The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Behind the wheel on rough terrain

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 21, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Behind the wheel on rough terrain

Ramya Kannan

JEEPERS! It is going to be a rough, but fun ride across the Palar river basin from August 12-15. — Photo : Special Arrangement

CHENNAI . An advanced English language dictionary will tell you that the word `jeepers' means an expression of surprise or alarm. Nowhere is it defined as people who love/drive jeeps.

A mere technicality, of course, that vanishes in the face of the enthusiasm of those who are just that — people who love driving jeeps and call themselves jeepers. Their enthusiasm will now take them along the dry and wet Palar riverbed that runs between Mahabalipuram and Vellore.

But if you thought that mere enthusiasm and petrol/diesel drives these folks, you could not be more off the mark. Palar Challenge 2006, a Four Wheel Drive off-the-road adventure, is being organised right down to the number of biscuit packets each team should have, by Jeep_Thrills, a fanatic yahoo community of Jeepers (http://jeepthrills.in/community/index.php).

Started two years ago by Anjan Cariappa and two of his mates, Jeep_Thrills, to build a support group and celebrate the pleasure of driving a jeep, has now swollen to accommodate over 220 members, within the country and outside.

At least once a month, members of this group do an `off-road' trip, conquering terrain, feeling the power of the vehicle beneath them.

The last road trip on this part of the country was up and down the Yelagiri Hills.

Again, the group is all for safe and environment-conscious driving.

"The experience," Anjan says, "is nothing but exhilarating. You get a `high' every time you conquer a near impossible looking vertical climb or a deep descend. The jeep always manages to spring surprises each time by its capacity to take on tougher obstacles."

But make sure you stick to the rules of the game; for they are aplenty. For starters, only Jeep_Thrills members can participate in the event but all it takes is to log on to the site and sign up. Only 4WD with a two-speed transfer case can enter this non-competitive event.

And mind what you call a jeep- these guys do not take kindly to SUVs masquerading as jeeps. Most importantly, you will have to throw some of your driving skills to the wind here, for they can prove disastrous.

Participants can register online for the event that begins August 12 at Vellore and concludes in Mahabalipuram on August 15.

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