12 hours to do B'lore-Kannur-B'lore - Best Route?

csentil · 23rd July 2008, 01:22

Thats actually very good time. Good that you started early. Mysore - Gundulpet in 30 minutes

Must have been mad driving considering the road conditions till just past Nanjangud. However since it was early I guess traffic was very less.

How was the first 20 kms from Gundulpet towards Sultan Battery? It used to be bad right uptil the forest section and ok till Kerala border....

Anyways not for the fainthearted I guess. :0)

Steeroid · 23rd July 2008, 01:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by csentil

Mysore - Gundulpet in 30 minutes

Must have been mad driving considering the road conditions till just past Nanjangud.

Its not that bad, actually, Just a few light bumps here and there - nothing to slow you down.

Steeroid · 23rd July 2008, 01:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by speedzak

Co driver??? Then wow!! Yeah, I hope he reach Calicut on time.

My co-driver is famous for not turning up...so I drove back myself

I'm not complaining, though - I really enjoyed the drive.

speedzak · 23rd July 2008, 10:27

Your co driver reached Kollam while you were at Kollam too.
The only difference was that you were in North Kerala and the other one was in South Kerala. :(

Congrats on doing the trip alone and without any major hicups. Nice that you enjoyed it.

kutlee · 23rd July 2008, 11:07

Oh Steer, your are a D.R.I.V.Er (typing hard). Forest roads relaid, i am going to SB soon, just the noise of the BOV in the forest is worth all the pain. OH i can't wait. You really did a flat out driving. Mysore Nanjangaud is good road especially for the SUV. but 30 mins is something !!.
Even surprising is 'nitrogen' in Kalpetta. Now that's development.
Loganarkavu?? isn't something related to Kalari? Next visit i will make sure to explore more of Kannur. Nice place!
I even found 'Saddam Hussein' street somewhere in Kannur on my last visit.

speedzak · 23rd July 2008, 11:18

@Kuttappa! The intention of including Calicut enroute to Koyilandi was that the co driver can join him from there.
Anyway, that didn't happen.

Saddam streets, eh?
There're plenty of that kind in Kerala. Bridges, streets, roads and junctions etc.. Were named after he turned anti US.
Day before yesterday, they hanged our PM too. We Keralites are specialists when it comes to these activities.

BaCkSeAtDrIVeR · 23rd July 2008, 12:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by kutlee

Even surprising is 'nitrogen' in Kalpetta. Now that's development.

Hmm.. That is news.

Quote:

Loganarkavu?? isn't something related to Kalari? Next visit i will make sure to explore more of Kannur.

Lokanarkavu Lokanarkavu Temple - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Quote:

I even found 'Saddam Hussein' street somewhere in Kannur on my last visit.

There is one just opposite my home, here, in Cochin.

Steeroid · 23rd July 2008, 15:33

I managed one solitary, hurried picture in between:

12 hours to do B'lore-Kannur-B'lore - Best Route?-san_0960-medium.jpg

maddy42 · 23rd July 2008, 16:47

@speedzak I totally agree.

One thing is the roads in kerala are so much better than their counter parts in karnataka. I have no idea about the entire state but atleast the border roads are better

kuttapan · 24th July 2008, 03:12

Steeroid - All I can say is, you must be one amazing driver and I would like to sit shotgun with you someday. maybe in the landy?

JayD · 24th July 2008, 22:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by speedzak

@Kuttappa! The intention of including Calicut enroute to Koyilandi was that the co driver can join him from there.
Anyway, that didn't happen.

Saddam streets, eh?
There're plenty of that kind in Kerala. Bridges, streets, roads and junctions etc.. Were named after he turned anti US.
Day before yesterday, they hanged our PM too. We Keralites are specialists when it comes to these activities.

Oh yes! We even had a Hartal when saddam was executed!!!

jkdas · 24th July 2008, 22:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steeroid

Its not that bad, actually, Just a few light bumps here and there - nothing to slow you down.

Shouldnt it be; nothing to slow down a Safari.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steeroid

I managed one solitary, hurried picture in between:

Attachment 31790

Nice one for a quickie.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kuttapan

Steeroid - All I can say is, you must be one amazing driver and I would like to sit shotgun with you someday. maybe in the landy?

No, in the DCIOR please.

HappyWheels · 20th August 2008, 12:25

Am doing this stretch this weekend (need to be there at Kannur on Sunday morning). Cannot start on Saturday since I am in a training, so will start on Sunday morning.

To reach Kannur by, say 9am, is it enough that I start at 3am? And, I am going in my Alto.

HappyWheels · 25th August 2008, 21:49

Okie, did the trip. Bangalore - Kuthuparambu - Bangalore. Started yesterday morning at 3.30am and came back today morning at 10am.

Took the route that Kutlee suggested. I guess the roads are in better conditions now.

The travel was as follows:

Started from Bangalore at 03:30 and reached Mysore @ 04:45. Got stuck behind a temple procession, which was at snails pace, and had to take a inner road and after a bit of asking, got back on the route to Nanjangud (thanks to good souls who helped!) Lost 20 minutes here!

Reached Gundulpet at 6am and did a 10 min stop to stretch amongst other thing.

Reached Sultan Bathery @ 7am.

From here, decided to take the Mannanthavadi route. One strange thing that I noticed was that the driving direction from S.Bathery to Mannanthavadi/Kannur @ a spot called Beenachi was marked by a hand written direction on a white cloth that was stuck on to a wooden frame. Strange!

Route was not that great. But traffic was very low. This road leads straight to Kuthuparambu. Gave a skip to Boy's Town and went straight. The ghat section was great! Not for any hairpin bends, but just for the sharp curves and the way the road 'waves' at certain places! It needs to be seen to believe it!

Gave my wify 'driving sickness' due to the motion (she was sitting in the back with the child). So had to stop at one point for a 20 minutes re-coup. Started again, and this time with both of them strapped to the front, started off.

Reached destination, which is @ midway on the Kuthuparambu - Kannur road, at 09:30.

So, total travel time was 6 hr, of which close to 30 minutes was spent non-driving and another 20 minutes on checking out the lanes of Mysore. So, productive driving is slightly above 5hrs.

On return, again started at 3am today morning. Came down thru Mahe, Kuttiyadi, Meenangadi, S.Bathery, Gundulpet and Mysore.

Mahe to Kuttiyadi has some certain bad road sections. Certain pot holes gave me the shivers and I was worried if I might end up with a bend rim!

The ghat section on Kuttiyadi is a bit risky and people who take this section, please be very careful. There are certain sharp bends, non hairpin, which just come out of the blue! Seems like one such sharp right turn, which is just after a very long and sharp down slope, caught an ambulance driver coming down the slope off guard and they ended up going off the road - 6 people (all the occupants) perished!!! So, please make sure to be extra careful on this section.

Was expecting some fog on the ghat, but faced it after I crossed the ghat section. Very low visibility and with certain hero's driving on full beam only, it became even more difficult! The heavy vehicle drivers were much better behaved over here.

Got slowed down between Mysore - Bangalore on the highway, due to morning traffic. And finally reached home at 10am.

Stats:
Vehicle : Alto
Mileage obtained : 15.5 (partial A/c, very spirited driving & ghat sections)
Total distance : 780kms (360km up + 50km local + 370km down)

Regrets : Missed out to tank up at Mahe @ Rs 47/litre petrol!

And sorry, no photos!

kuttapan · 26th August 2008, 03:22

Bangalore-Mysore is 140-150 kms depending on where you start from. You did it in 75 minutes, meaning your average speed is 120. To do average speed like that, you should have been doing 140 most of the time and then, how did you manage to avoid the numerous speed breakers en-route?

Sorry, but these numbers on an Alto is hard to believe. If you really did it, why not take part it the next edition of INRC?

23rd July 2008, 01:22	#16
csentil Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,349 Thanked: 38 Times View My Garage	Thats actually very good time. Good that you started early. Mysore - Gundulpet in 30 minutes Must have been mad driving considering the road conditions till just past Nanjangud. However since it was early I guess traffic was very less. How was the first 20 kms from Gundulpet towards Sultan Battery? It used to be bad right uptil the forest section and ok till Kerala border.... Anyways not for the fainthearted I guess. :0)
	() Thanks

23rd July 2008, 10:27	#19
speedzak BANNED Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: India Posts: 4,347 Thanked: 27 Times	Your co driver reached Kollam while you were at Kollam too. The only difference was that you were in North Kerala and the other one was in South Kerala. :( Congrats on doing the trip alone and without any major hicups. Nice that you enjoyed it.
	() Thanks

23rd July 2008, 11:07	#20
kutlee Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 1,141 Thanked: 232 Times View My Garage	Oh Steer, your are a D.R.I.V.Er (typing hard). Forest roads relaid, i am going to SB soon, just the noise of the BOV in the forest is worth all the pain. OH i can't wait. You really did a flat out driving. Mysore Nanjangaud is good road especially for the SUV. but 30 mins is something !!. Even surprising is 'nitrogen' in Kalpetta. Now that's development. Loganarkavu?? isn't something related to Kalari? Next visit i will make sure to explore more of Kannur. Nice place! I even found 'Saddam Hussein' street somewhere in Kannur on my last visit.
	() Thanks

23rd July 2008, 11:18	#21
speedzak BANNED Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: India Posts: 4,347 Thanked: 27 Times	@Kuttappa! The intention of including Calicut enroute to Koyilandi was that the co driver can join him from there. Anyway, that didn't happen. Saddam streets, eh? There're plenty of that kind in Kerala. Bridges, streets, roads and junctions etc.. Were named after he turned anti US. Day before yesterday, they hanged our PM too. We Keralites are specialists when it comes to these activities.
	() Thanks

23rd July 2008, 15:33	#23
Steeroid Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: N.A Posts: 7,046 Thanked: 2,751 Times	I managed one solitary, hurried picture in between:
	() Thanks

23rd July 2008, 16:47	#24
maddy42 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Coorg Posts: 2,131 Thanked: 1,328 Times View My Garage	@speedzak I totally agree. One thing is the roads in kerala are so much better than their counter parts in karnataka. I have no idea about the entire state but atleast the border roads are better
	() Thanks

24th July 2008, 03:12	#25
kuttapan Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Melbourne Posts: 1,155 Thanked: 22 Times View My Garage	Steeroid - All I can say is, you must be one amazing driver and I would like to sit shotgun with you someday. maybe in the landy?
	() Thanks

20th August 2008, 12:25	#28
HappyWheels Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 4,106 Thanked: 537 Times	Am doing this stretch this weekend (need to be there at Kannur on Sunday morning). Cannot start on Saturday since I am in a training, so will start on Sunday morning. To reach Kannur by, say 9am, is it enough that I start at 3am? And, I am going in my Alto.
	() Thanks

25th August 2008, 21:49	#29
HappyWheels Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 4,106 Thanked: 537 Times	Okie, did the trip. Bangalore - Kuthuparambu - Bangalore. Started yesterday morning at 3.30am and came back today morning at 10am. Took the route that Kutlee suggested. I guess the roads are in better conditions now. The travel was as follows: Started from Bangalore at 03:30 and reached Mysore @ 04:45. Got stuck behind a temple procession, which was at snails pace, and had to take a inner road and after a bit of asking, got back on the route to Nanjangud (thanks to good souls who helped!) Lost 20 minutes here! Reached Gundulpet at 6am and did a 10 min stop to stretch amongst other thing. Reached Sultan Bathery @ 7am. From here, decided to take the Mannanthavadi route. One strange thing that I noticed was that the driving direction from S.Bathery to Mannanthavadi/Kannur @ a spot called Beenachi was marked by a hand written direction on a white cloth that was stuck on to a wooden frame. Strange! Route was not that great. But traffic was very low. This road leads straight to Kuthuparambu. Gave a skip to Boy's Town and went straight. The ghat section was great! Not for any hairpin bends, but just for the sharp curves and the way the road 'waves' at certain places! It needs to be seen to believe it! Gave my wify 'driving sickness' due to the motion (she was sitting in the back with the child). So had to stop at one point for a 20 minutes re-coup. Started again, and this time with both of them strapped to the front, started off. Reached destination, which is @ midway on the Kuthuparambu - Kannur road, at 09:30. So, total travel time was 6 hr, of which close to 30 minutes was spent non-driving and another 20 minutes on checking out the lanes of Mysore. So, productive driving is slightly above 5hrs. On return, again started at 3am today morning. Came down thru Mahe, Kuttiyadi, Meenangadi, S.Bathery, Gundulpet and Mysore. Mahe to Kuttiyadi has some certain bad road sections. Certain pot holes gave me the shivers and I was worried if I might end up with a bend rim! The ghat section on Kuttiyadi is a bit risky and people who take this section, please be very careful. There are certain sharp bends, non hairpin, which just come out of the blue! Seems like one such sharp right turn, which is just after a very long and sharp down slope, caught an ambulance driver coming down the slope off guard and they ended up going off the road - 6 people (all the occupants) perished!!! So, please make sure to be extra careful on this section. Was expecting some fog on the ghat, but faced it after I crossed the ghat section. Very low visibility and with certain hero's driving on full beam only, it became even more difficult! The heavy vehicle drivers were much better behaved over here. Got slowed down between Mysore - Bangalore on the highway, due to morning traffic. And finally reached home at 10am. Stats: Vehicle : Alto Mileage obtained : 15.5 (partial A/c, very spirited driving & ghat sections) Total distance : 780kms (360km up + 50km local + 370km down) Regrets : Missed out to tank up at Mahe @ Rs 47/litre petrol! And sorry, no photos!
	() Thanks

26th August 2008, 03:22	#30
kuttapan Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Melbourne Posts: 1,155 Thanked: 22 Times View My Garage	Bangalore-Mysore is 140-150 kms depending on where you start from. You did it in 75 minutes, meaning your average speed is 120. To do average speed like that, you should have been doing 140 most of the time and then, how did you manage to avoid the numerous speed breakers en-route? Sorry, but these numbers on an Alto is hard to believe. If you really did it, why not take part it the next edition of INRC?
	() Thanks