BajaNomad

Mapquest vs Googlemaps? Crazy, different results. Who do you trust more?

kevin_in_idaho - 1-24-2017 at 09:31 AM

Not specifically a Baja question as many times in Baja there's not a whole lot of options if you want the fastest route.

In trying to get to Baja though, wow. 

You think that two apps would give you the same results when you want fastest routes or even if you force them to be the same route.
 
We're going from Boise, ID to Tonopah, NV. For our 1st part of the trip (day 1). We kind of know all the roads, options, etc. but you'd think apps would know the speed limits, etc., etc.

Wow!
 
Googlemaps:
 7hrs, 52mins and 505 miles via Elko, NV (this route in mapquest is 9hrs, 1 min and 572 miles)
 
Mapquest:
8hrs, 5 mins and 530 miles via Jackpot, NV  (this route in googlemaps is 8hrs 28min, 505 miles)
 
There's another route via Winnemucca too which gives yet a different answer.
 
So, who do you believe and what gives?  They are quite different.
 
Kevin

MMc - 1-24-2017 at 09:37 AM

Go with what you know. All the maps are just information. You are on vacation. How much is a couple hours in the big picture, I would take the most picturesque, or the road I had not taken before.

kevin_in_idaho - 1-24-2017 at 09:40 AM

Quote: Originally posted by MMc  
Go with what you know. All the maps are just information. You are on vacation. How much is a couple hours in the big picture, I would take the most picturesque, or the road I had not taken before.


Good advice and that's part of the rub. This part of the journey/path there's not much to see albeit, there are always things to see.

We've kind of decided to take the route that provides slightly warmer weather and less chance of snow :-)

bajaguy - 1-24-2017 at 09:43 AM

Being from Nevada and having driven to Boise several times I would use 95 south to Winnemucca, then 80 west to either 95 south through Fallon or continue to Reno and I-580/395 south.

I think you are really pushing it from Boise to Tonopah in one stretch considering the weather and road conditions. Boise to Winnemucca is about 6 hours on a good day with no snow and clear roads

Where do you intend to cross into Baja??

Not sure you gain anything by going through Tonopah and Las Vegas. You could cut off of 95 at either Hawthorne or Coaldale and pick up 395 south to the 15. I-15 south to San Diego and San Ysidro or Otay

Posted speed limits on 95 south through Nye County (Tonopah) and Esmeralda County (Goldfield) are strictly enforced. I have found that 395 has a +5/9mph leeway on speed limits

On edit....it can get very cold and snow along 95 through Tonopah and Goldfield, mostly desert.....for scenic adventure, 395





[Edited on 1-24-2017 by bajaguy]

kevin_in_idaho - 1-24-2017 at 09:49 AM

Quote: Originally posted by bajaguy  
Being from Nevada and having driven to Boise several times I would use 95 south to Winnemucca, then 80 west to either 95 south through Fallon or continue to Reno and I-580/395 south.

Where do you intend to cross into Baja??

Not sure you gain anything by going through Tonopah and Las Vegas. You could cut off of 95 at either Hawthorne or Coaldale and pick up 395 south to the 15. I-15 south to San Diego and San Ysidro or Otay

Posted speed limits on 95 south through Nye County (Tonopah) and Esmeralda County (Goldfield) are strictly enforced. I have found that 395 has a +5/9mph leeway on speed limits

On edit....it can get very cold and snow along 95 through Tonopah and Goldfield, mostly desert.....for scenic adventure, 395



[Edited on 1-24-2017 by bajaguy]


Thanks. The Winnemucca route has it's benefits for sure. We've done that a lot, Elko a few times, not the Jackpot route.

We are actually headed to Death Valley (Borrego, etc.) before heading toward Baja. We'll cross at Mexicali East. San Felipe, south, etc.

We'll eventually come up the Pacific to San Diego, etc. so not too interested in going down that way plus the Gulf side is first on our list.

motoged - 1-24-2017 at 09:51 AM

Quote: Originally posted by kevin_in_idaho  
....if you want the fastest route....In trying to get to Baja though, wow. ...


 
Googlemaps:
 7hrs, 52mins and 505 miles ....
 
Mapquest:
8hrs, 5 mins and 530 miles ...


My, oh my....15 minutes over an 8 hour trip....that's a coffee stop at Starbucks....:no: ... there must be other things to get worked up over when trip planning.

I use similar ways of estimating routes and times as a rough estimate....and enjoy the variance of my travel plans with a computer's sense of it.

Take your watch off, fill the tank, and drive until you don't want to anymore....things should work out okay...:light:

kevin_in_idaho - 1-24-2017 at 09:54 AM

Quote: Originally posted by motoged  
Quote: Originally posted by kevin_in_idaho  
....if you want the fastest route....In trying to get to Baja though, wow. ...


 
Googlemaps:
 7hrs, 52mins and 505 miles ....
 
Mapquest:
8hrs, 5 mins and 530 miles ...


My, oh my....15 minutes over an 8 hour trip....that's a coffee stop at Starbucks....:no: ... there must be other things to get worked up over when trip planning.

I use similar ways of estimating routes and times as a rough estimate....and enjoy the variance of my travel plans with a computer's sense of it.

Take your watch off, fill the tank, and drive until you don't want to anymore....things should work out okay...:light:


The engineer in me :-).... we do have to plan this portion of the trip as it's a lot of desert and snow so we are hoteling it the 1st night. After that, the next month we have no reservations and I don't even have a watch as I'm retired :-)... I didn't have one before either.

Phil C - 1-24-2017 at 10:27 AM

Ah, just give me an old fashioned fold up map. I'll do all the calculations myself. Nobody reads those anymore.

AKgringo - 1-24-2017 at 10:42 AM

I don't know how soon you plan on heading south, but January has been a very heavy snow month in the Sierras. Even if it is not storming when you pass through, there is a strong possibility that melting snow will be running on the pavement, resulting in a mess, or ice!

I would stick to the dessert going south, and maybe take 395 on your way north.

I let TomTom pick my route from Tonopah to Brawley/Calexico, and instead of Las Vegas, it took me south and west on some nice roads. I made the mistake of running low on fuel passing by Glamis. Don't do that, it is $6.50 a gallon there!

[Edited on 1-24-2017 by AKgringo]

Barry A. - 1-24-2017 at 11:56 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Phil C  
Ah, just give me an old fashioned fold up map. I'll do all the calculations myself. Nobody reads those anymore.


LOL-----------I do, a LOT!! I have hundreds of "paper maps". We continuously get in trouble relying on our Garmin-NUVI exclusively, learning the hard way. LOL

kevin_in_idaho - 1-24-2017 at 12:51 PM

The other thing I'm finding is that the apps don't seem to take into account the fact that it's difficult to go the speed limit (esp. in winter). I've been checking the NV DOT site and they show a lot of bad roads going the "back way". I think Winnemucca will be our route even though we have to go through OR which has really slow speed limits.

bajamary1952 - 1-24-2017 at 03:26 PM

I always use Google maps in Mexico and also have a Mexican Baja map in case I have problems.

Argentino - 1-24-2017 at 03:57 PM

I'd personally go through twin falls-jackpot-wells-ely-crystal springs (via 6 then 318)-meet up onto I-15 just before vegas.

bkbend - 1-24-2017 at 07:27 PM

If you go Boise to Winnemucca the quickest/shortest to Tonopah is east on 80 to Battle Mt. then south to Austin, east on 50 over the hill then first road south heads to Tonopah. From Death Valley you can come out the south end to Death Valley Jct. and go south to Baker and south on I-15 to Barstow. Then wind south to Yucca Valley and drop into Palm Springs and it's an easy shot to Mexicalli. I don't recall off-hand all the road numbers but you can pick the details out on a map. A lot of that is state hwys with no traffic and easy driving. Yes, keep close to the speed limit south of Tonopah.

JZ - 1-24-2017 at 08:41 PM

I had no idea mapquest was still a thing.

Google bought Ways and put it in Google Maps. If you aren't using Google Maps you are doing it wrong. So much data and info in Google Maps in addition to being the best maps.

Sweetwater - 1-25-2017 at 10:20 AM

Quote: Originally posted by motoged  
Quote: Originally posted by kevin_in_idaho  
....if you want the fastest route....In trying to get to Baja though, wow. ...


 
Googlemaps:
 7hrs, 52mins and 505 miles ....
 
Mapquest:
8hrs, 5 mins and 530 miles ...


My, oh my....15 minutes over an 8 hour trip....that's a coffee stop at Starbucks....:no: ... there must be other things to get worked up over when trip planning.

I use similar ways of estimating routes and times as a rough estimate....and enjoy the variance of my travel plans with a computer's sense of it.

Take your watch off, fill the tank, and drive until you don't want to anymore....things should work out okay...:light:


:wow:
Growing up in Big Wonderful Wyoming I received sage advice from my father who turns 90 this year. Just follow your nose, where ever it goes you'll go with it. Eventually you will arrive.