Back Roads

[Waynem]

Okay! So we are sitting in Cornish, ME, looking for a CG for a couple days and have the computer and KOA book out. We settled on the KOA after looking it up on the Internet. Looked nice (and is), so we went for it.

I looked at MS S&T and also TomTom GPS. Both had the same route so I programmed TomTom to get us to Durham, ME from Cornish, ME.

Oh boy! I was on back roads that I would not take a horse on! Some of the intersections are like 5 or 6 way take-offs and TomTom can be, well, in my case, difficult to understand. I made a right turn when I should have made a half right turn and luckily I caught the sign out of the corner of my eye. "Low Clearance, 12'8" I retored out loud, "I can't go this way!" Well, I wasn't supposed to I should have taken the half right. Still, we went on some back roads that give new meaning to the word "towing a 40 footer."

Well, we made it, but I had to do one back-up turn around to go back in the direction we just came because we missed something somewhere. Directions CG gave put us in front of an elementary school.

I wish they had said,
Latitude is 43.92925N
Longitude is -70.15263W

It would have put me a little closer.

[Bill and Lisa]

Do you have the ability to chose type of vehicle (fast car, motercycle, TRUCK, BUS, etc)?
Also, I have the ability to choose routing (Fast, shortest, easy, etc). I can also exclude non paved roads. Still playing with it, still getting surprized on occasion. I can feel your pain.

[bigmurf]

I hate my Tom Tom! Just today I set a route back to the RV park. I get a "NO ROUTE" message.

[Waynem]

Bigmurf, did you make it back?

Bill, I'm still playing with it also and not having much luck.

Anyone have an easy set of instructions for the TomTom?

[levietta]

I don't have instructions. But I am from Maine and know the area that you're dealing with. You're actually in southern Maine. Thank the Lord you didn't "try out" some of the roads in northern Maine.

[Bill-N-Donna]

Waynem, I hope that by now you have gotten everything worked out as far as your first post goes. On my TomTom it will allow us to set it for the shortest distance and the fastest distance. Setting it on the shortest distance will cause it to direct me on roads that are not even roads anymore. It once directed me through a creek bed as part of the route. I was out to just play around and check it out anyway so it didn't matter that much. However, if I would have been towing it could have been a major problem. With the TomTom set on fastest routes it takes me mostly on the better roads and will avoid the bad places we can wind up getting into sometimes.

On our last trip to Gettysburg I stayed overnight in WVA; I had it set for a campground just off of the interstate. I found it without any problem except it missed the location by about ½ mile. We saw the campground and it was telling us it was just ahead. Once I realized I missed it I had to drive on ahead and find a place to turn around. I wound up taking a side road which kept getting a little tighter and tighter. I finally turned around in someone’s drive way while the D/W was outside watching the back sides of the Monty. It took me almost a ½ hour because of that little miss-calculation.

Overall I really like the TomTom and find it to be very accurate for the most part. It took me right to the front door of a C/W near Indianapolis, IN not long ago when I was somewhat pressed for time. I’ve just learned to accept the inaccuracies of a GPS and keep my eyes open even using them, especially on low bridges, even with the low bridge file.

These events seem to have a way of finding us seems like; have an enjoyable trip!

[JimF]

Wayne, get a real navigation system, you have maps and streets, right. Get the gps for that and use your computer, or, do what i do, turn where the wife says and say, yes dear.. that way it's not your fault.

[Waynem]

Maine roads suck big time!!! ...

I don't typically "rely" on the GPS. I check the route out on S&T or paper maps, then follow the GPS using my instinct. Mine is set to fastest route, but point A to point B around here is back roads as the fastest. One must define "fastest." Point A to point B may take 2 hours on back roads, and 2 1/2 hours on main interstates. The GPS system will give you the 2 hour route. Not knowing the area at all does not help and the WorkKamper doesn't really know the road system.

Jim, I like your idea. I really like blaming others for my mistakes, especially the DW.

[exav8tr]

Wayne, I have a Magellan Road Mate and it sent me down a couple of real doozy roads. Up the side of a mountain once, wet dirt road that I had to use 4WD with and finally got backed around on the side of a hill, the other was a dead end with a circle on the end that I had to maneuver to get turned around. Because of this, I rarely use my GPS when I am towing. DW uses Google or another map program, I forget which one, and gives me our routing the day before we move and I check it on a real map before taking off.

I think where the GPS's really shine is locating places in and around a strange town, like Wallys or CW, or a particular restaurant or anywhere for that matter. We just bought an '08 Chevy in April and it came with the in dash Nav system. I really like it but still use the old paper maps to plan a route, archaic, I guess, but it avoids the problem areas. I use the Magellan if we rent a car somewhere and need directions, as we did in Salt Lake City. Since its a portable unit, we can take it with us in the new car.

These units seem to be able to do quite a bit, but I think there is a tremendous learning curve that must be navigated first, before you start navigating (Um, that sounds odd, but it works I guess)!

Anyway, good luck with the learning curve and happy motoring!!!!

[Waynem]

Well, 99% of the time the GPS system will get you where you are going, albeit with a few bounces. The other 1%, well, watch out. I do what many have indicated. I check the map, either paper or on-line, or MS S&T to get a layout of my route before departing. Today was no exception. I had already traveled several of the side roads in and around the CG and new what the best route was to get to I-295. GPS wanted me to go one way, and I knew better. The nice thing is that the GPS can readjust quickly. Then when I was on I-295, on my way to I-95S, it wanted me to go through Portland and I knew better to take the Yarmouth Tpk. Again, it re-adjusted quickly. Then it wanted me to go off of I-495 to pick up I-290 around Worcester. Hey! I was raised in that area - no way to bounce around on RT-9. Went another 6 miles South and picked up the I-90 (Mass Pike). The GPS does have it's benefits on telling you when to turn, and I especially like the warnings I can set for Points Of Interest, e.g., Campgrounds, Rest Areas, and of course Best Buy!!! I did have it set for Dunkin Donuts, but darn, up here there is a Dunkin Donut on every corner.