Cross-country trip planning software

[NJRadioGuy]

Hi all,
Big fan of GaiaGPS for overland and off-road route planning and waypoints, but I'm looking for something that will help me plan a cross-country route on pavement from NJ to Loveland CO for Expo Mountain this summer. Basically I know I want to get there the day before, and it will take me about 3 days of driving to do it, but I'd like something to help me calculate where to consider stopping for the night and for fuel, etc. A big plus would be for decently-rated motel accommodations. AAA used to offer that as a service in the paper map days, but I just can't find software that is good at that kind of thing. Thoughts?

 

[Vickycc_3ef47a]

Hi all,
Big fan of GaiaGPS for overland and off-road route planning and waypoints, but I'm looking for something that will help me plan a cross-country route on pavement from NJ to Loveland CO for Expo Mountain this summer. Basically I know I want to get there the day before, and it will take me about 3 days of driving to do it, but I'd like something to help me calculate where to consider stopping for the night and for fuel, etc. A big plus would be for decently-rated motel accommodations. AAA used to offer that as a service in the paper map days, but I just can't find software that is good at that kind of thing. Thoughts?

onx offroad should work, but he's just more obvious with the map feature

 

[ChadHahn]

I've done this with Google maps. I figure out how many hours or miles I want to be on the road and then search for sleeping locations near my proposed end.

 

[NJRadioGuy]

I've done this with Google maps. I figure out how many hours or miles I want to be on the road and then search for sleeping locations near my proposed end.

Yes, it's doable but not really a great solution to be honest--unless I'm missing some obvious feature. I mean, the obvious answer is to drive until you start feeling hungry/tired/etc, and catch as catch can, but if you have to work to a schedule ("must arrive at the first ferry crossing no later than 9am Monday") and you'll be leaving home the previous Thursday it's nice to have this kind of thing planned out a bit more carefully. I forget which software package I used to be able to do this with--it was at least 10-15 years ago--where I could say I want to drive about 8 hours this day, 6 hours the next and push through to the end the final day, and it would suggest stopping points, fuel stops based on MPG details I provided in setup and the like. I don't remember what software it was, but it worked pretty good.

 

[DintDobbs]

@NJRadioGuy Once upon a time, my folks used to use MapQuest to plan their trips. That was before I drove, so I don't know if it's any thing similar to what you used, or what kinds of information you could input.

 

[ZombieCat]

I've done this with Google maps. I figure out how many hours or miles I want to be on the road and then search for sleeping locations near my proposed end.

Yes, it's doable but not really a great solution to be honest--unless I'm missing some obvious feature. I mean, the obvious answer is to drive until you start feeling hungry/tired/etc, and catch as catch can, but if you have to work to a schedule ("must arrive at the first ferry crossing no later than 9am Monday") and you'll be leaving home the previous Thursday it's nice to have this kind of thing planned out a bit more carefully. I forget which software package I used to be able to do this with--it was at least 10-15 years ago--where I could say I want to drive about 8 hours this day, 6 hours the next and push through to the end the final day, and it would suggest stopping points, fuel stops based on MPG details I provided in setup and the like. I don't remember what software it was, but it worked pretty good.

Google Maps works just fine and is free. I’m nearing the end of my 5th cross country trip - this one is nearly 3 months long - and I’ve used Google Maps to plan each one.
Input your destination to see the route and overall mileage. Decide how many miles you want to drive each day. Do you want to make any stops other than gas/food/ bathroom? Factor that in for those days. Determine where your desired daily mileage will put you along the route. Use apps such as iOverlander, Campendium, The Dyrt, HipCamp, etc. to find camping. Personally, I like a reserved spot, especially during summer when even dispersed sites are overcrowded. This avoids the frustration of searching for camping when you’re tired or the weather sucks. It also guarantees amenities such as showers, electricity and/or laundry facilities if you choose certain locations. I record the route and camping info on a template document, which I store in a folder on my phone. I also download any reservations as .pdf documents and keep them in the same folder. Easy peasy!