[sushrutha]

Route update.
CKM-Aldur Balehonnur-Sringeri
Just a bad stretch of 6kms after aldur towards Balehonnur, rest of the route is in beautiful condition.
Mudigere-Kottigehara-Charmadi-Ujire-Dharmasthala-Gundya-Kukke
Stretch from Mudigere-till the end of Chikmagalur division of Charmadi ghats (Just before the hairpin bends) is not in good shape. There are some potholes, rest of the route till Dharmasthala is in beautiful condition.
Dharmasthala till Gundya is in pathetic condtion (via Kokkada)

Originally Posted by Samurai

Today I drove back from Bangalore to Manipal, via Mangalore.Did the Sakleshpur-Gundya stretch in 49 minutes today, it was downhill anyway. The craters are getting deeper. At least twice the GV jumped in air due to steep crests while exiting the craters.

I saw your GV just after Gundya towards MLR at around 11am. You were driving quite fast in the terrible stretch. I was coming from Dharmasthala side and had parked our car.
Check out your Grand Vitara suspension, it was making some noise (Jhill .. Jhill type)

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by sushrutha

Check out your Grand Vitara suspension, it was making some noise (Jhill .. Jhill type)

It is not the suspension, I have a tow chain in the trunk, which was making that racket. Suspension can't make Jhill Jhill noise. I also had my steel pullup station (Bodybuilding - Exercises and Supplements) in the dismantled condition, but that was not as noisy. I guess I need to secure that chain to stop the noise.

The same tow chain I used here:

Originally Posted by Samurai

I took 3 hours just to reach Gundya. Ok, I rescued a stuck Xylo near Bailoor, that took less than 10 minutes.

[ampere]

I remember quite many posts being made about the road from Belur to Kottigehara. Esp the fact that the one via Gonnibedu is not good. Since thats the main road, is it still the case? Are people using other options?

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by ampere

I remember quite many posts being made about the road from Belur to Kottigehara. Esp the fact that the one via Gonnibedu is not good. Since thats the main road, is it still the case? Are people using other options?

Belur Cheeknahalli Gonibidu Jannapura Mudigere road is all good ever since it was relaid 2 years back. Its was only when this road was bad that many used the Gendehalli option before which too wasn't great.

As of today, one is better off using the Gonibidu option to drive to Mudigere from Belur.

The Mudigere Kotrigehara is a mere 16 kms of which only smaller section at Kottigehara town or even Banakal are in bad shape which I think one can easily ignore.

EDIT: This is how the road still remains in most of the sections. The clip is from Kottigehara-Mudigere Hand Post section.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77mfRCRuXCA

[chandras]

Hows the kollur - nagara - shimoga route now? Is it open after repair?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by chandras

Hows the kollur - nagara - shimoga route now? Is it open after repair?

A better option would be Shimoga Thirthahalli Agumbe Halady Kollur. Roads are much better. Roads around Nagara are typically in shambles. Though I am not aware of the current conditions.

[chandras]

Originally Posted by ampere

A better option would be Shimoga Thirthahalli Agumbe Halady Kollur. Roads are much better. Roads around Nagara are typically in shambles. Though I am not aware of the current conditions.

Thanks Ampere. Thats my thought as well. Since the Kollur - Nagara route were closed stating repair works from Jan end, i thought to check the conditions. Looks like our drivers take the other route. I'm planning to call a hotel in Kollur and find out the route conditions.

Will update the thread.

[guyfrmblr]

Had been to Mangalore, Sullia last week and the route update:

Took Charmadi route to Mangalore. As everyone have updated, there are some occasional deep potholes before Kottigehara and some on the curves in the Chikmagalur section of the ghat.

I had to visit a place near Sullia while coming back and hence took the following route:

Mangalore - Mani - Puttur: The stretch between Kalladka and Mani (NH-48) has some deep craters, else the roads are good.

Puttur - Jalsoor - Sullia: There are some bad stretches just before Jalsoor. My cousin had warned me against taking the Jalsoor - Sullia stretch as its in absolute bad condition hence took a left at Jalsoor in the Kukke Subramanya road. This road joins the Sullia - Subramanya road at a place called Sonangeri. This stretch is in good condition. I continued towards Subramanya and took a right at a place called Elimale. Sonangeri - Elimale is good. Took a right at Elimale towards Markanja. This road joins the Sullia - Madikeri road at a place called Aranthodu. Elimale - Markanja - Aranthodu has some bad patches in between but its way better than Jalsoor - Sullia - Sampaje stretch. Sampaje is 5 km from Aranthodu.

Sampaje - Madikeri: Excellent roads.

I wanted to avoid Mysore road, hence took Somawarapet road from Madikeri.

Madikeri - Somawarapet - Shanivarasante: Excellent roads.

Shanivarasante - Mallipatna - Arakalagud: Very good roads except for a very bad stretch of 5 km before Mallipatna. They are widening this bad stretch and hopefully it should be ready within few months.

Arakalagud - Holenarasipur - Channarayapatna: Excellent roads.

It took 1.5 hours from Mangalore to Sullia. I started from Sullia next day and took 6.5 hours to reach Bangalore in the above mentioned route.

[xoom]

Did Bangalore-Hassan-Charmadi-Dharmastala-Kukke-Shiradi-Hassan-Bangalore on a whim over the weekend.

While Charmadi was a beautiful relaxed drive, Shiradi was the exact opposite. To call this a road needs great imagination - but hey, my Yeti got to flex its 4x4 muscles!

[shamanth]

Which is the best Road to come back from Kasargod to Hassan? Google map shows Via Vittal or Via Subramanya. Or better come back by mangalore?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by shamanth

Which is the best Road to come back from Kasargod to Hassan? Google map shows Via Vittal or Via Subramanya. Or better come back by mangalore?

I read here that Gundya-Subramanya road is quite good. Just confim on Jalasoor-Kukke section.

[roamingrao]

Originally Posted by shamanth

Which is the best Road to come back from Kasargod to Hassan? Google map shows Via Vittal or Via Subramanya. Or better come back by mangalore?

Except for a bad stretch of 20 kms from Sullia to Sampaje, The Kasargod - Mulleria - Jalsoor - Sampaje - Madikeri - Somwarpet - Shanivarasante - Arkalgud - Hassan may be the best option. This option avoids narrow / winding roads from Jalsoor to Gundya and bad Shiradi ghat roads.

Please refer to the post of guyfrmblr in this page if you wish to avoid that bad stretch too ! His Madikeri to Hassan route option is good too.

[370Z]

Last weekend (9th, 10th Nov) did this stretch to-and-fro:
Bangalore -- Tumkur -- Tiptur -- Arsikere -- Tarikere -- Shimoga -- Tirthahalli -- Agumbe -- Hebri -- Brahmavara.

Bad parts of Tarikere stretch in NH 206 are now patched up (a bit rough though); I could say that the whole NH 206 from Tumkur to Shimoga is just fine. Upper 7 hairpin curves in Agumbe are still bad, and a small part of Someshwara to Hebri stretch is bad as well. Took me 8 hrs excluding breakfast and lunch breaks.

[addyhemmige]

Originally Posted by roamingrao

Except for a bad stretch of 20 kms from Sullia to Sampaje, The Kasargod - Mulleria - Jalsoor - Sampaje - Madikeri - Somwarpet - Shanivarasante - Arkalgud - Hassan may be the best option. This option avoids narrow / winding roads from Jalsoor to Gundya and bad Shiradi ghat roads.

Please refer to the post of guyfrmblr in this page if you wish to avoid that bad stretch too ! His Madikeri to Hassan route option is good too.

Arkalgud-Hassan road is in bad shape.

[fast_elegance]

Hi All,
Planning to visit Jog Falls on Nov 28 and then continue to Mlore.
Need some update on route conditions.

Blore-tumkur-tiptur-aresikere-shimoga-sagar-honnavar-Mlore.

Still confused whether to go to Honnavar from Jog or come back to Thirthahalli and take the Agumbe route.

Which ghat section will I be taking if I continue to Honnavar?

And more important, is this a good time to visit Jog. Not expecting the monsoon splendour but don't want to see the dry falls as well.

Car will be Ritz.

Thank you!