Multi month trip planning
Well, I fought the good fight to the bitter end but it looks like my use of Streets & Trips 2013 has finally been taken from me. I have not found a stand alone, no internet required, app to replace it...
Forum Discussion
Veebyes and PawPaw n Gram,
I am so with both of you. I cannot see the value in something that I cannot use if I don't have internet.
It is a big shame that nobody will ever again know the planning and navigation power available with these program packages. The nearest to them was Copilot RV, but I never learned how to make it do all of what we want. It is still a resident maps package, but with an annual subscription. Maps should be good because they are now owned by Trimble. But having Garmin buy up Delorme didn't do us any favors.
Furkot is every bit as good as TripWizard and it was free. When I last used it, it was suffering because they were having some disagreement about Goofall Maps.
Now, Who Plans??
Before we departed on a 119 day ~11,000 miles excursion, I had a solid plan in place. Of course the plan had to be modified on the third morning because we found fuel at a very good price and then a museum that took more time than I had allotted, but those things have to be accommodated. When we travel our schedule is always loose.
Veebyes:
If you would like a copy of Street Atlas 2015, I could make that happen. That is the last published, and it was years out of date that season. I still use it because it is the only thing that works as an enroute navigator and can be updated on the fly so the ONP and fuel stops suggestions stay good.
When we are in travel mode, we have the laptop with GPS running SA, and a road GPS for the driver that has been loaded with the day's plan before departure. It is then up to the navigator of the day to chase attractions with guide books and internet (if available) and make possible changes to the day or maybe future plans. We have had some amazing and wonderful stops. It works the other way too. One stop we were told was good for a whole day. lasted less than two hours before we were bored. These sort of things make revision underway essential. I did try this with RVT, that is why I never renewed it.
We have always had a repeater and an outside antenna for cell service. Even with that, you can end up in dead areas once you are clear of the interstate. This is less common east of the Mississippi, but it still happens.
While I know that part of my attitude is left over from the days that I had a name tag that said "Navigator" under my name, I developed a number of very good habits in those days. Things like managing fuel inventory and having confirmed places to moor for the night just take a whole lot of unneeded stress out of the excursion.
In an unfortunate incident last year, we lost most of the 9yo laptop that had replaced the almost as old predecessor. I have a new one and it is running SA and a GPS puck and has been a good friend.
If you have not tried this type of cooperative travel, you should. If the driver does not have to also be the navigator, it unloads a lot of the stress for that individual.
Matt
I am so with both of you. I cannot see the value in something that I cannot use if I don't have internet.
It is a big shame that nobody will ever again know the planning and navigation power available with these program packages. The nearest to them was Copilot RV, but I never learned how to make it do all of what we want. It is still a resident maps package, but with an annual subscription. Maps should be good because they are now owned by Trimble. But having Garmin buy up Delorme didn't do us any favors.
Furkot is every bit as good as TripWizard and it was free. When I last used it, it was suffering because they were having some disagreement about Goofall Maps.
Now, Who Plans??
Before we departed on a 119 day ~11,000 miles excursion, I had a solid plan in place. Of course the plan had to be modified on the third morning because we found fuel at a very good price and then a museum that took more time than I had allotted, but those things have to be accommodated. When we travel our schedule is always loose.
Veebyes:
If you would like a copy of Street Atlas 2015, I could make that happen. That is the last published, and it was years out of date that season. I still use it because it is the only thing that works as an enroute navigator and can be updated on the fly so the ONP and fuel stops suggestions stay good.
When we are in travel mode, we have the laptop with GPS running SA, and a road GPS for the driver that has been loaded with the day's plan before departure. It is then up to the navigator of the day to chase attractions with guide books and internet (if available) and make possible changes to the day or maybe future plans. We have had some amazing and wonderful stops. It works the other way too. One stop we were told was good for a whole day. lasted less than two hours before we were bored. These sort of things make revision underway essential. I did try this with RVT, that is why I never renewed it.
We have always had a repeater and an outside antenna for cell service. Even with that, you can end up in dead areas once you are clear of the interstate. This is less common east of the Mississippi, but it still happens.
While I know that part of my attitude is left over from the days that I had a name tag that said "Navigator" under my name, I developed a number of very good habits in those days. Things like managing fuel inventory and having confirmed places to moor for the night just take a whole lot of unneeded stress out of the excursion.
In an unfortunate incident last year, we lost most of the 9yo laptop that had replaced the almost as old predecessor. I have a new one and it is running SA and a GPS puck and has been a good friend.
If you have not tried this type of cooperative travel, you should. If the driver does not have to also be the navigator, it unloads a lot of the stress for that individual.
Matt
