Rock the road

Imagine reaching a place that you can never access by road. But Bengalurueans are doing it and enjoying it thoroughly. Off-roading has become the in-thing for adventure seekers as the adrenalin rush that it gives is incomparable.

Traversing slushy and rocky terrains and driving through steep and precarious locales is something these off-roaders find joy in. Most of them customise their jeeps and SUVs specifically for this purpose.

“Every off-roader makes sure that he has a four-wheel drive that goes beyond the road,” says Prithviraj AC, Director SNR Square Private Limited and a member of Bangalore Offroad Drivers Association (BODA). “The vehicle must be able to traverse extreme locations. When modifying the vehicles, we make sure that power is transmitted to all the four wheels,” he explains. He points out that unlike earlier times, today there is a clear demarcation between off-roading for excursion and for competition.

“The main idea behind off-roading is to get to remote places by overcoming the obstacles. The navigator and the driver ensure that they have a smooth ride across the toughest of terrains,” he adds. A group from BODA is preparing to compete in the Rainforest Challenge in a few months. “This is the toughest of all challenges. It is not a test of one’s speed but the skill. The angles are steep and even if the vehicle topples, we have to recover it within a short span and move on,” Prithviraj says.

Off-roading is really a test of the man and his machine, believes Nithyananda M G, member of ‘Off Roaders’. “It is exciting because there is no road in front of you. It is only confidence that will help you conquer that terrain. I got into off-roading to reach difficult terrains,” he says.

Recalling his most difficult climb, Nithyananda says “We went to Coorg a while ago. The climb was difficult and heavy rains made it tough to navigate. The stretch became dark, slippery and our jeeps got stuck. It took us six hours to get out of that situation.” Calling off-roading an addiction of sorts, Nithyananda says that he and his team will be heading to Ramanagara soon. “We are looking forward to driving through rocky roads,” he smiles.

Not all off-roaders travel in groups. Many like Satish Kumar travel just with his navigator, Yanren Jamio. “Off-roading is not like a regular drive. It’s thrilling, adventurous and offers some great learning experience. The driver and navigator must be extremely fit and alert to deal with any situation. Off-roading is not a one-man show,” says Satish, who has modified his vehicles to suit his drives. He adds that an off-roader’s vehicles are always built to perform. Tougher the climb, better the experience.

Mukund R Rao, director IT wing with Capgemini, says that he goes off-roading to capture the best view. “Driving to places where only treks take you is a unique experience. What adds to the charm is catching the view from a hill top. It is worth driving through rocky paths just to reach a place that you never knew existed,”explains Mukund.