GQ Drive: 2vehicles, 4meets, 5bhpians, 6days, 13states, 6000KMs.

zen91 · 2nd January 2009, 09:39

Congrats!!to the entire team on their great endeavor.

Very good narration and exciting travelogue.

hvkumar · 2nd January 2009, 09:41

Day 2: Bombay-Behror

Let me add some info on Day 2 Drive route.

Starting from Maharashtra (MH), we travelled across 3 States, the others being Gujarat (GJ) and Rajasthan (RJ).

The route passes through Vapi (GJ)(large chemical industrial zone), the busy Vapi-Baroda road being one of the busiest traffic corridors in the country. Keep your windows firmly closed when you cross Vapi and Ankleshwar, the chemical stench can hit you hard and the smog rolls down menacingly.

All large towns are bypassed, and the smaller villages have elevated roads/overpasses, plus barricades to keep out the miscellaneous traffic.

You cross the River Tapi after Surat, and River Narmada after Ankleshwar.

The drive through MH was smooth and the usually-traffic-jammed Virar Toll Gate was clean and empty. Some bad patches of road between Ghodbunder and Virar, but nothing to cry about.

From Surat, roads are being widened which means lots of switch-backs, but roads are very good. For most part, you are driving on 4-lane roads. The 3 Flyovers under construction in Surat Bypass can be time-busters in case you do not plan your transit in the early morning.

The Vapi-Baroda leg sees 24x7 heavy traffic without any respite. Most of its is local truck traffic, but also lots of inter-state long-distance trucks going to Delhi.

Surat is 18 kms inside the bypass, so you won't get to see anything of Surat. You won't see much of Baroda too, since you drive on a 35-km bypass. We did see a plane landing on Baroda airport whose perimeter is off NH8.

There are lots of eateries on NH8 in MH, but they become poorer and poorer as you get into GJ. Please check out my log book (when it is uploaded) for details.

The expressway from Baroda to Ahmedabad is probably one of India's fastest - we did the 87 kms in 45 minutes, and also has sparse traffic. The 2 Reliance petrol stations (one at either end, only one in your direction of travel can be accessed, there are no breaks in the divider) still have their A1 Plazas running, although the pumps themselves are closed down. So, in case you have to refuel, please do so before you leave Baroda bypass, else you have no filling station for the next 100 kms.

You can keep steady high speeds on the expressway. Speed limit is 100 kmph (for sake of comparison, 80 kmph on the Pune-Bombay expressway).

You need not touch Ahmedabad city or the Ahmedabad Bypass - you can exit onto the Sardar patel Ring Road and enter NH8 some distance down that. There are petrol stations on SP Ring Road.

The NH8 from Ranasan Circle is conventional 2-lane road for 10 kms till you reach the Chiloda Circle.

As you drive from Ahmedabad to Himmatnagar, you cross the Tropic of Cancer 11 kms before Himmatnagar town. The town has hotels and petrol stations.

The ghats start after Shamlaji, on the GJ-RJ border. RJ has cheaper diesel, so you have lots of petrol stations on the border. These are the Aravalli mountain ranges.

Mobile connectivity was good throughout.

I paid by credit card for fuel at Ankleshwar and Udaipur Bypass.

Udaipur is bypassed on a narrow 2-lane road, at the end of which you have to turn off NH8 onto NH76 towards Chittorgarh. One can also travel on NH8 via Nathdwara and Ajmer but that is 2-laned only.

The drive from Udaipur to Kishangarh is one of the fastest, and has the least facilities.

Chittorgarh bypass is incomplete, and please remember to check the log book on instructions how to navigate the town to be on track - you will switch over to NH79 inside town. Signages are poor.

At Kishangarh, you rejoin NH8 and start on the super-fast Kishangarh-Jaipur expressway. Kishangarh is the centre of the white marble industry, Makrana being just 40 kms away (Makrana supplied the marble to the Taj Mahal).

kpzen · 2nd January 2009, 10:17

Incredible Achievement . Keep the pics coming.

Cheers

mav2000 · 2nd January 2009, 10:38

Wow this thread is getting better, 5 stars and keep it coming guys, its really a good read.

hrag · 2nd January 2009, 11:02

Some photos from Day 2 from my camera:

Kumar & Mahesh come to a halt on the side to photograph this

GQ Drive: 2vehicles, 4meets, 5bhpians, 6days, 13states, 6000KMs.-img_0473.jpg

It turns out to be smoke from a chimney!

A much needed break - the Safari all lit up

GQ Drive: 2vehicles, 4meets, 5bhpians, 6days, 13states, 6000KMs.-img_0474.jpg

The famous milestone

GQ Drive: 2vehicles, 4meets, 5bhpians, 6days, 13states, 6000KMs.-img_0477.jpg

Can Shahnawaz miss these tyres?

GQ Drive: 2vehicles, 4meets, 5bhpians, 6days, 13states, 6000KMs.-img_0482.jpg

Cables for truck ICE?

GQ Drive: 2vehicles, 4meets, 5bhpians, 6days, 13states, 6000KMs.-img_0485.jpg

What exactly is this?

GQ Drive: 2vehicles, 4meets, 5bhpians, 6days, 13states, 6000KMs.-img_0486.jpg

And this?

GQ Drive: 2vehicles, 4meets, 5bhpians, 6days, 13states, 6000KMs.-img_0490.jpg

Somewhere in Rajasthan

GQ Drive: 2vehicles, 4meets, 5bhpians, 6days, 13states, 6000KMs.-img_0494.jpg

The CR-V has a cab image in RJ

GQ Drive: 2vehicles, 4meets, 5bhpians, 6days, 13states, 6000KMs.-img_0497.jpg

Like Usahalli - no corners to worry about

GQ Drive: 2vehicles, 4meets, 5bhpians, 6days, 13states, 6000KMs.-img_0503.jpg

mjothi · 2nd January 2009, 11:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by hrag

Why are the pictures not showing up?

Good question... did you post any extra-curricular activities pics

btw, may be you have uploaded the pics and waited for long time before hitting the submit button.

Try again, there are so many fans waiting to see those nice pics, so keep them coming.

sudev · 2nd January 2009, 11:14

Is it me or the pictures are missing and links do not open.

HappyWheels · 2nd January 2009, 11:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by sudev

Is it me or the pictures are missing and links do not open.

You have company!

Seems like the images have got goofed up. Needs to be 'reloaded'.

EDIT: And now they have been fixed. Thanks, Hrag!

hrag · 2nd January 2009, 11:32

Pictures are now visible. Refresh and ye shall see.

sumanth_mk · 2nd January 2009, 12:26

Superb! Awsome !...Keep them coming

smsrini · 2nd January 2009, 13:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by hrag

What exactly is this?
Attachment 84370

As the banner on the mobile says, its the Sound stage of a Brass Band that typically plays in Marriage Processions or 'baraats' The mobile carries the generator, amp, speakers, and other electronic apparatus for a true mobile ICE !

snaronikar · 2nd January 2009, 14:01

@ Khan: The accident photo: I feel somebody put a huge rock on to the centre of the car.

MJ & Khan: We are still waiting for pics of extra cirricular activities.

Kandisa · 2nd January 2009, 14:03

What a drive and what an initiative! Simply mindblowing. Experience of a lifetime for sure.
-Best regards,

deky · 2nd January 2009, 14:09

Its been great reading the thread so far, hats of to you guys for putting into action and completing such an enduring trip, which most of us can only think of doing in our dreams.
It was wonderfull meeting you guys and hoping to see you again in Feb.
Keep the pics flowing

snaronikar · 2nd January 2009, 15:11

Ummm...this seems to be hilarious.

good pic Khan.

2nd January 2009, 09:39	#91
zen91 BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 202 Thanked: 42 Times	Congrats!!to the entire team on their great endeavor. Very good narration and exciting travelogue.
	() Thanks

2nd January 2009, 09:41	#92
hvkumar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 7,369 Thanked: 3,463 Times	Day 2: Bombay-Behror Let me add some info on Day 2 Drive route. Starting from Maharashtra (MH), we travelled across 3 States, the others being Gujarat (GJ) and Rajasthan (RJ). The route passes through Vapi (GJ)(large chemical industrial zone), the busy Vapi-Baroda road being one of the busiest traffic corridors in the country. Keep your windows firmly closed when you cross Vapi and Ankleshwar, the chemical stench can hit you hard and the smog rolls down menacingly. All large towns are bypassed, and the smaller villages have elevated roads/overpasses, plus barricades to keep out the miscellaneous traffic. You cross the River Tapi after Surat, and River Narmada after Ankleshwar. The drive through MH was smooth and the usually-traffic-jammed Virar Toll Gate was clean and empty. Some bad patches of road between Ghodbunder and Virar, but nothing to cry about. From Surat, roads are being widened which means lots of switch-backs, but roads are very good. For most part, you are driving on 4-lane roads. The 3 Flyovers under construction in Surat Bypass can be time-busters in case you do not plan your transit in the early morning. The Vapi-Baroda leg sees 24x7 heavy traffic without any respite. Most of its is local truck traffic, but also lots of inter-state long-distance trucks going to Delhi. Surat is 18 kms inside the bypass, so you won't get to see anything of Surat. You won't see much of Baroda too, since you drive on a 35-km bypass. We did see a plane landing on Baroda airport whose perimeter is off NH8. There are lots of eateries on NH8 in MH, but they become poorer and poorer as you get into GJ. Please check out my log book (when it is uploaded) for details. The expressway from Baroda to Ahmedabad is probably one of India's fastest - we did the 87 kms in 45 minutes, and also has sparse traffic. The 2 Reliance petrol stations (one at either end, only one in your direction of travel can be accessed, there are no breaks in the divider) still have their A1 Plazas running, although the pumps themselves are closed down. So, in case you have to refuel, please do so before you leave Baroda bypass, else you have no filling station for the next 100 kms. You can keep steady high speeds on the expressway. Speed limit is 100 kmph (for sake of comparison, 80 kmph on the Pune-Bombay expressway). You need not touch Ahmedabad city or the Ahmedabad Bypass - you can exit onto the Sardar patel Ring Road and enter NH8 some distance down that. There are petrol stations on SP Ring Road. The NH8 from Ranasan Circle is conventional 2-lane road for 10 kms till you reach the Chiloda Circle. As you drive from Ahmedabad to Himmatnagar, you cross the Tropic of Cancer 11 kms before Himmatnagar town. The town has hotels and petrol stations. The ghats start after Shamlaji, on the GJ-RJ border. RJ has cheaper diesel, so you have lots of petrol stations on the border. These are the Aravalli mountain ranges. Mobile connectivity was good throughout. I paid by credit card for fuel at Ankleshwar and Udaipur Bypass. Udaipur is bypassed on a narrow 2-lane road, at the end of which you have to turn off NH8 onto NH76 towards Chittorgarh. One can also travel on NH8 via Nathdwara and Ajmer but that is 2-laned only. The drive from Udaipur to Kishangarh is one of the fastest, and has the least facilities. Chittorgarh bypass is incomplete, and please remember to check the log book on instructions how to navigate the town to be on track - you will switch over to NH79 inside town. Signages are poor. At Kishangarh, you rejoin NH8 and start on the super-fast Kishangarh-Jaipur expressway. Kishangarh is the centre of the white marble industry, Makrana being just 40 kms away (Makrana supplied the marble to the Taj Mahal). Last edited by hvkumar : 2nd January 2009 at 09:45.
	() Thanks

2nd January 2009, 10:17	#93
kpzen Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Faridabad Posts: 5,611 Thanked: 1,879 Times View My Garage	Incredible Achievement . Keep the pics coming. Cheers
	() Thanks

2nd January 2009, 10:38	#94
mav2000 BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 622 Thanked: 315 Times View My Garage	Wow this thread is getting better, 5 stars and keep it coming guys, its really a good read.
	() Thanks

2nd January 2009, 11:02	#95
hrag BANNED Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Bangalore / Madras Posts: 1,982 Thanked: 32 Times	Some photos from Day 2 from my camera: Kumar & Mahesh come to a halt on the side to photograph this It turns out to be smoke from a chimney! A much needed break - the Safari all lit up The famous milestone Can Shahnawaz miss these tyres? Cables for truck ICE? What exactly is this? And this? Somewhere in Rajasthan The CR-V has a cab image in RJ Like Usahalli - no corners to worry about Last edited by hrag : 2nd January 2009 at 11:18.
	() Thanks

2nd January 2009, 11:14	#97
sudev Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 3,856 Thanked: 3,229 Times	Is it me or the pictures are missing and links do not open.
	() Thanks

2nd January 2009, 11:32	#99
hrag BANNED Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Bangalore / Madras Posts: 1,982 Thanked: 32 Times	Pictures are now visible. Refresh and ye shall see.
	() Thanks

2nd January 2009, 12:26	#100
sumanth_mk BHPian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: ಕರ& Posts: 45 Thanked: 3 Times	Superb! Awsome !...Keep them coming
	() Thanks

2nd January 2009, 14:01	#102
snaronikar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 2,845 Thanked: 30 Times View My Garage	@ Khan: The accident photo: I feel somebody put a huge rock on to the centre of the car. MJ & Khan: We are still waiting for pics of extra cirricular activities.
	() Thanks

2nd January 2009, 14:03	#103
Kandisa Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Noida Posts: 1,118 Thanked: 559 Times View My Garage	What a drive and what an initiative! Simply mindblowing. Experience of a lifetime for sure. -Best regards,
	(1) Thanks

2nd January 2009, 14:09	#104
deky Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Jaipur Posts: 1,194 Thanked: 1,251 Times	Its been great reading the thread so far, hats of to you guys for putting into action and completing such an enduring trip, which most of us can only think of doing in our dreams. It was wonderfull meeting you guys and hoping to see you again in Feb. Keep the pics flowing
	() Thanks

2nd January 2009, 15:11	#105
snaronikar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 2,845 Thanked: 30 Times View My Garage	Ummm...this seems to be hilarious. good pic Khan.
	() Thanks