[Damu]

Originally Posted by yamraj

Hey Damu!

I chanced on your travelogue while searching for a good Bangalore-Goa route. Extremely well written and interesting :-).

We plan to do a trip next week to Goa by car and will probably do the same route as you guys did.

- Y

Hi Yamraj,

Thanks for the appreciation! Glad you liked it. I hope by now the road between Chitradurga and Haveri is done up.

Have a great drive and holiday!

[yamraj]

The diversions are much lesser now. In all I guess we encountered about 6-8 diversions. The roads are much better too though there are places where the road height suddenly changes. The flyover over Chitradurga is ready and we crossed it in about 5-7 minutes :-).

[Damu]

Originally Posted by yamraj

The diversions are much lesser now. In all I guess we encountered about 6-8 diversions. The roads are much better too though there are places where the road height suddenly changes. The flyover over Chitradurga is ready and we crossed it in about 5-7 minutes :-).

Hello Yamraj,

Thanks for that update, it's good to know that that section is being completed. My neighbour also read my report and took the same route last week, he also said it was improved.

[autoenthusiast]

Great article mate... ! Thanks, this is very informative, I'm driving to Bangalore next week and intend to take the same route...

[Damu]

Originally Posted by autoenthusiast

Great article mate... ! Thanks, this is very informative, I'm driving to Bangalore next week and intend to take the same route...

Thanks autoenthusiast.

In fact, we are doing the same trip tomorrow. Two vehicles - our friends' mHawk Scorpio (same Scorp!) and an OHC Honda City.

I will fill in updated route information in this thread on Monday when I'm back in Bangalore.

[Yamahead]

I was expecting these iron ore trucks but surprisingly there were none this trip, both to and fro.

Where does the Sirsi road lead from? If I take Ankola Sirsi, will we miss the forest at Kirwati? Really love that drive.

Regards[/quote]

This is not exactly Iron ore territory.The ores from Hospet and Bellary either get loaded into railway rakes or are transported thru the NH4/ NH4A route. This route is relatively free of iron-ore trucks.
If someone takes Sirsi, one can join the NH63 sometime after Yellapur,just before the Arbail ghats.Else the easier and the "regular route" is to drive from Sirsi to join the NH17 20kms before Ankola ( on Mangalore side) Did my engineering in Hubli so NH63 was a regular ride on my Yamaha Rx135.
Hope my memory is serving me right.

[Damu]

We went again this same route last week, leaving Bangalore on 29th June and returning on 3rd July.

Route update:

The NH4 from Bangalore to Hubli is nearly done. There are still some stretches in progress. Chitradurga to Davangere is over, although the toll gates are just getting ready. So no tolls yet on that section, but probably it will be started in a month or so.

Warnings:

1) About 25 kms before Davangere (travelling from Bangalore), there are a few really bad speed breakers. These are not marked well and the speed hump signs are almost at the speed breaker itself. So be careful around that section. When I went there (DVG) in March in my Fiesta, I was caught on one and it was bad. This time, I was aware and kept a close watch and so was able to slow well in time.

Route advice:

1) Diversions. There are at least 3 as I recall. Two are railway bridge construction diversions. I am giving the co-ordinates here (in order from the Bangalore side):

a) N14 40.040 E75 33.561
b) N14 45.557 E75 26.301

So, about 1 km either side of the points are on diversions.

2) Then there is a section of the GQ that is still single road. It is about 10 kms in length, I think, maybe less. IIRC this is about 40 kms after Davangere towards Hubli. Didn't get the co-ordinates, sorry!

Food, toilets, etc.

In my post last year I had recommended the Khalsa Punjabi Dhaba, near Hubli, but now it's gone bad so it's best avoided.

There is a Kamat Upachar just around there at the Reliance A1, and that's good. Food and toilet.

Kamat Upachar Reliance A1 co-ordinates: N15 11.118 E75 08.247

Not sure if the Reliance bunk here is operational, but I think it is, because I recall last year this Kamat was closed as the bunk was closed. Now Kamat is fully functional, so probably the bunk is too.

After that there's not many places for food and toilet, but between Chitradurga and Sira we did find this place which is quite good for food, toilet, and fuel. We tried a plate of idli and it was fresh so we then had masala dosas and were pleasantly surprised. Good place, recommended.

HP outlet called "Toppers" HP Food and Toilet NH4: N13 50.474 E76 44.019

There is some road deterioration in and after the Kiriwati forest, minor monsoon potholes that will keep you on your toes!

Not much else I can recall in the Karnataka section, except that the Bangalore-Nelamangala toll route is of course functional, but the queue lined up at the toll gate at Nelamangala on Sunday evening was frightening!

In the Goa section, the road from Cancona to Madgoan is done up completely and is very good now.

Couple of screen shots of my GPS:

1) Bangalore to Goa:





2) Goa to Bangalore:



Not sure why there's a 60 kms difference between the two. Maybe the GPS lost power sometime on the return journey and I didn't notice. (I fell asleep for some time). My wife's foot kept hitting the 12v power cord which is at low level in the rear, and knocking it loose, so likely it lost power for a while when the battery was also low.

Incidentally, this was in the rear bench seat of the mHawk Scorpio SLE (the second row), and it was comfortable enough to doze well. No uncomfortable roll in the new Scorp! And, even as an owner of a Fiesta 'S', which has no body roll, I say this Scorp is comfortable!
.

[sami316]

Dear Damu,

Thank you for updating this Travelogue with the latest road conditions. The information given here will be of really help in planning trips to Goa. If possible, please post a few pics as well.

[BulZire]

Thanks for the update.

Originally Posted by Damu

Warnings:

1) About 25 kms before Davangere (travelling from Bangalore), there are a few really bad speed breakers. These are not marked well and the speed hump signs are almost at the speed breaker itself.

One of these speed breakers gave my Dzire a very bad hit when i did Bangalore-Goa in December, But nothing serious.

[motorpsycho]

The is a new restaurant coming up just after the Dharwad, called Sai Aranya. Don't know if it's started. It's locted just after the Hubli-Dharwad bypass ends from the Dharwad side.

There is also a Dhaba called "Mini Punjab Dhaba" near Kundgol cross, will have to take a diversion to get there. I am unable to locate the same on google map. The food here is good ,but clean toilets is doubtful.

Cheers

[autoenthusiast]

Hi Damu, thank you very much for the detailed update on your route. I'm driving to Bangalore next week and will keep an eye out for the speed breakers after Devangere. Shall also post an update on my route once I reach Blr.

[Damu]

Originally Posted by sami316

Dear Damu,Thank you for updating this Travelogue...
The information given here will be of really help in planning trips to Goa...
If possible, please post a few pics as well.

Hi Sami, Glad it was of help.
I'm sorry Sami, but I didn't take any pictures at all this trip while travelling :(

Originally Posted by BulZire

Thanks for the update.
One of these speed breakers gave my Dzire a very bad hit...

Thanks BulZire. Those speed breakers are going to get quite (in)famous it appears! Yes, I too was lucky my Fiesta didn't suffer any damage!

Originally Posted by motorpsycho

The is a new restaurant coming up just after the Dharwad, called Sai Aranya.It's locted just after the Hubli-Dharwad bypass ends from the Dharwad side.

Thanks motorpsycho, I think this does not come on the Hubli-Ankola section?

Originally Posted by autoenthusiast

Hi Damu, thank you very much for the detailed update on your route. I'm driving to Bangalore next week and will keep an eye out for the speed breakers after Devangere. Shall also post an update on my route once I reach Blr.

Hi autoenthusiast, glad you found it useful. In fact because of your earlier post, I noted the GPS readings at certain points of diversions.

Especially I wanted to warn fellow members of the terrible speed breakers as in my Fiesta I was caught unawares (due to poor signage). I also couldn't do emergency braking as there were some vehicles behind me and so was forced to brake normally.

[autoenthusiast]

Thanks Damu, a quick question, which GPS are you using ? I haven't seen those screenshots on MapMyIndia GPS.

[Damu]

Originally Posted by autoenthusiast

Thanks Damu, a quick question, which GPS are you using ? I haven't seen those screenshots on MapMyIndia GPS.

I'm using Garmin Nuvi 265WT, it has the screenshot option.

[floyd]

Great post. I am now motivated to plan to trip to Goa soon! Love Goa, epsecially the North part which is so vibrant always. Now after seeing this post I realize that I can get beach & forests in the same vacation, so must go soon!