[Shanky_1002]

Fab read in trademark Vigsom style- keen attention to detail for all travelogues be it in a train, flight, bus, car, ship or a possible UFO in metaverse. This one has a rare sweet ride as well, too bad I'm in my hometown these days, would love to catch up whenever you're next in BLR.

[Velmurugan]

Hey Vigsom, Good to know about your solo trip and thanks for the details enroute which would be of help to others.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by vigsom

1. Keep a mobile charger compatible with one's phone, and a fully charged Power Bank as a backup. One doesn't want to be lost in unfamiliar territory with little to no habitation
2. Stop every three hours, stretch, visit the loo and move on after 5-10 minutes, instead of pushing for six hours
3. Review the route recommended by GMaps and take a call, especially if the route is moving through internal roads

On the 3 points above:

• Solution to forgetting a charger: keep 4 with you. One at home. One in office (if you can), one with your office/travel bag and last one in the car. This I do without fail. Always works. Also a 12V connector with USB is also a good item to have in the car.
• I always have a checklist of things to pack by the night before. Works like a charm all the time. Even if you think you have planned everything its possible you may have slipped on something. Always good to cross-check. (From basic things like chargers to travel kits to vehicle papers, emission certificates, DL etc)
• On routes: Like I have mentioned many times on this forum, never trust Google. Always use it as a second source only to verify your choice of route. My solution for that has been Google Maps and Garmin both on-board. Works like charm. A day before one can plan the route on a computer, transfer the plan to Garmin (Route = An ordered set of points. A directed Graph Traversal). This always works.
• Break points/hotels/food/water etc you have already mentioned.

All said and done, thrill of a long distance solo is one hell of a feeling! Congrats!

[vigsom]

I did GJ-KA again this month; have a few additional recommendations for food and fuel and would also like to highlight the state of sections of the highway:

Food

1. Vithal Kamat's Manor

This place is located on the service road adjacent to the Manor overbridge. Enough signboards on the highway to guide one there. Good food and neat washrooms

Excellent options even at 11am - although the "lunch" menu wasn't active at that time, almost all items on the breakfast menu were available. I had Misal Pau which was served hot and fast, was just right on spice, easy on the tummy. Poori and Chhole was also well done, although the masala for chhole was not OE Chhole masala. Coffee was also good enough.

2. Amar Only Veg Tavandi

A repeat great experience, although the Misal Pau here was a pale shadow of the one that I had at Vithal Kamat's Manor

3. Kamat Upachar Chabbi a few minutes out of Hubballi

Used the washroom but did not dine here since I wasn't feeling too hungry. The place is neat.

4. Sarvodaya Veg at Chitradurga

Two Bonda soup, veg fried rice that was enough for three persons, two cups of coffee and all it cost was INR260. Unbelievable stuff.

Fuel

1. BP Expressway just after Talegaon Toll Plaza

Originally Posted by vigsom

BPCL Coco just after the Khed Shivapur Toll - the attendant told me to pay by on line OR by cash as the server wasn't working.

A way way way better experience than what I experienced at BPCL COCO after Khed Shivapur Toll Plaza. No waiting time, great attitude, clean dealings and payment via card. No fuss.

2. BPCL COCO Ranebennur just beside the highway

Quick fuss free experience.

Misal Pau at Vithal Kamat's Manor


Vithal Kamat's at Manor




Uppittu at Amar's Veg Tavandi


Highway

This is a summary of my observations around the condition of the tarmac at various sections along the highway:

1. Ahmedabad to Narmada Toll Plaza - Very Good for the most part except for the old bridges on the Vadodara - Ankleshwar sector

2. Narmada Toll Plaza to Palsana - Bad. Watch out for pathetic surfaces on bridges between Kosamba and Kamrej, and for sudden craters on the highway

3. Palsana to around Killa Pardi - Good

4. Killa Pardi to Bhilad - Bad

5. Bhilad to Pune - Good to Excellent

6. Pune to Kognoli - Very Good

7. Kognoli to Dharwad - Varying between Bad and Excellent, but Good for the most part

8. Dharwad to Hubballi - Single road but good

9. Hubballi to Chitradurga - Excellent

10.Chitradurga to Tumakuru - Bad

11. Tumakuru to BLR - Average

[sagarpadaki]

Originally Posted by vigsom

10.Chitradurga to Tumakuru - Bad

I am surprised. This got to be one of the best 6 Lane stretches I have driven on. Of the 120 kms between Chitradurga and Tumkur, the stretch of around 5-7 kms on the outskirts of tumkur is bad with craters. Has the road condition gone bad over the past few months?

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

I am surprised. This got to be one of the best 6 Lane stretches I have driven on. Of the 120 kms between Chitradurga and Tumkur, the stretch of around 5-7 kms on the outskirts of tumkur is bad with craters. Has the road condition gone bad over the past few months?

This section does get its share of bad days once in a while where the top layer gets chipped off and later develops into potholes too. Many times that I have driven, they shut down one side of the carriageway and re-asphalt the broken sections. There have also been occasions where the roads got leveled around culverts and expansion joints fixed on regular basis.

[anandhsub]

Originally Posted by vigsom

9. Hubballi to Chitradurga - Excellent

Davangere to Chitradurga is excellent, but Hubli to Davangere the road surface is very uneven although there are no potholes.