Navigating in the US

[Sgt Bilko]

Off to the states in May for an overdue holiday. Doing the motorhome (sorry, RV!) thing for two weeks through California, Nevada, Arizona etc.

I have been before, but it was a few years ago now. Will probably be taking a laptop or notebook with us. Is it best to get some form of off-line map software, or just plump for a cheap sat-nav?

To me a using a map seems much more fun than watching a sat nav?

Anyone been before and got any suggestions?

[Roo]

Not done the RV thing but have travelled around Texas, California, Nevada and a few others. Last year was the only time I'd bothered with sat nav. Usually just take a couple of maps. Work out roughly which town/city should be the next ones on your route to appear on road signs and off you do.

The sat nav really only came into it's own around LAX or looking for other local POI's when you get to where you're going.

[jeff m]

The GPS is useful when you need to make a left on a three lane road. It will tell you which lane to be in. Left lane for a left turn with a filter light or right lane if it's a jug handle.

That alone is worth $150.

I would use both, the map gives you a veiw that is more easily assimulated into the aging non geek brain.

I also find it much less stressful when it is the GPS telling me "turn around whenever possible" than my wife.

[Alfachick]

When I went for my brief sojourn into the states in a car we just had a road atlas. Its all you need really. Much prefer paper maps to sat nav, more fun and getting 'misplaced' only means you get to see more of the country.

[Sgt Bilko]

Having managed to survive perfectly fine in this country without a sat-nav so far, if i got one from here is it just a case of uploading the maps?

[Pickled Piper]

I've just bought the US map for my TomTom and have used this on my last two visits.

pp

[scorp]

I remember someone telling me about how odd numbered highways run east/west and even north/south, or maybe the other way round, but anyway (sorry i've been drinking) you can navigate your general direction by the highway number.. i think

[razbox]

scorp said:

I remember someone telling me about how odd numbered highways run east/west and even north/south, or maybe the other way round, but anyway (sorry i've been drinking) you can navigate your general direction by the highway number.. i think

Yes, that works for the interstates and major highways (odd N/S, even E/W), but the regional road numbering works however the locals want.

Actually the three digit numbering for the roads coming off interstates is interesting in that the last two digits are the parent interstate, and if the first digit is even it means it's going into a city, and if it's odd it means around a city (eg 495 comes off the 95 to go to DC, whereas 710 goes around LA).

[Nickyboy]

I bought Microsoft Streets and Maps for the same last year, only problem was that it wasnt as quick to update as say a Tom Tom which is fine on the long roads but in cities where numerous roads join it was a bit hairy as you cant just swing a 32ft RV across 4 lanes to correct yourself.




Was fine for someone sat in the back but it wasnt really something you could sit on the dash. Next years trip which is incidently the same as what you're doing i'm buying a Garman, used one from Avis and it was great. The laptop was used to book campgrounds etc and find out where they were

[theaxe]

For recent trips I've just used CheapSatNavHire but if you go regularly it's probably worth just buying one.

[jimmyjimjim]

razbox said:

scorp said:

I remember someone telling me about how odd numbered highways run east/west and even north/south, or maybe the other way round, but anyway (sorry i've been drinking) you can navigate your general direction by the highway number.. i think

Yes, that works for the interstates and major highways (odd N/S, even E/W), but the regional road numbering works however the locals want.

Actually the three digit numbering for the roads coming off interstates is interesting in that the last two digits are the parent interstate, and if the first digit is even it means it's going into a city, and if it's odd it means around a city (eg 495 comes off the 95 to go to DC, whereas 710 goes around LA).

That'll be why C-470 comes off I-70 to go round Denver, then. Nice idea, but the numbering isn't that consistent, sorry.

[Sgt Bilko]

Cheers for all he replies. Definitely given me something to ponder over...

[Nickyboy]

Where did you hire the RV from out of interest? We had ours from Cruise America last year but so far they are looking more expensive than others for the next trip.

[thehawk]

I just bought a satnav in Circuit City (now closed) the last time I was there - Tomtoms are only $99

[Tony*T3]

Sgt Bilko said:

Off to the states in May for an overdue holiday. Doing the motorhome (sorry, RV!) thing for two weeks through California, Nevada, Arizona etc.

I have been before, but it was a few years ago now. Will probably be taking a laptop or notebook with us. Is it best to get some form of off-line map software, or just plump for a cheap sat-nav?

To me a using a map seems much more fun than watching a sat nav?

Anyone been before and got any suggestions?

Just giving yourself 2 weeks? Will be surprised if you actually get to see much.

[Fidgits]

Tony*T3 said:

Just giving yourself 2 weeks? Will be surprised if you actually get to see much.

Bah, i've done loads of US trips, and managed to see loads in 1 week... i the one 2 week holiday we had we saw most things from the Grand Canyon, up to Yellowstone and back down again..

[Sgt Bilko]

Nickyboy said:

Where did you hire the RV from out of interest? We had ours from Cruise America last year but so far they are looking more expensive than others for the next trip.

El Monte RV - but their UK office which was slightly cheaper than their US office regardless of what the exchange rate was. Used them a few times now, and family have when i was younger. No bad reports at all.

Tony*T3 said:

Just giving yourself 2 weeks? Will be surprised if you actually get to see much.

Could have stretched it to three, but difficult for both of us to get leave at the same time for that long. Mrs B has recently started with Immigration and she is at the bottom of the holiday leave pecking order.

In 2 weeks, we are hoping to go:

San Fransisco (Alcatraz, Cable Cars, Chinese district, Piers, shopping and Wine Valley tour)
Yosemite Park (walks/cycling)
Vegas (still debating on the helicopter tour to grand canyon, usual casino wandering/shops, tat)
Hoover Dam (trying to swing a tour of it with the Mrs)
Grand Canyon if not already seen it by helo.
Over to Flagstaff, down to Pheonix and back in to LA. Possibly stop off at Lake Havasu.
Few days in LA, beaches, shopping etc

[Fidgits]

Should be possible:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&a...

Though my advice would be to give Phoenix a miss - IMHO there isnt anything worth seeing there, and your talking a good 2 hours south of Flagstaff.

[JMGS4]

Sgt Bilko said:

To me a using a map seems much more fun than watching a sat nav? Anyone been before and got any suggestions?

Driven many thousands of miles in the US and can only see the need for a satnav in the biggest conurbations if you're looking for a small street.
So forget sat-nav unless you're a you'all or a wimmin.
Virtually all the US is in squares and apart from a crude map (supplied by all tourist offices for free) you'll not need anything. And with an RV you'll get membership of various Camping orgs who will suppply a map.
NB their maps are sometimes very crude and distances (for a european) can seem long...

[razbox]

Fidgits said:

Should be possible:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&a...

Though my advice would be to give Phoenix a miss - IMHO there isnt anything worth seeing there, and your talking a good 2 hours south of Flagstaff.

I'd also give Flagstaff a miss - awful place, nowhere decent to stay. If you have to go that way, go to Sedona rather than Flagstaff.

However, after Las Vegas-Hoover Dam, you could go over to the Grand Canon Skywalk, and then back again to/towards Vegas. It's 2h 30m from Vegas.

Alternatively you could from the Skywalk to Palm Springs, (via Lake Havasu if you want to see the old London Bridge in the desert) and then onto LA. Palm Springs has lots of great hotels, and the Joshua Tree National Park is 30m away.

ie: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&a...