[mobike008]

Ever since I got the White Annihilator there was a thought lurking at the back of my mind that I need to take this monster out for a long spin on roads where it actually belongs and not just dabble it on city roads where it feels so out of place. Thus, an idea for a long drive began taking shape couple of months ago. My first choice was Himachal which i have been visiting each winter from last 2-3 years. But, it soon enough got shot down

After thinking for a while, reality dawned on me such tortourous terrain cannot be tamed in this low slung car so we quickly finalized the next destination which we havent visited till date-Rajasthan

Initially wanted to do just Rajasthan and back to Hyderabad. But, if only wishes were horses. Wifey wanted to visit her parents in Delhi as we were so close. This became a chain reaction and My cousin's wife who hails from Meerut wanted to visit her hometown. Thus, our roadtrip which was meant for a straight north westernly direction got mangled to a haphazard graph chart veering from Hyderabad to North-West to North-East and further upwards.

Womenfolk agreed to this roadtrip only if they are permitted to fly back instead of accompanying us in car. As there was a lot of resistance for this entire idea in the begining, We happily agreed and with these conditions laid out we chalked out our plan in such a way that after Rajasthan trip, wifey gets dropped in Delhi and we moved ahead to Meerut where my cousin's wifey gets dropped and his BIL joins us to some destination ahead of Meerut.

A few basic trivias of this entire trip

Duration : 16 days (Dec 24'2010-Jan8th'2011)

Approximate number of hours behind the wheel : ~ 110 Hours

Total Number of Kms covered : 5600kms

Approximate Diesel consumed : 430 Litres of diesel
(We havent been taking serious logs of each fill but, is based on a rough average of 13kmpl)

Approximate Toll Amount Paid : Rs.2500 (70% on Gujarat and Rajasthan sector)

As this was almost like 3 different holidays for me. Broke up the details in three different legs for easy outlining

First Leg of our Trip




Odo reading at commencement of this trip



Steed used for this roadtrip



Entire group who enjoyed this roadtrip

[MileCruncher]

Good the saga has started. Bring it on!

[mobike008]

There was a lot of assistance received from RanjitP and Rajesh Rawal for directions and places to stay etc. Ranjit was insistent that I make an early start of 3:30AM.

But, that thought itself was shocking as never got up at such unearthly hour and knew with a couple of small kids it was near impossible to make such an early start.

Also, as is the case with everyone, even we were excited and couldnt sleep till 1:00AM and finally we started from home at 5:15AM and picked up my cousin and his family and then realized we forgotten the hotel booking print-outs. So we headed back home and hurriedly got the print-outs and finally headed out from my home at 5:40AM.

We all were chatting excitedly and planning ahead for the day including where we will stop and when we should be reaching our next desitation which was Ghodbhandar some 730kms away.

Our first pit stop was at Humnabad at that popular dhabad around 7:30AM for a hot cuppa.

Then onwards the focus slipped in and our mind was constantly on targets that we had set upon ourselves in terms of destinations to reach at pre-defined times.

We passed the Solapur bypass at 9:30AM mentally prepared to dole out Rs.100-Rs.200 to the cops who usually stop other state registered vehicles and harass them until their palms are greased. Thankfully, maybe it was too early even for them as the nasty duo were not present.

Open roads from Hyderabad-Solapur inviting with arms wide open



White Annihilator resting at Humnabad Dhaba ( Not that it needed any rest)

[bantejas]

Oh! you were the one whom we saw on the Jodhpur-jaisalmer stretch! Alas I don't have the tbhp sticker on my car. Will try to get one soon!

[Fordmanchau]

Pandeyji, in hindsight I was waiting for your travelogue. I was thinking of PMing for your updates on the road conditions from Hyderabad till Solapur, as i remembered that you would have taken this trip in Dec. This travelogue couldn't have come on more apt time.
Great photos to start with.
Did you really touch Solapur by 9:30 a.m? I mean, did you drive fast or it can be done by my Ikon driving at around 90-100kmph ?
How is the road condition till Solapur?
Actually this weekend we are planning a trip to Shirdi and around. Your updates would be very handy!!
And yeah!! eagerly awaiting the snaps. Must have been a good stretch out for your White Annihilator.
Wishing you a belated Happy new year!!
Also

[ASHISHPALLOD]

oh! you were the one whom I saw on Indapur-Pune stretch zigzagging at 120 km/hr behind innocent truckwallas !!!


Looking forward!!!!

[raghu230506]

Nice start and teasers there.

Keep rolling, Cruze looks stunning in the pics.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by bantejas

Oh! you were the one whom we saw on the Jodhpur-jaisalmer stretch! Alas I don't have the tbhp sticker on my car. Will try to get one soon!

You saw us but, we took a picture of your car as well. Isnt this your car? Do confirm.

During the entire trip, your car was the only one that we spotted that flaunted a southern state registration.

[Rajesh Rawal]

Awesome! Bapu Aan de bhai Aan de (Let it flow)

Also realised i am struggling to get to the 200 posts mark.

Any way my presence on shifting gears be added to my total?

[bantejas]

yup! thats us (me and my wife)!!! The feeling is mutual here about the southern registration!!

Originally Posted by mobike008

You saw us but, we took a picture of your car as well. Isnt this your car? Do confirm.

During the entire trip, your car was the only one that we spotted that flaunted a southern state registration.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by Fordmanchau

Did you really touch Solapur by 9:30 a.m? I mean, did you drive fast or it can be done by my Ikon driving at around 90-100kmph ?
How is the road condition till Solapur?
Actually this weekend we are planning a trip to Shirdi and around. Your updates would be very handy!!

Thanks! We could have touched Solapur even earlier but, our pitstop at Humnabad got longer than scheduled ( which we realized as our trip proceeded that it cannot be controlled too much)

BHEL to Sangareddy is a breeze with a divider all through and after that single road but in good condition with sparse traffic.

Until Solapur the road conditions are not bad at all. Hyd-Solapur can be easily doable in 4 hours. In your case, probably 4.5 hours if you too make an early start from home.

For rest of the route until Shirdi. You can check with Maharastra NHAI's Head- Ashish Bhau

Originally Posted by ASHISHPALLOD

oh! you were the one whom I saw on Indapur-Pune stretch zigzagging at 120 km/hr behind innocent truckwallas !!!

You got the speed wrong. You mistakenly added a 0 to that number

Solapur to Pune sector is probably the 3rd worst sector that i drove during my entire trip and that's saying a lot as i am comparing with some hellish roads of UP and Madhya Pradesh

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by ASHISHPALLOD

Indapur-Pune stretch zigzagging at 120 km/hr

Originally Posted by mobike008

You got the speed wrong. You mistakenly added a 0 to that number

Oops, keypad of my laptop mistakenly slipped the dot.
It should be 12.0 km/hr rather than 120 km/hr.
Keypad of my laptop knows that speed of Avi's car never goes below 100 km/hr.

[akshay4587]

Nice trip you had there,and we need more
Btw,from the GPS Plot\Trail,i wonder,where did you encounter snow?
Edit:Just saw that this is the First Leg

[Fordmanchau]

Originally Posted by mobike008

BHEL to Sangareddy is a breeze with a divider all through and after that single road but in good condition with sparse traffic.
Until Solapur the road conditions are not bad at all. Hyd-Solapur can be easily doable in 4 hours. In your case, probably 4.5 hours if you too make an early start from home.
For rest of the route until Shirdi. You can check with Maharastra NHAI's Head- Ashish Bhau

Thanks a lot Pandeyji, my leave request for 14th just got shot down. The trip now looks doomed.
Heading back to Ashish bhau,MX6, jeepster and others for "if-possible" salvage on the hyderabad-shirdi thread started by you. :(

[MohsinRoadster]

Another Rajasthan Log. looks like a lot of guys doing this place this season.
Good stuff.