[HotChillyPepper]

While returning from Kollam after Onam Holidays, I managed to damage the sidewall of both tires at left side (brand new Yoko AVS v550 ran only about 5K). Worst part both the tires got damaged at the same time after crossing a bad patch. In Kerala it was still Onam celebrations so no shops were open. Thanks to a family at Vadakkanchery who provided food and shelter for my 2 year old kid and providing a place to relax for my grandma who is 76. I can’t imagine the same happening on a deserted highway. God bless that family, my kid was happily playing with the 2 little one's there and never realized we were trapped at midway.

Luckily one of the family members there was a private bus conductor, he arranged a phone number of a repair shop, within 15 minutes one guy came, removed both the tires and took them to a nearby place to repair. He took a decent 3 hours to fix the tires as the sidewall was completely destroyed. He could manage to get one tire proper by adding a tube (originally tubeless tire). Fixed the damaged tire at back side and used one spare tire i had at front. When I said bye to the family who helped us, my kid was in tears as he was already very much attached to the kids there. Drove from Vadakkanchery till Bangalore at 60 -70 Kmph and reached home safe at 9.30PM. And guess what, next morning saw that the third tire at right front is flat!!!

Lessons Learned: This particular Yokohoma is not a good choice in terms of reliability. They are excellent tires for well paved roads and highways. I had used my OEM GT3 tires for a good 2 years / 35K kms and it never put us off the road. The worst part is I could get only 1 tire replacement at Bangalore as there is a shortage in market for this particular tire. Hope will get the other one replaced this weekend. Until then I have to live with my 195/60 GT3 spare against 205/60 yoko on all other 3 sides.

[Sunney]

Friends,
Need to travel from Cochin to Coimbatore this week end to attend a trade show and to push off to Bangalore.
Any update on road condition/ improvements?
I am afraid I have no alternative but toil through Trichur-Palakkad-Walayar-Cbr.

Is there any?

[Surprise]

Will be traveling Thekkady to Munnar via Vagamon by first week of October 2011. Any inputs on the below given road conditions?

Route

How many hrs it takes to cover this distance ?

[mallumowgli]

Originally Posted by Sunney

Friends,
Need to travel from Cochin to Coimbatore this week end to attend a trade show and to push off to Bangalore.
Any update on road condition/ improvements?
I am afraid I have no alternative but toil through Trichur-Palakkad-Walayar-Cbr.

Is there any?

Avoid Trichur-Palakkad NH47 if you can. Instead try the Wadakkanchery. Details in Ranjit's post in below link. Follow this upto Ottappalam and carry on straight to Palakkad

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...annarkkad.html

If you are travelling early in the morning, you can avoid the detour suggested by Ranjit for Wadakkanchery railway gate, since there will not be any blocks during early hours

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by Sunney

Friends,
Need to travel from Cochin to Coimbatore this week end to attend a trade show and to push off to Bangalore.
Any update on road condition/ improvements?
I am afraid I have no alternative but toil through Trichur-Palakkad-Walayar-Cbr.

Is there any?

The only other option is to drive through Valparai-Pollachi-Coimbatore,but I dont think the roads would be in any great condition after the torrential rains.

[svkndv]

Originally Posted by Sunney

Friends,
Need to travel from Cochin to Coimbatore this week end to attend a trade show and to push off to Bangalore.
Any update on road condition/ improvements?
I am afraid I have no alternative but toil through Trichur-Palakkad-Walayar-Cbr.

Is there any?

Try out the route wadakanchery-ponnani road to coimbatore. Google maps below. I traveled via this route it is smooth drive than any other alternate.

Angamaly, Kerala State to Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu - Google Maps

[Indian Ranger]

Traveled from Alleppy to Bangalore yesterday. Started by 5am, took the Thrissur - Shornur -Palakkad route and then on NH47 and reached Bangalore by 5pm covering 610 kms. The stretch between Coimbatore and Avinashi will slow down and after that the road is excellent.

[gajadonga]

I travelled from Banglore-Coimbatore last week.
After Avanashi town took the road to Annur and from there to Coimbatore.
Chengapalli - Avanashi is manageable.
Avanashi-Coimbatore via Annur is good.

[ramanan.skr]

Originally Posted by Indian Ranger

Traveled from Alleppy to Bangalore yesterday. Started by 5am, took the Thrissur - Shornur -Palakkad route and then on NH47 and reached Bangalore by 5pm covering 610 kms. The stretch between Coimbatore and Avinashi will slow down and after that the road is excellent.

How is the road condition from Allepey to Trissur since I am planning to travel to Haripad temple very soon?

[Indian Ranger]

Originally Posted by ramanan.skr

How is the road condition from Allepey to Trissur since I am planning to travel to Haripad temple very soon?

Roads are very good. I did this stretch in less than 3 hours (including fuel stop) primarily due to the sparse traffic in the early morning.

[ramanan.skr]

Originally Posted by Indian Ranger

Roads are very good. I did this stretch in less than 3 hours (including fuel stop) primarily due to the sparse traffic in the early morning.

My destination is actually to reach Haripad(Manarsala Temple) from Chennai.
Is this route fine - Pallakkad - Shoranur - Trissur - Angamaly - kochi - Allepey - Haripad. & Do we have any byepass for Alleppey?

[Indian Ranger]

Originally Posted by ramanan.skr

My destination is actually to reach Haripad(Manarsala Temple) from Chennai.
Is this route fine - Pallakkad - Shoranur - Trissur - Angamaly - kochi - Allepey - Haripad. & Do we have any byepass for Alleppey?

I have not travelled beyond Alleppy hence can comment on the road conditions only till then. The entire stretch mentioned till Alleppy is good.

[Rameshdude]

Originally Posted by ramanan.skr

My destination is actually to reach Haripad(Manarsala Temple) from Chennai.
Is this route fine - Pallakkad - Shoranur - Trissur - Angamaly - kochi - Allepey - Haripad. & Do we have any byepass for Alleppey?

Pallakad to trichur NH road is bad. After pallakad, take deviation to Alathur, kavvuserry, ,Chellakara , trichur. After angamaly, take kochi bye pass. You have to pass through alleppey, but can avoid some main traffic roads,there are directions. You don't have to touch shornur either.

[ajithbr]

Can anyone, esp. ranjitp, provide me detailed information on the best route as of now (route conditions and hotels for food-breaks enroute) from the following 3 places for different relatives to drive to Kollengode on the occasion of a family function?
1) Chamravattom (near Tirur)
2) Valanchery
3) Kozhikode (for this, please suggest a couple of good alternatives as well if possible)

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by ajithbr

Can anyone, esp. ranjitp, provide me detailed information on the best route as of now (route conditions and hotels for food-breaks enroute) from the following 3 places for different relatives to drive to Kollengode on the occasion of a family function?
1) Chamravattom (near Tirur)
2) Valanchery
3) Kozhikode (for this, please suggest a couple of good alternatives as well if possible)

The simplest route for 1 and 2 would be Chmarvattam-Tirur-Vailathur-Puthanathani-Valancheri-Koppam-Pattambi-Shornur(Kulapully)-Ottapalam-palakkad-Kollengode(Not sure if there is a route to get to kollengode without touching Palakkd town). Dont think there are any good alternatives

I did a Bangalore-Tirur drive around 2 weeks back and took the Palakkad route. The stretch from Pattambi-Koppam-Valancheri and Puthanathani-Vailathur is pretty bad. Rest all are good roads. I stopped at a place just before Kulappalli(when coming from ottapalam). It was pretty good.

From Kozhikode the one I know of is the standard NH via Malappuram-Perithalmanna Mannarkad. There is an option of going Perithalmanna Pattambi, but I heard those roads were pretty bad.