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BHPian DogNDamsel12 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
Well! In daylight, this would be just another 'regular' OTR that some of us - BHPians - would have joined Kolkata Offroaders on.
Only if I could say it with pictures alone:
This was by design not meant to be a day offroad, rather one that was supposed to be happening after sunset, which was interesting from the word go!
Having driven on the Boinchi terrain a few times over the last year, I have seen that each time and each season that we went back, the terrain changed in colour, texture, and the position of the undulations. So, from the very moment, the OTR was announced, I had a queasy feeling considering that after sundown, there would be no lights barring the headlights of the vehicles, and no other sensation barring the wheels modulating on the completely uneven topography.
The plan was put together in a short span of time by Uday Bhan Singh Sir's group and with a limited number of people who have some prior offroading experience with Kolkata Offroaders (KO).
We met at the Boinchi grounds at 4 PM. There was a lineup, with the marshals leading the way for a recce which was of utmost importance for a feat like this one.
With a balmy February weekend having received light rainfalls, the sandy Boinchi grounds were damp, with the traction altering between hard ground and brittle sand formations that easily caved in under the tyres. The shifty sands made the obstacles tricky and required a little more from the driver in terms of understanding acceleration and traction.
Also, those familiar with the ground conditions would know that the flora is ridden with stubborn, thorny shrubs that can really feel on the undercarriage, though would not really harm it much beyond a few lacerations.
A night OTR means more safety gears, headlamps, D-shackles, tow chains, and hooks. It also means checking and knowing the position of the winches on each vehicle, powerful LED torches for spotting, adequate ground recce, and marshal jackets.
Continue reading about DogNDamsel12's night off-roading experience for BHPian comments, insights and more information.