USA Road Trip R66 etc
Discussion
Continuing full steam ahead but seem to have been a bit hasty with something.
I have the EZ66 Guide for Travellers book, the Road trippers R66 book, and also a Lonely Planet Route66 guide book. The first does offer directions which I hope whoever is Navs can cope with. What I am looking for is an App that taps into CarPlay we can use as a back up or even primary Navs should the designated Navigator fail!!
So I have seen two that seemed quite good.
The Roadtrippers App https://roadtrippers.com does have a lot of info and is useful for developing the route, but as far as I can see does not offer car integration and turn by turn detail. Once subscribed one is pretty much unlimited in the number of stops etc but seems to be a planning tool rather than a using tool, if you know what I mean. This cost £35 to subscribe for a year, and while it was not what I intended, I think this has some use.
So I looked further and found the Route 66 Navigation App https://www.route66navigation.com which advertises itself as turn by turn and off line mapping - this on the face of it sounds ideal if it does what it says on the tin. But I immediately found a fatal flaw - it seems the database of all the PoI and Hotels are blank and the app hangs - trying to circumvent by adding long winded addresses (I started with a simple Hire Car Pick Up in Chicago to Springfield IL hotel route) and it just fails. Again cost £35 to subscribe for a year and I was a bit frustrated last night with it failing.
Now it could be me - in fact it is likely to be me, but like all apps, we need them to work simply and flawlessly. Tried to email them from the web site, and that failed. Have managed to message them through Instagram and via a hello email address I found on the site - so will see what happens.
Incidentally, I did notice a bug with the Roadtrippers app and emailed them (it seems when planning a US trip in the UK, the date will go back one day - due to time zones apparently and how my computer is set to UK time and I am planning a Chicago route). They responded really quickly with that info, so was suitably impressed, especially when they admitted it was a bug that was known and being worked through. But it is a bug I can get round easily.
Normal sat nav at home I use Apple Maps or Google Maps via Car Play, and feel this is the way ahead for this trip. What I don't know is with either can I plan a particular route, save it safe in the knowledge that when I flash it up on CarPlay it will route me the way I want it to go, on the roads I have planned. Anyone know this?
Also, does anyone have a solution for the original intent? Notwithstanding I have not heard back from Route 66 Navigation.com as yet, and they might well show me I am being a f
kwit and doing it wrong. If that can work, coupled with the EZ66 book and my own planning should suffice I think - and I am concerned here about the R66 bits - when we veer off and start the detours/loops then traditional nav app (apple/google) will do the job.
So longwinded and wordy post! But TL:DR - anyone have decent suggestions for a Turn-by-Turn Route 66 Nav app that is CarPlay compatible? Or just how clever can Apple Maps/google maps be with pre-planned routes?
I have the EZ66 Guide for Travellers book, the Road trippers R66 book, and also a Lonely Planet Route66 guide book. The first does offer directions which I hope whoever is Navs can cope with. What I am looking for is an App that taps into CarPlay we can use as a back up or even primary Navs should the designated Navigator fail!!
So I have seen two that seemed quite good.
The Roadtrippers App https://roadtrippers.com does have a lot of info and is useful for developing the route, but as far as I can see does not offer car integration and turn by turn detail. Once subscribed one is pretty much unlimited in the number of stops etc but seems to be a planning tool rather than a using tool, if you know what I mean. This cost £35 to subscribe for a year, and while it was not what I intended, I think this has some use.
So I looked further and found the Route 66 Navigation App https://www.route66navigation.com which advertises itself as turn by turn and off line mapping - this on the face of it sounds ideal if it does what it says on the tin. But I immediately found a fatal flaw - it seems the database of all the PoI and Hotels are blank and the app hangs - trying to circumvent by adding long winded addresses (I started with a simple Hire Car Pick Up in Chicago to Springfield IL hotel route) and it just fails. Again cost £35 to subscribe for a year and I was a bit frustrated last night with it failing.
Now it could be me - in fact it is likely to be me, but like all apps, we need them to work simply and flawlessly. Tried to email them from the web site, and that failed. Have managed to message them through Instagram and via a hello email address I found on the site - so will see what happens.
Incidentally, I did notice a bug with the Roadtrippers app and emailed them (it seems when planning a US trip in the UK, the date will go back one day - due to time zones apparently and how my computer is set to UK time and I am planning a Chicago route). They responded really quickly with that info, so was suitably impressed, especially when they admitted it was a bug that was known and being worked through. But it is a bug I can get round easily.
Normal sat nav at home I use Apple Maps or Google Maps via Car Play, and feel this is the way ahead for this trip. What I don't know is with either can I plan a particular route, save it safe in the knowledge that when I flash it up on CarPlay it will route me the way I want it to go, on the roads I have planned. Anyone know this?
Also, does anyone have a solution for the original intent? Notwithstanding I have not heard back from Route 66 Navigation.com as yet, and they might well show me I am being a f
kwit and doing it wrong. If that can work, coupled with the EZ66 book and my own planning should suffice I think - and I am concerned here about the R66 bits - when we veer off and start the detours/loops then traditional nav app (apple/google) will do the job.So longwinded and wordy post! But TL:DR - anyone have decent suggestions for a Turn-by-Turn Route 66 Nav app that is CarPlay compatible? Or just how clever can Apple Maps/google maps be with pre-planned routes?
Slow.Patrol said:
I struggled to read the EZ66, but it was invaluable once we were on the road. Suddenly made more sense.
ETA. Get a tourist SIM for your phone. Think I paid about $20 for two weeks, then use Google maps to follow the road.
I was the same when we first got the book but having read and re-read the instructions and would agree, once we get going this type of nav will work. Trouble is my wife has a dodgy eye and struggles to read quickly (she can't do subtitles in a movie for instance) - hence we want something to support that. ETA. Get a tourist SIM for your phone. Think I paid about $20 for two weeks, then use Google maps to follow the road.
Edited by Slow.Patrol on Thursday 25th January 09:17
Re Google Maps (and Apple Maps for that matter) - yeah agree a SIM card is essential (my daughter is 17 so of course they are essential and seen moth long ones for about £30-£40) but can I plot a route beforehand (for instance from Chicago R66 Start Point to Springfield IL) and have that exact route appear on the CarPlay screen? All I have used so far is letting Maps manage the route - not tried forcing a pre planned and determined route into the system. Unsure if this is possible? Basically I can plot the route on the MacBook, sticking to the historic R66 road - am hoping those turn-by-turn instructions can then be the route google or Apple Maps takes me on.
Of course, I can plot the route in Apple/Google Maps (or actually Bing Maps as I can use more stops in that) and print off the route, which does have really clear concise turn by turn instructions (much like the AA Route Planner we used to use before Sat Nav!!).
I might of course be (no, I know I am) over thinking this, but I don't want the Mrs to be stressing because she struggles with reading - and of course she wants to be taking in the journey rather than stressing where exit 245 is.
Another Q that’s probably right in the weeds but one that will bother me as I don’t know.
We have planned a bit of a route that includes some but few toll roads….. how do we handle those in a car from Hertz? Is it simply a case of stopping at the booth and chucking a few dollars into the bucket or a cc swipe?
We have planned a bit of a route that includes some but few toll roads….. how do we handle those in a car from Hertz? Is it simply a case of stopping at the booth and chucking a few dollars into the bucket or a cc swipe?
RDMcG said:
mattyn1 said:
A minor yet very significant update - my entry to get on the Pike's Peak road has been booked. Two hour time window for entry, three in the car, $30.
Now I am really excited!!
Just remember it is strictly speed limited and they do have checks thereNow I am really excited!!
...beautiful drive. Also, if you have a beer at the peak it is going to affect you more. since its 14,000 ft.,
irc said:
IME just walking in can result in significantly higher prices than via Booking com an hour earlier.
Mine are all booked through Booking/Expedia or direct with the hotel. Most are cancellable if we shift the plans, but we felt we needed a number of fixed to keep us on track for the flight home!!Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff