[sarinkumar]

Originally Posted by Fauji

It is difficult to reach shimoga from bangalore in 3.30 hours. That is tough. Keep minimum of 4.30 hours if you drive without a stop. Else 5 hours with a coffee break. The road from Birur till Bhadravathi after rains - 10 days back i was there - has developed potholes and will slow you down a bit. Rest of the road condition is correct as given by others. The Byepass through Tumkur is not that bad. I recommend use the byepass and avoid the town as the roads in Tumkur are narrow and cosniderabley slow you down.

.

Yes. It took me 5 hours to reach Shimoga with break at Kamat.
Regards,
Sarin

[StarVegabond]

This afternoon we returned home safely after a 5.5 days trip to Goa. For both onward and return journey we used NH4 + NH206 + NH17 route.

We started on 16th morning 5 AM and reached Madgaon on 17th noon time with multiple stops at Shimoga, Ikkeri, Jog, Ankola (stay), Karwar.

We started back our journey from Madgaon on 20th morning 9:30 AM and reached Bangalore on 21st afternoon 13:00 hours with multiple stops at Devbagh, Karwar, Shimoga (stay).

Road condition update is as below

Madgaon - Canacona - Sadashivghad - Karwar - Ankola - Gokarna Cross (Madangeri) : Wonderful roads

Gokarna Cross - Hiregutti - Mirjan : Full of pot holes. We hit one surprise pot hole at 100 KMPH during onward journey at 8:30 PM which resulted in slight bending of the rim edge of the front left wheel causing it to loose airpressure by next day morning.

Mirjan - Kumta - Honnavar : Very good roads

Honnavar - Jog : very good roads for the first 20 KMs, Extreemly bad roads for the next 40 KMs. The condition changes every 100 mtrs from washed off or rough surface to perforated edge to to pot holed to missing termac to moon crates. Adding to this bad stretch is the twist/turns + climb of the ghat. Please plan for 2 hours for this 40KMs stretch.

Jog - Sagar : Decent roads with some surprise pot holes in between. Roads inside Sagar town is in terrible state.

Sagar - Anandapuram- Shimoga : Wonderful roads, perfect road for a night drive. the dividing reflectors in the middle of the road especially on the turns aid the drive in the best possible manner. During the day time this is a busy stretch. Heartening to see that the drive through Anandapuram is a breeze due to recently relaid roads.

Shimoga Town : the main NH206 stretch through the town/bypass is not in good condition. it is best to take the road through Vinobhanagar-Gandhinagar/Ravindranagar - Stadium - Doordarshan kendra is in best condition. During the day time plan for 15-20 minutes to cross this busy / growing town.

Shimoga - Bhadravati - Birur : Roads around Birur town are in terrible state. Shimoga-Bhadravati - Bypass stretch is wonderful. Watchout for bikers suddenly crossing the bhadravati bypass from Left to Right or Right to Left at 3 locations. They just seems to be ignorant of the fact that they are blindly crossing an NH where the vehicle are being driven at 80KMPH minimum. Before Birur there are two railway gates and the roads are terrible for about 2 KMs. I have never understood why the roads near the railway crossings are always terrible.

Birur - Kadur - Arsikere - Tiptur : The roads closer to these towns are in bad shape except Arsikere. Some 5-6 KMs before Arsikere the road is terrible. The whole Tiptur town seems to be dug up. Day time drive involves dust, bikers, smoking and slow truckkers, KSRTC buses which can take turn or stops at will. We hit two surprisingy deep pot holes during the return journey this morning which shook us all.

Tiptur - Gubbi - Tumkur : Very good roads but watchout for suprise pot holes and some rough patches. Day time drive involves dealing with bikers and inter village traffic between Tumkur-Gubbi. Couple of KMs before Tumkur is in bad condition. Tumkur bypass on NH206 to NH4 is in terrible state. hence on both occations we drove through the town. Plan for about 15 minutes during the day time for Tumur Town. Early morning or late evening is the best possible time to drive through.

Tumkur - Dobbaspet - Dodballapur - Yelahanka : Wonderful roads with some rough patches near dodballapur town towards dobbaspet.
We took this route on return journey this morning. For onward journey we took Yelahanka-Hebbal - ORR - Peenya - Nelamangala - NH4 to Tumkur.
This stretch os the only tolled stretch on this route to Goa.

Journey took approx 14 hours during the onward drive (convoy drive 48KMPH) and 10.5 hours (solo vehicle, 64KMPH) during the return journey excluding any breaks for food, sight seeing, relief breaks etc.

Total drive for me was ~ 1480 KMs. ANHC took 3 tankfuls (~36.xx Ltrs each tankful). Fuel Economy was ~ 13.5KMPH. Fueling stations were all IOCL at Yelahanka, 2x Ankola just before Yellapur-Hubli turn.

The other vehicle (3-4 months old i10) which joined us during onward drive was a new vehicle owned by my co-brother. This vehicle had 4 adults and one infant child, the other child (13 year old) joined us in our car for the onward trip. During the return trip, they started early 6 AM on 20th and reached South Bangalore by 9.45 PM. They took Madgaon-Karwar-Yellapur-Hubli-NH4-Tumkur-Dodballapur-Yelahanka (drop few people) - South Bangalore.

[ampere]

@Star, How was the hotel in Ankola for a stay?

[satshen]

Got back from Goa 10 days back. An update on road conditions:

1)Onward journey - Bangalore > Hubli > Yellapur > Kirwati > Ankola > Karwar > Panaji
(NH4 > NH63 > NH17)

Bangalore - Hubli is excellent, except for diversions between Davangere & Haveri. Yellapur-Kirwati-Ankola-Karwar-Panaji is very good. However, there are a number of potholes on the road between Yellapur -Kirwati.

2) Return journey Panaji > Karwar > Gokarna > Mirjan > Devimane > Sirsi > Haveri > Bangalore (NH17 > SH2 >NH4)

Karwar - Gokarna - Mirjan is in very good condition, except for some rough patches between Gokarn & Mirjan

Mirjan - Devimane - Sirsi - Haveri road is full of potholes and difficult to drive in a small car. However, the scenery is superb and definitely compensates for the rough ride.

[StarVegabond]

Originally Posted by ampere

@Star, How was the hotel in Ankola for a stay?

We stayed at our family temple (=Kula Devathana), same one where VRP stayed and posted the picture quiz.

This temple is like a second home for me, My bother's thread ceremony and my marriage was conducted in the same temple.

We ensure that we visit 3-4 times a year to this temple. There is no room fee and food charges for us who are disciples of the temple. We simply put in some contributions into the Hundi (Temple Coin box)

Our great grand fathers had made minor contributions to building the temple and the rooms for the visitors several decades ago. Now we get to enjoy the benefits. This is is an example of passing on the goodwill to the next generations.

[Spitfire]

Drove to Goa from Bangalore on 29th Oct and got back on the 7th Nov.

Total distance: 636 kms (Marathahalli to Miramar) - doorstep to doorstep
Time taken: 11 hrs 40 mins (includes breakfast and lunch break - 2 hours)
Return:
Total distance: 640 kms (Miramar to Marathahalli) - doorstep to doorstep
Time taken 10hrs 50 mins (lunch break - 1 hour)

Speeds (GPS): 80-90 kmph (only twice hit 100 kmph).

Route: Bangalore - Neelamangala - Tumkur - Chitradurga - Haveri - Kittur - Londa - Mollem - Ponda - Panaji. Returned the same route.

Only 14 kms from the Dharwad bypass from Kittur is bad. Since I have a Bolero it was a breeze. I saw a lot of small cars and sedans struggling on this route. If it rains then it gets really bad with the water masking the depth of the potholes. Some of them are really huge (for sedans and small cars that is). Here is where you will trash the Sedan Vs SUV Thread (started by GTO) in the SUV's favour.

Saw a lot of Team-Bhp stickered cars on the way.

A red Palio with some young folks stopped at the same restaurant we stopped for lunch. Guys in that Palio, remember the kid who threw the water jug all over himself and his parents, that was my son

Anyone having a high ground clearence vehicle can take this route quite easily. Only the 14kms is an issue. Otherwise its a great short route compared to the Karwar or Amboli roundabout.

The Haveri,Rannebennur and Chitradurga bypasses are a blessing. I used to lose a lot of time driving through these towns earlier. The work on the railway overbridges is going well too. Another year and I am hoping to cut travel time by another hour.

[asdon]

Guys, what is the update on Neelamangla flyover? is it complete?

[diogo]

Anybody has taken the Belgaum - Ambolim route lately? How is the condition of the road. Planning to take this route in 2wks time.

[kd7202]

@ StarVegabond - which kuladevatha temple ?

Is it Shantha Durga or Mangeshi ? I have made multiple trips to Shantha Durga. Like you said food & stay is really inexpensive at these places.

[StarVegabond]

Originally Posted by kd7202

@ StarVegabond - which kuladevatha temple ?

Is it Shantha Durga or Mangeshi ? I have made multiple trips to Shantha Durga. Like you said food & stay is really inexpensive at these places.

Both Shantadurga and Mangeshi are in Goa (around Ponda).
Me too have been to these temples couple of times. But these are not my family temples, but that of some of our distinct relatives.

Our family temple is in Ankola, Laxminarayan-Mahamaya Temple. This temple was also in Goa originally, But when Portugese demolished the temple, then it was reconstructed at Ankola. But the architecture of this temple is similar to Goan Hindu Temples.

[modthomas]

Planning a trip last week of Dec in my Qualis. @ Spitfire, would be grateful if you could clarify directions to follow your route esp between Haveri and Londa. i.e. where do we get off the NH4, and where exactly is the bad stretch.

Originally Posted by Spitfire

Route: Bangalore - Neelamangala - Tumkur - Chitradurga - Haveri - Kittur - Londa - Mollem - Ponda - Panaji. Returned the same route.

Only 14 kms from the Dharwad bypass from Kittur is bad. Since I have a Bolero it was a breeze. I saw a lot of small cars and sedans struggling on this route. If it rains then it gets really bad with the water masking the depth of the potholes. Some of them are really huge (for sedans and small cars that is). Here is where you will trash the Sedan Vs SUV Thread (started by GTO) in the SUV's favour.

@ Spitfire,
Thanks for that.

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by modthomas

Planning a trip last week of Dec in my Qualis. @ Spitfire, would be grateful if you could clarify directions to follow your route esp between Haveri and Londa. i.e. where do we get off the NH4, and where exactly is the bad stretch.

At Hubli bypass, take toll for the full bypass. You will exit at Dharwad end.

From the toll at this end you will need to drive another 40 odd kms. You will see a board on the left pointing towards a route to Kittur. This is right next to a road overbridge of NH4. Come down by the side of the bridge you will come to an intersection, keep going straight. You will see a narrow road going left. Take this road, about 1 km off from the NH you will hit the bad stretch. It lasts for 14 kms and then ends at a village T junction. Take the right here and follow the road until you hit NH4a just before Londa. You will take a U turn towards your left to drive towards Londa. Hope you know it from here.

Happy driving.

[sriramna]

Originally Posted by asdon

Guys, what is the update on Neelamangla flyover? is it complete?

Today's paper says the flyover is open for public use.
Also the ORR from Mysore road to Magadi road.

[techn0l0gist]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

At Hubli bypass, take toll for the full bypass. You will exit at Dharwad end.

And most importantly DONOT ask the toll booth guys for directions to 'goa' they would direct you to the road immediately after the toll booth that says 'goa road' (on the left) - Instead ask for 'Kittur' , or better still just follow Spitfire's directions !

I had a bad experience when the Toll booth guys led me via the "goa road" instead of kittur !

Originally Posted by Spitfire

The Haveri,Rannebennur and Chitradurga bypasses are a blessing. I used to lose a lot of time driving through these towns earlier. The work on the railway overbridges is going well too. Another year and I am hoping to cut travel time by another hour.

I cut my travel time to zero, it was simple, I just moved back home !

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by techn0l0gist

I had a bad experience when the Toll booth guys led me via the "goa road" instead of kittur !

They still do that? The whole area knows the "Goa Road" is now a myth.