A Slushy Half-day OTR with JeepThrills

The JeepThrills team had planned a day event at the Bidaraguppe lake near Sarjapur. The lake bed presents quite a challenging obstacle course for the 4x4s while the risk of breakage is relatively lower since it's all mud. This time around it was a smaller group with about 7-8 vehicles with a healthy mix of Jeeps and Gypsies.



I had done a similar OTR in 2013 and you can read up on it here (Sunday Morning OTR - Bidaraguppe Lake).



However, if you look at the picture above, the last time we came here, it was summer and everything was dry. But this time it was very different. The whole place had transformed into a green shrub forest with slushy tracks all around.



There were small water bodies all across and we had a good time with this one where it was only a few gypsies that made it through with their high revving engines and light weight bodies.





All the jeeps just sank in the mud at the exit, including mine!



There was a lot of recovery that had to happen and the winch came in good use.





The next obstacle was a climb through a slushy incline and this is where the Jeeps could do it more easily than the Gypsies because of the low range torque.



The gypsies needed to be revved hard and taken through without losing momentum and that means there's a lot more tossing around that happens as compared to the jeeps.



Overall it was quite a fun day with a challenging trail and a lot of recoveries. Good thing was that there were no breakdowns and everyone made home safely. The weather too was cloudy and cool all through the afternoon which made it a pleasure to be outdoors. 

PS: Unfortunately, I hadn't carried my camera for this event so all I got was some phone camera pics. All images used in this post are shot by Caleb Shireesh Jacobs and are reproduced/reprocessed with his permission.

Offroading with the Jeep Thrills team

It was around mid-September and there was a half day event organized by the Jeep Thrills group. Now, I'd never say no for an offroad get together and the half day events are the most non-disruptive events from a weekend perspective. The only thing I have to take care is to get home before evening and take the two lovely ladies out.



Unlike most of the other events, the meeting spot for this one was quite close by for me since we were all meeting up at Marathahalli bridge and then heading towards Hoskote. The spot we finally found was beyond Hoskote, somewhere near Tekal. The only issue was that it was almost past 11.30 by the time we started the trail and that meant I had to wrap up early to get back home and avoid trouble.



The terrain was all rocks and that meant that I had to make sure there's no underbody damage at the end of the event. The first obstacle was a nice 4ft climb on a boulder that was nearly vertical. There was a small ramp at the bottom that assisted the launch, but post that it was only about holding your nerves and not letting go of the throttle until you are on top. Once at the top, there was just enough place for a jeep before hitting the rocks at the front so one had to be careful not to roll it forward once the climbing was done.



The gypsies are always the more dramatic ones in such obstacles since they can only climb with a good amount of throttle to build the torque, unlike the jeeps which can crawl up at fairly slower speeds.



The longer wheel base Bolero Invader had a bit of a struggle to get up but he finally made it with a few attempts. I also needed a second attempt to make it since the initial line of approach wasn't proper and the jeep was skidding to the left instead of climbing up.





The next obstacle was even more tricky as it required careful negotiation through the rocky steps and then exit towards right with an awkwardly tilted jeep for about 10 meters. Underbody scrapes were unavoidable, but I just didn't want to hit anything too hard. Looking at everyone else's attempt, there wasn't a soul who came through without any clanking noises but thankfully there were no breakages.



Again the gypsies made it out, but the lack of articulation makes them very vulnerable to a rollover. Add to that the fact that they have to always throttle their way out makes it even more scarier. But although it seemed dangerous, we didn't have any incidents.



I had initially gotten my wheel stuck as I got down the first rocky step, but then with a little bit of cajoling and reversing I managed to squeeze the jeep out from the obstacle. There were surely some thuds that could be heard, but nothing serious.



The right turn exit was quite tricky and most of the guys got an extra helping hand to shift the center of gravity and make it through.



By the time everyone made it though this obstacle, it was already past 2PM and given that we had to stop for lunch before we get home, it was time for us to pack up. The JeepThrills team with Dwarak, Vivek and MP Sreenivas continued ahead for a little more I guess while we took leave and headed back home after a quick photoshoot.



PS: Images that are not watermarked are sourced from the JoB and JT facebook group. Copyrights belong to their respective owners.

Jeepers of Bangalore OTR at Hoskote

It was more than a month since the Yercaud trip and quite a few folks were eager to go out for a day OTR. So when the announcement came for it, the attendee list was already quite long. The venue was going to be somewhere around Hoskote which is hardly 20-25 kms from my place. One of the JoB guys had done a recce and had promised us a good mud trail for about half a day, and what a day it was!



Although it was a weekend, Gozu was out for some offsite meeting, and that meant Pozu had to come along with me for the event. The little one was all excited about going offroad after a relatively long break and was eagerly looking forward to the day.



The turnout was quite good for the event and we had over 15 jeeps in the convoy. Within 10 mins of reaching the spot, we had finalized our first obstacle. The first part was an entry into a ditch and then a sharp right turn with a two-step climb to reach the top. There were a couple of tree stumps at the top which had to be avoided to prevent any underbody damage.

Part 1 - Getting into the ditch



The stock T-fort needed some help to make sure the foot boards don't get bent while going into the ditch.



Part 2 - Coming out of it





The SUVs made it up without a fuss, most of the jeeps made it fairly easy with the low range torque at hand



Some had a bit of drama although nothing sensational



The gypsies needed a bit of hard revving to get past



Pozu was strapped in her seat and we were ready for our turn. She was initially nervous but soon that changed into excitement and thereon it was only about what next obstacle were we going to try.



Next up was a small water crossing through a grassy patch.



This was a pretty easy obstacle and nobody seemed to be having any trouble getting through. So to make matters interesting, once I reached the end, I did the obstacle in reverse and again forward. The thought was to dig it up a bit and make it more challenging. And, it worked. The next jeep after mine had his wheels spinning and eventually had to be winched out - my first recovery of the day.



A little ahead we had a small technical problem with a jeep and a tree stump. Now Sidhu's jeep has a bit of history of getting stuck on tree stumps, so this wasn't anything very unusual.



The recovery team took some time to get his jeep out of the mess and soon we were on to our third obstacle. It was a reasonably steep decline with a 2 feet drop at the end. It wasn't going to be too difficult for the jeeps because of the reasonably good breakover angles but the long wheel base SUVs wouldn't have made it without risking underbody damage.

A view of the obstacle with the Jonga



The jeep guys ofcourse had quite a bit of fun with a good test for articulation (or the lack of it) as they got down. I had the right rear wheel in the air as usual and that made for some good photo opportunity.





Good thing was that there was another way out which wasn't as dramatic, so the SUV guys could take that for a safe exit. But Santy's Pajero can even make the safe exits equally interesting.



Pozu was enjoying herself thoroughly all this while, she had made friends with Tejas who was now nicknamed "naughty uncle". He did a splendid job of babysitting her while I was busy with other things.



Being a lake bed, we were all wanting to try our hands with some slush and it didn't take time to get a couple of jeeps swimming in a small pond as soon as we spotted it. But it wasn't going to be easy, the lake bed has been mined for clay for quite some years. So what they had gotten themselves into was a clay pit and there was no way that they were going to make it out by themselves.



First it was Teju's Thar that got stuck and the mighty Pajero went in for a rescue only to realize that he himself was stuck. Both of them had to be winched out to safety.



Next it was me who got stuck while trying to be a little ambitious through the slush and had to winch myself out with help from the Jonga for an anchor. But the favor was returned quickly as he got stuck while attempting to cross that clay pond and had to be winched out.



Not learning from any of our ordeals, KVK got his MM550 in as well, only to get helplessly stuck right in the middle of the pond. That's the thing about Jeepers, they just won't give up trying until they've had  a go...LOL!

Anyway, the getting stuck and being recovered cycle was finally put to an end and it was time for some refreshments before heading back home. Lunch was at our favorite Sher-e-Punjab dhaba and we were back home just in time for a birthday party that Pozu was invited to. Overall, it was quite an eventful day with loads of fun! 

PS: Images that aren't watermarked are sourced from the JoB facebook group, copyrights belong to the original owners.

First Outdoor Experience With The Thar

The initial excitement had me taking the jeep out even for grocery shopping trips, just to enjoy the attention it receives on the road. I got the first phase of mods done on Saturday last week where the jeep received new set of off-roading bumpers and rock sliders from Swastik Fabs. The old ones are now going to go up on sale very soon since they’re just a week old and practically brand new. The Thar now looks like a mean machine and ready to live up to the “Thar Hates Tar” statement, but I’ll have wait for the next OTR whenever that happens.

I was supposed to make a visit to the Kabini JLR with a friend on Sunday and this was a good opportunity to understand the highway manners of the jeep. Given the running in period of 1000kms, I was supposed to keep the needle under a 100kph but that wasn’t an issue since beyond that speed I’d be risking my life driving in a tin can with poor brakes. I’m basically treating the jeep like my enfield on four wheels and so a cruising speed of 80-90kph would be good enough on the highways.

We made an hour stopover at Ranganathittu where we were able to photograph the usual residents like the River Terns and Stone Plovers in good light. The park is yet to receive the winter visitors and it’s only the Ibis that’s nesting all over the place for now.

The drive to Kabini through the HD Kote road was a breeze, the jeep performed quite brilliantly and the a/c was just right enough to tackle the warm outdoors. The last 20kms though were a bit too hard on our backs, but I’m comparing it to the Safari which tackles that ‘kaccha’ road at 40kph and still feels okay inside. The luggage security issue takes a bit of getting used to and we unloaded all our camera stuff when we stopped for breakfast. Next time we need to find a place where the jeep is in direct line of sight to avoid the extra work.

The stay at Kabini was refreshing and though we missed the big cats, there was enough to stay engaged with nature and its beauty. The elephant sightings were quite nice but we also witnessed a heart-wrenching view of a baby elephant that had a broken right hind leg. The herd was taking good care of it, but I’m sure it’s going to go through a very tough childhood and hopefully one day it will grow up to become a big beast.

On the way back, I took about 5 hours to reach home which is a little more than what I’d take with the Safari but not by much. I made a few observations and notes to myself from the trip:

• The jeep feels a bit nervous after the speedo has touched the 100kph mark. Not because of lack of power, but because of driving dynamics. 
• The brakes feel better than before or may be I’ve just gotten used to them. Anticipated braking is always a good thing to do, and I also use a bit of engine braking to make sure the jeep slows down faster.
• The soft-top flaps a bit beyond 80kph, but soon that noise just becomes a part of the environment and we didn’t even realize it on our way back since our sub-conscience automatically applies “noise reduction” on such regular sounds. E.g people staying near train tracks don’t really notice the sounds after a while.
• The lights badly need calibration, the high beam shows me tree canopies and I’m sure it’s going to be blinding for oncoming traffic. While the low beam is okay, I don’t particularly like the spread. I will be adding the Hella spot beams, but I think I may also need to get ‘cornering’ lights that can act as the standard fog lamps and help in improving the peripheral view. 
• The fixed position passenger seating is quite uncomfortable and the rear bench seat needs to go away quickly to resolve this issue.
• The two door arrangement at the rear will need a bit of getting used to, it’s best to keep the door shut and use it only when really required. Also, the tyre is now mounted higher than the stock position, so getting access to the back without opening the door has gotten difficult. 
• The side rear view mirrors have a terrible view and the blind spot on the left is at times dangerous since you don’t notice bikers who are riding close to your tail on the left. I tried talking to a few folks on whether a horizontal mirror would be a good idea but haven’t heard any positive responses yet.
• The lock for the fuel lid uses the ignition key and I want to get this changed asap. The issue is actually two-fold, one it’s just inconvenient at the fuel pumps and two, it’s a security concern. I’d like to get some feedback from someone who’s gotten it changed with regards to the costs involved and whether there are ready-to-fit aftermarket options available easily. I believe a remote lid opener will be a complex solution and not something that I’d want to spend hours on getting it done. 
• The front tires are fouling slightly on a full U turn and I need to get this looked at. Given that it’s an 245mm section tyre vs the 235mm stock, I thought it should be a non-issue. But given that the Maxxis are almost 4cms taller than the stock tyres, maybe I need to make some more room for them under the front fender to avoid the touching.
• The front roof panel has a screw missing on the driver side beading and will need to get that done at the service center. 
• The door handle touches my knee while driving and I need to see how I can make it comfortable on long drives.

Initial Impressions From The Jeep Ownership

Now I'm no auto expert and my comments should be taken with a pinch of salt. With whatever little experience I've had driving, I'm putting down all that I could notice with the Thar. No technical jargons, no indepth discussion on the technical aspects, just plain simple layman experience of the jeep. 

• The engine is butter smooth, the noise & vibration levels are far better than the conventional jeeps
• The steering needs a bit of getting used to, but maneuverability in traffic is quite good
• Rattling and squeaking come free as a part of the overall package, my jeep has been squeaking and rattling since the time of delivery – I now consider this as a part of the jeep music but would want to have it fixed soon
• Interiors are really basic and there’s nothing to write about them – I knew it so I don’t hate it
• The OVRM is decent but the side mirrors are quite pathetic – both in build quality and in terms of the view they offer
• The brakes made me feel at home like with the Enfield – you need to press them and quickly say a prayer. Even then they’d only slow down the jeep and not stop it quickly, so you need to add engine braking as a standard feature for assisted braking. The manual says that the brakes need like 3 months to break-in or something, wonder what someone is supposed to do until then.
• The suspension was really jumpy at the back, but I guess it’s the initial phase and it will finally settle in over time
• The soft top is quite good enough to insulate noise and have the A/C work decently in the Bangalore weather.
• The rubber mats are very “sasta” (cheap) quality and I will need to find better replacement for it soon.
• The door handles, enough has been said about them already. I’m just being careful all the time not to break them in the initial few weeks, but I’m sure they’ll be due for replacement by the first service.
• The wipers feel funny, but they’re typical for a jeep so no real complaint there.
• The body panels are painted well but have spot welding dents all over. The black color actually shows up the deformities a lot than the Rocky Beige I guess.

Overall, I still am glad that I got the Thar. All the shortcomings are more like characteristics of the jeep that I have come to terms with in order to enjoy what lies beyond them.  I’m now eagerly waiting for an OTR event to be scheduled in and around Bangalore to learn the tricks of the trade and put the beast to good use.