The Milepost Tour Guide App

[joe_b_]

Today, got a notice from the Milepost that this app was available from the iTunes Store, for iPads and iPhones. Haven't hard a real chance to mess with it much. It has the different highways listed by name. I found it listed under "iPhones only" with my iPad, but it downloaded just find. Probably worth taking a look at since it is free.

[ejfranz]

When the app first came out you had to pay $0.99 for each hwy / route.

[joe_b_]

You won't find many differences in the 2013 and 14 editions of The Milepost. I tend to buy one every year whether I am going north or not as I collect them. You will find that is some places, the paper edition may make some comment, such as "road house on the right" and that is all they say. Whereas if the place buys an ad, then the business gets to write the ad and tell you and me how world famous they are or wish they were. LOL In the years I am sure we are heading north, I tend to buy two copies of the Milepost. One to save in my collection and one to cut up into more usable size. It has become so large that I really don't need all that info with me all the time, just the info on where I am and where I an going next. It is nice to have the info on highway to Yellowknife in there, but that is not a place I go, so I don't haul it with me. LOL

But the Tour Guide app seems to only be listing the places that have a paid for ad. I am not sure where the Milepost Tour Guide is currently to where they plan it to be in finished form. My guess and that is all it is, is that it will take the purchase of two ads to be in both. The current version may be more of a Beta version looking for comments. The young lady that contacted me was from BC, so a different place than where The Milepost paper edition staff hangs out, some in Anchorage and it is owned by Morris Communications out of Georgia. Morris is a fine publishing house, has several monthly magazines, mostly horse oriented ones, etc. But the folks they call the "field editors" are also the ones that sell the ads to the businesses in the served areas. A bit of a conflict built in there it seems to me. Morris Comm is about the fourth or fifth owner of the Milepost, since I started buying them in 1962.

Do wish The Milepost, would put out a flash drive or a micro SD chip to integrate the Milepost into my GPS or my copy of Streets and Trips, with a dongle, I have on my laptop. Then it would be like driving through the Milepost and letting the GPS function keep track of where I was and how far to the next, whatever. Maybe some day that will happen.

[AStinker-]

Thanks for the info Joe b
The 2014 edition was not available when I ordered it so I have the 2013 edition. I opened my digital version and searched for Yukon Motel. On page 165 there is a paragraph about them & they are listed under Teslin Advertisers & their add is on pg 170. So apparently they advertised in 2013 but not 2014. So I would have to agree with you on the apps value if they are not going to show everything. Or maybe they have to have a paid advertisement in both the Hard Copy and the App u have. Hmmmm... that doesn't seem right!

Doesn't the hard copy of the Milepost show everything or do they have to be a paid advertiser in it also?

I was told the 2013 edition would work just fine as the 2014 edition would not have enough changes to warrant buying. Maybe that is not correct?

[joe_b_]

Astinker, there are two separate downloads available. One is the digital copy of The Milepost, which you mention that requires the code from your purchased copy.

This thread was about the other app, called the Tour Guide. It is a free download available to all. I know it is available for Apple products as I put it on my iPads. Someone else mentioned it is also out for Android devices.

I have spent a few more hours on it, and was contacted by The staff, guessing others were as well, asking for my opinion. My initial thought is that it is a good start, but still limited. The only places on the app are in the towns, nothing listed in between, at the roadhouses, etc. Much like the paper edition of the Milepost, it is oriented toward only those places that buy an ad. So in a place like Teslin, for example, they don't show any campgrounds, just the Johnson Museum, since they bought an ad. The nice campground operated by the Yukon Motel, isn't mentioned as they didn't buy an ad.

Just a personal thing with me, but I feel that any app or publication that calls themselves a guide, should list all the places, that handle the tourist trade.

I got the app from the iTunes Store. Searched for The Milepost Tour Guide but had to change my filter, up at the top of the page to iPhone only. It wouldn't pull it up if I had the iPad only checked instead. Anyway it downloaded fine to my iPad. I forgot to mention this to the staff at the Tour Guide, when I sent them an email of my opinions about the app. They requested it.

[AStinker-]

When I entered the code from my milepost for the digital version I got a pdf file that I was able to download and save on my computer and it appears to have exactly the same thing as the paper version.

So my question: Is that pdf file what you guys are talking about being the digital version or is there something else that I am missing?

[fanrgs]

Chiefelectusn wrote:
Go to page 2 in the 2014 milepost and it gives the information for ipad/iPhone download app. Also in 2013 milepost

I downloaded it from the link in my 2013 printed Milepost before we left for Alaska last June. But I found that I could find things faster just by using the printed version, so I didn't really find the downloaded Milepost that useful.

[Chiefelectusn]

Go to page 2 in the 2014 milepost and it gives the information for ipad/iPhone download app.

Also in 2013 milepost

[gmctoyman]

Ok, didn't realize that app was by milepost folks, it is on my iPhone....keep saying I'm to far away 😉

Edit ... The one I have is the Alaska-app as mentioned in the note earlier by Sue.

[sue_t]

I was in Anchorage for the past week and noted they are promoting this app: http://alaskaapp.com/

Also this site for "Travel Advice from Alaska Insiders": http://www.alaska.org/

[jmckelvy]

Installed the Android app on my Nexus. It works but so far it seems to require web access. That won't be real useful for me. I can't see any way to download it.

Haven't found the Android Tour Guide Joe mentions. Where is it?

I haven't yet downloaded the version to my laptop. Will try that later.

[jmckelvy]

DUH! I feel quite stupid. If I had read the info on page 2 of my new Milepost I would have found out how to get the digital version.

Thanks Joe.

[joe_b_]

There are two different downloads from The Milepost available that I have checked out. One is the digital version of the paper version, and the other is the Tour Guide which I have just recently downloaded. It appears to be mainly maps with the different communities shown. By clicking on the community, it gives more information. I haven't played with it enough to make many, if any, intelligent comments about the new app.

The digital version of the large printed Milepost is just that, same info, same maps, etc. I downloaded the digital version prior to our last trip in 2011. When I bought the paper version it came with a code to allow for a free download copy of the same guide. I used both at night to varying degrees for planning the next days travel plans.

The new Tour Guide app first asks if it can use my current location, and when told yes, I find myself about 3,700 miles frm the Alaska Highway. One of my question I have, is if the new app is going to track my location on the Alaska Hwy and show where I am at any given time. That would be nice if it could use the built in location function of my iPad. But I don't know if it will or not till someone tries the app while actually on the the Akaska Hwy.

Perhaps some of the Whitehorse or Alaska forum members can try out the new app on their tablets and let us know. Hopefully the new app will be helpfull, if not it will be easy enough to remove from my iPads.

[gmctoyman]

I've had the iOS Milepost on the iPad for a couple of months and find it MUCH handier than the "book". The book was very cheaply printed and pages started coming out early in the trip. The App has a nice search function that is not available in the "book". JMOO

Edit --- Joe, I turned my iPad on airplane mode and my 2013 Milepost still works. Are we talking about the actual Milepost or an abbreviated App ?

[Tee_Jay]

Joe b, thanks for the clarification. WiFi will work at the overnight stops.

I've got the truck trained now. It just knows where to fuel up, where to hit the rest stop, and where to stop for the night. The lovely wife has taught it to place the overnights closer together.

Last August 22+ the road was in great shape. The section from the US Border to Beaver Creek was getting a serious workover, except for the last mile to the border. Winter will toss things around a bit and cause various surface failures, but the folks this year and next ought to see pretty decent road conditions.

One item that ought to be more prominent in the Milepost is fuel. The past few years you could not predict of depend on what fuel station would be operating at Haines Junction. Sue T suggested Otter Falls Cutoff, maybe 10 miles toward Whitehorse from Haines Junction, and they have been great.