[vrprabhu]

The second trip starts!

The plan to go to Mangalore is quickly approved - previous experience helps. Plus the fact, I couldn't bunk office till 23rd July. Have to be in Manipal on 25th at 9.00 AM. Originally planned to leave on 23rd afternoon and halt enroute. But, finally could leave only 24th at 5.30 AM (in between the battery drained again! like MX6, these choo cha's don't occur singly )

Drove non-stop upto Hubli - till 12.25 PM. Stopped only fuel filling, and at the border.

a. The first fuel filling - Khed Shivapur, Pune. Like this BPCL bunk. See the rain drops (on the lens, I think. Must learn how to clean the lens properly)? That was how the weather was upto Mangalore.


b. The three main characters in my life . One on the road, one in it and one beside it!

[MX6]

Now you've forgotten your bike as well. You should have mentioned 4 main characters and stated, 1 back in home.

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by MX6

Now you've forgotten your bike as well. You should have mentioned 4 main characters and stated, 1 back in home.

Sorry, Sir!

However, you are wrong!!

Why?

Because, the bike is not a 'character' - it is a part of my persona...

To continue with my trip -

Since the rain gods aided my journey, could reach Hubli within 7 hours. Took the Karwar road junction to reach the city; had a quick lunch at one of the ubiquitous Kamat; completed my work and off to Ankola by 2.30 PM.

NH4 - part of Golden Quad - really helps you in covering long distances without much strain. And the road has held up to the monsoon, so far.

Why these two faces should adorn the poster is a mystery. After all, the project is a brain child of somebody else.


The wet road and green grass tells it all.


Good roads and four laning means truckers during the day time too!


Pitter-patter! Only so much rain and its effect on the windshield...

[MX6]

You were free to create doodles and scribble VRP loves Palio kinds of things on that poster. I won't count it under vandalism!

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by MX6

You were free to create doodles and scribble VRP loves Palio kinds of things on that poster. I won't count it under vandalism!

With so many greats around, it is but natural that I follow them in the world of photography........

Speaking of vandalism, I better get back to that thread!

Anyway, Hubli - Yellapur road is free from traffic. The diversion to Dandeli and my friends input regarding the shorter route from Dharwad to Yellapur, invites me for a tour down. However, it is kept short and postponed for a future date.

All that timber is going to adorn somebody's house. I have seen similar places like this near Surgana, Nasik and Dahanu. (This is a specialised trade. Anybody knows that getting a sawmill licence today is practically impossible in places like Pune and Bombay?)







The forest ranger's quarters was a picture of soltitude and peace...

[vrprabhu]

Somebody saw my travails and sent me this....

[vrprabhu]

Took a break yesterday and did a solo trip to Malshej. More about it some time later in MX6's thread....

Soon we are in Yellapur. The coastal Karnataka influence has entered inland!



Wanted to have some refreshments at the road side eatery, but the heavy lunch of Kamat was yet to be digested. So just strolled for a breath of fresh air and soak in the village ambience!



Can anyone spot a bird in this picture? I was idly looking at this pond and trying to find how to get down. And then I saw this bird skipping from one lotus / lily leaf to another - and hastily clicked it. But there is no sign of it in the picture. It was very much there even after I clicked it, because I saw it pecking here and there...

[ampere]

The shorter route that you spoke about: Is it the Haliyal-Yellapur stretch?
If yes, I am told, its pretty bad.

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by ampere

The shorter route that you spoke about: Is it the Haliyal-Yellapur stretch?

No - this was the regular Hubli-Yellapur route and this is the beginning of Yellapur.

After this break, it was the ghat to Ankola. Since I had already uploaded quite a few pictures earlier, I will keep it short this time.







This time the rains let off, and we made good time. Plus, I knew the road was in good conditions and only a couple of bends where to exercise caution....

[ASHISHPALLOD]

@vrp,
nice pics.
First pic in last post, sky is completely white washed.
You need to fool the camera to capture the sky.
[ i am talking like seasoned photographer.]

The greenery in western karnataka looks more beautiful than w maharashtra.

[MX6]

That hubli Ankola stretch of NH63 is notoriously famous for sudden appearance of speed-breakers before and after every village. The last time I drove tehre, most of the speed breakers (axle-breakers actually) were gone. But one never knows when these monsters sneak back on the road.
When is your next trip? And will you be driving back this route?

@AP, the greenery in coastal karnataka (and interior Karnataka) is incidentally better than western Maharashtra. For the amount of rainfall that we get (almost 5 months a year), especially with Agumbe recording second highest in the world, there's no surprise on this front.

[StarVegabond]

Originally Posted by ASHISHPALLOD

The greenery in western karnataka looks more beautiful than w maharashtra.

that is becasue of Dandakaranya (=Dandeli) forest and River Kali.
Dandeli-Haliyal-Yellapur strentch is very green

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by ASHISHPALLOD

You need to fool the camera to capture the sky. [ i am talking like seasoned photographer.]

The greenery in western karnataka looks more beautiful than w maharashtra.

I agree about the 'seasoned' part.....

Yes, the greenery is better because (a) more rain as MX6 said; (b) more dense growth; (c) more varieties and (d) land-mafia yet to arrive there!

Originally Posted by MX6

That hubli Ankola stretch of NH63 is notoriously famous for sudden appearance of speed-breakers before and after every village. The last time I drove tehre, most of the speed breakers (axle-breakers actually) were gone. But one never knows when these monsters sneak back on the road.
When is your next trip? And will you be driving back this route?

Yes. But thankfully, my navigator kept her eyes peeled...

Next trip - Planning to take the train down and return to Pune by car between 6th Sept and 10th Sept.

We are now heading for NH17 and pass beneath the Konkan Railway...




NH63 meets NH17 where the trucks are turning in....

See the green (white in some places - in fact the old sign boards were on stone) and yellow boards? My daughter came up with the correct explanation -

Green - Place and Distance

Yellow - Place and Distance, but those related to nearby important places and tourist destinations!

Neat idea. Kudos to whoever thought that up..

[ampere]

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

No - this was the regular Hubli-Yellapur route and this is the beginning of Yellapur.

Since you mentioned Dandeli-Yellapur; there is a route between the two places (via Haliyaal) which bypasses Hubli and Dharward. I thought your friend was mentioning about that route.

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

Yellow - Place and Distance, but those related to nearby important places and tourist destinations!
Neat idea. Kudos to whoever thought that up..

In many travelogues related to Karnataka, i have observed those yellow sign boards put by Karnataka tourism corporation.
That is really helpful for tourist for places and distance.
I have already suggested to put such sign boards in 12mati area to the minister from my city.