For some reason I was getting adventurous. I was as tired as hell. Driving for a good part of two days now, extended walking visits to temples etc. It had been a long time since I had such a work out walking wise. But I never felt tired nonetheless. Specially when I am behind the wheel. Decided to do a hill climb. Place was none other than Yercaud.
I should consider myself lucky for having made this choice. 28kms of ghat section is a bliss to drive. One of my favourite ghats so to speak. 20 hair pin bends made for some spirited driving and presence of thick forest like look coupled with a few private coffee plantations meant scenic photographs.
There is a beautiful looking lake, has boating too. Equally good restaurants. Infact, there were so many that I had to call akroy and ask him for a recommendation to the hotel. I badly needed good food and I was not ready to make a compromise. We went till the Telescope Office, once the cloud cover cleared we got a good view of a few locations through the telescope. The sight from there is breathtaking. Vast areas of forests with a tiny road somewhere. Barren and dug up mine sites. Some really nice looking hotels. Abhi asked us to go to this place called Shevaroys, but as we were not just hungry yet we decided to have lunch at Salem
.
Picked up pure honey from the society store, headed to this falls called Killiyur Falls. Found a nice place for yet another round of photoshoot. So here goes.
Let dad have some fun driving downhill, reached Salem, had lunch and off we were to good old Bangalore. Reached home by 10pm.
Figures:
Tanked up at Shell, Lavelle Road.
At Erode - 252 kms done, car drank 17.97ltrs of petrol. Considering the fact that throughout the GQ I was doing 140-160 with 5 people on board, some luggage. Road from after the Chennai turn off was filled with lots of traffic till Mettur Dam turn off. From there on roads were ultra smooth and hardly any traffic. Speeds around 100-140kmph. 14kmpl given the condition is awesome I must say.
Filled up again at Salem after returning from Yercaud. 332kms done, a good 55kms in ghats, pathetic traffic from Salem to Yercaud and back. 27.71ltrs of fuel went in. 11.98kmpl was good once again given the fact.
Did 200kms after filling up at Salem. Will be going to Shell today to tank up, will put up the FE figures. I am expecting some good figures here. Drove normally all along the GQ with speeds ranging about 100 or therabouts. Luckily didn't get stuck up at Hosur check post. Though did at Silk Board Junction flyover. For over 30mins to move 1km.
Total distance covered was 784kms give and take. And I enjoyed every bit of it. Drove for about 700kms alone. With about 5hrs of sleep in two days. Yet, here I am writing a report as if I were sleeping at home all the while. What is it that makes one do this? Is it madness? Or LOVE?
Next week it will be Rameshwaram, Madurai & Kodaikanal. Hopefully will carry a better cam. Till then..........