Long Trip Planners - Help PLEASE!
Club Member
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 2,697
Likes: 10
From: San Angelo, Texas
I can do a plan, or I can do "finger in the wind", depending on the mood...The Harley trip planner is a fairly easy one to use, has "drag" features that allow you to drag your route to go where you want to, and allows you to avoid major highways.
Someone mentioned PAPER MAPS. I have a Mapsco book for every state we've ridden in. These are nice in that they give you a great overview map and then grid sub maps with awesome detail of roads that you may not have seen otherwise!
The planning can be part of the fun of the trip...especially if some of that planning is sitting in a roadside park at the picnic table with your map and highlighter in hand planning the next segment!
Someone mentioned PAPER MAPS. I have a Mapsco book for every state we've ridden in. These are nice in that they give you a great overview map and then grid sub maps with awesome detail of roads that you may not have seen otherwise!
The planning can be part of the fun of the trip...especially if some of that planning is sitting in a roadside park at the picnic table with your map and highlighter in hand planning the next segment!
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,666
Likes: 3
From: Styxville
Holy cow you guys are so organized. I still just use a paper map of the whole country and figure it out as I go along. Carry a tent and sleeping bag so never any dramas with full motels etc. Mostly I know generally what direction I am heading and just make sure the sun is on the correct side of the road in the morning and keep heading that way.
Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,764
Likes: 50
From: Gilbert, AZ
Holy cow you guys are so organized. I still just use a paper map of the whole country and figure it out as I go along. Carry a tent and sleeping bag so never any dramas with full motels etc. Mostly I know generally what direction I am heading and just make sure the sun is on the correct side of the road in the morning and keep heading that way.
Thread Starter
|
Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 654
Likes: 11
Thanks guys; some great suggestions.
I've travelled by map for years but when in a city of 500,000 to 1M people the GPS is a "God Send" when looking for fuel, motel and food. The one thing that the GPS does not detail is "the wrong side of town".
The other problem I now find when traveling is the "shortage of fuel" when using the less travelled roads. So many gas stations have shut down that I now carry extra gas for the "just in case".
But again; thanks for the GREAT suggestions.
G
I've travelled by map for years but when in a city of 500,000 to 1M people the GPS is a "God Send" when looking for fuel, motel and food. The one thing that the GPS does not detail is "the wrong side of town".
The other problem I now find when traveling is the "shortage of fuel" when using the less travelled roads. So many gas stations have shut down that I now carry extra gas for the "just in case".
But again; thanks for the GREAT suggestions.
G
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,232
Likes: 4
From: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Many great rides span segments that are at least 120-150 miles between gas stations and all it'll
takes is for the economy to get just a little worse and some of the more remote areas will become
almost unrideable without carrying spare gas.
Banned
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 20,823
Likes: 1,506
From: Nowhere
It is simply not possible to plan the weather, mechanical failures, traffic snarls, road closures, construction, a head cold, or a myriad of other things that can disrupt any well made plan. The more days you are on the road, the greater the likelihood that something is going to come up that is going ruin your day. If you have a place you need to be at a certain date and time, it causes stress; and the earlier in the trip the first one comes up, the worse it is. So, I don't plan. Ok... I do plan, but it is more like a wish list and goals than it is a "plan".
I do make a point of it to be some place where I can make a hotel reservation some time around 2:00 PM though. That is one thing that I do not like leaving to chance. The most useful gadget I carry with me then is a smartphone with a 4G (at least) data connection. With it, I can find a place to stay and make a reservation before the evening rush when everyone on the road decides to call it a day at the same time.
It's nice to roll into a strange town just as the sun is setting, knowing that you won't have to ride all over town (or worse) trying to find a vacancy and that the rate you will pay is reasonable.
I do make a point of it to be some place where I can make a hotel reservation some time around 2:00 PM though. That is one thing that I do not like leaving to chance. The most useful gadget I carry with me then is a smartphone with a 4G (at least) data connection. With it, I can find a place to stay and make a reservation before the evening rush when everyone on the road decides to call it a day at the same time.
It's nice to roll into a strange town just as the sun is setting, knowing that you won't have to ride all over town (or worse) trying to find a vacancy and that the rate you will pay is reasonable.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2,512
Likes: 293
From: Too close, Pa
I like to have a plan it certainly provides something to do while you are waiting for the time off to arrive. Last year we did Cape Breton and Prince Edward Island and every day was fairly well planned out including the lodging. Next year we are heading west with a list of roads and areas we want to see and I am working on a route to get out there link all the areas together then get home. As far as the lodging and actual route we figure each day to look at the weather and decide where and how far, then stop around noon and make a reservation down the road trying to be off the road around 5. Now comes the hard part waiting for next summer to get here.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
