free of cost). This helps me consolidate in to a single file all links, files, time schedules and lists. Here is a screen shot of current status of things.



It allows direct export in to many formats and also I can zoom in or out of a particular branch. Say for instance I have zoomed out of all dates except 24 June. With each item on this day I have a note attachment which opens on clicking on to the box directly giving details. So for scrutiny I have listed where it will be held, time and items that will be checked including list of all originals that I need to show and carry. And where they are kept.

If you have never tried mind map software you are missing one hell of a tool on your computer.

[alka]

Originally Posted by alka

...I gave up on him that day.....

That is till one day in 1994 when my ever loving(?) came home on my birthday with gift wrapped Maruti Zen. Back in 1994 this was fairly new car on the roads. I was so happy when he said "This is for you - Happy Birthday"

Can you believe that? A car for my birthday? I, who had given up driving because of him (now that is another story!), was being presented a car! I could not and sure enough two days later the car started its metamorphosis in to a rally car!!


He had "gifted" me a car that "he" was going to use for rallying. I do believe that "my car" was the first Zen in to rallying scene.