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Old 29th August 2011, 20:40   #1
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Short dash to south. Shorter travelogue.

The week after Independance day was very hectic at work. I had to run up many things before I go on my long trip.
Car was serviced. Got the brake fluid drained and complete brakes checked and ensured they are fine.
All the belts were checked.
Engine Decarb done. Thank god for this!
Got even the coolant changed completely.
Got the car back on a wednesday. It has relatively new set of alloys and tires - done hardly 800 kms. Never tested on the highway yet. Had 1.5 days to ensure everything was ok. Especially since my drives had come to almost nothing in the last 7 months.
And associate with hosts of friends and relatives who sing the same song - time's not good. don't drive. And their clamours started getting louder and stronger after a freak accident earlier.
Friday night - 19th. Reached home at 11 pm. Tossed in a few clothes in to a back pack. Cleaned up the house a bit.
Lesson one - never clean your house before going out on a long trip, especially when you are dead tired. I misplaced my mobile and didn't realise that till 1 am. Went back to the car, drove to the ATM, resigned to the fact that the phone's lost. Later I find my phone on top of the pile of old news papers that were to be sold. 3 am, I sleep, with hopes of a 3:30 am start vanishing.

4 am I wake up and go through my checklist. Lock all cupboards. Remove all plugs. Disconnect gas connection. shut all windows. turn off the mains. Lock the door.
With the cold shower making me fresh in the morning, I connected my navigator and the vehicle black box to head out on a non stop drive from Mumbai to Chennai.

It was fun to drive over the Khandala ghats on a foggy morning.


Lesson two - only men have superstitions. Machines don't. I overcame the fears of bad omens, when I realised this - A car is there to be driven.


Around 9 am, I pull in to Mahendra at Satara. It was breakfast time. Had an extended stay so that both me and my car got ample rest. The route from Satara to Kolhapur is best traversed before the bikers come on road. Thankfully, I managed to do that in quick time. Kolhapur, Nipani, Belgaum, Dharwad, Hubli all went un-noticed.
Lunch was at Kamath after Hubli. It was pouring as I got off. Had to transfer the videos from my blackbox to laptop. So extended break there yet again.
Back on the road, I drove yet again at a steady pace. Stopped at a BP pump 416 kms since Kolhapur where I tanked to the neck. What can a combo of XM1+ with 800 kms on them, proper pressure, Neo alloys, newly serviced, Engine Decarb, lone traveller with 2 bags doing 100 - 110 kph do on this belter of a circuit, which was devoid of truck traffic thanks to the strike? That 416 kms was done with an impressive average of 21.63 km per litre of Motor Spirit.
Lesson 3 - my motor really performed like one possesed by spirit! Be a sedate driver and you will be rewarded.

Around 6 pm I was entering the elevated toll way and took the exit to Nice. Was very happy to see @parag.sachania with his father waiting for me. 2 mins is a lot of time to cherish when you meet like minded persons. Fleeting moments. Thanks for braving the rain and waiting for me. Sadly, his daughter and wife were inside the car across the road. Before I could move there it started pouring.

Lesson 4 - It is not the quantity of time you spent. It is the quality of the person you spend it with. All my tiredness vanished in a moment and I drove in terrible rains towards chennai.
I've seen such rains in coastal karnataka. I've never seen such rains 35 kms before chennai. Speeds reduced from 100 to as low as 40. Visibility was poor. Road surface showed deterioration and there were huge puddles of water all around hiding potentially dangerous potholes. Trucks were all around and slow moving ones near chennai made matters difficult.


I'd driven 1300 kms straight after a 1 hour power nap. However, being passionate about driving and not letting my concentration waver, I managed to get across stretches like this.

Lesson 5 - no matter how arduous the task at hand is, perseverence pays. Never lose sight of the goal. Better still enjoy it.

A little past 18 hours of being on road of which I'd driven almost 16 hours, I knocked the doors at Chennai - in to a home that's 1340 kms away from home.
The highlight of this leg was that I was getting over 20 kmpl on a petrol flair! had to pinch myself before I drifted in to a dream again.
This completes leg 1 of my trip.

Last edited by MX6 : 29th August 2011 at 20:41.
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Old 29th August 2011, 21:04   #2
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Re: Short dash to south. Shorter travelogue.

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Originally Posted by MX6 View Post
I'd driven 1300 kms straight after a 1 hour power nap. However, being passionate about driving and not letting my concentration waver, I managed to get across stretches like this.

A little past 18 hours of being on road of which I'd driven almost 16 hours, I knocked the doors at Chennai - in to a home that's 1340 kms away from home.
That's one heck of a drive. Quite brilliant I would say, but my sincere suggestion is "Don't do that again". Not because you drove all the way (all of us enthusiasts wish to do that) but because you did that with barely an hour's sleep. Whatever it is, I am glad that you reached safe and I am sure that it's going to be an experience of a lifetime.
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Old 30th August 2011, 11:39   #3
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Re: Short dash to south. Shorter travelogue.

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Originally Posted by MX6 View Post
I've seen such rains in coastal karnataka. I've never seen such rains 35 kms before chennai. Speeds reduced from 100 to as low as 40. Visibility was poor. Road surface showed deterioration and there were huge puddles of water all around hiding potentially dangerous potholes. Trucks were all around and slow moving ones near chennai made matters difficult.
Its just the city that gets such rains once a blue moon, around the city it rains cats and dogs. I had a similar experience driving in torrential rains on the same road, but that was Vaniyambadi->Kaveripakkam. I had very minimal visibility for those 100 kms, felt almost like skating all the way. The aquaplaning was so bad, I was unable to control my vehicle and almost hit a Getz on the next lane trying to pass him.

Agreed on the road condition for the last 100 km, doesnt give you a feel its a GQ. Except for 10 km stretch near Sriperumbudur thats patched, rest all have shallow cuts all the way.

What time was this video taken ?

Quote:
Originally Posted by MX6 View Post
The highlight of this leg was that I was getting over 20 kmpl on a petrol flair! had to pinch myself .
You drive without A/c don't you ? I got 19.8 the first trip on my car during its run-in without A/c never got that figure again. Should admit, for a petrol sedan 20 is an unearthly FE
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Old 30th August 2011, 14:10   #4
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Re: Short dash to south. Shorter travelogue.

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Originally Posted by MX6 View Post
The highlight of this leg was that I was getting over 20 kmpl on a petrol flair! had to pinch myself before I drifted in to a dream again.
I am pinching myself while I am reading this. I have managed a max. of 17.6kmpl from my Ikon with a/c mostly on and 4 people on borad with luggage. But still 21kmpl is unheard of mileage.
Kudos to youfor extracting every bit from that darn costly petrol drops.
Please do post some snaps of you car with the new alloys. Looking forward for it. Did you upsize the tyres too? what size?

Quote:
Originally Posted by MX6 View Post
This completes leg 1 of my trip.
Care to enlighten us with your travel plans please. Would help us to know, what's in store for us

P.s: Glad to have you back on the forum , was intrigued by your absence.
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Old 30th August 2011, 17:31   #5
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Re: Short dash to south. Shorter travelogue.

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Originally Posted by Fordmanchau View Post
P.s: Glad to have you back on the forum , was intrigued by your absence.
Same here too. Even I was absent too!

Great run that, keeping in mind that you had a leg injury last year and have been away from long drives for quite some time.
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Old 30th August 2011, 19:52   #6
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Re: Short dash to south. Shorter travelogue.

Thanks for sharing the travelogue.

Are you using any car video camera?
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Old 30th August 2011, 21:13   #7
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Re: Short dash to south. Shorter travelogue.

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Originally Posted by LongDrive lover View Post
Same here too. Even I was absent too!
Wow!! look who's back on the thread, another one from the past
What is this thread becoming, a reunion thread.lol!!!
Glad that even you are back.

@mx6 waiting for more updates.

Last edited by Fordmanchau : 30th August 2011 at 21:16.
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Old 30th August 2011, 21:52   #8
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Re: Short dash to south. Shorter travelogue.

And I was thinking that the 19.xx kmpl that I got once from my Swift was a great thing. And MS, you make it sound so simple driving to Chennai from Mumbai. Nice to see more and more of your videos. What is the storage capacity of the video gear you are using? Does it use SD cards?
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Old 31st August 2011, 14:58   #9
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Re: Short dash to south. Shorter travelogue.

Quote:
The highlight of this leg was that I was getting over 20 kmpl on a petrol flair! had to pinch myself before I drifted in to a dream again.
This completes leg 1 of my trip.
Thats something i never heard before. Flair Petrol with mileage of 21.Just amazing.
I may need few tips from you may be . MY Ikon never crosses 15.

Last edited by GTO : 1st September 2011 at 17:01. Reason: Fixing quote
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Old 31st August 2011, 15:32   #10
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Re: Short dash to south. Shorter travelogue.

all this with 1 hour of sleep. eek.

would love more details of your in car camera. (make/model)
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Old 1st September 2011, 14:13   #11
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Re: Short dash to south. Shorter travelogue.

Quote:
Originally Posted by arvi86 View Post
That's one heck of a drive. Quite brilliant I would say, but my sincere suggestion is "Don't do that again". Not because you drove all the way (all of us enthusiasts wish to do that) but because you did that with barely an hour's sleep. Whatever it is, I am glad that you reached safe and I am sure that it's going to be an experience of a lifetime.
Thanks arvi86. Actually I did it again. on the return journey again. While in the onward journey, I was the only person in the car, the return journey saw my daughter do 1000 kms in a single day. That too under very testing conditions with heavy rains in and around Mumbai region.

Quote:
Originally Posted by narayans80 View Post
Its just the city that gets such rains once a blue moon, around the city it rains cats and dogs. I had a similar experience driving in torrential rains on the same road, but that was Vaniyambadi->Kaveripakkam. I had very minimal visibility for those 100 kms, felt almost like skating all the way. The aquaplaning was so bad, I was unable to control my vehicle and almost hit a Getz on the next lane trying to pass him.

Agreed on the road condition for the last 100 km, doesnt give you a feel its a GQ. Except for 10 km stretch near Sriperumbudur thats patched, rest all have shallow cuts all the way.

What time was this video taken ?



You drive without A/c don't you ? I got 19.8 the first trip on my car during its run-in without A/c never got that figure again. Should admit, for a petrol sedan 20 is an unearthly FE
The video was taken aroud midnight. Thanks to my michelins, aquaplaning was minimal. And can't drive without A/c on highways especially when it pours. My windsheild would get fogged out adding to the visibility issues. Also, without A/C keeping the windows down induces drag and noise. So as much as possible I'm forced to drive with A/C when on the highways.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fordmanchau View Post
I am pinching myself while I am reading this. I have managed a max. of 17.6kmpl from my Ikon with a/c mostly on and 4 people on borad with luggage. But still 21kmpl is unheard of mileage.
Kudos to youfor extracting every bit from that darn costly petrol drops.
Please do post some snaps of you car with the new alloys. Looking forward for it. Did you upsize the tyres too? what size?


Care to enlighten us with your travel plans please. Would help us to know, what's in store for us

P.s: Glad to have you back on the forum , was intrigued by your absence.
yeah. 21 kmpl is unimaginable. I don't think I'd ever get anything above 20 again. Thankfully, there were only 3 trucks I saw on the NH4 between Kolhapur and Tumkur. All thanks to the truck strike. With the roads being so free, it was a nice cruise.
Will put up pics with my new alloys later. Just went for standard 13". No upsizing. I've been very busy with family and work. Hence even my travels were very minimal.

Quote:
Originally Posted by LongDrive lover View Post
Same here too. Even I was absent too!

Great run that, keeping in mind that you had a leg injury last year and have been away from long drives for quite some time.
Not one sir. 2. I broke the same leg at same place again last dec which prolonged my miseries. But yeah, I did take a 2000 kms drive 1 week later with my leg still on cast. Welcome back to you too.

Quote:
Originally Posted by sumannandy View Post
Thanks for sharing the travelogue.

Are you using any car video camera?
I have a 2 channel vehicle black box. Happy with the videos. But the bundled s/w has kept me sad. Still trying to figure out how to use the s/w.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fordmanchau View Post
Wow!! look who's back on the thread, another one from the past
What is this thread becoming, a reunion thread.lol!!!
Glad that even you are back.

@mx6 waiting for more updates.
2nd part of the 3 part log will come up later this evening. Thanks for the welcome.

Quote:
Originally Posted by pjbiju View Post
And I was thinking that the 19.xx kmpl that I got once from my Swift was a great thing. And MS, you make it sound so simple driving to Chennai from Mumbai. Nice to see more and more of your videos. What is the storage capacity of the video gear you are using? Does it use SD cards?
Micro SD card. 4 gb card stored up to 5 hours of video at the best video setting. I have over 700 clips of my travel. Just posting select ones.
And 1340 kms from mumbai to chennai is indeed not an easy task, especially when you have just 1 hour nap the previous night. But for a drivoholic, once he hits the roads, nothing else matters! What say fellow drivoholics?

Quote:
Originally Posted by amit_3306 View Post
The highlight of this leg was that I was getting over 20 kmpl on a petrol flair! had to pinch myself before I drifted in to a dream again.
This completes leg 1 of my trip.
Thats something i never heard before. Flair Petrol with mileage of 21.Just amazing.
I may need few tips from you may be . MY Ikon never crosses 15.[/quote]

I never rev my car. 100 - 110 is the speed limits I usually drive. I don't downshift while overtaking. I overtake only when I feel that I can do the manouver safely in my 5th gear at the same speeds I'm doing. Else I wait for a proper opportunity by maintaining safer distance at slower speeds. I downshift to 4th gear only when I go below 50 kph on highways. till then it is always the top gear. Then I use System G. Always maintain correct tyre pressures.
Normally I get 18 - 19 on my highway drives. This time the figure went up thanks to the truck strike keeping the highways completely free. Also I was alone in the car with hardly 40 kilos of baggage in the boot. Engine Decarb helped a lot pushing up the figures. And I'm sure I might never get this mileage again as significant reason was the absence of the trucks as I feel.

Quote:
Originally Posted by govigov View Post
all this with 1 hour of sleep. eek.

would love more details of your in car camera. (make/model)
Will post shortly Govigov.

2nd part of the 3 part log will come later in the evening. Thanks for the warm welcome friends.

Last edited by MX6 : 1st September 2011 at 14:15.
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Old 1st September 2011, 19:32   #12
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Thanks arvi86. Actually I did it again. on the return journey again. While in the onward journey, I was the only person in the car, the return journey saw my daughter do 1000 kms in a single day. That too under very testing conditions with heavy rains in and around Mumbai region.
Good that you had your daughter for company in the return journey. And I hope that you had ample sleep atleast before you started your way back.
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Old 12th September 2011, 22:32   #13
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Thanks all for the patient wait.

Here's first half of part 2 of the triology.

It was a get together of all sorts in Chennai. I took my brother around Chennai to all our old hang out places. Some parts of the cities haven't changed a bit. One day we just decided to go over to Mahabalipuram. My daughter and neice had a lot of fun there on the shore temple and the beach. We went to have dinner in Radisson at Mahabalipuram and found that though the waiters wear Dhotis they don't serve Tamil saappadu there. Hence decided to move out after some nice time in the resort (highly recommended for a weekend relaxation trip) and went over to Raintree at Mary's road (behind the great Nagesh's house). Roof top restaurant offered panoramic view of the city. Food wasn't anything great to write about though. And beware of the mosquitos.

Then one day we just decided. Let's go to Tanjore.
My brother laughed it off. Tanjore? by drive? how are the roads? can we just do it without any plans?
Well, I just drove from Mumbai to chennai.

Ok here's the plan. 3.5 hours to trichy, if we leave now before the traffic hits. then we drive to tanjore and go to the Big temple. Then we can stay there for the night and then take it as it comes.

We got delayed in leaving and left home eventually by 5:45 pm.

We'll run in to heavy traffic I grumbled. it was 9 pm when we eventually crossed Potheri. Then on it was a belter of a circuit. My brother wanted to drive the last 100 kms as he found it irresistable. I pulled over and handed over the keys to him. And he drove the next 100 kms. We reached Trichy by midnight and went searching for a place to stay. I took a wrong turn while going towards the station and ended up in Malai kottai. Then we found our way back and checked in to Chendur residency. Worth the stay. Nice hotel with clean toilets.

Next morning we left at 11 am after a sumptuous breakfast (complimentary). 12 noon we pulled in to Tanjore and parked the car opp Big temple.

Here are a few pictures on a perfect day for photos.

The entrance.
Short dash to south. Shorter travelogue.-2.jpg

The famous Tanjore paintings. Restored.
Short dash to south. Shorter travelogue.-3.jpg

Every painting has a tale to tell.
Short dash to south. Shorter travelogue.-4.jpg

That's my brother followed by my daughter, then my neice and finally my wife. The lawns were very inviting to the kids on a hot afternoon when the sun was over head.
Short dash to south. Shorter travelogue.-5.jpg

Which is more vast? The big temple or the sky? Or is it Shiva in whom all the 5 elements reside?
Short dash to south. Shorter travelogue.-6.jpg

The view that stays etched in our memories!
Short dash to south. Shorter travelogue.-1.jpg

Concluding half of part 2 of this trilogy will come up tomorrow.
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Old 13th September 2011, 05:55   #14
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Re: Short dash to south. Shorter travelogue.

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Originally Posted by MX6 View Post
The view that stays etched in our memories!
Attachment 608549
Beautiful pictures MX6
It is impossible to not get stupefied by the grandeur of Brihadeeshwarar Temple at Thanjavur. Trichy, Tanjore and Chidambaram temples is one of the first long journeys I did in Adventure. Thanks for sharing your travelogue. I am very nostalgic now.

I struggled to capture the vastness of the temple when I went there in 2006. Here's my attempt with my p&s . I hope you don't mind my sharing a few pictures on your thread...

Short dash to south. Shorter travelogue.-2041801220061521351sqwqxe_fs.jpg

Short dash to south. Shorter travelogue.-2486903640061521351xgkdhp_fs.jpg

Short dash to south. Shorter travelogue.-2071144190061521351mpbmah_fs.jpg

Short dash to south. Shorter travelogue.-2234758040061521351vjofoz_fs.jpg

Last edited by akbaree : 13th September 2011 at 06:02.
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