[quadra]

Always wanted to do a solo trip and last weekend my thought were put into the right place - the blr Chennai highway.

preparation (A day before)
1. Fuel - check > tanked for 1500 at BP outlet
2. Tyre pressure - check > got the tyre pressure checked @ 30 PSI,
3. Cash - check > withdrew some cash for emergency purpose,
4. Batteries - check > recharged camera & cell batteries
5. Food - forgot to take food (for emergency) later regretted a lot.
6. Clothes - Check > packed few clothes for the weekend.
7. Water - Check > got 1 liter bottle.
8. Music - Check > Rock, Punjabi, Bollywood (yeah, i listen to all)
9. Clean the windshield - check > cleaned it late in the night before sleeping to avoid delays when starting off next morning.

Its weekend time:
Cleaned the windshield at 11pm so slept at around 1ish. Usually alarms dont work for me, but it worked this time. Got up, dragged myself from the bed, gathered last minute stuff (i thought i packed it all), took a shower and i was now walking towards my car. It rained that night so the 11pm windshield cleaning process was flushed. since it was drizzling, i decided to leave it as it as and use a wiper.

Put all my stuff (stroller) in rear passenger leg room & it fit perfectly between the co-driver and rear passenger seat. The backpack was placed on the co-driver seat. Started the car, took some CD's out (was giving time for car to warm up) adjusted the ORVM and then started off.

The drive:
I must say that blr-chennai highway is an awesome place to driver your wheels

...to be continued


The weather

[Rahulkool]

Nice start mate, looks like weather was really good. i have done this stretch many times. once did the complete to and return in a day.

[prince_pervez]

The first pic is superb. Looks almost like it is treated with some PS magic. The smile on the Sparky makes me smile too. 11 PM to 1AM to wipe a windshield ? Ah, you meant all the cars in the parking lot right ?
Good start. Waiting for more.

[quadra]

Originally Posted by Rahulkool

Nice start mate, looks like weather was really good. i have done this stretch many times. once did the complete to and return in a day.

Thanks for the reply RahulKool. The weather was just awsome upto chennai

Originally Posted by prince_pervez

The first pic is superb. Looks almost like it is treated with some PS magic. The smile on the Sparky makes me smile too. 11 PM to 1AM to wipe a windshield ? Ah, you meant all the cars in the parking lot right ?
Good start. Waiting for more.

Thanks for the reply PP. I am using a sony cybershot DSC-W5 Point & shoot cam.
The above pic was edited in microsoft office picture manager - auto correct + resizing & nothing else. Glad you liked it.

I meant i cleaned the windshield at 11pm, went to bed at 1am..lolz

Will post more now / tomorrow morning

PS: When copying files from sony cam to my pc, its giving an error message "access denied to <file name>, make sure the disk is write protected...."
O/s - winXP
Admin rights being used by default.

Before i was able to transfer the files without hassles. Any advice ??

[gadadhar]

I hate driving solo for long drives, looks like you enjoyed the solo drive, was it by choice?

[Pr_007]

Wow I really love long drives especially with a lovely climate, good music and a good car.

You cant beat it man. The feeling of freedom, enjoying every moment of the solitude listening to those romantic soft numbers. Chill breeze with a little drizzle hitting your face...

You just can't beat it.

[aargee]

First trip will always be a memorable one & good that you've recorded it; I did few solo trips that includes trip from Chennai to Bangalore, Kochi, Trivandrum, Thiruvannamalai etc; but since none of them are recorded, I find it hard to even recall (may be I even forget sometimes in future). Anyway, good that you've enjoyed & penning down here.

[MX6]

I love solo drives. Gives a lot of personal time! what do you do to clean your windshield?

[quadra]

Originally Posted by gadadhar

I hate driving solo for long drives, looks like you enjoyed the solo drive, was it by choice?

It was really fun since the weather was just awesome up to Chennai. To add to it the highway was just beautiful.

Originally Posted by Pr_007

Wow I really love long drives especially with a lovely climate, good music and a good car.

You cant beat it man. The feeling of freedom, enjoying every moment of the solitude listening to those romantic soft numbers. Chill breeze with a little drizzle hitting your face...

You just can't beat it.

You said it perfectly buddy, nailed it.

Originally Posted by aargee

First trip will always be a memorable one & good that you've recorded it; I did few solo trips that includes trip from Chennai to Bangalore, Kochi, Trivandrum, Thiruvannamalai etc; but since none of them are recorded, I find it hard to even recall (may be I even forget sometimes in future). Anyway, good that you've enjoyed & penning down here.

Off late i have started this habit of taking pics on anything that feels like i would want to remember later.

Team-bhp has given me a good knowledge and it was my time to return the favor by sharing my experience.

Originally Posted by MX6

I love solo drives. Gives a lot of personal time! what do you do to clean your windshield?

O yeah, solo drives are fun if you have a combo of good car + good climate + good music.

Sprayed it with a lot of water from the bucket, took my old T-shirt, cleaned the windshield of any visible foreign particles. Splashed it again with water, this time cleaned it with news paper. Looked pretty well.

Rocky mountain



Clean green playground



View from my balcony See that fog ???

[aargee]

Did you take the pic from the bridge before Vellore (towards Chennai), where all of a sudden, one feels that the road is leading to green mountain? That's an awesome scenic.

[Amalraaj]

Hi Quadra
Did Chennai-Bangalore solo and returned to Chennai the same day last week and had a great time on my lovely i10.The weather was almost the same but couldnt take any snap as i was not carrying my camera along(it was an unplanned trip).The small hillocks just before krishnagiri was half surrounded with mist and what a sight it was.Wish i could do one more trip on the same route.and

[quadra]

Originally Posted by aargee

Did you take the pic from the bridge before Vellore (towards Chennai), where all of a sudden, one feels that the road is leading to green mountain? That's an awesome scenic.

I think i did take a pic...

[ampere]

Originally Posted by aargee

Did you take the pic from the bridge before Vellore (towards Chennai), where all of a sudden, one feels that the road is leading to green mountain? That's an awesome scenic.

I think that is near Vaniyambadi before you hit the toll.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by ampere

I think that is near Vaniyambadi before you hit the toll.

Exactly; its a beautiful scenic when driving over the bridge & one thinks that they're going straight to mountains. Though I'm more than comfortable on that road, everytime I pass this way, I still feel like stopping for a moment & enjoy it but alas!!! I cannot do that, so the least I do is, take the foot off gas pedal enjoy the scene momentarily & keep driving. Also, it could be my feeling though, it takes less time to drive from Bangalore to Chennai rather than Chennai towards Bangalore. Well, I don't intend to point out the Hosur hills, I mean even the stretch from Chennai-Krishnagiri also.

[ampere]

This can be enjoyed if you start early morning and dont stop on the way for food.
I mostly stop for one caffeine shot at CCD for 5 minutes.

(At that hour rest of the places are anyway closed).