Back from our hurricane BLR-GOA-BLR trip in my Cruze. Mileage was 13.53 km/hr with some hard driving with an outbound journey time of 8 hours 15 minutes (left BLR at 0430) and return time of 9 hours 15 minutes (left Candolim at 1000).
Only one close shave where a XUV descending Chorla Ghats was totally on my side on the road and I was forced onto the hard shoulder at 50 km+ while the XUV violently swerved back onto it's side. Luckily ABS saved the day and I retained control.
Following drhoneycake's format for my weekend trip from Yelahanka to Candolim (Fort Aguada):
1. Yelahanka to Dabspet (Nelamangala) via NH 207:
2 lane 'normal' highway with mixed road surfaces with a lot of ongoing roadwork. Before dawn so took it very easy.
2. Dabspet to Tumkur:
Good roads but heavy and somewhat indisciplined truck traffic
3. Tumkur to Chitradurga:
Dream 6 lane road with excellent surfaces, correct cambers, limited and clearly marked openings and fenced to avoid cattle.
4. Chitradurga to Hubli:
Excellent roads although nearing Hubli some of the curves (especially) are rutted due to overloaded trucks. Avoid changing lanes on the sweeping curves as it can unsettle your vehicle.
Hiriyur 'bypass' has some sweeping but dangerous flyovers and curves. A couple of them are double apex ones which never seem to end so watch out, reduce your speed and avoid braking hard while on them
5. Hubli to Dharwad (Alnavar / Madgaon exit):
2 lane, deceptive, smooth, treacherous and known terrible accident zones, so just chill during this time! I personally have seen near-fatal incidents every time I use this road. This time 2 ongoing concurrent overtakings on either side of a blind summit meant 6 vehicles racing towards each other. God only knows how all managed to get out in one piece!
6. Dharwad to Alnavar:
Lovely wide two lane roads but with speedbreakers at each village (nearly all well signposted). 2 level crossings
7. Alnavar to Khanapur:
Medium wide good two laner. Watch out for pedestrians, cyclists and the
state buses!
8. Khanapur to Jamboti:
Beautiful single laner which gets very narrow at times with steep drop-offs. Shoulders have been recently repaired but still overall narrow.
Do not relax too much as there are a few tipper trucks about! 9. Jamboti to Sanquelim (via Chorla/Surla Ghats):
Lovely drive but watch out for oncoming traffic which can easily run wide on the corners and hairpins. Switch the music off, lower the windows and honk BEFORE each turning. Oncoming experienced drivers will honk back! Keep in mind that there are multiple 'blind summits' and 'blind humps' i.e. the road ahead looks straight and totally clear but can easily hide a significant downward undulation with soeeding vehicles in it. Reduce speed, honk hard and stay as much as you can to the left in these cases. Remember, it only needs another guy just like you thinking, 'come on, no one will be doing these speeds at this time of the day from the other side'
10.Sanquelim to Candolim:
Mostly frustating slow traffic especially through towns like Assonara. Look carefully for the signposts if first time.
Do not hurry by thinking you're so close to your destination etc.etc. This is probably the ideal time for tiredness to creep in, combined with an urgency to reach quickly plus irritable kids (and wife :-).
Quote:
Originally Posted by drhoneycake Just back from a trip to Goa. Took the usual Hubli-Ramnagar-Mollem-Ponda route. Stayed in Calangute. Took about 9 hours to reach, starting from JP Nagar.
1) Bengaluru to Hubli - Excellent roads
2) Hubli - Dharwad - just two lane, but great roads none the less, truck drivers drive like maniacs on this stretch
3) Dharwad - Ramnagar - beautiful wide two lane roads
4) Ramnagar to Mollem - Transitions between good and patchy roads (mostly patchy)
5) Mollem to Ponda - Great roads again
6) Ponda to Panaji - Great roads except a few stretches where road works are being carried out
7) Panaji to Calangute - Good city roads of Goa
Hope this helps anybody who is travelling. |