The Himalayan Challenge - Day 11 & 12
Reports by Syd Stelvio. Photos by Gerard Brown
~~~~ Day 11: October 1, 2018 ~~~~
Mussoorie to Rishikesh
Flowing into the Ganges
Today we enjoyed the first day without significant amendments since we left McLeod Ganj on day three of the rally and the routemeister that is Anthony Preston, back in the maps and planning room at base, enjoyed his first day off in a over a week. We’re all hoping that this state of affairs continues.
After an excellent breakfast we then enjoyed a great route out of town with next to no traffic. Along these deserted byways we quickly climbed to 2,250m under a brilliant blue sky and a burning sun. Colourful villages and impressive views over terraced rice fields made for a picture perfect scene.
The first Time Control was in the busy town of Chamba, in the quirkily modern Friends Club which served cups of steaming chai or coffee. And, as we sat and sipped them, a pair of Indian army trucks lumbered on past hauling a couple of big howitzers behind them. Perhaps these were to signal the start of the next section?
Soon after this refreshment break the first Regularity began, rolling along a 22km section of a stunning mountain road with views over the huge ‘lake’ where the Bhilangna River widens. There were plenty of changes of gradient, some loose surfaces and a couple of speed changes for the crews to contend with. But the fun continued even once Gill Cotton had stopped the clocks because this road, looped around the lake thereby giving us some more excellent views and more superb driving.
A second Passage Control in the grandly titled “Hotel” Shyam Sawera made sure that everyone who’d gone into the loop was accounted for before they were sent on their way to the lunch Time Control in the Evergreen Restaurant in Pursol Gaon high above the water.
Once they’d eaten their fill and taken in some more of the views and extensive local ambiance, the home run began. Unfortunately though, the road from Chamba to the night halt in Rishikesh was under extensive repair for most of its 60km, which did make for slow going at times. There were even places along the route when Eric Claeys who, with Rene Declercq won last year's Baltic Challenge, and also a veteran of the ERA's epic 2012 London to Cape Town event with Ben Deleye, was convinced he was back on North Kenya's notorious Marsabit Road.
By the time the crews reached the night halt in the Aloha Hotel on the banks of the famous River Ganges, they were more than ready for a rest and perhaps a jot of meditation, but for many there was work to be done in the carpark to ensure their cars were ready to face another day.
Roland Singer and Hans Malus had to retire their Saab however. After all their travails with the fuel system, it was the clutch that finally let them down today and their iconic Swedish car, is now on a truck, heading for Delhi and onwards to Austria. The crew are in good spirits though and are looking at their options as far as continuing with the event.
Today’s long and technical Regularity shook up the leaderboard somewhat and shot Manuel Dubs and Robi Huber back up into first place followed by Artur Lukasiewicz and Adam Tuszynski in second, with Mike Velasco and Peter St George tying with Rene Declercq and Eric Claeys in third. See the results page for the details.
Adrian Hodgson and Matt Bryson had a relatively bad day. Their day's penalty of a mere 24 seconds dropped them from first to seventh place overall.
It’s been another epic day in the Himalayas and there were some tired crews this evening but tomorrow’s another day and we’ve even been allowed a late 10am start.
~~~~ Day 12: October 2, 2018 ~~~~
Rishikesh to Rudraprayag
River Running
We were promised an adventure and, so far, the Himalayan Challenge has not let us down. Although this was a short day, it was no less challenging than any of the others which we’ve faced.
Indian road menders are kept very busy by the constantly shifting landscapes and Indian suspension manufacturers must make a good living from this as well.
It’s not everyday that you get to take breakfast on the banks of the Ganges though, the most sacred of rivers to millions of Hindus and as we drank down the chai and tucked into the vegetarian buffet, it was good to think that the Goddess Ganga would be looking after us today.
Our Rally day began at a very civilised 10.00am with a fascinating run through Rishikesh, a vibrant and thriving town with scores of western backpackers rubbing alongside Sadhus and ascetics on the teeming streets. This is a town where religion and whitewater rafting meet head on.
Soon after pulling out of the hotel, we made our first crossing of the Ganges and we entered a Regularity at Pundrasu, where the crews had to negotiate a thickly wooded road with many small water crossings in the Rajaji National Park. When the navigators got the chance to look up from their books, they were rewarded with some excellent views over the water to Rishikesh, and the hotel we’d just left.
Not everyone enjoyed this first section though, Andrew Laing and Ian Milne broke a McPherson strut at about the halfway point and, despite their best efforts there was nothing that they could do. Eventually though it was fixed at the roadside by the sweep team of Andy Inskip and Russel Smith and the crew rejoined and made it into lunch though they have dropped down the leaderboard.
Once out of the National Park it was then onto the main road (the only road) for the run to a mid morning Time Control in Dansara where we shared a small roadside eatery with dozens of hungry pilgrims keen to learn about us, the cars and our journey. The river though was our constant companion for most of the morning and as we bumped through the various roadworks and watched the white water rafting we weren’t sure who was having the wilder ride. It was in one of these sections that saw Brian Shields and Al Colwell tightening a few loose bolts under the hood of their Mustang.
The MTC for the day was also the lunch halt, in the Samrat Resort in Paparasu and the road which led to it was as impressive as the one that took us to the end of the day and our night halt in the remote Monal resort in Rudraprayag. Here we enjoyed a very boisterous evening in another vegetarian, and alcohol free, hotel. The crews appeared to be full of the rally spirit despite this prohibition and while we’ve no idea where they got it from we think that a few of the cars will be riding a little higher tomorrow. Monte Gingery was chief among the instigators of this revelry and proved beyond doubt that he can indeed sing as well as he can drive.
Epic they may have been but the roads have taken their toll on some of the cars and tonight, the carpark was a scene of great industry. Filip Engelen and Ann Gillis’s very sporty Datsun 240Z has now had its ride height raised and has had some air filters fitted. Jamie Turner reckons that these two simple fixes will make all the difference to the way the car handles.
Tony Jones meanwhile was grinding away at the sump guard from Artur Lukasiewicz and Adam Tuszynski’s Chrysler CM 6. His aim was to provide better airflow and improved cooling without sacrificing the protection offered.
Our other Polish crew, Robert Chmielewski and Sebastian Slazynskiin in the next bay, were fitting a new tube into one of their Chrysler’s tyres.
Russ Smith, along with Marc-Philip and Ulrich Zimmerman had set to and re-wired the electric fans on the Volvo Amazon so that it too was better able to cool the engine.
Unfortunately, Philip Lunnon and Michael Draper lost the clutch from their Bentley 4½ Le Mans and are now following the rally in a rental car.
David and Jo Roberts, who battled back to us in Mussoorie after a differential failure, have been delayed yet again. This time, the word is that they’ve broken a trailing arm and are once again looking at their options.
Sadly, Lars and Annette Rolner had to leave the rally yesterday. They were involved in a minor road accident during which, Lars sustained a slight leg injury and now he’s flown home for treatment.
Typically cheerful though, as he climbed into Dr Delle Grimsmo’s vehicle to be taken for his check up he insisted that his fellow Bentley drivers help themselves to his spare tyres. And, in true Bentley Boy style they did.
Reports by Syd Stelvio. Photos by Gerard Brown