Onward
Bangalore - Hassan - Shakeshpura - Dharmasthala - Belthangandy - Manipal - Udupi - Malpe Beach
Left home @ 8:00AM, reached Malpe Beach around 6:00PM. Rediculously slow since I went through Dharmasthala unnecessarily. Thanks to one of the guy who suggested this route ! Also, stopped at several places to ask for driving directions.
Return
The best route was on return -
all clean & faster roads.
Malpe Beach - Mangalore [outer] - NH 48 ghat - Shakleshpura - Hassan - Bangalore
Left the resort @ 7:30AM, reached home @ 4:30PM. Few stops were unnecessary, just for switching places, baggages, rearranging the seats, etc ... Meanwhile, the DVD didnt work. But, yeah, cant help while travelling with 2 kids
Drive was simply awesome. While returning, I clearly felt that I wasted 2 years of my Safari ownership without going through these kind of roads.
More than the Madras highway, Safari suits the best these kind of GHAT sections.
Excellent feel on the wheel, very stable all through the bends, ramps [both up and down] and did it in a decent speed through'out the ghat section of about 160+ KMs.
My wife shot some video while returning through the ghat section. I will share after some editing.
This beach trip is so special to me !
For the
first time in my 4X4 ownership, I took my Safari to the beach [not exactly to the water though], just around the beach sand where I tried the 4L mode. Initially, I started with 2H itself and I thought, it pulls nicely in 2H itself.
Once I am in middle of the sand, I switched to 4L, then started driving. Wow ! It was so nice and could feel the difference immediately b/w the 2H and the 4L in terms of vehicle strain [not sure, if I am putting this right].
In 4L mode, from the moment I left the clutch in 1st gear, vehicle started moving smooth, then, the 2nd gear, had good power. I didnt try for a long stretch since the resort guys were kind of telling "if you get stuck, there is none to pull it out" though I did see a couple of tractors, etc ... Anyway, didnt take a chance, thanks to my family
But, yes, I did it
after 2 years of Safari ownership.
Again, have a video clip, will share it after a simple edit. I am planning to add the Safari music to it. Lets see how it comes out.
Few observation
1) In few up-ramps in ghat section, I went past a little beyond 3K RPM in 3rd gear. Oh My GOD, Safari pulls like anything ! I never did that before.
2) Usually, in 4th gear, I dont go beyond 85/90KMPH post which, I will change it to 5th just to keep the RPM around 2K. In few stretch around Hassan where there are a couple of ramps, I went till 100 KMPH in 4th gear. Again, the same feel of pull.
3) Maximum speed I reached was 140 KMPH [as per ODO] and it was in 5th gear where it just touched 3K RPM. I am not sure if I remember this right. I somewhere thought 3K in RPM would reach around 150+KMPH.
Can any Safari buddy confirm this ?
Overall, the drive was
very satisfactory, comfortable and no complains from anyone inside the safari !
More importantly, moment I reached home @ 4:30 yesterday, me and my wife felt like returning from office, but not like a 9 hours travel. We were right on time for the "May day" special Tamil movie [NANBAN, remake of 3 IDIOTS] in "Vijay TV" and settled well.
I rest.
Prem.