Community Forums

Libero · 02-03-2013, 10:25 AM

Agree re allstays premium. It does it all with Android and IOS Apps. We have it on our tablets and phones. I also carry a variety of books, and hard copy maps also and use the Laptops on occasion. Use Navigon and Google Maps on phones and tablets, plus use a dedicated GPS.

The best plan we have is no plan. I do not like being constrained by time or route when we travel. Getting there is part of the fun, so we very seldom do 300 mi in a day. 200 to 250 mi is the norm but sometimes we only do 100 mi. I am usually off the road before 4pm and don't often get away until 9am and we poke along and don't normally drive more than 2hrs without stopping. I take the boss (aka our 8 yr old Shih Tzu) for a good walk and putter around and sometimes even take a nap when I stop and reset the GPS devices for the next leg.

We look at points of interest as we go, and often take side trips off our overall route, much easier to do this now because we don't travel in an A class anymore.

This is one of the reasons we downsized so we could travel to more places more often. But the Apps and info available online today have improved so much in the past 10 years that soooo much info is readily available.

denochs · 02-03-2013, 10:31 AM

One thing I have not seen suggested. If you are in for an adventure plus gaining on your destination, don't make any plans ahead of time.

If you don't have internet access, have DW or whoever the copilot is, search what is up ahead. When you get tired, pick something that looks interesting to you and turn on your signal to exit.

We have actually made the exit and seen a billboard or other signs that took us elsewhere.

Dave

Arch Hoagland · 02-03-2013, 10:51 AM

Wayne M does the exact same thing we do.

On our very first long trip with our new coach I arrived at the first night's campground after dark.

The old park was not laid out well and I wound up putting a long scratch along the top of our passenger side due to it being dark and I couldn't see too well.

We ALWAYS arrive before dark now.

Groovy · 02-03-2013, 11:26 AM

We boondock all the time (no campgrounds/RV parks) and don't like to drive long distances. So we drive at most 100 miles and we use the Days End Directory of boondocking locations that is available to members of Escapees RV Club.

Before we start exploring an area I go through the Days End Directory and highlight all the entries that sound appealing. Then I look them up on the map and head that way.

About half the time we find a spot we like even better once we get there.

stryker17 · 02-03-2013, 07:05 PM

will not plan a trip ..........(period) why plan you ruin everything rving is about......... what about those Indian ruins that are up ahead, thats a real nice lake with great camping,,,, oh crap we can't, don't you remember we have to be at so and so tonight...... worst way to r v is with a trip sheet, we have traveled for at leased the last 15 years even when working, we always traveled when we wanted and stopped when we wanted,even at 3;00 P M, or earlier, never after dark, love to be in a camp site in the evening watching guys come rolling in looking for a non site..............

papa&susu · 02-03-2013, 07:28 PM

denochs and greenskeeper are in my ballpark. Lived by an appointment book most of my(our) careers. Love to make up our minds in afternoon as we go down the highways. We, of course, have no hard deadline as some may.

CampDaven · 02-03-2013, 07:34 PM

Oh yeah! The best plan is NO plan

Work life was structured enough. We picked a direction according to the weather channel a left town.

Heating man · 02-03-2013, 08:09 PM

I wish I had the option of taking my time but I am not retired and only have about 10 days for the trip. So I need to get to our destination by 3 days. This makes it imperitive to have a plan. Thanks for all the sugestions

MartySQ · 02-03-2013, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickO

Microsoft Streets and Trips does what you're asking and I'm sure many others do too... at least it locates campgrounds for you. I don't know about WalMarts.

Rather than plan, we just drive until we feel we want to stop soon... and then use Streets and Trips and/or RV Park Reviews.com to locate an overnight CG nearby.

Good luck.

Rick

Does anyone use RVParky as pop on a tablet? It is a free app . is Microsoft streets and trips an app or website?

Tony Lee · 02-03-2013, 08:32 PM

We have only one rule - and that is start looking for a place to stop no later than 4pm - even earlier in winter.
For us, because we rarely use commercial campgrounds, that generally means looking for a nice boondocking spot well away from any population centre. Inevitably there will be times we will be close to a town so in that case we might try for a Home Depot or one of the other stores that has free wifi, or if all else fails, Walmart.

Never found a need to plan more closely than that and the key is to NEVER leave yourself in the position of having to find a spot in the dark. Overplanning or reserving ahead just adds a huge amount of stress to your trip and that is never a good thing.

PyrateSilly · 02-03-2013, 08:39 PM

First off here is an app that shows most truck stops along with rest areas and walmarts - My DAT Trucker Services - I use that alot when traveling. For fuel I use that plus the apps for Love's, Pilot/Flying J's and Gas Buddy. Don't forget the Welcome Centers for stopping off to for a night. More and more states are putting in free wi-fi at them and at rest areas too now.
Now as to how we decide where to stop for the night, the only times we've had problems is when we tried to plan to far in advance, too far is even trying that morning to figure where to stop for that night. Now we just decide that we might want to stop in a few hours and just go to the map software that is on my android phone and look up campgrounds, very rarely did we use any of the multiple camping books that the previous owner left in here (ie woodalls, good sams, boondocking sites etc). Had several problems crop up sometimes and things just go way out of whack trying to plan too far.

Heating man · 02-03-2013, 08:44 PM

Streets and trips is a microsoft program for a computer. I had a trial copy I got at a rally but never tried it. I tried it today and it does do what I wanted it to do thanks for the tip. For me it is more stressful to not know wheather I have a place for the night.

CampDaven · 02-03-2013, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heating man

I wish I had the option of taking my time but I am not retired and only have about 10 days for the trip. So I need to get to our destination by 3 days. This makes it imperitive to have a plan. Thanks for all the sugestions

Well, we never chose a destination. No hurries. It found us! Easier and more relaxing for us to just let it happen.

Just sayin.... ;-)

CampDaven · 02-03-2013, 10:05 PM

My secretary asked me where we were going for the weekend. Told her it took me longer to check in than it did to get there. She looked at me like I had 3 heads! Said she had to go at least 100 miles to get away. Told her that 5 miles was away too!

But that was a previous life.