Purple Cheetah brought me and the missus safely and comfortably to our Bangalore Basaveswara Nagar home at 4 am today. We left our Chennai Royapettah home at 10:40 pm last night. As usual, I drove via Krishnagiri>Hosur. Poonamalli - Ranipettai section of NH 4 is now pothole-free.


_______________________________

Originally Posted by funkydude

Tell me, had it been the AWD version, would it have been a cakewalk?

I don't now about the cakewalk part. But, XUV 500 AWD might have obeyed my steering commands or might have come out with some difficulty without external pulling. At that time, I sorely missed AWD.

I am asking this as I got my FWD Cheetah a month back and was wondering if paying a lakh more for AWD version would have been worth in such situations

As I had already mentioned a few posts back, my next vehicle will be a 4 WD.

[MAS]

Kudos. This trip was one of the most thrilling one that you had under taken in your Purple Cheetah.

One question: How do you drive through the night? Lately, I'm feel quite sleepy when i drive back home after midnight.

Originally Posted by MAS

This trip was one of the most thrilling one that you had under taken in your Purple Cheetah.

Yes. Thanks for the appreciation, MAS.

How do you drive through the night?

I will have adequate sleep/rest before the commencement of the night drive. If I start yawning continuously, I park the car at a safe place - like toll plaza, petrol pump, hotel/dhaba or lay-by for trucks on the highway - and have power-nap. The power-nap will keep me refreshed for the next 3 to 4 hours! I don't try to avoid sleep by consuming tea/coffee or face-washing.

[ebmrajesh]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

As usual, I drove via Krishnagiri>Hosur. Poonamalli - Ranipettai section of NH 4 is now pothole-free.

Ravi Sir, last weekend i happened to drive back from Chennai to BLR and i too took the Velur -> Krishnagiri -> Hosur route. In sriperambadur toll, one of the toll booth officers asked me to drop him near Wallajah. While conversing with him about what is the plan to convert the existing stretch from Ranipettai to Poonamalli as proper roads, the officer told me that the 4 lane to 6 lane work has started and the plan is to lay new road once the expansion work is done. Initially i did not believe him but he showed places where the work has already started. IMO this is one of the stretches which eats up lot of time and having it as a 6 lane will definitely help saving time.

Ash Deva, who rides a Desert Storm, shared a few photographs clicked on 9 April 2015 at Zuluk. Thank you, Ash Deva.






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Originally Posted by ebmrajesh

he showed places where the work has already started.

Yes, ebmrajesh, many sections received fresh layer of asphalt and all the potholes were patched up.

Purple Cheetah's plastic stone-guard got cut on 13 April 2015, thanks to the mounds of snow accumulated on the snow-clad road before, at and after Sela Pass, Arunachal Pradesh.



I came to know about the dangling stone-guard at Jang, a town - located ~50 km from Tawang - that we passed through after Sela Pass. A person standing at a shop was pointing to the front side of Purple Cheetah and signalled me something. I thought, a flat wheel. Immediately, I checked the Tyretronics, found everything okay and I continued my driving. A few km after Jang, we stopped where the road was wide for our 'lunch' comprising dried fruits, nuts, biscuits, snacks and fruit juice. A Duster came and stopped near Purple Chettah. A gentleman got down from the car and told me that the stone guard was dangling below the bonnet and suggested to get it repaired at Tawang, where mechanics would be available. He mentioned that he tried in vain to draw my attention at his shop in Jung. I thanked him and left the place after our lunch.

So, after entering Tawang, I found one road-side mechanic shop with an inspection pit. I straight away went there and parked Purple Cheetah on the inspection pit. The mechanic saw Purple Cheetah and understood the problem. He fixed the stone-guard within 5 minutes by tieing it with a steel wire. In fact, he did not ask any money for his service. I paid him ₹ 100 and proceeded to our hotel!









When Purple Cheetah got its fourth servicing done at India Garage, Chennai after returning from Tawang, I told the RM to ignore the tied-up stone-guard and not to replace it.

Just now, I made a collage of Purple Cheetah.

[gearhead_mait]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

Purple Cheetah had its share of adventure in Sikkim by way of ice-skating, a few km after Thambi View Point, Zuluk, East Sikkim.

Hello Mr. Ravi,

As you have recently visited East Sikkim, could you please guide me on the process to get the permit for East Sikkim. I will approach from Algarah-Pedong-Reshi. As my drive is Hyundai EON, will there be any problem with the same, considering the fact that I have done Kaluk (West Sikkim) with relative ease.
I am planning to drive during October, 2015. Any inputs will be very helpful.
How much of East Sikkim we can cover without the permits (This question is for the case if I don't get the permit )

Originally Posted by gearhead_mait

could you please guide me on the process to get the permit for East Sikkim.

We stayed at The Nettle&Fern Hotel, Gangtok, who arranged the inner-line permit. I was charged ₹ 500 for the permit. First, I had sought permit for Changu lake, Nathula, Baba Mandir, Zuluk zigzag road circuit via Jawaharlal Nehru Road from Gangtok side on my own XUV 500. The hotel manager took me directly to their travel agent for arranging the permit. But, I was told that Nathula was ruled out due to road closure on account of heavy snowing. The travel agent informed me that I could go via Rongli-Nathula road till Zuluk. I cross-checked this fact with the tourist information office located at Mahatma Gandhi Marg. They also confirmed that permits for Nathula were stopped since a few days due to bad weather. Finally, I got permit issued by the Sikkim police upto Zuluk via Rongli-Nathula road. So, while returning from Gangtok, we drove Ranipool>Pakyong>Rongli>Lingtam>Padamchey>Zuluk and returned the same route via Rangpo to Guwahati.

As my drive is Hyundai EON, will there be any problem..I am planning to drive during October, 2015.

Hyundai Eon will manage the Old Silk Route. However, expect more snowing in October; so drive carefully. I was told by the Army personnel at Zuluk check-post that Zuluk-Nathula section experienced snowing almost throughout the year.

How much of East Sikkim we can cover without the permits

While driving from Rongli, the first Sikkim police check-post was at Lingtam and the next at Padamchey, where our permits were checked and I signed with the vehicle details, date and time on their register. Please carry photocopies of the permit. You have to give one copy at Lingtam check-post and another at Padamchey. While returning, I signed on their register again at both these check-posts.

[gearhead_mait]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

We stayed at The Nettle&Fern Hotel, Gangtok, who arranged the inner-line permit. I was charged ₹ 500 for the permit. First, I had sought permit for Changu lake, Nathula, Baba Mandir, Zuluk zigzag road circuit via Jawaharlal Nehru Road from Gangtok side on my own XUV 500. The hotel manager took me directly to their travel agent for arranging the permit. But, I was told that Nathula was ruled out due to road closure on account of heavy snowing. The travel agent informed me that I could go via Rongli-Nathula road till Zuluk. I cross-checked this fact with the tourist information office located at Mahatma Gandhi Marg. They also confirmed that permits for Nathula were stopped since a few days due to bad weather. Finally, I got permit issued by the Sikkim police upto Zuluk via Rongli-Nathula road. So, while returning from Gangtok, we drove Ranipool>Pakyong>Rongli>Lingtam>Padamchey>Zuluk and returned the same route via Rangpo to Guwahati.



Hyundai Eon will manage the Old Silk Route. However, expect more snowing in October; so drive carefully. I was told by the Army personnel at Zuluk check-post that Zuluk-Nathula section experienced snowing almost throughout the year.



While driving from Rongli, the first Sikkim police check-post was at Lingtam and the next at Padamchey, where our permits were checked and I signed with the vehicle details, date and time on their register. Please carry photocopies of the permit. You have to give one copy at Lingtam check-post and another at Padamchey. While returning, I signed on their register again at both these check-posts.

Thanks a lot for the info, Sir! Will touch base with you as I progress with my planning.

Then [20 April 2012] and now [17 April 2015].

Here are some select photographs clicked during our recent OD, SK, AS & AR drive.

[AutoIndian]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

Here are some select photographs clicked during our recent OD, SK, AS & AR drive.

Great pictures Sir as always. These were a real treat for our eyes. especially the various hues of wildlife.

I am completely stumped to see such awesome roads in the interiors of Bihar.

Originally Posted by AutoIndian

Great pictures Sir as always.

Thanks for the compliments and appreciation, AutoIndian.

I am completely stumped to see such awesome roads in the interiors of Bihar.

Even in Jharkhand. I did not click any photographs as I drove through JH in the night in both the directions. Contrary to public opinon, I found the roads in Bihar and Jharkhand very good and safe. I took power-naps several times on the road-side in both the directions.

[Blood Hound]

Ravi Sir, I was just casually browsing for more information on the new XUV 500 and i came across one post from you at that forum. This post talked about your recent drive in North & NE states. So i just looked for the threads started by you and found this thread about XUV 500.

And i must say i was very skeptical about Mahindra vehicles. I din`t like it when i took a test drive back in 2012 when i was in India, but looking at this thread i some have a very positive feeling about the vehicle. And assume that Mahindra had sorted out a lot of issues in the time since then.

I was looking at 2 options The new Ford Endeavor & Probably the New Fortuner which will be released by the time i am back in India. But now for some strange reason i would also like to consider the new XUV 500 W10 AWD now.

And i would also thank you for sharing such a detailed review and travelogues with us which really inspires us to travel and explore. Finished your thread start to finish in flat 2:30 hrs.