Trip Planning

[Cyrus]

I am new to camping and like to map out a trip to a campground and put the data in my GPS. I have purchased different books such as Trailer Life Directory, which is handy for finding campgrounds as are some of the websites. Now that I have a list of campgrounds by address and some general location on a map it’s still difficult to determine the exact location and if it is near where I want to go.

Example, my brother-in-law is in the hospital in Pittsburg, PA so I started looking for a campground so we could go and spend time with him. It took me hours of searching using Trailer Life and my map software. I got the job done and we made the trip.

I decided it had to be a better way and I had information on the Trailer Life Navigator which I ordered. It came today and seeing the campgrounds on a map and able to zoom etc is great. But, the associated trip planning software is a little difficult. After a couple hours I needed a break. All the instructions are avilable on the CD but you can't read them while using the maps at the same time.

What do you guys use when you know where you want to go but need to find a campground in the area?

[H. John Kohl]

I use Delorme Street Atlas 2007 on my laptop.
Good luck

[boylanag]

Cyrus, you might try http://www.discoveryowners.com/cginfo.htm
This will download campgrounds, low clearance areas, etc into your map program. Steve R suggested it a while back and it is really useful to us. - Jim

[jrgwdenner]

New software is also difficult for me. But they can be conquered. I like Streets and Trips, partly because I haven't quite mastered Delorme's Street Atlas. Some day....

[Cat320]

If you are a member of Good Sam, you can plan your trip on the internet through GS. Type in starting point and ending point, select what you want to see/do enroute and it's done.

[sailer]

I go to maps on the open page of earthlink but then by pass the map and just type in the city leaving and the address going and bingo we are there,, i also use a gps on the dash

[Cyrus]

I think the “Trailer Life Campground Navigator 2007”program might be using the Delorme Street Atlas and they overlaid the Trailer Life campground data on it. That part works real great. You zoom in on a city or location and see all the campgrounds on the map. You can even highlight a campground and see the ad/information as in the Trailer Life book. This is worth the money.

The trip planning portion is what I am having a problem with. Judy, I think you are correct, new software is difficult for me also. If it will work like my Garmin trip planning that will be great, just click a start and an ending location, done. Maybe it does, will keep working with it.

[sreigle]

I second what Cyrus said. I've fairly recently added the TL CG Navigator to our tool set.

[Parrothead]

I do not like the trip planning on TL CD. I tried it on routes I was familiar with and it was horrible. I think I finally have Delorme mastered with a lot of help from Steve R. and others here on the forum. TL use to offer their book on CD. I wish they had left it at that as it was less expensive. I use the TL CD to find a campground, get the address and then tell Street Atlas where I want to go. I do the same thing with Passport America.
Happy trails............................

[padredw]

I am wondering what the specific difficulties are in regard to using the TL navigation (CD) program? I use it all the time and specificially have been using it on this trip through Louisianna, Mississippi, Alabame, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and return.

Just making some guesses:

1) the road preferences can be set and reset to favor interstate highways or, on the other hand, US and state highways. It only takes a few tries to get near to the route you might prefer.

2) SHIFT-CLICK will allow you to set a point on a route that you wish to follow regardless of what the program has suggested. I did that yesterday with multiple markers to force a route that I wanted to follow.

If there are some specific questions or problems I would be happy to respond, either on topic, by email, or by PM. That is, when I have internet connections as I do this morning!

[Cyrus]

It probably does not have any problems that if I take the time I can't learn how to use it. Since the only instructions are part of the program I can't read the instructions and try to use features at the same time, personal problem.

My Garmin is a Palm Pilot so it holds my life in it along with being my GPS. When I connect it to my PC they back each other up, have same data in truck and in house.

[ols1932]

We use Delorme Street Atlas. My navigator has masterfully navigated for almost seven years and is getting better and better.

Orv