First camping trip in rig and no more trusting GPS!

[OTW]

Yikes. RV GPS...
:::: Whoosh :::: toward top of list!

[JudyJB]

For a little fun, take a look at this video and notice the big warning sign over the bridge that apparently no one looks at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USu8vT_tfdw

What I really like is how so many of the drivers don't even bother stopping on the other side when their roofs are torn off. And note how many of them are rental trucks.

Also, an RV GPS will do a lot more things for you than just keep you away from narrow and low bridges. Mine will help you find campgrounds--just select from state, federal, private, etc and whether you want one near your present location or on your route, and it will give you a list. Select one and it will take you right there.

You can also set warnings to avoid ferries and dirt roads. And you can set icons to appear for things like truck stops and Walmarts. The best feature mine has is that you can set a warning for a certain number of miles over or under the speed limit, and it will warn you when you have exceeded that speed. Mine also lets me know what resources are available at the next several exits and what they are--gas, food, etc. Plus, mine has a 7" screen which makes it easy to see.

[OTW]

That is an amazing amount of stuff on a GPS screen. I will check out both brands using that as a checklist. This sounds archaic but prior to getting the camper I really have had no need for even a smart phone so have gotten away with still using a 10+ year old flip phone that's small enough to fit in the bottom of my jeans pocket, and even then, use it rarely for normal life because I'm home so much. But for RVing, it seems I'll need both a smart phone for all its related apps and the RV GPS is sounding awfully good, so the question is which one first. All these initial expenses (tires, shocks, a better brake controller that the truck needs plus all the stuff I've had to buy to civilize the TT) have made money tight for the time being.

[JudyJB]

Smart phone first. You can get one model older for a lot less money--like I still have an I-phone 5 and it works fine. ALso, the unlimited access that Verizon sells is nice. Even though they can cut you to 3G speeds after 10 gigabytes of use, they only do that in built-up places. (The example given to me was a baseball stadium full of people.) I have had it three months and have never been cut back because I am out on the edges of things and in isolated places.

You can use your phone as a GPS to get you places, even if it does not have functions to keep you from going under low bridges. You can do what most people don't do and read signs! The phone will also help you find stores repair services, and campgrounds in a pinch.

[OTW]

That's what I was thinking, phone first. I'll be looking at Android probably since I'm not generally Apple-based otherwise unless I learn of some reason not to. I wound up yesterday checking out The Russos - one of their videos which ended up leading to brief discussion of apps which I've heard of before but made a list - some of them claim low bridge warnings (AllStays) but also Good Sam Club website trip planner has a filter for low bridges and other RV-related warnings. It would SEEM anyway that Good Sam's low bridge data would be reasonably good since that's their whole niche business - RVers. But do you happen to know if that feature on their site is just fluff for advertising (meaning not that reliable in reality but sounds good) or if it's reasonably reliable?

Meanwhile though, I did check Amazon reviews on both the Rand McNalley and Garmin RV GPSs and neither has very good reviews and some of the ones that contribute to a 3-star iffy total were downright bad reviews. Several people on the Rand McNally current model lamented that their recently purchased version wasn't nearly as solid or good as their older Rand McNally one that they thought they'd be upgrading from, so since you've had yours for a while, it sounds like it very well might belong in the precious gem category. Just thought I'd pass that on if you haven't had occasion to check out the newer ones.

[Colliemom]

I don't use GPS for routing either. Use the Good Sam trip planner. Like it's turn by turn directions, although I will admit that sometimes GPS does come in handy. I have noticed though, a lot of campgrounds posting notices about GPS coordinates being inaccurate as far as getting to the campground is concerned, so have to watch that. But they usually post the coordinates for themselves or tell you which address to use.

Have fun on your future travels. Maybe will see you on the road one of these days.

[monik7]

I have what you're referring to as an older Rand McNally. Got it Christmas 2012. I use it for every trip, but also look at a map ahead of time to make sure it's taking me the way I want to go. I usually route from stop to stop rather than multi-stop routing. I didn't do well with that the first time. Doing it stop to stop allows me to have it take me the way I want to go. Of course, it will not let me go where I shouldn't or don't want to like some toll roads (unless I want to in a particular instance). And of course, it has turn-by-turn instructions. In addition like Judy says, there's lots of other info about upcoming exits, nearby CGs, etc.
Sandi

[OTW]

I have what you're referring to as an older Rand McNally. Got it Christmas 2012. I use it for every trip, but also look at a map ahead of time to make sure it's taking me the way I want to go. I usually route from stop to stop rather than multi-stop routing. I didn't do well with that the first time. Doing it stop to stop allows me to have it take me the way I want to go. Of course, it will not let me go where I shouldn't or don't want to like some toll roads (unless I want to in a particular instance). And of course, it has turn-by-turn instructions. In addition like Judy says, there's lots of other info about upcoming exits, nearby CGs, etc.
Sandi

That actually reminds me of a question I've had. I have no idea if this is true or not but somewhere I read that there are SOME tolls that can be crazy-expensive with an RV. Someone on a forum said one toll was $75 to go through. Is that even possible?? But if so, do you have to completely take another whole route or maybe get off and take surface roads to beyond the horrid toll? Not sure how that would work pulling a trailer. Or were you talking about avoiding toll roads in general.

I'm new to Good Sam Club but if it's at all accurate you can bring up Good Sam campgrounds, public ones and private ones or any of those only, and it does show RV related warnings such as low bridges. I mapped one road and there was one after another warning signs -- appeared to be a whole road full of low bridges. While that might take more time or pre-planning than an RV GPS, if it's trustable then that's probably what I'll use on my first cross-country which is scheduled for late this month. But if it isn't, it would be very helpful to know that.

From what everyone is indicating, without the special GPS (and especially if I don't get a smart phone between now and then which I very well might not by then) my plan would be to map out my route via Good Sam and personal experience advice from others -- like between New England and Ohio, at the moment I'm planning on I-90 the whole way -- and have campground reservations made probably in advance (or at the very least some researched choices) and then let me normal car type GPS have that same trip route -- even if it wants to take me on I-84 (a more southern route) once I ignore it and get it committed to an alternate route, it usually accepts that revision and will warn me about upcoming splits in the road (stay in any of the x left lanes) type thing.

That's the plan anyway based on what I know so far and have available.

[OTW]

I don't use GPS for routing either. Use the Good Sam trip planner. Like it's turn by turn directions, although I will admit that sometimes GPS does come in handy. I have noticed though, a lot of campgrounds posting notices about GPS coordinates being inaccurate as far as getting to the campground is concerned, so have to watch that. But they usually post the coordinates for themselves or tell you which address to use.

Have fun on your future travels. Maybe will see you on the road one of these days.

I hope so! I'll get some experience on the upcoming trip but based on my "maiden voyage" I could definitely see fulltiming in this rig becoming very natural, and who knows, maybe at some point I'll have the freedom to go to a GTG. Not seeing any planned for Northeast, but will keep an eye peeled in case.

Thanks for the tip about the campground coordinates/addresses alert.

[monik7]

I have what you're referring to as an older Rand McNally. Got it Christmas 2012. I use it for every trip, but also look at a map ahead of time to make sure it's taking me the way I want to go. I usually route from stop to stop rather than multi-stop routing. I didn't do well with that the first time. Doing it stop to stop allows me to have it take me the way I want to go. Of course, it will not let me go where I shouldn't or don't want to like some toll roads (unless I want to in a particular instance). And of course, it has turn-by-turn instructions. In addition like Judy says, there's lots of other info about upcoming exits, nearby CGs, etc.
Sandi

That actually reminds me of a question I've had. I have no idea if this is true or not but somewhere I read that there are SOME tolls that can be crazy-expensive with an RV. Someone on a forum said one toll was $75 to go through. Is that even possible?? But if so, do you have to completely take another whole route or maybe get off and take surface roads to beyond the horrid toll? Not sure how that would work pulling a trailer. Or were you talking about avoiding toll roads in general

I wish I could help you on that question. However, I live in California and so far I don't think we have any toll roads. I may be wrong. The only things I've been concerned about are the tolls for bridges in the San Francisco Bay Area. I don't think there are many toll roads in the rest of the West, but I could be wrong on that too. Might be some toll bridges in other states in the West. So far I'm determined to stay in the West just because I feel more comfortable here. The East almost seems like a foreign country to this native Californian. Isn't that silly!

If you're going to be traveling anywhere near Labor Day, you probably should make sure you have reservations.
Sandi

[Bethers]

The highest toll I know if for an rv is the George Washington Bridge. Last I heard was when someone said it cost them $68 a couple/few years ago. I wouldn't take that route, so I'll, hopefully, never find out personally.

[JudyJB]

I can tell you that the Ohio Turnpike charges for my motorhome are about 30-40% higher than cars, so if cars pay $8.50, I will pay something like $11.00. Here is the fee calculator site for them: https://www.ohioturnpike.org/e-zpass/toll-rates.

Note that some toll roads count the number of axles and some count the size or weight of your vehicle. I know I have paid the car rate on some toll roads because I have only two axles.

Also, I will warn you that there ARE some toll roads in southern California. I got on one near Laguna Beach at the recommendation of a friend. Then I noticed that I was almost out of gas, so I got off after a few miles. Turns out that you cannot pay the toll at a lot of exits unless you have one of their electronic passes. No way to put in a credit card or change or anything. Not even a phone number to call, so I drove through. Later on I got a letter fining me $50 for not paying a toll!!!! I protested vehemently that they were ripping off tourists and they lowered my fine to the $1.50 I had owed!!! Sneaky toll road like that in Florida, as well. If you don't have a pass and get off at the wrong place, they will fine you.

What really irritated me was the lack of any instructions in CA on the exit booth. At least Florida gives you instructions on how to pay the toll online. I am still mad at California and that is another reason, besides rude drivers, to hate the area south of LA.

[monik7]

I suspected there might be a toll road in Southern California. I have Fastrak which is probably what you're referring for paying. I've only used it on bridges around San Francisco and it works great. It's just an electronic sensor you have in your vehicle and pays from your account when you go through the toll area. I'm sure I'd be thoroughly confused with the toll roads in the East. It's probably a good thing I probably won't be going there.
Sandi

[OTW]

Okay, so with a bit more research I'm pretty unimpressed with the current crops of RV GPSs -- a number of reviewers refer to their older ones that may have died as their benchmark so it sounds like anyone with an older one - don't rush to upgrade until the reviews improve. It's kind of turned me off on ordering one also until then.

Meanwhile, that brought me to look farther. It appears that TripWizard has pretty good regards as I'm seeing it mentioned a lot. I just watched a youtube video by The Learning Banks who gives a pretty professional-ish comprehensive review on how to use it and what he likes/doesn't like about it. Looks like a good piece of software for either laptop or device - his first video shows it on laptop and then he did another one that shows it on a device. But it shows all sorts of stuff -- in a way, kind of a Good Sam Trip Planner on steroids - more detailed, more choices of filters (like a lOT) and you can set a radius of x miles which is expressed as the bird flies but to find distance between any two points via actual road travel with all the jogs and bends, good ole google maps would do that as a quite accurate number. The video review on Trip Wizard is here...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nqIY4EuZpc

He also wrote a pretty comprehensive blog post having to do with the above, Good Sam's, plus grades as well as bridges, etc. and clearance heights. Re the latter, there's another program he recommends ($45) but it appears to have the ability to be uploaded onto a GPS (the nuvi was mentioned, that's what mine is and it's not an RV-related GPS), and that's lowclearances.com ( http://www.lowclearances.com/ ) it boasts 7,000 bridges compared to less than half that (quite less) that apparently get included in GPS software.

The learning banks article which discusses an overview of all the above is here:
http://thelearningbanks.com/ultimate-ro ... app-guide/

I'm not done reading it yet, because there's yet separate software he mentions having to do with grades, then he goes into gas saving apps, etc.

But if anyone knows further info about lowclearances.com software, or for that matter Trip Wizard, I'd love it if you would comment.

[Birdie]

You will need this for your trip on I90 going through the Empire State of New York: thruway.ny.gov. They charge based on number of axles and height.

I90 is toll way most of the way across NY. If you state has and you can get EZPass it is the best way to go. I entered I90 at Herkimer which is east of Utica some 20 odd miles. I drove from 30X to 36X as 4 axles higher than 7'6" and it cost me $11.20. The good thing was with my Good Sam card the Pilot (a PITA to get in and out of) gas was $2.149 and the hot dog was free and the Dr. Pepper $1.29! Gas all around was $2.349. From 36X to 46x the toll was $14.10. A total of$25.30.

I was driving from Herkimer to the I390 Corning/Rochester exit. I planned that trip 10 different ways. A lot of rain the week before had some roads closed. There was one place with a low RR bridge on a main road. I never could figure out how to cross without going 50 miles out of the way. But if a main road bridge is low doesn't make sense you can go two blocks down and use a residential street that has an extra foot of clearance. I finally just said screw it, not worth any more time.

From my stay in Rochester I planned a trip up to a State Park on the lake. The road showed a series of 6-8 11'6" bridges. Research showed all the bridges on the SE end of Lake Ontario Thruway had those bridges. I ended up going thru the farm land! Today I passed under bridges that didn't have heights on them and I sucked it in going under them! New York is a very old state that is heavily populated with lots of old paths made into roads that have been around a very long time. It has a gazillion low bridges. Plan carefully if you don't use the tollways. Tollways handle 18 wheelers and can handle you. Nothing wrong with the little roads, but not everything is as it is shown. Have a fun and safe trip.

Checkout lowclearances.com, you might it interesting.