ZigDrive 5 was an off-road drive with a twist. We again tied up with [B]Terrain Tigers[/B], like we did in [B][URL="http://www.zigwheels.com/forum/posts/6497-zigdrive-2-discover-your-4x4-on-march-18-19-2016"]ZigDrive 2[/URL][/B], to get the off-road enthusiast community together. The aim was to not just drive off-road, but also throw in some fun and games that would test the skills of the off-roaders. We had about 40 vehicles in all, with over 60 people attending! That was quite a crowd and just to make it more manageable, we split into three groups for a while to explore the terrain and then reassemble. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10749[/ATTACH]
The group consisted of a whole mix of 4WD vehicles such as Mahindra Thar, Maruti Gypsy, Mahindra Scorpio, Mitsubishi Pajero SFX, Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, Toyota LandCruiser, LandRover Freelander, Tata Xenon, Suzuki Grand Vitara, Ford Endeavour (old), Renault Duster AWD, Toyota Fortuner and a Polaris ATV. The folks from Isuzu also came with two Isuzu MU7 (4x2) SUVs to just try them out. The aim was to meet our group, as they are planning to launch the Isuzu D-Max V-Cross very soon.
We had two games planned - [B]Stumped[/B] and [B]Van Damme's Ball[/B]. The first was a game where teams of three off-roaders got together for a relay event. Three stumps were placed at different points on a pre-defined off-road course and the off-roaders had to go one at a time, pick up the stumps without getting out of the vehicle, tackle the obstacles on the course and get back to the start/finish line. Then they handed the stumps over to their team mate in the next vehicle and they had to go put the stumps back in the pre-defined spots and return, while tackling the obstacle course. The third member had to then go and pick the stumps up again. Each of the runs were timed, giving each team a total score. (I shall post the list of participants and their scores in a bit, in the next post). We then had some packed breakfasts, exchanged stickers and pleasantries and signed off. Van Damme's Ball had to be cancelled due to the sheer group size and paucity of time (as it was getting too hot).
Let the photos do the talking:
Assembling at 5.30am, we reached the off-roading spot a 6.10 am. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10708[/ATTACH]
The Royal Enfield Himalayan also came along for the ride to try out some off-road stuff. The two Isuzu MU7s were there to check out the terrain and recce the place for a D-Max V-Cross event to take place soon. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10709[/ATTACH]
Spot the odd one out. The Renault Duster AWD is the only one in this mix without low-range 4WD. But still the AWD is pretty capable, if you give it some momentum. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10710[/ATTACH]
The old 4WD Ford Endeavour is quite a beast. The Maruti Gypsy is a rabbit. The Thar means business. And a Pajero peeps into the pic. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10711[/ATTACH]
Terrain Tigers' Neeloy Sarkar and I doing a recce run for the stumped game in his Toyota LandCruiser. Note the off-road bumper, snorkel and light bars. And that's a functional CB radio antenna. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10712[/ATTACH]
This was the rough pattern of the course we set up. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10718[/ATTACH]
The Renault Duster AWD driven by Yogesh Bansal was the first to go out for the "Stumped" game. That's [USER="18"]MotuSid[/USER] in the photo, guarding the first stump that the driver has to pick. The Duster needed some momentum to power up that incline, owing to the lack of low-range which would have given it more torque and less speed. Still, pretty capable. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10713[/ATTACH]
The Duster approaches the second stump, manned by [USER="131"]Rhythem Raswant[/USER]. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10714[/ATTACH]
A moment later he signals for help. The Duster has beached itself. Right rear wheel in the air. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10715[/ATTACH]
Some tugging and pushing later, the Duster is freed. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10716[/ATTACH]
He goes to pick the third stump, before the steep 60 degree drop. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10717[/ATTACH]
The Duster's team-mate in a yellow Gypsy returning the stumps on his run. The Gypsy made it look all too easy, flying through the course. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10719[/ATTACH]
The Thars were really dramatic, lifting a wheel at stump No. 2, like a dog trying to take a pee on it :-) [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10720[/ATTACH]
A Mitsubishi Pajero SFX blazes through the trail. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10721[/ATTACH]
This Gypsy asked for the stump. Driver's were supposed to reach out and pick it up. It's an MG410W - one of the earlier lot. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10722[/ATTACH]
The steep drop after taking the third stump. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10723[/ATTACH]
This Thar gets a funny angle at Stump 2. Took the turn a bit too sharp. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10724[/ATTACH]
This Fortuner makes it look too easy and perfect. "That was a stretch," with the Fortuner behaving like a see-saw. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10725[/ATTACH]
Picking up stump No. 3 the right way. All too perfect. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10726[/ATTACH]
The Pajero drops the stumps back, before taking the 60 degree drop! [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10727[/ATTACH]
And then races to the finish. That's me in the yellow tee. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10728[/ATTACH]
A Suzuki Grand Vitara powers up the first incline towards stump No. 1 (No, not [USER="18"]MotuSid[/USER] - the stump is to his right!) [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10729[/ATTACH]
The GV cocks a leg before the second drop after collecting Stump 2, as Suman and Rhythem look on. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10730[/ATTACH]
A yellow Mitsubishi Pajero Sport makes the run. It did really well on the course. Made it look too easy. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10731[/ATTACH]
Tushar and Anchal race through the course in their Mitsubishi Pajero SFX. He set a pretty good time for an SUV of 1 minute 27 seconds or so. The fastest for the day was a 1.02 set by Heman of Terrain Tigers in a Gypsy. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10732[/ATTACH]
The Pajero racing up the first slope. Didn't put a wheel wrong on the course. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10733[/ATTACH]
An axle twister for this Thar. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10734[/ATTACH]
The Pajeros were pretty solid on the trail. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10735[/ATTACH]
Breezing through the inclines. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10736[/ATTACH]
A nicely done up Thar. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10737[/ATTACH]
Raises a wheel while going down the 45 degree drop near Stump 2. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10738[/ATTACH]
Makes a perfect pick up of Stump 3, before dropping down. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10739[/ATTACH]
The Pajero gang looks on: "Stumped". [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10740[/ATTACH]
Eric Benny make a run for it in his shortened Gypsy. He blew a tyre on his second run. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10741[/ATTACH]
Heman set the fastest time of 1.02 in his Gypsy. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10742[/ATTACH]
Yogi powers through with his Land Rover Freelander. He lost a bit of cladding at Stump 2 though. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10743[/ATTACH]
The Isuzu guys also wanted to have some fun with their Isuzu MU7. They were there to recce the place for a D-Max V-Cross demo. The MU7 being a 4x2, spun a lot, and lost a small plastic piece behind the step. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10744[/ATTACH]
A small spin in Fox while we line up for a photo op. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10745[/ATTACH]
Red Fox and Black Fox. The black 4WD was the food truck for the event. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10746[/ATTACH]
Some of the ZigWheels team - n00b, MotuSid, me, Konark, Vaibhav... [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10747[/ATTACH]
And a groufie with my old friend, Suman Ghosh. Three generations of Scorpios together in one frame - an LX 4WD (2013), a CRDe DX 4WD (2006) and an S10 4WD (2015). [ATTACH=CONFIG]n10748[/ATTACH]
That's all folks! A good day, a warm day. Share more photographs if you have them. I'll post the timings of all the participants soon.