[nix1976in]

Yes ...the route goes through Kargal....my trip meter and the milestones showed it as exactly 100 kms from the turnoff around 18 kms before Sagar while coming from Jog.

I stayed at Matthuga Home stay which is 8 kms from Jog on NH206...the turn off for this road to Bhatkal is 4 kms towards Sagar on NH206 after Mathugga Homestay...narrow curves, streams flowing all over, towering trees over the road, trees fallen over at all angles and waterfalls abound...road condition may not be great but the view more than makes up for it.

[issigonis]

Originally Posted by nix1976in

Calangute to Mumbai -- Few craters here and there but generally good enough to enable me to reach Mumbai in 10.5 hrs with breaks.

>>> nix1976in,

Was this route NH17?

Due to heavy rains I plan to do my Bombay -South Goa run next week through Poona Expressway-NH4 -Satara-Kolhapur-Belgaum-NH4A-Ramnagar-Anmod-Margao. Did you drive on any stretch on my proposed route?
The NH4 -Sankleshwar-Amboli-Sawantwadi -Bardez route is blocked due to landslides and waterfalls.

What is the ground clearance of the Xylo? My steed is low slung, 152 mms.

Regards

[nix1976in]

No...i guess the Jog-Bhatkal route I took was was SH50...I rode the NH4 upto Hubli and its wonderful...no idea about the onward route on NH4A though...

Ground clearance for the XYLO is 186mm..it really glides over bad roads..didnt scrape the bottom anywhere during the entire drive.

[issigonis]

Originally Posted by issigonis

>>> hvk,

Thank you. I'll wait for an update from you once you get it from your friend.

Seems from nix1976in's experience that the Satara-Sankeshwar-Amboli-Sawantwadi-Bardez -Margao route is ok.

However this doesn't square up with the earlier posts that the Sankeshwar-Amboli-Sawantwadi stretch is closed; some pics were also included in the posts.

I have time till 7th evening to finalise my route, so will wait for updates

I get the feeling that the Sankeshwar-Amboli-Sawantwadi option is a shorter option as compared to the Belgaum-Ramnagar-Anmod-Mollem NP-Margao option, by, maybe 50 odd kms.

Regards

P.S. : Google Maps is a pain. I am relying on the Eicher Map.

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Amboli route closed down 2-3 days ago after a landslide. Further, near Savantwadi also rivers were overflowing onto the road.

NH4A from Belgaum to Goa is fast and good. My friend who left Hampi today morning at 6 am found NH63 to Hubli very good, as is NH4 till Kittur, but the Kittur-Khanapur link road is in bad condition as always, but being such a short stretch (<30 kms), nothing to lose sleep over. He has just reached Khanapur, so I will post an update on the NH4A from thereon after a few hours.

>>> Any updates on the NH4A? And on the Sankeshwar-Amboli- Sawantwadi stretch?

It seems to be less rainy now, in the last two days as compared to last week.

Originally Posted by nix1976in

No...i guess the Jog-Bhatkal route I took was was SH50...I rode the NH4 upto Hubli and its wonderful...no idea about the onward route on NH4A though...

Ground clearance for the XYLO is 186mm..it really glides over bad roads..didnt scrape the bottom anywhere during the entire drive.

>>> My steeds glides on highways and twisties too but I've to be careful on the potholes and the 'Himalayan' speed breakers.

Regards

[tsk1979]

Flash floods in Leh due to series of cloudbursts. Over 50 bodies have been recovered, and toll is expected to be higher, esp in the villages next to sindhu river

[hvkumar]

Thanks, Tanveer, for the update.
The maximum problems appear to be in towns like Nimmu and Basgo which are on the Leh-Kargil route.
BSNL and other mobile networks are down, am unable to contact my friend Vinay/Beena who are driving in Ladakh (last night in Leh).
I have already suggested to my friends Rohit Joshi and Abhijit Adkar (who are in Manali now) to reschedule their Leh drive, they will proceed till Keylong today (on their way) and see how the ground situation is before deciding on next steps.

[hvkumar]

No news if the landslide in Amboli towards Savantwadi has been cleared. But why take that route, best is to go via Belgaum & Ramnagar.

My friend drove NH17 from Goa to Belur yesterday, taking NH17 till Honavar via Madgaon, Karwar, Ankola and Kumta, and said the road is quite OK (they are in a Scorpio!).

he also reported good roads all the way through Shimoga, Tarikere and Chickmagalur to Belur (near Hassan).

[MX6]

HVK, how was the stretch between Kumta and Shimoga?

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by MX6

HVK, how was the stretch between Kumta and Shimoga?

NH206 from Honavar was fine.

[addyhemmige]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

....he also reported good roads all the way through Shimoga, Tarikere and Chickmagalur to Belur (near Hassan).

Shimoga-Bhadravati-Tarikere-Santaveri-Chikmagalur-Belur-Hassan is a very good stretch.

The Tarikere-Santaveri-Chikmagalur stretch has been holding up quite well against the monsoon for a couple of years now. The only reason to worry could be tree falls in this stretch.

Since this route falls in Jagara Valley, it is prone to high winds and therefore you can expect some tree falls.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

Shimoga-Bhadravati-Tarikere-Santaveri-Chikmagalur-Belur-Hassan is a very good stretch.

But I think the road from Tarikere via Kadur, Birur & Arsikere is terrible (was before the rains began itself), which is the reason why I told my friends to turn off NH206 at Tarikere and go via Chickmagalur to Belur, which turned out to be a great decision since they (they are from US) enjoyed the best of Malnad region immensely.

[addyhemmige]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

But I think the road from Tarikere via Kadur, Birur & Arsikere is terrible (was before the rains began itself), which is the reason why I told my friends to turn off NH206 at Tarikere and go via Chickmagalur to Belur, which turned out to be a great decision since they (they are from US) enjoyed the best of Malnad region immensely.

I'm not sure of the condition after Tarikere towards Birur-Kadur. But, Kadur-Chikmagalur stretch has always been bad, rains or no rains.

Good to know that your friends enjoyed the route. If you ask me, the best time to enjoy 'malenadu' (land of rains) is during the 'male' (rains) itself

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Flash floods in Leh due to series of cloudbursts. Over 50 bodies have been recovered, and toll is expected to be higher, esp in the villages next to sindhu river

At last I got a call from my friend Vinay who is stranded in Leh right now.
No BSNL, no electricity in Leh town.
His Vodafone just got restored, and hence the call.
Main bus stand - the place where you enter Leh town (the arch) is totally destroyed.
Fort Market is closed, maybe in RIP.
Rumours that many '00s are killed.
2 bridges between Kargil-Leh are closed, possibly at Nimmu.
The Chang la is closed.
Manali road is closed.
No news at the moment on when the roads will reopen, talk of 7-10 days.
He says those who are in Fort Road and Main Market area of Leh town are all OK.

[anilisanil]

Is it OK to drive to Mahabaleshwar from Pune in next two days?

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by anilisanil

Is it OK to drive to Mahabaleshwar from Pune in next two days?

Lovely roads. No problem. But Mahabaleswar-Pholadpur (NH17) road is bad. But happily, you do not have to go that way.