Ripper's route revisited - partially

[trrk]

Hi,

The following thread inspired a trip via that route. It was done on 29/10/2008 (well, the lazy me took this long to start a thread and even now since I am about to leave on a 2400 kms trip) along with a friend from who was dragged along.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...nic-route.html (Cochin to Coimbatore- Alternate/scenic route)

Let me put up the data we collected during the trip.

My friend, Raja, drove down from Kollam and we left as planned by 05.50AM from Alleppey. We were to follw the route until Pollachi and then branch off, reach the NH47 and drive back. We had only approximate distances and the time it would take in my CVT (in contrast to Ripper's sojourn in his Endeavour) the ETA in Alleppey back was set as around 10.00PM so that Raja can be back by midnight at the latest.

By the time we reached the turn off for Pollachi (with all that 40 hair pin bends), we realised that our initial plan may not work out. We went to Valparai, had lunch and returned via the same route, but via Chalakkudy and the NH47. We reached Alleppey at 09.10PM.

The following data is for the up journey:



Now comes the one for the back journey:



The thread would be incomplete without pictures and so here we go:

The first photo shoot was at the Aroor bridge after the toll. Did not expect the fog that greeted us. Even the railway bridge was 'hazy'!



At the Edapally junction, I 'zeroed' my trip meter to take advantage of Ripper's odo readings. So Karayampuzha junction was easy to identify. My meter was showing a little less than Ripper's at this point.

This was just after we turned right at Karayampuzha junction:



Will leave for now with a shot with some greenery. Could not quite get the slope as much as we would have liked. Most of the photography was by my friend, with my Sony T200.



More to follow.

I tried this yesterday and only picture was seen in this post. Now I have very little time before my next trip!

[A S H V I N]

hey! good stuff! where are the rest of the pics and updates?!

[hellstar]

Any excursion that route cannot escape being a photographers delight. The data logging is very clear and detailed , was this done manually or was a GPS tracker / logger being used ?

[trrk]

Hi,

Originally Posted by A S H V I N

hey! good stuff! where are the rest of the pics and updates?!

Thanks. Time is tight with an already finished long trip and now Christmas sales. Give me a little time, please.

Originally Posted by hellstar

Any excursion that route cannot escape being a photographers delight. The data logging is very clear and detailed , was this done manually or was a GPS tracker / logger being used ?

In this particular trip, the data was done manually. We had a GPS device with us, but since we were new both with the device as well as the software in the HTC phone, we did not manage to make it work.

Since I had my friend along with me, manual data logging was not a problem.

[rippergeo]

Will keep an eye on this thread! And when are you planning the 2.5k km trip?

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by trrk

and now Christmas sales. Give me a little time, please.

Of course Sir. Business comes first, ESPECIALLY in these troubled times.

Here's wishing you a bumper Christmas Sale!

[trrk]

Hi,

Originally Posted by rippergeo

Will keep an eye on this thread! And when are you planning the 2.5k km trip?

My 2360kms trip started on the 4th and ended on the 9th. Sall I post the details here itself as and when it is ready?

Originally Posted by Steeroid

Of course Sir. Business comes first, ESPECIALLY in these troubled times.
Here's wishing you a bumper Christmas Sale!

Thanks. I should be realy thanking God as it has not shown recessionary trends so far!

[rippergeo]

Originally Posted by trrk

Hi,



My 2360kms trip started on the 4th and ended on the 9th. Sall I post the details here itself as and when it is ready?

another thread please... after this one is finished!

[trrk]

Hi,

Originally Posted by rippergeo

another thread please... after this one is finished!

Will do. But may not be of much interest as my data collection was sketchy as I did not have a good navigator with me. The person accompanying me was a literal stranger, a driver borrowed from my uncle.

he must have driven 1 km in total for the whole trip. The longest he drove was to get the car from Madiwala Total mall's basement to the exit area.

[trrk]

Forty minutes and 17.2kms later we reached a check post of the Plantation Corporation.

The Check post:



Crossing it:



After the required formalities at the check point, we cursed ourselves in anger and frustration. The GPS which was to be started at Edapally was not turned on at all. At this point my home minister called in to check about our whereabouts. Anyway with two stops within a span of 1 km from the check post and wasting 10 minutes, the GPS unit / Win mobile combo refused to cooperate. So we decided that time is better spent enjoying the nature around us rather than allowing some distant satellites to track us.
Stopped for phone call (and GPS):



Two minutes later, we spotted the river whch would be accompanying us on and off.

You can see the water, can't you?





Another two minutes and we crossed something before we realised the missed photo oppprtunity. So we reversed and clicked some. We did not venture in as we were not at all sure of the time it would take us to complete the drive.





Though we were driving in an oil palm plantation, the significance dawned on us only when we spotted these by the side of the road. The government was trying t0 compete with south Asian countries to make palm oil for us. This was just past the nature village.

Oil palm seeds plucked and ready for oil extraction!




We almost missed the left turn for Silver Storm. Almost 6 kms after the Plantation Corporation check post, we turned left into the new Ezhattumugham bridge bang opposite the Silver Storm water theme park. - 273 and 274




You can see the entrance of Silver Storm in the distance in the first photo above. The approach roads on either side was not finished.

More to follow...

[trrk]

Athirappally panchayat was on a harthal to protest against the Athirappally project. So no activity in Silver Storm and that posed a problem. We needed fuel for ourselves. So we stopped to ask around. Paramu, a local, obliged and pointed out a tea shop / hotel right by the side of the park entrance. It was open and that was the only place open nearby as we observed later.

Directions:



The deserted entrance to Silver Storm



Our saviour on the harthal day:



The hotel had only Appams and chutney to offer for break fast. They were OK. A good photo / video opportunity was lost when I managed to sit in the only previously damaged plastic chair in that hotel. I realised I fell only when I saw the ceiling when I looked straight. My friend was wondering why I was pusing the chair back like that! I came out of that situation with no loss except my ego.

Paramu, our guide, had a tea with us and hitched a kilometer ride to his house.

After dropping him off, we came across this pristine white statue:



Twenty minutes after our break fast stop, we had our first glimpse of the Athirappally water falls. What should have been a crowded view point was deserted due to the harthal.





Even our ancestor was not really enthusiastic with the two of us.



Just after the Athirappally waterfalls we came across a beautiful small waterfall. The older bridge was just next to it and so took the car on it.



What a lovely place to spend time!

Well.....

[trrk]

Hi,

There was a police post there and a small parking area at the end of the old bridge. The Charpa water fall was amazing (we later found that a week prior to that the water used to reach the old bridge due to the force).

The police post:



The City on the old bridge:



That is yours truly:



A small video:

YouTube - MOV00292

Just in front of the Vazhachal rapids and the check post there. Nobody told us that we would be out of reach on our mobiles for the next 75kms or so.

The Vazhachal Checkpost:



Into the wilderness.......

About 17kms from the Vazhachal check post, we crossed a quaint old bridge over a nicely flowing rivulet. Decided that this would be a good place to get some good photos. It turned out to be a very good spot, could have stayed there for hours, the sound of the flowing water was so soothing!

The quaint old bridge with the City on it:



The bridge again:



From where we went down to the water side:



My friend Raja, who did most of the camera work:



You can see the bridge in the background!

Don't you want to see and hear the water?

YouTube - MOV00300

8 minutes later we found ourselves with a tree blocking our way. There was barely enough space for cars to pass through on the extreme left.

YouTube - MOV00308

Almost 2 kms later we found a lot of damages to the trees on either side of the road. It took us a moment to realise that wild elephants had done that. So we recorded it.

YouTube - MOV00309

Later.....

[rippergeo]

Lots of attention to detail. Something lazy old me could never do. Nice snaps of the bridge.

[rkbharat]

Beautiful pics doc, and your CVT looks equally good. That reminds me the day I tested your CVT at cochin.

BTW my plans for kerala are still on

[abhilash_iv]

A very nice detailed report with excellent pictures. I hope now your Xmas - New Year sales are over and you will be able to complete the travelogue. Waiting...