Gregg628

Hello everyone, I'm getting ready to leave on a bike trip from Wichita, KS to CA via NM,AZ to CA, up hwy 1 to SF, then hwy 50 east to Denver Co and back to KS. I ran the trip on map quest useing only cities on the way as I don't have exact address's to put in. Map quest came up with 3745 miles. I then Manualy put the info into my Garmin Zumo 550. I realize map quest puts you into the center of a town when selected without an address. My Garmin gave me options, so I picked address's closest to the Hwy I was going through. My Garmin can up with 3027 miles. I tried putting in the garmin address's into mapquest but not much luck as some are just an area I believe. I could see a couple hunded mile difference, but over 700? wow, thats like Wichita to Denver... (597). I'm just trying to figure out wheather I'm going on a 3000 mile trip or a 3700 mile trip. That has a huge affect on how much time I have to "stop and smell the roses" Thanks for any imput

Andy

Mileage difference is probably from the two picking different routes. Or was this using the same route? Did you step through it turn by turn or look in depth at it on the Zumo? If it's a lot of scenic/twisty roads it's usually a bit of work to get a GPS to route on them.

Gregg628

Yea, I think I was more specific with the garman, But I had them both go through the same towns, but wow 700 miles is alot.. Do you think I can trust the garmin over mapquest? or maybe just being alittle more specific on the garman made that much of a difference. I'll be able to check them both as I get a little farther down the road. Leaving 6 or 7am in the morning (Sun). Thanks for the response Andy, hoping to be out your way by tues evening, thanks again : )

Andy

You're probably on the road now but I usually prerun the route on the GPS to confirm it's choice. I bet it routed differently.

DSperber

Just in passing, I've long thought about a bike trip between SF and LA, although it's never come to pass.

I believe I have many times been told that it's best to go in the southerly direction (from SF to LA), because of wind considerations. But I may be wrong.

Anyway, if you have no choice or flexibility here then there's nothing that can be done. But if it's relevant you might want to investigate that notion further.

Andy

I've done both ways. Took a trip down and back to see the flat track races in Del Mar one year. Pretty much 99% backroads there and back. Didn't really notice any difference in wind.

Go for it, you'll have a good time if you stay off the freeways!

Woody469

Too funny Gregg, I am from Wichita as well!!


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Gregg628

Hey all, sorry so long to get back. We were gone 12 days and the emails realy piled up. We had a Great trip, weather was good. Ended up riding 3,986 miles. The Garmin seemed to adjust after we started the ride. Of coure we strayed off course..lol. Had to do some CA freeway traffic, They can have that!! I can see the bennifits of riding south as most turn outs are on the Pacific side. I've heard the PCH from SF north is really a great ride, gonna have to put it on the "bucket" list. We did ride the southern rim of the Grand Canyon, it was indescribably beautiful, it seemed like you could reach out and touch the picture... I loved the Hwy 50 ride from Carson City NV to Ely NV. it was peaceful, lonely and and just what I needed after riding in LA and SF. We met people from all over the world and made new friends along the way Thanks for the imput and safe travels

RemixedCat

A little teaser for my upcoming review that has something to do with mapquest.

They are excellent for starting trips, but not so swift with ending them. A recent trip to King's Island would have put me on a mainenence road instead of the main entrance to the park. I change the STARTING ADDRESS and it gives the proper entry method. LOL.

it was too verbose and long for the leg to columbus, oh. (roads that are .2mi,200ft, etc) where you don't even make a manuver. Totally annoying. Too much clutter to look at. I want clean directions that I don't want to take a second look at and screw things up.

Also made the trip 50 miles longer then needed. and 45 minutes longer ETA. I dealt with NO traffic delays along the way.

sviking

You'd sit there and watch a 3000+ mile trip in simulator mode? That's dedication!

Andy

Not in simulator mode but stepping through the turns and viewing the map. If I was taking a 3000+ mile trip and wanted specific roads, it would be worth the time to do for easy directions once on the trip.

RemixedCat

No that's MADNESS!

[sparta joke]

[/sparta joke]

sviking

I know. The simulator is basically useless on my unit. Can't speed it up and it randomly stops during a route for no reason. If you start it again, it takes off at hundreds of miles per hour, with the screen freaking out, until the speed settles down. Not a big deal, really, because I never use it.

RemixedCat

I used it only once on my garmin and I fell asleep.