Chennai to Coimbatore RoundTrip !

young_traveller

Hi all,
It is really nice to share my travel experince with you all..

I have done Chennai to Coimbatore round trip.

Earlier planned to Ooty, but due to time constraint,chnaged the plan on the way.

Details:
Bike Used: TVS Victor GL
Distance covered : 1100
Petrol used: 19 liters
Milege: 58kmpl
Average speed : 70-80 Kmph

Day1: Aug 7th 2009:

Started from my office around 1 pm in noon.
Tanked up the fuel @ OMR and started towards poonamalle. My ODO meter reading was 46720 km.

As my mobile was in low battery, i thought to purchase mobile charger on the way, and also i was in hungry,idecided to have

lunch @ my favourite briyani shop called "Arcot Briyani" in Porur(poonamalle trunk road),
But as it was friday, that shop remain closed and also not able to get charger. Then i had chicken fried rice in a nearby
restaurent.

After 30 mins,resumed the journey. After passing Poonamalle , Again tanked up petrol and did tyre air pressure check.Then
Headed in chennai- Bangalore NH.Initially i was going in the speed of 60 kmph , then realised that if i go in this speed i will not reach my destination on time.
so geared up to 75kmph to 80 kmph. Passed thru Spriperumpudr toll gate - sunguvarchatram - kanchipuram By pass -walajapet By pass - Arcot Bypass - Vellore city.

I thought to take rest for some mins at the outskirts of vellore , but not able to find proper shop for cool drinks,so
passed thru pallikonda,Ambur toll gate,Ambur.At Ambur stopped infront of a small shop. Had cooldrinks,face wash after 10 more mins resumed again.. Went thru vaniyambadi, bargur.

Before reaching Krishnagiri, Again fueled up the tank. Reached Krishnagiri around 5.45 pm. Exactly at Krishnagiri junction,
if you take right u will reach Bangalore which is only 100 km apart, if you take left it will take you to salem or coimbatore or madurai or kanniyakumari.I took left and procedeed towards Dharmapuri. I need to tell you about both NH-46(CHENNAI- KRISHNAGIRI) and NH-7(Krishnagri -Thoppur). Both are amazing 6-lanes road which wide enough and very good in quality,

No pathholes found in my jouerny strech. Still i maintained 70 to 80 kmph speed there are lot of yellow flowers on the road
seperator space near to dharmapuri whih is very scenic.
went thru Dharmapuri by-pass, then comes real accident zone called Thoppur Ghat road section, there were lot of speed
breakers in that places to avoid speedy vechicles(i.e cars and bikes). i saw one van got collided against roadside steel wall
structre, its Driver cabin badly damaged.

After seeing this, i concluded myself that , ya its really accident zone. Here i saw a SETC Ultra Deluxe Bus which goes to Marthandam( near kanniyakumari,Trivandrum) from Bangalore. There were so many
trucks parked nearby Thoppur toll gate on main road itself, not even on service road, due to this only most accidents happens.

Now i had a dilemma, from here do i have to take right which leads to mettur or proceed straight to salem. But i decided to take mettur road . Took right and then halted for some time in a tea shop. Remember After Ambur, now only i am
taking my second break after a long distance. i had face wash, to refresh myself, had a tea now that time was around 6.45 pm.

Before parking my bike sunset was happening, while i started again after a 2 km, suddenly it became dark night as it Hilly forest area..
And about the road it is 2-lanes State Highways road. Due to darkness and 2 -lanes, i really had to slowed down to 40 to
50kmph.

It is very difficult to drive in hilly forest area at night with no vechicles around you and no pillion rider. This route is
somewhat less traffic route. But i had encounterd problem with oncomming vechicles, at one place oppsite side there were 4
head lights i spotted, even though, i have shown him signal like don't overtake, using Hi-Low of head light, he didn't mind
it all, both those are comming in very high speed paralelly, when they approached me,, i had to apply break and got down
from road,my heart beat increased, both are Buses, God.

Now i understand that why so many accident happens in 2 -lane road at night time compared to 6-lane road. My eyes were burning due to dust and flash light... i was really going cautiously, and i managed to reach Mechery, now it was time to park my bike for attending a call from my home. Intially i thought to cover up the full distance till coimbatore in the same day. but chnged my plan to stay overnight at mettur due to darkness and 2-
lanes road.

proceeded towards mettur from mechery.Follwed a tanker lorry which carried Aviation Turbine Fuel(might be to coimbatore airport), Finally Reached Mettur Dam Gate.
Stopped the bike on side and had a nice view of Cauvery River water stored in stanly reservoir(thats wat mettur dam known as). It was nice view at the cool night. Then start descending from small hill which has 3 to 4 hairpin bends to mettur town,Crossed over the Cauvery River Bridge(nice view)

Now i am in a need of Accomodation in Hotel,so almost slowed down,alocal guy who came behind me in pulsar, asked me where do u want to go?, i said i need to find a good hotel for overnight stay, He asked me like, bangalore la irunthu varenngala?(r u comming all the way from bangalore?), i replied, illa chennai la irunthu,That guy wondered r u comming all the way from chennai all alone?.... Then he shown me a hotel called Krishna near Square market.

Before checking in, i checked my wallet, it contained Rs.400 only,so i enquired Hotel manager about where is the ATM nearby.
He said As the bank emplyees r in strike,All ATM s are running out of cash.Now i really got frightened,Don't have enough
money in hand.ATM are not working,i Dont know anybody in that place, anyway i tried Indian Bank ATM, no cash, now i got more

frightened,Finally heard there is ICICI Atm near by Mettur Super Service(MSS) Travels, went there, and asked watch man,
whether cash is available in machine, He said 2 times they Refilled, now cash is available.. Then only i got relief breath.
Took money and thanked him and Checked into a single bedroom.

Hotel manager asked, if u want to have dinner, go and have it soon, else all hotels will be clsoed as it was around 10 pm.
I was in mettur for a training with Mettur thermal power station about 7 years back when i was in college, during that, we friends gone to Madurai Muniyandi vilas Hotel and had a very very tasty Non- veg lunch, Muniyandi vilas is famous for Non-veg. So i enquired abt the hotel location.

It was walkable distance from there...
I asked whether briyani is available, it is for lunch only, they said.. I ordered 4 oothapams. they provided it hot along
with chicken kuruma, it was really yummy and tasty . They were preparing Hot and nice parottas also, so many ppl waiting for
parcel.. place is very gud and i wud strongly recomond this hotel for NON-veg lovers...

After nice dinner , had some walk , then returned back to hotel , saw my bike parked in lobby which is also in sleepy mood
after long travel..
After watching tv FOR QUIET A SOME TIME.went to bed, and fallen asleep. Deep sleep......Gud sleep..... Day 1 is going 2 be
end here

Day 2: Aug 8th 2009

My mobile alarm woke me up at 6 am. then i got ready within 6.30 am said good bye to hotel manager and left towards BHAVANI...
i was searching for tea shop. Found one on the outskirt, had a nice morinig coffe. started again travelled thru
Guthirai kaalmedu , ammapettai.

In ammapettai, if u take right , it take you to
Anthiyur,sathyamangalam,bavani sagar,sirumugai,mettupalayam,o oty. this is ooty route, But i took straight which joined in BHAVANI from Bhavani, joined in salem - coimbatore 6 -lanes(90% work completed), newly laid roads. After passing perundurai, i stopped to make a call, the place where i stopped had poultry farm, saw there were lot of chickens insde a cages making noise, it was nice.

After some distance toll road ended, 2 - lane road started. It given me tough as the traffic was high..i saw around 20 more
places on the road where the yellow round mark indicated, Ithu vibathu nadantha idam (Accident happend in this point).. So realised so many accidents happens if it is 2 - lane road, and if it is high traffic, and mostly happend while overtaking....
So RIDERS bE AWARE.....

Passed through Perumanallur-AVINASHI,then Reached outskirt of coimbatore, saw the Lakshmi Machine works(LMW) plant on the way.Reached Coimbatore around 9 am.Saw many known places like coimbatore medical college,PSG ARTS&SCIENCE COLLEGS(good looking girls),PSG Engg college, Arvind Eye hospital,Peelamedu Airport,THE LAKSHMI MILLS(very big one)..

Had Breakfast, then Headed
back to G.D Naidu museum on the same avinashi road. One thing we need to tell about this man G.D NAIDU.. He is like thomas alwa edission of india.. He invented so many thing. He studied upto 3 rd std only but became scientist and lived as an
example to others,, Museum contains his inventions and others, It is really worth visiting place,I really salute him on his knowledge and kindness.... spend more time in this..

Then proceeded to Maruthamalai on the other end of city.. Gud temple of lord muruga. saw tamilnadu agricultural university. Had shopping at cross cut road in Gandhipuram, then for Lunch i found Angannan Briyani shop( This is famous briyani shop in coimbatore), which is located Variety Hall Road Behind Railway station and Head post office.

Briyani tast is very good but quantity is small.. Had Nice Lunch.Intially i planned to stay overnight in coimbatore and
return on next day, but due to some personal work at chennai, i have been forced to return on same day itself to chennai.

I took same route...This was 12 hours journey.. nearing mettur, rain started pouring, it was nice to drive in the rain after long drive in hot. near mettur rain poured heavier. so i took shleter on a petrol bunk, when it was drizzling, i decided to go and see Mettur thermal power station(MTPS) where i had training 7 years back.After crossing Cauvery suspension bridge, saw the majestic cooling towers, chimeny. parked infront of MTPS at tea shop, had hot tea in drizzling, My training days started rolling down in my memory. then headed back to Thoppur,

Here i saw the same SETC bus from Bangalore to Marthandam(near kanniyakumari,trivandrum) which i saw yesterday at same time and same place( i have mentioned this in starting of this travalogue), mETTUR TO THOPPUR road was amazing to drive as
it sorrounds with hills. After passing dharmapuri by pass, rain again started pouring heavily,

so i again took shleter at road side shop, where the lady enquired me, where r u going? when i told coimbatore to chennai, she wondered and told as it is going to be dark soon, please drive carefully,i saw the kindness of tamilians. i thanked her and left .

Reached krishnagiri. from there as it was dark it was difficult to drive even in 6 - lanes, so follwed a TNSTC (Tamil nadu state Transport Corporation) bus goes to vellore.
i follwoed this till vaniyambadi, then my own driving comes in handy.. Stopped there for refreshment Reached Vellore.

At vellore over-bridge, i had a near miss, when i climbing down from bridge, i have continously blown horn and moving, but
didn't notice ppl crossing the road, 3 peopls crossed the road lethagically, when i approached them nearby , put my shoes on
break,unfortunately we all escaped, i have intervened those 3 ppl in a small gap, which i never imagine, even those people
got shocked..But cars keep going in 120 - 150 kmph i guess, they were flying like flights.. from vellore to chennai took 2.5
hrs on rainy roads..

Finally reahced Poonamalle by-pass around 12.50 pm. reached my home aorund 1 pm. after Dinner i had
nice sleep. Before that i thanked my bike for bringing me safe without any trouble and mechanical failure..... Really it was
nice Experince... You can feel free to share with me any comments and suggestions on this to here itself or mail me by e-mail.

I ma Plannig to have full roundtrip of border- boder tamil nadu trip(Chennai - Pondy -Chidambaram - Vedharanyam -
Veilankanni,Rameswaram - Tuticorin - Thiruchendur - Tirunelveli - Nagarkovil - Kanniyakumari - Trivandrum - Punalur
-sengottai - Rajapalayam - Theni - Munnar - Pollachi - Top slip -VaalPaarai - Coimbatore - OOTY -SATHYAMANGALAM - METTUR - KRISHNAGITI -VELLORE - CHENNAI) in near future, whoever willing to join with me, can share with me ur intrest an details of plan....Awaiting to hear you all...

e-mail: young_traveller@indiatimes.com

vko

nice write up!

arunganpath

Young traveller, nice write up.. you brought my memories back travelling from Mettur to Coimbatore for almost 5 years when I was working there.. Great route and great days...

Krishna Hotel at Square Market and Mettur Super Service.. Oh.. thanks mate..

prabu29

Dear young_traveller,

Very good narration.

I belong native of METTUR. Presently in Mangalore for past 6 years. You have recollected all my memories in mettur like MSS(Iam a frequent traveller in MSS to chennai when iam working in chennai), Square market, Krishna lodge, Muniyandi villas parota, MTPS, Stanley dam, Indian bank (ICICI recently opened).

I use to come in my car almost monthly twice from chennai to mettur via the same route you narrated (Vellor, dharmapuri, mechari...Mettur).

Thanks man....when i read the narration i feel like i was travelling with you.

__________________
PRABU

snonymous

Interesting report. You actually rode all the way from Chennai to Coimbatore and back just for the ride sake !

__________________
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young_traveller

Hi prabu, thanks for your valuable comment!!!! It really gives me immense plasure that my fellow mate felt like he was driving with me while he read it.... Sorry for no pictures, i hope you recollected all your known places in mettur. isn't it?... Will u be intrested in round trip?

young_traveller

Hi Arun. Thanks for ur Real feeling upon reading this travalogue!! Ya it's good route from mettur to coimbatore. But sad part is 2- lane road between avinashi - coimbatore.. It is really accident making narrow road.. I had more tender cocunut between bhavani - mettur... Let's enjoy life and nature on its way!!!!

dineshpkm

Hi Young Traveller

nice narration.
When i go in this route, i take a very weird route from Mettur to Coimbatore,
tHE ROUTE IS
mETTUR-aMMAPETTAI-Andhiyur-Athani-Gobi-Kurumandur-Nambiyur-Puliampatty-Annur-Coimbatore.

Gobi-Puliampatty is virtually no traffic route when considering avinashi route

young_traveller

Hi Dinesh!!
Thanks for ur considerable comment!!. I have taken earlier thru mettur - ammapettai - Anthiyur -Athani -Gobi - Bavanisagar Dam - Sirumugai - Mettupalayam - Connoor - OOTamcaud(OOTY).. ya it is realy very less traffic, mostly local private and govt buses ans some local people vechicles used to ply.... But Route is very scenic... Athani - Gobi it will pass thru Really Greeny paddy fields, u feel like u r in heaven. And another best part is Between Bhavanisagar - Sirumugai u have to pass thru Real forest Area!!It is gud to be there....

My Sincecere Advice To All Readers, Please ever avoid night travel esspecially in 2- wheelers in 2 - lane narrow roads, unless otherwise u r 200% sure about every Bit of that Route, Because u will never Judge Where pathhole comes or some animal or local ppl can cross the road lethagically, that u might not able to see due to head light brightness of opposite side vechicle comming.... Have a nice Touring Guys!!!

young_traveller

Hi snonymous!! Gud 2 see ur cooment!! Actually i planned it for OOty with overnight stay there and exploring Unknown nature's beauty, but unfortunately it had been to coimbatore, anyway it was also very nice moments in coimbatore where i saw many unknown places and ppls... Anyway r u basically from tamilnadu? if possbile let me know about u and ur intrests...u can share with me young_traveller@indiatimes.com or hereitslef....

Near future i am planning for roundtrip of Border - Border Tamil nadu Trip(which i mentioned in my Writeup itself)... If you also wud be intrested in joining with that, then share with me in deatils.... Have a nice Touring....

theyyamdancer

__________________
"Wandering seemed no more than the happiness of an anxious man." - Albert Camus

BHARAT_A

THATS REALLY COOL...
HI Guys, I too drove from chennai to coimbatore


Mine is a Pulsar 150 cc...
started off here at perambur at 6.30pm and reached Coimbatore at 3am...


that was one circuit which i enjoyed a bit, no much...
breaked at 5 places. sengalpattu, vilupuram, salem, erode, avinashi, for teas and smoke. the best part it i kept irritating a volvo from salem to coimbatore got passed the volvo while entering salem. then volvo's driver was surprised when i crossed it with 113-115kmh, that excitment was just for 2-5 mins as i slowed down to 80-90 and he WISSSHHHHED me and dissapeared, i wonder that volvo might have averaged 100km/h GREAT. here with bike its hard to average 85-95km/h. however i managed to get to coimbatore just after volvo reached there hardly 10-20mins late. :-)...
While starting at chennai it was very hot, but entering coimbatore at early morning it was VERY CHILL, which was a happy climate for the bike as it has run for hours together, but made me highly uncomfortable as i coudnt rise more than 30km/hr. thats one reason im late than that volvo heading to coimbatore, had to take hot teas every 20 km... to keep me going thru the chill breeze, ( dint have jerkins )...

reached home at 3am...
next day had a made my bike to treck , yap gone up to OOTY, WoW..
its amazing place to be on bike...
had real fun climbing down....
as you can turn off ur engine and still race down, iam surprised when it raised to 70s and 80s without the ignition...
might raise even more but you have hair pin bends to cut off your speed down.

***NOT A GOOD IDEA TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE AS YOU ALLWAYS HAVE TO KEEPS THE BRAKES ENGAGED, BETTER IGNITE TEH ENGINE AS THEY WONT ALLOW THE WHEEL TO SPIN FASTER THAN THE RPM***

Earlier have closed
CHENNAI TO TUTICORIN IN 18 HRS (650KMS) -3 TRIPS
MADURAI TO TUTICORIN IN 2HRS (130 KMS) - 15 TRIPS
COIMBATORE TO MADURAI IN 3.30 HRS (230KMS) - 2 TRIPS
TUTICORIN TO RAMESHWARAM IN 3 HOURS (180KMS) - 50+ TRIPS
COIMBATORE TO OOTY IN 2 HRS (91KMS) - 2 TRIPS

AS OF NOW MY TOP SPEED IS 115, heard about people racing more than 130km/hr !!!



Left the bike there at coimbatore, and back to chennai to work now...