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**The Monk** · 01-16-2017, 01:48 PM

Re: Amchein Goa: An Impromptu Mangalore to Goa Solo Ride!

Travelogue Approved

**koolsantosh22** · 01-16-2017, 09:32 PM

Re: Amchein Goa: An Impromptu Mangalore to Goa Solo Ride!

Nice ride and Video. Rest of the log.....ASAP

**Kevin Russel Sequeira** · 01-16-2017, 11:36 PM

Re: Amchein Goa: An Impromptu Mangalore to Goa Solo Ride!

Coming back to the day of the ride, traffic was sparse at that early hour and I could cover the distance till Surathkal NITK Toll Plaza in a little under half an hour with some sedate riding. Nervousness was still at its peak and the fear of the unknown loomed large. However, as the first rays of the sun started filtering in and the trip meter started climbing north, all these elements of fear, anxiety and nervousness started vapourizing and the excitement of riding to Goa made me sideline all these thoughts.

The road from Surathkal to Kundapura is in top notch condition, four-laned all the way, save for a 3-4 kilometer stretch in and out of Padubidri town. Cruising at 100-110kmph wasn’t a problem for the AS200 with such roads on offer. Just before the road converged into a shabby two lane obstacle course at Padubidri, I speed-matched a Mangalore-Udupi-Kundapura Private Express bus at 105Kmph! These coaches are locally built after procuring the chassis from manufacturers, and for such a bus to be doing speeds in excess of a ton seemed a bit too much for me to swallow. Wonder what these local Schumachers and Rossis would do, if, God forbid, they were to pilot a Volvo or a Scania on these routes?

With the road transforming from being a smooth four-laned to a bumpy two-laned one at Padubidri, my pace reduced to a measly 30-35kmph. A cracked or bent alloy was the last thing I could afford while heading on a 350+ kilometer ride. This crawl lasted for the next 3-4 kilometers after which the highway gets back to its past form; smooth, four-laned, and with proper service roads. I was contemplating a 90-minute ride from Mangalore to Kundapura and with the super low density of traffic on the highway, I cruised past the numerous diversions that lead into Udupi city and reached Kundapura town at 07:30.

A word of caution to anybody planning to ride/drive along this stretch. Road manners are mostly non-existent. People jaywalking across the road, driving on the wrong side to save a few precious milliliters of fuel and what not!

Just after Kundapura

Stopped for a break after crossing Kundapura town. The highway from Kundapura to Byndoor is in pretty rough shape. Uneven surface and narrow lanes coupled with the marauding 6+ wheelers, can give you the thrill of a lifetime. However, the four-laning work is progressing fast and at this pace, the entire NH66 from Mangalore to Karwar could be a four-laned road in the next 4-5 years. Trailing trucks and buses, I rode at a relaxed 50-60kmph for the most part until Byndoor. Wanted to stop by the Maravanthe beach to click some pictures but decided against it to save time and vowed to do so while returning; alas, that didn’t happen either.

After Byndoor, the construction work has been completed in patches and the lane in use was freshly asphalted. This meant that I could cruise at 80-90kmph for some time until signs of approaching a major town were apparent. Somewhere before Bhatkal, traffic intensified and it was yet again, a crawl behind slow moving cars and autos. Exiting the urban limits, the traffic became manageable and I sped past the arch of the Murudeshwar temple at around 09:15. Roads were good after Murudeshwar for the most part, albeit with a lot of diversions. The Konkan Railway line runs beside the highway from Murudeshwar to Honnavar. At 09:50, the Sharavati Bridge was in sight and I pulled over near the bridge for a break.

Sharavati Bridge, Honnavar.

That should be enough for now. Will type the rest of the travelogue soon.

The vlog accompanying this part of the travelogue:

**vikhattangady** · 01-17-2017, 10:09 AM

Re: Amchein Goa: An Impromptu Mangalore to Goa Solo Ride!

Ah! The Konkan Highway. What a treat.

My hometown is just a few km after Bhatkal. A small town called Shirali.

How I would love to do this entire stretch by bike (Kanyakumari <-> Mumbai). Got to do the Honnavar-Goa stretch on bike when I was participating in the Dakshin Dare rally last year.
The entry into Goa is such a sudden change after the fast highways up to Karwar.

Too bad that you could not take any Marvante pics. Beautiful stretch of road that, which unfortunately has fallen victim to 'development'. With the new highway bridge under construction, once it is completed, people will just zoom by without even realising what they are missing.

I am sure you had a great ride. Looking forward to the rest of the log

**Kevin Russel Sequeira** · 01-17-2017, 11:31 AM

Re: Amchein Goa: An Impromptu Mangalore to Goa Solo Ride!