This white elephant has seen a few OTRs, has been humbled by those jeeps and gypsies, and on any "tough" OTR trail they can simply run rings around this behemoth, all those 140 horses notwithstanding.
So is she a fail when it comes to offroading, or is there someplace where she holds on her own, and whips the real 4x4s left right and center.
Well yes, there is one such place. and thats the Himalayas, esp when the temp drops below zero, the icy winds howl like some B grade horror thriller, and blizzards threaten to freeze any exposed skin.
Its here, the warm heated cabin protects you from the elements, the 4x4 ensures you do not get stuck, and the turbo ensures your engine does not starve of air on the high altitudes.
She may be an OTR trail zero, but on these mountain expeditions she is lesser than none.
Its 4551 meters above sea level, the storm is building up, the icy winds blow, but inside its warm cozy and fuzzy.
The road is icy, but if you have the right tires, and the right machine its no trouble
The snowfall, starts. Diwali is no time for snowfall, but then at passes like Kunzum, its just another day
At times like these, an open jeep is the last place you want to be
The road gets icier as the blizzard gains momentum, time to head to lower altitudes
Beneath this white sheet, there is no road, but an old gravel trail, with sharp stones. Even when dry, driving on it is a nightmare, but with hard slippery ice, its another level
Its so cold that the waterfalls freeze, but she keeps you warm
even when outside its like this
As the engine warms the air around it the temperature indicator creeps up, after all its in the bumper. But the point of interest is the fuel guage. Yes a 65 liter fuel tank means no worries even when you are hundreds of kms from the nearest fuel station
The daylight gives up, but not the blizzard, and not the white elephant
Manali is 71kms away, and overnight the white elephant has been coated in the white stuff. There is the snowed out rohtang pass to cross.. What a way to spend Diwali you may ask? Well we will cross the pass when it comes
Right now its time to soak what happened in the night
The road to rohtang. when dry its too bad to be called a road, and when snowed out, its not even a trail. What happens when cars attempt it? Well they get stuck on hairpins
No such trouble for her, this is just a regular walk in the park, even when pulling its wheel spinning sibling up the hairpin
Mission accomplished, and there are smiles all around
Good bye Rohtang, till we meet again
sometimes there is a road under the ice, instead of a trail, and then you can slide
But its better to say a prayer on the pass which means "a pile of dead bodies",
And drive on
But, don't think it the high mountain passes which can stop you. Sometimes, enough snow in a parking lot is enough. As the final picture, look what almost defeated the behemoth. A pile of snow in the parking lot.
Its a sight to put the vehicle in 4L, 1st gear, and then open the door and stand out. On idle, the front and rear wheels spin aimlessly, as the icy ensures only chains can get you out.
And then you remember that OTR lesson. rock back, rock forth, and jump out!
Thats all folks, a short ode to snow, our favorite "Offroad and no road terrain".