Google Maps Challenge! -- USA

This USA Capital Challenge grew out of an e-mail I forwarded to Joshua P. (laydownthelaw)
The original e-mail was from an elementary school teacher who wanted us to create a mapping route that would connect all of the USA capitals that she could use in a geography lesson. I knew that JP had worked on something like this. He has created such a route....

Since Google Maps only allows 25 stops per route, he has two routes.
Augusta, Maine to Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee to Phoenix, Arizona

His total "road trip" would be 13,037 road miles. This route connects only the 48 continental state capitals, because it is a little hard to drive to Juneau or Honolulu.

So the Challenge is -- create your own route that is less than 13,037 miles.... We think some one might be able to break 12,000 -- Are you up to the Challenge?

Mark

Thanks Mark, this is just the kind of thing which will get me staring at a computer for 6 hours tonight looking to find a better route!

Michael,

I am afraid, it would take me more than six hours....

But I bet you can do it!

Mark

I got it down to 11987 on my first trip.

East Coast and South 4335 Miles
Midwest 2045 Miles
North and West 3806 Miles
Mountain States 1801 Miles

And it was only about an hour, with a little bit of work getting me "off track".

For those who don't want to click the links, the list would be Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Mass, Rhode Is, Conn, NY, NJ, Penn, Delaware, Maryland, DC, Virginia, North Carolina, SC, Georia, Florida, Alabama, Miss, Louisiana, Texas, OK, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, SD, ND, Montana, Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, NM, Arizona.

Michael,

That certainly didn't take long!

I wonder if anyone can beat 11,987?

Veeeeeeeeeeery interesting!

Mark

I used the same order but put everything into 2 google maps, using all city to cities (instead of some manual stops). Its easier to see, and I actually shaved the miles down to 11828.
Eastern Half

Western Half

Oooh, you are good.

Could you make a single map? (I know you can't put in all 48 way points) But it would be interesting route map.

Mark

Google seems to max out at 25 stops. Once you've reached that number, it won't let you add stop points or otherwise tweek the map.

That said, I'm sure there must be some way you could do it, I just don't know of any easy way.

BTW, I shaved another 44 miles off by going by switching Dover and Harrisburg after Trenton and before Baltimore. That brings my best route to 11784 miles.

Have you tried Yahoo Maps?

Also, it never hurts to check this site for info about road closings and other relevant paraphrenalia.

I'm using Google Maps to plan a trip up Highway 41 for a book I'm writing, but Yahoo maps has info about churches, restaurants, and other importants.

Great work on the maps, Michael. Like Mark, I'm especially wowed about how quickly you did this. It would take me a few days, I think.

Hi all,
Been awhile, but stumbled back into the forum and found this challenge from Mark. Give me a day or 2 and I'll find the most efficient route. It's who I am and what I do. See ya soon.

Gary 50 states in 8 days , 20 minutes

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Originally Posted by Gary

Gary:50 states in 8 days , 20 minutes

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Gary, it's great to see you back here -- the original site was taken down -- is there a new one that we can link to for that original amazing trip?

Mark

Hi Mark,
That site was set up by my son on a Univ of Maine at Farmington Server ( where he was attending at the time) and evidently was taken down after he left. I know I have all the original web pages somewhere , so that I can re create it at some point..

I found a couple of glitches with the maps that have been done for the 48 state capitol challenge.

Concord is the state capitol of New Hampshire
Annapolis is the State capitol of Maryland
Jefferson City is the state capitol of Missouri

Florida was left out of the map, Tallahassee is the state capitol.

This was driving me a little crazy since I plugged in all the capitols to street and trips and could only get to 12, 500 miles or so.

Did a little comparison and found these differences.

Street and trips will allow all 48 state capitols to be mapped on one map.

Ok back to work, see ya soon

Gary

I see I got a little sloppy when I was recreating the maps. I had Tallahassee in my first attempts when I did it in 4 maps, plugging in some points and then manually moving the map for the rest. It looks like I slipped up a little when I rebuilt the maps into 2.

With the Corrected Versions using the same state order, East Half and West Half, I came up with a corrected total of 12,020.

I see a few ways that you could shorten the distances by taking US highways instead of the interstate, for example, between St. Paul and Pierre taking US-212 through Watertown, SD instead of going all the way down to I-90 would save 77 miles, bringing the total down to 11947. However, I don't see a way to improve the order in which the states would be visited.

I rarely "proof" any of Midwestern Michael's routes anymore, because usually he is more accurate than I am.... Guess I should have paid a little more attention eh? Great catch on both of you for the re-calibration as it were....

Mark

assuming you were to take MW Michael's route as "the holy grail" of road trips, at which point would you start and at which time of year to follow all the best weather/avoid the worst.

The only thing that I can think of that might make timing an issue would be weather. So, if you're doing this trip over an extended period of time, you might want to travel the northern tier in the summer and the southern tier in the spring or fall, for example.

If someone is flying from out-of-country, then I would just get tickets to the city that has the cheapest flights from my country and start from there.

I used Streets and Trips 2007, made the corrections to the missing and wrong capitals, and removed Washington DC. I used the generic location of each city.

Quickest route: 12007.0 miles, 191 hours 28 minutes.
Shortest route: 11573.0 miles, 215 hours 57 minutes.

I used Michael's order, Tallahassee goes between Atlanta and Montgomery.

Quickest
Shortest

Those are the two .est files for S&T.

EDIT: Respectfully request the management consider adding .est files to the permitted attachment types.

{Editor: We prefer that members convert .est file to .jpegs)

I think the group has done a fine job in refining the Holy grail. The Capitols trip is a far more difficult "traveling salesman" challenge then just hitting the states. In the meantime, I hope to do a training run this Sunday by hitting 22 states in one day. Only 3 capitols along the way. Wish me luck!

Gary

22 states in one day! That's very cool.

Obviously this has to be an Eastern trip, but which 22 states are you planning to hit in one day? Do you have a map or know how many miles you're talking about to do this?

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{Editor: We prefer that members convert .est file to .jpegs)

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Understood, but that would not include the detailed directions. Not trying to rock the boat, please don't take me wrong.

Editor: The greater problem is that most of don't have MS S&T installed on our machines and therefore couldn't open .est files anyway. Some of the Mods use Streets and Trips but most of our members don't and that's why it is not supported herein.

Hi Michael,
This is the site of the record I will be trying to break. Not sure If I can squeeze in the 22nd state but confident that I can do the 21 in 7 that's listed here in less time than Barry by using some mileage saving shortcuts. Also plan on 3 fill-ups vs. his 4. My 04 Corolla with 235,000 gets 44mpg on the highway. Feel free to give me a call on Sunday to check my progress. Maine to Mississippi. 1500-1600 ish miles

I just stumbled on this web page forum and found I dont have to reinvent the
wheel
I had been looking at a 6 capital building NE trip on a MC this year and have expanded it to all 48 capitals.
Being from NE I did notice that the route goes from VT to Maine and that does not make sence. You should pick up NH between the two and down to Boston, RI, CT, and then over to Albany.
What I a routing is a circle trip around the USA ending back where I started.

My thoughts about the trip are to visit and take a picture at each of 48 state capital buildings and return to your starting point to make a valid trip.
This is how I see my trip last year to the 4 corners of the USA in 2008 on a Motor cycle. While the rules for the tour are to go to each of the 4 corners to qualify withing 21 days I did this in 9 days and 6500 miles. I did 10,100 miles in 15 days start to finish.
That said I think if I am right a figure 8 route would cover all 48 capitals and get you back home. I found a web page for a car club that did the trip last year starting in Sacramento and ending in Phoenix, but that shortens the trip by 786 at least and I think that this is the longest distance between any state capital. their milage was just under 1300 and they took 60 days.

Just wanted to update my last with the news that last year I did visit all 6 NE state capitols during day light in one day on a motor cycle.
The Last of the day was just before light left in Montpelier, VT and this year after looking at the time line I want to include Albany, NY by doing the trip very close to June 21st for more day light. I am also considering another 6 capital loop south from Albany for a day trip. I also did read on line about a state capitol stamp book and I am thinking about including this with the picture of me and my bike in front of each capital. Only 42 more to go.