Navigating otherworldly terrains and
unspoilt trails, travelling doesn't get more off-the beaten-path than this!
Nothing worthy has ever come out of a
war. We all would agree, but not those who off-road. We tell you why. Once
World War II ended, there was a huge surplus of jeeps and lorries in the
market. While most of these lightweight vehicles were bought for utility
purposes, a few adventure junkies paid for them to engage in off-roading.This
was a new fad, primarily American. That was 1945, this is 2015. What started as
a hobby in America 70 years ago, is now the `it' thing for a growing number of
travellers whose idea of road journeys is not cuffed to nitrogen cylinders,
16-lane expressways and cars that reach 100 kmph in less than five seconds.
WHAT'S THE FAD?
It's not as simple as it sounds. It is a
rubber burning sport that calls for you to drive on mud, sand, gravel, snow,
rock, grass, salt and riverbed and every other place where you are one with
nature, and there are no roads. Thus, technically, no matter how many potholes
are there in your city roads, you will still have to go to a desert, forest or
hill area to off-road. However, most of the metros have private off-roading
clubs where you can pay and drive, but the real fun is obviously in the woods
or in places that are from the macadam.
ADVENTURE ROUTES
India has some of the world's finest
terrains for off-roading in Himalayas, Ladakh (Nubra Valley), Rajasthan
(Jodhpur, Nagaur, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Barmer) and Gujarat (Rann of Kutch). The
Himalayas offer spectacular off-roading terrain, while Ladakh's high-altitude
desert offers equally favourable conditions for the activity. Out west in
Gujarat, the salt marshes of the Rann of Kutch make for a unique off-roading
experience. Rajasthan is famous more for an offshoot of offroading called dune
bashing.“Off-roading is like an addiction.Me and my family often bond over
off-roading and this is how we like to holiday. Malls and five-star hotels can
wait, we like the dirt and the adrenaline rush,“ says Delhi based off-roader
Rajeev Kapur.
GROWING TREND
The incoming of SUVs, which has changed
the way we look at cars, is jet fuelling the growth of this trend. We are
buying bigger, brawnier and better cars, and using Rai them not just to commute
to work, pick-up relatives from the airport and weekend picnics, but also for
road trips and family excursions.
“In the last five years, the number of
people undertaking offroading trips has tripled, and this adventure pursuit has
been ma jorly driven by SUVs and modified jeeps and gypsy,“ says Tejas Kothari,
a certified four-wheel drive trainer .
WHAT DO YOU
NEED?
Primarily, guts! Loads of money! A car.
You will have to get your machine modified, which can be taken care off by a
car modifier. Or, if you have the money, go for an allterrain vehicle (ATV)
that is specifically built for such escapades.Talking about preparing a car for
off-roading, Kapur says, “I worked on the suspension, replaced the existing fan
and radiator with bigger ones because the car heats up a lot during the drive;
room cages had to be installed so that we don't fall out of the car in case the
vehicle turns turtle, ground clear ance had to be increased, and because I
mostly drove in the mud, mud terrain tyres were essential. The strengthening of
the car was major work be cause the car gets damaged during the ride and
without the strengthening, you are never sure if it will live through the
drive.“
DON'T HURT
NATURE
Environmental groups abhor offroading
because it leads to soil erosion and various forms of pollution due to the
noisy machines that burn excessive fuel and are harsh on soil.So, it's every
off roader's responsibility to ensure he does everything possible to negate the
damages the sport makes to the environment.....Article by kumar saurav
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