Best Trip Planner?
I have been researching trip planners. There are several IOS apps, the Good Sam planner (lapsed member so cannot check it), google trips, RV Trip Wizard, etc that I've looked at and none seem to provi...
Forum Discussion
OK, I will add my vote. It is a repeat of information I have shared on other posts.
I use BaseCamp coupled with my Garmin. Both have the dimensions of my trailer as well as my predicted speed on various roads to route me around roads I probably shouldn't take and low clearances. You can plan a whole trip, with stops and it and the Garmin will pretty accurately predict driving times, unless you hit a bad traffic snarl, though Garmin can route you around those.
I see some of the frequent criticisms of BaseCamp. It does have a learning curve. However, I like the idea of planning my exact route and loading it directly into my GPS. I use it along with some other tools and import POI’s and travel advisor information from other applications to locate campgrounds and fuel stops. I often export the individual stops to Google Earth to look an overhead view & street level view to assess getting in and out. I can also export the entire route and stops and text them to my wife so she can open them and follow along on her iPad to aid me while I’m driving. I use inRoute on the iPads, which can also give you the overhead satellite views.
My experience in the computer world is that seeking the one application that can “do it all” is not practical. My method may sound like a lot of work, but I feel it is less work and less stressful that handling it “on the fly” while in route. I find even with a lot of planning, you often have to improvise due to unforeseen circumstances, such as a truck stop that has gone out of business since the POI list was developed or the satellite picture was taken.
One of my main sources of POI’s is the internet site “POI Factory.” It is free to join and, like I said, you can download various POI files you can then import into BaseCamp. BaseCamp has its own POI file, but it has gaps. It is pretty good on interstate rest stops.
I use BaseCamp coupled with my Garmin. Both have the dimensions of my trailer as well as my predicted speed on various roads to route me around roads I probably shouldn't take and low clearances. You can plan a whole trip, with stops and it and the Garmin will pretty accurately predict driving times, unless you hit a bad traffic snarl, though Garmin can route you around those.
I see some of the frequent criticisms of BaseCamp. It does have a learning curve. However, I like the idea of planning my exact route and loading it directly into my GPS. I use it along with some other tools and import POI’s and travel advisor information from other applications to locate campgrounds and fuel stops. I often export the individual stops to Google Earth to look an overhead view & street level view to assess getting in and out. I can also export the entire route and stops and text them to my wife so she can open them and follow along on her iPad to aid me while I’m driving. I use inRoute on the iPads, which can also give you the overhead satellite views.
My experience in the computer world is that seeking the one application that can “do it all” is not practical. My method may sound like a lot of work, but I feel it is less work and less stressful that handling it “on the fly” while in route. I find even with a lot of planning, you often have to improvise due to unforeseen circumstances, such as a truck stop that has gone out of business since the POI list was developed or the satellite picture was taken.
One of my main sources of POI’s is the internet site “POI Factory.” It is free to join and, like I said, you can download various POI files you can then import into BaseCamp. BaseCamp has its own POI file, but it has gaps. It is pretty good on interstate rest stops.
