Maps and Streets

[mitch5252]

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I just ordered Streets & Trips 2010 from Amazon - $38 - no tax, no shipping.

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[VickieP]

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I just ordered Streets & Trips 2010 from Amazon - $38 - no tax, no shipping.

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No shipping,,, where do you have to drive to pick it up,,, will you get lost without your Streets & Trips, did you ask them if they could ship it to you anyway so you could find your way there to pick it up?

[mitch5252]

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I just ordered Streets & Trips 2010 from Amazon - $38 - no tax, no shipping.

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No shipping,,, where do you have to drive to pick it up,,, will you get lost without your Streets & Trips, did you ask them if they could ship it to you anyway so you could find your way there to pick it up?

Do you take drugs? Maybe you should think about it! NO SHIPPING CHARGES! I know you knew that. You're just ridin' my a$$, like when you said you and Homie might do the zoo so you could visit MY relatives...

I am starting to have an inferiority complex.

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[VickieP]

[asirimarco]

No shipping,,, where do you have to drive to pick it up,,, will you get lost without your Streets & Trips, did you ask them if they could ship it to you anyway so you could find your way there to pick it up?

Do you take drugs? Maybe you should think about it! NO SHIPPING CHARGES! I know you knew that. You're just ridin' my a$$, like when you said you and Homie might do the zoo so you could visit MY relatives...

Now Now ladies....
Streets and Trips is a great program - did you get the one with the GPS?

[Redetotry]

I know, I know it's gonna be no shipping cause Amazon is sending Chris to personally deliver. Haven't y'all heard of this new service?

[mitch5252]

Now Now ladies....
Streets and Trips is a great program - did you get the one with the GPS?

I didn't get the one with the GPS - the reason I wanted the 2010 version is that you can load the routes from S&T to your Garmin (or many other handheld GPSs) - the best of both worlds.

BJ, now that's gonna be some new service! I'll look forward to meeting Chris at my doorstep!

As far as Vickie, she's always picking on me. She's like that annoying little sister we all want to slap.

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[soisew]

DeLorme Streets and CoPilot are 2 computer programs you load to do just about everything you are needing. You can set the programs to choose the type of route you want, designed for RV travel, show distance, POI (points of interest), local needs (like libraries, post offices) etc. You can program from one place to another set destination with many stop-overs. They are great programs and can be run while you are driving to guide you with a voice, show your speed, altitude, GPS locations, etc. We set our laptop up on a special table DH made so the driver and passenger can see the screen. If you get off route it can advise you as to how to get back on track.

A word of warning though -- don't 100% trust any map or program! The software is never totally updated to know all new changes to roadways. Even Google or other online road planners use the same software as GPS based programs like Delorme or CoPilot. Plan your trip, then double check on a recent paper map and be sure the program is set to either RV, quickest or fastest route, then review the entire route before you start. Be prepared for some wrong turns and an adventure! A route on paper or the computer can look great but - you may encounter grades or curves you'd rather not take. We've had our program tell us to turn on road that actually didn't exist! So, its good when it's good but keep an eye on it and be prepared to have many good laughs at the mistakes it can make.

Another great and fun way to check out new areas you plan to visit is use Google Earth so you can actually zoom in and see the terrain. It only works great in some areas of the country. Some areas have not been detailed as well. For example - we live out in the wide open west -- our particular area has not been video mapped so detailed images are not available. But in most areas you can zoom in to preview RV parks, city streets, etc.

The programs are a great idea but one most certainly can do without them! Its nice to have them warn you about which lane to be in for an exit, tell you how far away your next turn is and find campgrounds and other things for you.

The biggest complaint we've heard -- they won't find Wal*Mart for you unless you have an address. We have an atlas that has a listing for all Sam's Club & Wal*Mart stores.

[mitch5252]

A route on paper or the computer can look great but - you may encounter grades or curves you'd rather not take. We've had our program tell us to turn on road that actually didn't exist!

I was surprised to find that the Trailer Life program shows you steep grades along your route and it's really easy to mark areas to 'avoid' when the program calculates a route.

So, its good when it's good but keep an eye on it and be prepared to have many good laughs at the mistakes it can make.

Good laughs? Are you a newlywed?
In our vehicle, it would be Survival of the Fittest!

The biggest complaint we've heard -- they won't find Wal*Mart for you unless you have an address. We have an atlas that has a listing for all Sam's Club & Wal*Mart stores.

Both my GPS and S&T will show Walmarts - one is easier than the other, but it's there. I think (but don't remember for sure) that Walmarts are preloaded POIs on my Garmin, but you can also upload a complete list from POI Factory.

Here's a screenshot (which we ALL know how to do now, don't we? ) from S&T 2008



Ya know, I'm gonna guess a good paper map and a healthy attitude are a heck of a lot easier, but I'm a gadet/electronic freak...I'll utilize two computer mapping programs, a Garmin GPS and the GPS built into the van - they all have their special abilities...

[AlmostThere]

Mitch, I recently got the 2009 addition! Remember?? Now you are throwing this at me!

[mitch5252]

Mitch, I recently got the 2009 addition! Remember?? Now you are throwing this at me!

Do you have a Garmin or any portable GPS?
If you don't, then 2009 will be fine.
I just wanted to upload S&T routes to my Garmin, and 2010 is the first release to allow that.

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[VickieP]

As far as Vickie, she's always picking on me. She's like that annoying little sister we all want to slap.

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I resemble that remark! And bet my big sister would agree with Ya!

[asirimarco]

One thing we have learned when the directions to a campground say one thing in the book (Woodalls - PA - TT- etc) and the directions on the GPS/Streetsand Trips etc are different - FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS IN THE BOOK they know the easiest/best/only way in. One time the GPS wanted us to go right instead of left like the book - we followed book - good thing the GPS would have led us to a dead end on the wrong side of the freeway. The Driver would not have liked that.

[Bethers]

I use S&T to plan my general route. Then I use my TomTom for the generals, also. But I always rely on having looked at a good atlas - and then I end up taking side trips that make it all change.

And, like Carol just said - please, please please do NOT depend on the S&T or Garmin or Tom or ANY gps to get you to everyplace. They not only make mistakes, but they will take you on routes you do not want to go.

One fo my favorite Cg's is Lake-in-Wood in Pennsylvania. When I workamped there we told EVERYONE who made a reservation to either get directions from us while on the phone or on the website. Then people would show up at the cg and be upset because they followed their expensive GPS instead. Yep, it got them to us - but not in the recommended way.

And if you all remember from way back - might be the previous forum - I posted a picture where my gps was telling me to turn INTO the Gulf of Mexico. Happened to me with Tom - and when I was laughing so hard I couldn't drive - some other rver's asked me why (as I took the picture) and they said their Garmin did the same thing.

And if you want to take trips to the Yukon (Canada) and Alaska - there will be times the gps systems just can't get a signal - or the roads just aren't where they think they are. I'm sure there will be other places this will happen also - so again, have a good atlas and don't completely rely on these systems.

[AlmostThere]

Although I have a GPS in my car, I rarely use it. I still do a Mapquest on the computer and look at all the ways/routes there is before deciding my route, then make notes. I seem to do better with printed directions. (I just need someone with me to read them so I don't have to take my eyes off the road).
I will probably still get a GPS for the RV. Then I'll have to play with Streets and Trips to get the hang of it.
Ain't it interesting how we choose different methods to get to where are going?