6 years / 42,000 km done!!
It's been 6 years and I still enjoy revving this sweet K12 engine. The engine can deliver amazing FE (24+ kmpl) if cruised below 100 kmph on highways. Good part is I get minimum 14-15 even if driven hard.
3200+ km road trip: Manipal -> Bangalore -> Hogenakkal -> Bangalore -> Kolhapur -> Mumbai -> Manipal
The trip was actually planned only for Bangalore. Mumbai was a last minute decision.
Manipal -> Bangalore -> Hogenakkal -> Bangalore
I took the scenic Charmadi ghats. Roads are in better condition compared to the Shiradi route. I had put back stock springs and the handling wasn't that sharp on ghats compared to lowering springs but nothing to worry about.
Charmadi
I took around 6 hours to reach my destination in Bangalore and picked up a friend for drive to Hogenekkal. We took the shorter route as suggested by Google map. Roads were ok , couldn't do higher speeds as I was passing through couple of small towns in Tamilnadu and reached the falls in 2.5 hours.
Coracle ride: one of the oldest modes of transportation
The beautiful Hogenakkal falls
It was a weekday and there wasn't much crowd. Time well spent at this scenic waterfalls.
We took a longer route (50 km more) on the way back to Bangalore, but it was NH 44 for most of the journey and it took us similar time as the shorter route.
I was supposed to drive back to Manipal the next day. But I ended up driving all the way to Mumbai
(unexpected drive).
Bangalore to Panhala
I drove at night and covered 600+ km in 7 hours. Roads were good with minimal traffic after Tumkur and it was same all the way till Kolhapur. Enjoyed the night drive. I was tired to continue driving till Mumbai, so decided to relax at Panhala / Kolhapur for a day.
Stay at Panhala
View point at Panhala
The famous Kolhapur Thali
Panhala to Mumbai
I left to Mumbai the next day morning and it took me around 5.5 hours to reach Mumbai. I was excited to drive on Pune Mumbai E-way for the first time. Frankly I didn't enjoy the stretch much. I liked Tumkur to Kolhapur drive better.
Spent almost a week in Mumbai catching up with friends, BHPians, and S-Cross 1.6 owners. I also got the lights upgraded in Mumbai. It's a crime not to do anything to my car after driving all the way to Mumbai haha.
Marine drive
Sea link
Caught up with fellow enthusiasts
Mumbai to Manipal
It took me around 12 hours driving time. I had taken only 30 minutes break. I did encounter few bad stretches. Google map had even taken me on a 15 km strech where I had to literally hunt for roads. Anyways it was an adventure.
Express way
Entered Karnataka after a week in Mumbai
Trip Statistics
KM driven: 3240
Driver: Dr. Naren
Fuel Economy: 14.7 kmpl
Fuel cost: Rs. 25,500 (Oh Yes , it was before Diwali discount)
Tolls: Rs. ~2500
This is the first time I went on such a long trip in Baleno. I did miss my 200+ HP S-Cross 1.6 on empty highways. Baleno was fun too with audio upgrade and the revv happy K12 engine.
Additional points
1. Thanks to Parag bhai for the guidance on status of roads.
2. I got to test the new wolf map extensively. No issues whatsoever.
3. There was no checking at KA and TN border. No checking while I entered MH too. KA cops did ask me for RT-PCR when I entered from MH, but they let me go after showing doctor ID. This was on November 1.
4. Lights upgrade made a huge difference and the night drives are effortless now.