Right then.. time to get into action. Safety is of prime importance and we were provided with helmets and belted up. We started off with the first obstacle that was called ‘Home Run’. Here, you drive down a deep rut with caution and drive up from the other end. Each obstacle was demonstrated by Manish with the Scorpio before the rest of us attempted it. Thumb rule: Always follow what your instructor tells you. Each Thar had a walkie talkie fitted so that we could clearly hear what Manish and Bhosle Sir were telling us. The Thar went through the Home Run like butter. The torque combined with 4 low range made things look so easy peasy. Conquering the first obstacle was like an ‘Achievement Unlocked’ moment. The rest of the obstacles were going to be a piece of cake. Or so we thought.
Rain pouring down left, right and centre, it was time to move to the next obstacle, the ‘Zig Zag Hill’. This comprises of an uphill challenge filled with deep ruts, rocks and slippery surfaces. Add to that, a scary left hander hairpin turn and then its all the way downhill from there. This obstacle tests your steering and throttle input skills. It is very important to strike the perfect balance between the two. Else you will end up between a rock and a hard place. There were a few heart stopping moments for the gang, yours truly included, but we all managed to finish the hurdle. Manish also gave us a demo of what they call ‘Walk The Thar’. What he does here is he slots the Thar into first gear and 4 low and as it starts moving, he gets out and starts walking next to it as it moves forward, steering it from outside. Can be quite shocker for someone not expecting this.
By the time we got done with zig zagging up and down the hill, the sun was starting to sit over Igatpuri. But the day was far from over. A few hot vada pavs and chai later, we were set for some night off-roading. It was pitch dark and you would have no clue if there was a serpent or two near your feet. Yes we had spotted a cobra earlier in the day, who we had disturbed during his lunch time. Darkness soon turned into day thanks to the headlights of our Jeeps focussed on the obstacle. The challenge involved driving into a pond and coming up a steep incline towards the left. The light drizzle on the Thar’s windshield just added to the difficulty level. But we got to admit, night off-roading was the highlight of this course for sure.
Post the proceedings of day 1, we retired for the night at the Taj Gateway Nashik, which is around 40 kms from the Academy. The long day ensured that we got a good night’s sleep.
Continued…
