My net connection got revived just now. So here is the story from my side along with some poor quality pics (no processing and no advanced settings!).
I was itching to have a feel of an OTR for a long time, until it got realized this time. Confirmed with two fellow jeepers from NIOC on friday and reache early morning at their place at Hauz Khas around 7.15 with my wifey who was also equally enthusiastic. Hopped into a stock CJ3b to reach the meeting point at Gurgaon along with a blue modified CJ7. It was my 1st considerable journey in a jeep in a highway and the hurricane empowered machine with 3 speed gearbox, cruised smoothly upto 100 kms/hr with a characteristic sound. An open top jeep cruising like this in a chilly winter morning alongside the hatches, sedans and SUV’s…the feeling just can't be described in words! Reached the meeting point where other jeepers had already arrived. The trail was a further 15-20 kms and after around half an hour, total seven jeeps reached the spot: two Ford GPW’s, two 550s, one CJ3b, one gypsy, one CJ7. NIOC mod Sarvinder bhaji was the 1st to hit the trail and quite comfortably managed it. I was really in a mode of shock to see the trail through the jeeps were preparing to pass. Though I have seen loads of OTR pictures, never realized that the actual terrain looks so different in reality. Though the jeeps and the jeepers were all up in excitements, they created some trouble and inconvenience for few villagers around, who were peacefully performing their morning toilet rituals! One jeeper quipped “we are disturbing the wild lives…!!”
I was sitting in the back of the 3b and it was having a repeated scary attempts moving back and forth with a deep sections all around and an incline in the front. Being a newcomer, it literally scared the hell out of me and after the fourth attempt; I jumped out of the jeep and went on foot to the top to snap some pics and to get settled. I swear it literally needs quite some time to get the nerve adjusted for a beginner. I was wondering if this is happening to me as a passenger, what could be the situation when I will drive for the 1st time in this sort of terrain! Anyways finally the 3b made it and others followed one by one.
Start of the trail:
Approach to the 1st point
The 3b finally made it
The trail as looked from the top
Breakfast was announced after all the jeeps reached the 1st spot and soon sandwiches, boiled eggs, fruit juice, coffee were circulated. Thanks to Arjun and his amazing Pandora’s box, loaded with foodstuffs, it was really enjoyable.
The 'box':
Fooding is on:
Another look at the trail
Meanwhile one 550 had to be jumpstarted and the all headed for the next section. This was a deep decline (again was scary enough for me), the blue CJ passed quite smoothly and others followed.
Look at the little girl in the front, no fear, because of being a regular visitor the OTR
The decline
Thereafter we reached a flat land surrounded by inclines all around, some of loose soil, some of rock. People started attempting the side which they prefer, some made it, some not.
A rocky part invites the blue monster, it goes upto a point, beyond which there is only sharp and uneven rock
Another part, the blue one didn't take the chance to go up this because of bad tyres
Meanwhile the 3b took a different route and it was reaching this part from a different direction. It had a problem of moving towards the right side with braking, and had a couple of hitches before landing safely.
Up next was another section a bit away.The 3b en-route
To be continued...