[TheTeacher]

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

What time did you leave Hassan on the 25th? I left Hassan around 3pm.

Before 2 pm; left Kukke earlier than anticipated.

[paragsachania]

Impromptu report drive from last weekend

Onward:23rd Oct, 2015 - Saturday

Return: 24th Oct, 2015 - Sunday

Circuit: Bangalore- Nelemangala - Kunigal - Hassan - Sakleshpur - Hanbal - Jannapura - Mudigere (Handpost) - Kottigehara - Charmadi - Ujire - Belthangady - BC Road - Mangalore - Padubidre - Belman - Karkala - Kuduremukha - Kalasa - Mudigere - Belur - Hassan - Kunigal - Magadi - Bangalore

Approximate Kms - 830 (Door to Door) (Solo and none one else )

Drive Report:

So on a Friday Funkykar who has driven to Guntur for a wedding pings me if we can meet somewhere on a Saturday and drive. The plan quickly changes from Hyderabad (via which he was returning) to Mangalore.

As he drives from Anantpur, we sync up at BEL Circle and start driving together around 2pm on the Saturday, solo in his Linea and my Ertiga.

The Traffic:
Extended festive weekend meat traffic was very thick in both directions even on a Saturday. We faced thick traffic towards Hassan but that did not slow us down till we reached Hassan.

Post Hassan till Sakleshpura, it easily took us at least 80 minutes, thanks to thick traffic again in both directions that made overtaking a huge task. Eventually, it was becoming very irritating whenever there was a capsule tanker and around 15 cars tailing behind at 30kmph wanting to overtake. This happened at least thrice in those 35 kms .

Change in course:
Intended route to Mangalore was via Shiradi but we quickly decide to deviate towards Hanbal after Sakleshpur and that was indeed a brilliant decision.

Road from the location where we fork out for Hanbal till Hanbal is Bad to very Bad in some sections. Post Hanbal, they have relaid the entire stretch all the way to Jannapura where it meets Belur-Mudigere Road.

After savoring some neer dosas at Kottigehara we started at 1945 from here and reached Mangalore (Balmatta) at 2200.

How was Charmadi:
Surprisingly, its holding up really well except all the 11 hair pin curves where road surface has given away. But deciding to drive at the last moment via Charmadi was the ultimate decision as the drive was 100% peaceful with almost zero traffic. Post Guruvayanakere till BC road, one or two very small patches are bad but indeed not in a manner that you should decide against this road altogether.

Hotels were all full but thanks to Speedsatya, he helped us manage check-in into a hotel right in the city center. If not, we were planning to drive to Surathkal or return back to Belur!!

We start back again on a Sunday morning after brunch around 1130 and decide to take the Padubidre route to touch Karkala (we had planned to return via Kuduremukha anyway).

Mangalore-Udupi is holding up well barring 2 diversions till Padubidre where we turned right to drive on one of the most fantastic State highways till date (Yes). Padubidre-Belman-Nitte-Karkala is not just good, its BRILLIANT from all aspects!!

Karkala-Kuduremukha-Kalasa-Mudigere:

• Karkala-Kuduremukha is clean with hardly any bad patch that I can recall. Actually there was none.
  
• Kuduremukha-Kalasa has very few bad patches
  
• Kalasa- Kelagure - Javali - Balur is a mix of good (70%), bad (20%) and very bad (10%)
  
• Balur - Kottigehara - Mudigere is all good throughout

Traffic started to build up from Kalasa itself due to temple runs that folks did during the extended weekend. Post Belur, it increased substantially due to cars from Chikmagalur side and post Hassan it was simply havoc! (Pictures will do the talking in the end).

Each toll starting from Shantigrama, Hirisave, Nelligere was clogged very very badly between 1600-1900 and traffic was absolutely mad, irritating, impatient that we decided to return via Magadi after Kunigal and that was again a precise decision.

We deviated from Kunigal for Magadi exactly at 1933 and I was at Vidyaranyapura home exactly at 2107 by my watch. So that's around 1.5 hours and I am very sure looking at the traffic trend and the fact that Googlemaps also showed 3 big jams (Devihalli Toll, NH48-NH4 Junction, NBTL Toll) that may have again consumed 20 minutes each (Thats essentially an hour itself).

Perhaps we ended up doing something that we never do - Drive on a long/extended weekend but few strategies indeed worked in our favor on these 2 days:

• Charmadi Vs Shiradi on onward
• Kuduremukha-Kalasa Vs Shiradi during Return
• Magadi vs Nelamangala during the final leg

Pictorial updates:

The planned FastTag lane (You will wonder how it will be useless during peak hours in pictures later):



The famous Thatte Idly shop that was once inside Kunigal town has now moved to the main highway, before Kunigal bypass starts. For those who don't want to miss this, he still serves the same Idlies at the same price with a better set-up. Otherwise, for your better needs, Swati & CCD are just another 20 kms away.



The beautiful Padubidre-Belman-Nitte-Karkala stretch:





Posing somewhere before Kuduremukha:



Another coffee shop attached to IOCL, Banakal (A lot of Coffee Shops are doing business between Kottigehara - Mudigere - Cheeknahalli alone):



When you are mad about a brand that you want to park your car and cross the road to reach A2B (All this with Kamat and CCD very much on the left side). One word - Madness!! Now you don't really have to complain that Kamat/CCD were so bad that A2B was the ultimate option on a busy week-end!!



We Bangaloreans know how to make our own way - This is proof. We ensured to cover all the gates, even those meant for opposite traffic at every booth. Each one took at least 20 minutes to pass:



Traffic on this Sunday evening resembled outer ring road from Hassan till Kunigal where we deviated right:

[Nempuguru]

Shiradi ghat section was looking fantastic, covered with dense fog and intermittent rain last Sunday evening.

[fusionbang]

Guys need quick update on the road conditions between CR-Patna and Madikeri via Holenarsipura. I will be leaving bangalore in the morning tomorrow.

Usually I take Mysore Road, but due to water logging between Mandya and Maddur stretch planning to take this route to avoid any kind of blocks.

Kindly advise. Thanks in Advance

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by fusionbang

Guys need quick update on the road conditions between CR-Patna and Madikeri via Holenarsipura. I will be leaving bangalore in the morning tomorrow.

Usually I take Mysore Road, but due to water logging between Mandya and Maddur stretch planning to take this route to avoid any kind of blocks.

Kindly advise. Thanks in Advance

BHPian FunkyKar drove to Madikeri on this route last weekend and reported it to be good except very few small patches. I have pinged him to respond here which he should in a while.

In fact, he never complained about the route and it means roads should be driveable without any complaints.

[naut]

Originally Posted by fusionbang

Guys need quick update on the road conditions between CR-Patna and Madikeri via Holenarsipura. I will be leaving bangalore in the morning tomorrow.

Usually I take Mysore Road, but due to water logging between Mandya and Maddur stretch planning to take this route to avoid any kind of blocks.

Kindly advise. Thanks in Advance

I took this route in end-Sep. 27-Sep, 29-Sep to be precise.
Posted my experience in the Banglore Coorg route thread. You can read it here.

Hope it helps! Happy Journey.

[funkykar]

Originally Posted by fusionbang

Guys need quick update on the road conditions between CR-Patna and Madikeri via Holenarsipura. I will be leaving bangalore in the morning tomorrow.

Usually I take Mysore Road, but due to water logging between Mandya and Maddur stretch planning to take this route to avoid any kind of blocks.

Kindly advise. Thanks in Advance

Originally Posted by paragsachania

BHPian FunkyKar drove to Madikeri on this route last weekend and reported it to be good except very few small patches. I have pinged him to respond here which he should in a while.

In fact, he never complained about the route and it means roads should be driveable without any complaints.

CR Patna to Madikeri is pretty good except for some rough patches/pot holes here and there, all easily spottable. Around 700-900mtrs while passing a town (I think it was Ramnathpura). Traffic was pretty less too. I would choose this any day over the maddening Mysore road traffic.

I could drive up there comfortably a little under 5 hours last Sunday with a short breakfast stop at Kunigal for never miss thatte idlis.

[fusionbang]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

I have pinged him to respond here which he should in a while.

Thanks Parag for the quick response

Originally Posted by funkykar

CR Patna to Madikeri is pretty good except for some rough patches/pot holes here and there, all easily spottable.

Thanks Karthik for the update, will go ahead with this route. My XUV should handle these rough patches and potholes pretty comfortably

Originally Posted by naut

Hope it helps! Happy Journey.

Thank you naut.

[naut]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

• Magadi vs Nelamangala during the final leg

Hi Parag,

How's the Magadi road condition for a bike ride? Planning a bike ride tomorrow morning all the way till Swathi delicacy and back. Planning to return via NH-48 (BLR-Magadi-Kunigal-Swathi Delicacy-Kunigal-Nelamangala-BLR). Your inputs will be very helpful.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by naut

Hi Parag,

How's the Magadi road condition for a bike ride? Planning a bike ride tomorrow morning all the way till Swathi delicacy and back. Planning to return via NH-48 (BLR-Magadi-Kunigal-Swathi Delicacy-Kunigal-Nelamangala-BLR). Your inputs will be very helpful.

Excellent. NICE Intersection till Magadi is a biker's delight. You would agree when you get back.

Magadi town has around 2 to 3 speedbreakers but can be easily spotted. No speedbreakers anywhere on this entire stretch between NICE Intersection all the way till NH48 Junction. There is one just before you meet NH48 to warn motorists hitting the junction.

Magadi to NH48 Junction recently got patched too and is a straight one almost for the entire 22 kms before NH.

So go ahead and have a safe and a fantastic one.

[achyu]

Hey Guys,

Just got back day before yesterday from a trip to Dharmasthala, Udupi, Murudeshwar, Gokarna and Jog.

A big shout out to friend and fellow BHPian, Parag Sachania, for helping me decide the best route to Udupi.

I have posted a detailed travelogue here. Hope it is useful to folks looking to make this trip in the coming days.

Cheers

[speedsatya]

Have some updates from today's drive back to bangalore


1- Please slow down when approaching Kamat / Coffee Day / newly opened A2B after channrayapatna ! The divider has been nicely opened without any warning of an intersection. This will be an accident prone spot for sure now on ! And , while I was posting this on the NHAI , I almost ended up witnessing a crash here.

Right lane lovers and regulars on this road are at risk here because no one would expect this U turn/ intersection on this high speed stretch.

So , till the next set of speed breakers come up here , one has to slow down and move to the LHS as soon as you notice the A2B from a distance

2- Bad potholes have come up on both sides of the highway between Mani and the BC road toll. Some of these are deep enough to cause a damaged rim / side wall.

[samaspire]

Originally Posted by speedsatya

1- Please slow down when approaching Kamat / Coffee Day / newly opened A2B after channrayapatna ! The divider has been nicely opened

Nicely opened by the NHAI or by A2B?
Because if it's the latter then isn't there any way we can make the NHAI close it back up.
And it's better if BHPians stop going to A2B because they are endangering lives for profits.

[venkyhere]

Originally Posted by samaspire

Nicely opened by the NHAI or by A2B?
Because if it's the latter then isn't there any way we can make the NHAI close it back up.
And it's better if BHPians stop going to A2B because they are endangering lives for profits.

your Q itself has the answer - it's not uncommon on this stretch - for eg: the opening in front of mayura (old/new/original/duplicate - i dont know) where there will be a guy with a flag standing in the middle. Do you think the NHAI are innocent in this - why is it that "small" restaurants don't have such "openings" ? bigger the establishment, higher the clout for greasing palms.

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by speedsatya

So , till the next set of speed breakers come up here , one has to slow down and move to the LHS as soon as you notice the A2B from a distance

This is something that I hate in this stretch, speed breakers. During my last drive, I spotted two cars rear ended with some major damages. So, not sure if these speed breakers are really serving the purpose.

And surprising part is, even when the divider was there people were willing to stop the car on the other side and take the risk of crossing this road between fast moving vehicles.