[Exhaust_Note]

Originally Posted by deutscheafrikar

Exhaust Note thanks for the info and the photos. I likes the last one a lot. Prepairing my self mentally for the drive.
Did you leave Goa late since you stopped at Ganpatipule?
Regards

Thanks!

Yes. I am not a morning person, so starting from Mumbai at 6:30 AM was enough for this year. Started from Goa at around 10 AM. There were many stops in between as my wife and I love stopping at the road side to pluck cashews from the jungle.. it is fun, and to buys mangoes a jack-fruits. Reached Ganpatipule at around 4-4:30.

I feel that the ride via NH17 is more peaceful. After Madad (towards Goa) all you need to do is keep an eye for the morons who come from the front while overtaking on the curves. On NH4 route, the Sankeshwar-Amboli road is more tiring to the mind IMHO.

[deutscheafrikar]

Originally Posted by Exhaust_Note

There were many stops in between as my wife and I love stopping at the road side to pluck cashews from the jungle.. it is fun,
I feel that the ride via NH17 is more peaceful. After Madad (towards Goa) all you need to do is keep an eye for the morons who come from the front while overtaking on the curves. .

So where did you stop to pluck the cashew fruit? You're correct about that, empty road and people driving round the curves on the wrongside

Is anyone driving down to Goa this weekend on NH17 from mumbai?

[SAHIR.KITTUR]

Is anyone driving down to Goa this weekend on NH17 from mumbai?[/quote]


Buddy, I am in Belgaum. why dont you come down and then I will eascort you through the Tilari route as planned before.

[Exhaust_Note]

Originally Posted by deutscheafrikar

So where did you stop to pluck the cashew fruit?

Just about anywhere. Just 2 criteria -

1. Trees with at lest some ripe ones
2. No houses nearby

[given2fly]

Just came back from Goa. All the bus operators (Paulo/Neeta, B7R/B9R) are taking the Vaibhavwadi / GaganBawda / Kolharpur route. This route is mostly a 2 lane state highway, well mapped on Google Maps so chanced of getting lost are lesser.

On the other side, for the first time in my life, we had a flat tire on a Volvo. That too at the top of Phondaghat coming downhill. Result was traffic block for bigger vehicle for next 1.5 hours @ 4.30 AM in the night. What a way to start your trip.

Originally Posted by deutscheafrikar

ranjitp1 Hope you enjyed the drive. Was it in the 800 or someother car?
Your idea of coming back via gaganbawda or phondaghat makes sense. It's easier to get to theNH4 as I found out the last time going via belgaum. So should be dificult to turn off the Nh17 and go to Kolhapur form there.



Vineet since you're in pune it makes no sense to go via NH17. As for the NH4A at times the condition is not so good due to heavy loaded mining trucks using it. That only leaves the tried and tested Sawantadi route. Unless you want to try out the Gaganbawda or Phondaghat route

[deutscheafrikar]

SAHIR, you are back in belgaum? I reached here last night.

Exhaust Note I went on the NH17. The roads are pretty good but due to the festval on the 16th there was a lot of traffic. The mum-sangmeshwar road is winding so less speed, the sangemeshwar to goa was quite straight in certain sections but due to trucks there was no space to overtake. In the bargain I have forgotten what it's like to use 5th gear in my car.

Ranjitp1 I've noted all the turns to Kolhapur from the NH17 and believe me there's about a half dozen of them. So I need to think about it ad decide which ghat to return via.

The NH4 is boring but fast. This one after so many years I find the traffic has increased. Especially like EN says between panvel and Pen.
regards

Exhaust_Note read pg 15 of this thread. Cougar has ridden to Goa on a Bullet from Pune though. I have a friend who rode on his enfield on the NH17 last week

[Exhaust_Note]

Any one tried Mumbai - Goa by Bike? I am considering it this winter on my Gladiator. I know it is 125 CC, planning for 80 KPH tops and as many creaks as needed. it is just the biker in me (without the right bike yet)

[COUGAR]

Goa by bike is a lot more fun than in a cage!

just came back last week from a 12 day bike-trip to Goa! And it was FUN!

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by deutscheafrikar

Ranjitp1 I've noted all the turns to Kolhapur from the NH17 and believe me there's about a half dozen of them. So I need to think about it ad decide which ghat to return via.

so you finally did take the NH17 oneMy recco stick to the Phondaghat one,scenic and pretty much straight towards NH4 once you enter Kolhapur.whence the tentative return dates?during the monsoons?then you would be swamped by greenery & mist on the ghats,it would be a stunner of a sight.Maharashtra is best seen during the monsoons,I am sure you would agree.

[COUGAR]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

My recco stick to the Phondaghat one,scenic and pretty much straight towards NH4 once you enter Kolhapur.

ALL ghats in maharashtra would be carpeted with green during the monsoons and a monsoon ride through the Sahyadris is certainly a must-do experience.

However my experience has been that roads on Phonda Ghat usually handle the monsoon battering badly. Amboli, Bawda and HUmbharli usually handle the monsoon better.

[deutscheafrikar]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

so you finally did take the NH17 oneMy recco stick to the Phondaghat one,scenic and pretty much straight towards NH4 once you enter Kolhapur.whence the tentative return dates?during the monsoons?Maharashtra is best seen during the monsoons,I am sure you would agree.

Yes ranjitp1 I took the NH17 after more than 10 years. It's changed a lot, better surface, well painted but more traffic so the speeds are musch lower that what one could touch earlier. Specially the strech from after Sangeshmar to sawantwadi. No 5th gear no fun sticking behind trucks.
And a die hard NH17 user to whom I recommended the pune kolhapur amboli route was so pleased with it that he says he will return by that way. Ironically he also took less time that I did to cover more distance. I'm thinking wait till he gets bored of the straight road like I did.

I would ideally want to leave when the rains touch kerala and advance towards Goa. Humbarat turn to phondaghat seems to be one of the earliest turns from NH17 to Kolhapur. And as Cougar says phondaghat takes a beating I would be passing that while it's still good. Inspite of all precautions of preventive maint on my car (http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...lems-39.html)I detect a front left tire wear, so I need to use the stepney if I want to protect the new tires.
regards

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by deutscheafrikar

I would ideally want to leave when the rains touch kerala and advance towards Goa. Humbarat turn to phondaghat seems to be one of the earliest turns from NH17 to Kolhapur. And as Cougar says phondaghat takes a beating I would be passing that while it's still good. Inspite of all precautions of preventive maint on my car I detect a front left tire wear, so I need to use the stepney if I want to protect the new tires.
regards

Well looks like we already have a bit of rains coming our way,theres Cyclone Laila hitting the east coast and landfall is expected between Visakhapatnam & Chennai some time during today.There is a cyclone alert all over Andhra for the next 1 week,and its raining cats n dogs in Chennai now.The "official" monsoon is expected to reach Kerala on May30.

Yes I guess Radhanagari-Phondaghat would be a safe bet and keep your eyes open for the bisons(dont think you would see any..nevertheless).The turn for this ghat comes immediately after Kankavli,look for boards sayin Radhanagari,Kolhapur to your right while coming from Goa.Also just a word of caution,Maharashtra check post people have an affinity for MH regd vehicles crossing into Mh from Goa,they insist on original documents(no photocopies)check vehicle physically for traces of alcohol etc,

[deutscheafrikar]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Well looks like we already have a bit of rains coming our way,theres Cyclone Laila hitting the east coast and landfall is expected between Visakhapatnam & Chennai some time during today.

The turn for this ghat comes immediately after Kankavli,look for boards sayin Radhanagari,Kolhapur to your right while coming from Goa.Also just a word of caution,Maharashtra check post people have an affinity for MH regd vehicles crossing into Mh from Goa,they insist on original documents(no photocopies)check vehicle physically for traces of alcohol etc,

Yes I was reading about Cyclone Laila on the times webpage.
Now where is this Maharashtra police check post you speak off? I know there is one at insuli before sawantwadi. Exactly 47 kms from candolim. Pity I think I need to buy a GA vehicle now. Or for now tired and tested turn at sawantadi is the option.

I noted the milometer reading from nearly all the turns to kolhapur and have a few photos. My map shows humarat as the turn off to SH116. There is one earlier I think that's on to SH117, which in a roundabout way reaches phondaghat.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by deutscheafrikar

Yes I was reading about Cyclone Laila on the times webpage.
Now where is this Maharashtra police check post you speak off? I know there is one at insuli before sawantwadi. Exactly 47 kms from candolim. Pity I think I need to buy a GA vehicle now. Or for now tired and tested turn at sawantadi is the option.

I noted the milometer reading from nearly all the turns to kolhapur and have a few photos. My map shows humarat as the turn off to SH116. There is one earlier I think that's on to SH117, which in a roundabout way reaches phondaghat.

It is around 5-7kms after Patradevi towards Sawantwadi.Well if its too much of a confusion,stick to the Amboli ghats,afterall you have had your fill of NH17 for this trip and frankly travel-time wise,no difference whether you take the Amboli route or the Phonda/Bawda routes.

[deutscheafrikar]

Ranjit I have the km written as
Aoni 395
Rajapur 408
Kharepatan 428
Talere 443
didnt see the name 451
Didnt see the name 459 kms

One of the above has to be Humarat. the distance from 451 km turn was 102km to Kolhapur. From the last intersection it was 110. But Im a bit unsure about the distance to Kolhapur because it is from memory.
Here are two photos of the turns

These distance are from mumbai so if you calculate from Panvel intersection near Datt Vada pav you have to minus 41 kms.
regards