All these questions on routing???

The comfort level of exploring new territories varies, as does the comfort level on different types of roads.

And spring fever has a lot of people looking at maps and planning possible trips.

I've never seen traffic in the US as bad as Tokyo, Bangkok or Manila. At least in Tokyo folks tend to drive in the traffic lanes. I've seen traffic five wide on a two lane road in the Philippines.

I've also spent close to 30 years in the Dallas/ Fort Worth area - freeway driving in big cities doesn't bother me - even when pulling my TT. But it drives my brother who lives in rural Arkansas nuts. He's good with trailers, but no way he could go through Dallas on I-30 and take I-35E north towing.

One of the most 'sane' routing questions I've seen lately was a question about a possible 100 mile trip from Wickenburg to Cottonwood, AZ. Believe me if you've never been their - you do not want to tow uphill on US-89 into Prescott, AZ. Also taking Alt US-89 from Prescott to Cottonwood over Mingus Mountain is not something you want to do with a trailer. It looks like a great easy scenic route when you research it on-line. Much better to take the definitely less scenic, but less grade and stressful, though slightly longer, route up the interstate. That is the kind of thing this forum is great in discovering.

I didn't know until checking on that route that US-89 is closed south of Page, AZ. Has been closed since the Feb 20, 2013 landslide and will remain closed until probably the fall of 2015.

I saw a question about US-69 east of Dallas a few days ago. Why I never thought of that route as an alternative to going through Dallas - I never know. It's obvious, but my 'local knowledge' made me never consider it.

Great place to learn.

I ask her because I value the input of others!

Sure I can find My way around every Place on the Planet, there are as You say Maps and Guidebooks. Not to mention Google Earth and Our Faithful GPS!

All that being said none of these resources is as informative as the various opinions expressed by People who have been there recently or who know the various current weather conditions and Routes!

Isn't this the place to exchange useful and informative information?

I thought it was !

online mapping only gives 2 options: shortest and fastest. Many of us want scenic but not on bad roads, so we ask people on this forum what route they would take. We like US highways but prefer to hear from people who have traveled them. Steep grades, windy 2 lane roads, bumpy roads, construction and things to see along the way help us make the choice of routes. For example I might know from online mapping that there is construction but first hand experience of driving through it is valuable.

Well, there's no replacement on the interweb for a little local knowledge. An improperly setup GPS can take you down some funky roads in the quest for the shortest vs. faster route. If you can get advice from someone who's been there, done that, it's pretty valuable.

But, I think the vets posting have hit it. There's a sense of adventure when you're in a foreign place that's missing when you don't wander more than 50 miles from where you were born.

I remember stopping in Mombasa Kenya during a WestPac cruise. When the Captain announced where we were going, we started to ask around to see if any of the old salts had been there. No one in our circle of sailors had been there. We approached it as an adventure. What were the women like? What was the local beer. Did the meters work in the taxis? What was the local scam to watch for?

Especially in RVs, we should embrace that sense of adventure.

On the other hand we like to hear from people who may have some interesting input about a route. Same thing we always ask owners or locals when we stop - What's the favorite local Mom & Pop Restaurant? and - What's in the area that you like to show friends and family when they come to visit. We often start planning our trips months in advance and then spend at least a couple of nights in each stopover to explore but we always look for the local input that you can't find on a map or app.

I wish someone had told me about that horrible road going from I-70 south through Moab Utah.and beyond 191 and 160 (heading to Phoenix) I've been on some pretty awful roads but these two liked to shake my moho apart. I mean these are REAL bad. Avoid them if you can. Worse than any road I traveled on in Europe..

I use both the RV Road Atlas from Camping World and the Truckers Atlas from Flying J. The Truck Atlas does a better job of clearly highlighting routes and has Tables for each state listing low clearance locations for each route, where they are located, and the height limit. If a semi can go there, so can I. But some routes are restricted for local reasons, so the RV Atlas will sometimes highlight a route the Truck Atlas doesn't. I use these maps to plan my route before leaving and then my 7" GPS and google maps on my tablet while going down the road. Of course the wife likes to double check me with her iphone or ipad which sometimes irritates me although I do like her traffic reports. WE also travel with our own lap tops which we use when parked for the night. MY Droid creates its own WiFi hotspot that can support up to 5 devices so we are never without a data link. Its freaking ridiculous all the gadgets we just have to have these days! How did we ever survive before cell phones, etc.

The people who use it as a search for directions confuse me. For easier to use a mapping site.

Others ask about campsites and places to see and that makes sense as you are asking a group of similar minded people.

The use of GPS is another matter. I've taken to using it even when commuting to the work. While I know perfectly well how to get to the office along with alternate routes, the GPS will tell me if there is a crash or backup on my usual route and suggest alternatives.

Having driven a few times in Europe, the GPS is even more important as once you leave the freeways, the roads seem to follow ancient wagon tracks that meander with little rhyme or reason. In the USA, even most secondary arterials follow predictable patterns (yeah there are exceptions).

Things people have started to think about that concern driving just anywhere..... such as 1) is there a tunnel - can I get thru it? or 2) is the mountain too high for my rig....is the grade too steep. I can't think of any others. BUT....realize, these are the very things that people are chastised for on this forum. ....why didn't he find out of there's a tunnel, why didn't he know his rig wouldn't pull that grade. So, in part.....this forum has made people very leery about just going out and driving. :) :)

It does look like a rash of them recently - Cabin fever I think...

I'm always looking on GOOGLE MAPS on new camp sites we might be thinking about. With Earth View we can zoom right on down and see the whole camp ground layout. When I get really bored I will go to Street View on GOGGLE MAPS and drive a couple of roads thru the mountains checking out things.

Recently I was looking for different ways to get to CHEAHA Camp in central ALa from the south...

RESERVE AMERICA also likes to have camp site photos to look at as well...

Camping in the NC High Country folks have been asking about recently has got me thinking I need to go down that way myself... I have driven thru the NC camping corridor many times going from the Smoky Mtns to I26 going down to Charleston SC in my working years. We always try to make ELKMONT Camp in the Smokys on those trips. Sounds like NC high country has some new for us neat off-trail places to visit.

Giving direction for folks from us is usually go to Wichita falls and turn right or left depending which direction they are going haha...

I don't mind seeing all of that as it is great to see something different sometimes other than My batteries are Dead and they are just two weeks old...

Roy Ken