Map help

[cpaharley2008]

I'm having trouble planning a cross country trip using google/mapquest because one or the other use distance and or time but not both. I need a trip planning website that displays both distance and running time so I can get an idea in planning stops. Does anyone have any suggestions for trip planning websites they use that tell you time traveled plus miles traveled? thanks

[Byron Kinnaman]

Trip Planning?????
I have found that trip planning does NOT do any good. Things change along the way. With no plans you can stop at the obscure museum you just saw a sign for. Planning on staying in one place for a few days, and it either too hot or rainy, time to move on. Road construction slows you down. Setting plans to be anyplace on such and such day and lead to trouble. You'll want to drive on when you're tired. It becomes a goal that MUST be met.

We've gone to New Orleans from Salem a couple of times and never had plans, other than we'll get there eventually.

When traveling I think it's best to be flexible. Don't worry about "reservations", they're a killer. You can always catch a few hours sleep in a rest area, a truck stop, or Wal-Mart parking lot.

Our most enjoyable trips were with no plans. Earlier this year we had a few places we wanted to stop. We didn't stop at all of and we stopped at couple real finds that weren't the list.

I hope you have a great trip.

[BCDave]

Byron-it sounds like you travel the way I do (if I'm going by car)

Often I never DO get to where I thought I was setting out to visit For 30 years I was gonna go to the Grand Canyon - finally made it last year.

However CPAHarley is on a VERY tight schedule with a zillion miles to cover in a very short time as he goes to pick up his new trailer on the other side of the continent and has to be back for a deadline, so for "timed to the minute" scheduling is the only way he can get it done.

[Carol H]

Humm, Jim google maps does show you both the distance and time.... so not sure why yours doesn't ...... Google Maps

[cpaharley2008]

Yes it shows total time but not individual driving time next to miles, in other words I know it will take 44 hours but I'd like to have 6 hour increments to gauge my stops and if I have to get a room, how much further I can push myself. Even a cumulative mileage total would help me calculate how much farther I need to drive rather than a total for the destination.

[Donna D.]

Huge difference between a vacation and planning a trip with definite needs based on time and mileage.

[gmw photos]

Jim,
For whatever it's worth, all my years of long distance motorcycle riding taught me that at the end of the day, I usually ended up with right at a 61 to 64 mph average. To get that meant essentially running right at posted speed limits, and trying to keep fuel stops as quick as I could reasonably do them. I also "allowed myself" a decent mid-day sit down meal because I felt like it was a good safety break in the middle of the day.

More to your question, I still have "Street Atlas USA 2008" on my PC, and any of these types of programs will give you time/distance calcs. Some of these programs allow you to set custom speeds for different roads. It's been so long since I used SA, I can't remember if it does or not. I used to have a mapping program where you could set it to up to 160 mph for it to base the calculations ! Anyway, you might think about trying one of these types of apps.

george

EDIT: Yes, I just looked at Street Atlas, and it does allow you to change the driving speed in the routing preferences.

[cpaharley2008]

I found something at Good Sam membership services, it has both a mileage countdown and a clock countdown and bathrooms!!! Wahoo...

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Yes it shows total time but not individual driving time next to miles, in other words I know it will take 44 hours but I'd like to have 6 hour increments to gauge my stops and if I have to get a room, how much further I can push myself. Even a cumulative mileage total would help me calculate how much farther I need to drive rather than a total for the destination.

I get that with Google Maps if I break up the trip into segments manually, based on past experience of actual trips taken. It takes a lot of trial-and-error to construct a trip from starting point A to destination B and then to destination C and then to destination D, etc.

I have not used it in a while, but I believe the AAA online trip planner does both time (at posted speed limit) and distance. You have to be the primary AAA account holder to use it.

[cpaharley2008]

Here is a sample from Good Sam and yes Frederick that is the way I used to plan with the hit or miss segments, but look at this
0 0:00 Starting at: I83b George St & Rt 462 Market St 2919 48:42
Avg MidRange Gas Price for First 13 Mi: [3.87]
Start North on I83b George St for 1.6mi
2 0:04 Junction With US 30 2917 48:38
Turn East on US 30 for 0.3mi
2 0:04 Junction With I-83 2917 48:38
Turn North on I-83 for 18mi
13 0:16 Approaching Vicinity of Harrisburg PA 2906 48:26
Avg MidRange Gas Price for Next 80 Mi: [3.93]
16 0:19 Henry's Trk Stop -Etters (PA) more info 2903 48:23
20 0:24 Junction With I-76 PA-Tpk$ 2899 48:18
Turn West on I-76 PA-Tpk$ for 78mi
34 0:39 Flying J -Carlisle (PA) more info 2885 48:03
34 0:39 Gables of Carlisle -Carlisle (PA) more info 2885 48:03
44 0:49 Rest Stop (Ebound) 2875 47:53
54 1:00 Driving Checkpoint: 1 hr 2865 47:42

[cpaharley2008]

another segment
61 1:07 Approaching PA-Tpk Blue Mtn Tun 2858 47:35
62 1:08 Approaching PA-Tpk Kittatinny Tun 2857 47:34
74 1:21 Approaching PA-Tpk Tuscarora Tun 2845 47:21
88 1:37 Rest Stop 2831 47:05
93 1:42 Approaching Vicinity of Breezewood PA 2826 47:00
Avg MidRange Gas Price for Next 167 Mi: [4.02]
98 1:47 All American -Breezewood (PA) more info 2821 46:55
98 1:47 Petro Stopping Ctr #84 -Breezewood (PA) more info 2821 46:55
Cont. West on I-70 I-76 PA-Tpk$ for 16mi
99 1:48 Petro PA-Breezewood Petro:2 -Breezewood (PA) more info 2820 46:54
110 2:00 Driving Checkpoint: 2 hrs 2809 46:42
113 2:03 Rest Stop 2806 46:39
Cont. West on I-70 I-76 for 71mi
114 2:04 Mountain Directory Advisory (MDA) # PA-Tpk $DirectoryDetails 2805 46:38
137 2:28 Approaching PA-Tpk Allegheny Tun 2782 46:14
148 2:40 Rest Stop 2771 46:02
166 3:00 Driving Checkpoint: 3 hrs 2753 45:42
182 3:17 Rest Stop (Wbound) 2737 45:25
Cont. West on I-76 PA-Tpk$ for 75mi

[cpaharley2008]

final leg

2471 41:02 Rest Stop (Wbound) 448 7:40
2477 41:08 GTX Trk Stop -Spokane (WA) more info 442 7:34
2481 41:12 Approaching Vicinity of Spokane WA 438 7:30
Avg MidRange Gas Price for Next 270 Mi: [4.33]
2485 41:17 Flying J DLR - Broadway -Spokane (WA) more info 434 7:25
2494 41:27 Flying J DLR - Broadway -Spokane (WA) more info 425 7:15
2498 41:31 Petro Stopping Ctr #39 -Spokane (WA) more info 421 7:11
2527 42:00 Driving Checkpoint: 42 hrs 392 6:42
2528 42:01 Rest Stop 391 6:41
2572 42:45 Rest Stop 347 5:57
2587 43:00 Driving Checkpoint: 43 hrs 332 5:42
2591 43:04 Ernie's Fuel Stops -Moses Lake (WA) more info 328 5:38
2611 43:23 Rest Stop 308 5:19
2633 43:45 Mountain Directory Advisory (MDA) # WA12 DirectoryDetails 286 4:57
2645 43:58 Rest Stop 274 4:44
2647 44:00 Driving Checkpoint: 44 hrs 272 4:42
2661 44:14 Flying J DLR - Broadway -Ellensburg (WA) more info 258 4:28
2675 44:28 Rest Stop 244 4:14
2687 44:39 Mountain Directory Advisory (MDA) # WA9 DirectoryDetails 232 4:03
2708 45:00 Driving Checkpoint: 45 hrs 211 3:42
2751 45:43 Approaching Vicinity of Seattle WA 168 2:59
Avg MidRange Gas Price for Next 86 Mi: [4.29]
2758 45:51 Junction With I-405 161 2:51
Turn North on I-405 for 19mi
2766 46:00 Driving Checkpoint: 46 hrs 153 2:42
2777 46:13 Junction With I-5 142 2:29
Cont. North on I-5 for 93mi
2783 46:19 Rest Stop (Sbound) 136 2:23
2800 46:36 Rest Stop 119 2:06
2821 46:56 Pacific pride AM1-WA281 -Mt Vernon (WA) more info 98 1:46
2824 47:00 Driving Checkpoint: 47 hrs 95 1:42
2832 47:07 Rest Stop 87 1:35
2836 47:12 Approaching Vicinity of Bellingham WA 83 1:30
Avg MidRange Gas Price for Next 34 Mi: [4.35]
2859 47:37 Rest Stop 60 1:05
2870 47:48 Junction With Border Crossing 49 0:54
Cont. North on Border Crossing for 0.1mi
2870 47:48 Crossing International Border 49 0:54
RulesOfTheRoad

2870 47:48 Junction With Hwy 15 49 0:54
Cont. North on Hwy 15 for 5mi
2870 47:48 Entering British Columbia RoadConditions 49 0:54
RulesOfTheRoad

Avg MidRange Gas Price for Next 49 Mi: [5.30]
2875 47:54 Approaching Vicinity of Vancouver BC 44 0:48
2875 47:54 Junction With Hwy 10 44 0:48
Turn East on Hwy 10 for 6mi
2881 48:00 Driving Checkpoint: 48 hrs 38 0:42
2881 48:00 Junction With Hwy 1a 38 0:42
Cont. East on Hwy 1a for 12mi
2893 48:14 Junction With Hwy 1 26 0:28
Cont. East on Hwy 1 for 25mi
2899 48:20 Flying J Cardlock -Abbotsford (BC) more info 20 0:22
2914 48:37 Flying J Fuel Stop -Chilliwack (BC) more info 5 0:05

2919 48:42 End of Trip
0 0:00
Any of these options can be -clicked-
MORE INFORMATION: get additional information on
facilities that have -More Info- checked.
FILTER: recreates the Itinerary with only those
facilities which have -More Info- checked.
Any of these options can be -clicked-
CONTINUE YOUR TRIP - to your next destination
TAKE ANOTHER TRIP - create an entirely new route

[melissab]

Do you have to be a Good Sam Member to use this program?

[cpaharley2008]

I believe so...

[Roy in TO]

You might want to check out Microsoft Streets and Trips with the GPS locator.
Streets & Trips

There is a free 60 day trial download. If you keep your eye out, you can find an older version with the GPS for a reasonable price. $35 on Amazon:

Amazon.com: Microsoft Streets & Trips with GPS Locator 2011: Software

It will keep track of gas and many other things.

[cpaharley2008]

Thanks but I'm an Apple person.

[Roy in TO]

I understood one can run a windows program in a virtual box on an Apple

[cpaharley2008]

possibly, I'll check it out, thanks

[fusedlight]

Originally Posted by gmw photos

<snip>
More to your question, I still have "Street Atlas USA 2008" on my PC, and any of these types of programs will give you time/distance calcs. Some of these programs allow you to set custom speeds for different roads. It's been so long since I used SA, I can't remember if it does or not. I used to have a mapping program where you could set it to up to 160 mph for it to base the calculations ! Anyway, you might think about trying one of these types of apps.<snip>

I've used Street Atlas since version 1.0...back in the dark ages of the 90's. They've almost always got a sale going on where you can get the software AND a hotel-soap-bar sized USB GPS for under $50. I've got the thing on my netbook and its great. The screen size actually lets you see what's going on. A big advantage is that you have your e-maps on hand even when the nearest cell coverage is an half-day away (as in the trip we took to Utah last month). Pretty decent routing, too.

As a bonus, I've got a database that I've made (and sell...) of EVERY mine in the US. I pull that into Street Atlas when we're traveling and my sweetie and I are never at a loss in finding a nearby rockhounding spot.

[fusedlight]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Thanks but I'm an Apple person.

You can pick up a cheap netbook on places like Woot for a couple of hundred bucks...probably even less on eBay (quick search shows a bunch of machines under $80). Just view the thing as a dedicated GPS and forget that you've got a second computer. No need to go for a new Win7 Box. You can pick up an XP machine for a song that will work just fine