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01-19-2020, 08:53 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 100
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Good Sam Trip Planner or RV Life directions?
These two mapping apps provide RV specific directions. Any input as to which app performs better for RV travel?
We're traveling from Minneapolis to the Temple TX area next week. I got 3 different suggested routes from the two apps from Kansas City to Dallas.
1) Good Sam: KC, south to Tulsa I-49 & I-44, then US 75 & 62 Indian Nation Turnpike & 271 to Paris TX, then 24 & I-30 to Dallas. This is the most complicated route.
2) RV Life #1: KC, south to Tulsa I-49 & I-44, then 351 to Muskogee, then US 69 & 75 all the way to Dallas.
3) RV Life: KC, take the Kansas Turnpike and I-35 all the way to Dallas. This is the way I take in the car.
I'm tempted to take the Kansas Turnpike route #3 cuz it's the simplest and there's a lot of open road, but wondering if I'm missing something that those RV apps consider in the more complicated routes.
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01-19-2020, 11:33 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Texas
Posts: 273
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chuckie
These two mapping apps provide RV specific directions. Any input as to which app performs better for RV travel?
We're traveling from Minneapolis to the Temple TX area next week. I got 3 different suggested routes from the two apps from Kansas City to Dallas.
1) Good Sam: KC, south to Tulsa I-49 & I-44, then US 75 & 62 Indian Nation Turnpike & 271 to Paris TX, then 24 & I-30 to Dallas. This is the most complicated route.
2) RV Life #1: KC, south to Tulsa I-49 & I-44, then 351 to Muskogee, then US 69 & 75 all the way to Dallas.
3) RV Life: KC, take the Kansas Turnpike and I-35 all the way to Dallas. This is the way I take in the car.
I'm tempted to take the Kansas Turnpike route #3 cuz it's the simplest and there's a lot of open road, but wondering if I'm missing something that those RV apps consider in the more complicated routes
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Chuckie
I currently live in Temple, but I lived in Fort Worth for over 50 years and have traveled most of the roads recommended by the maps. You are not missing anything that the R V maps use. I think they only use shortest routes.
You are correct to take route #3. There is some bridge work on I-35 in Oklahoma. I-35W thru Fort Worth construction is 95% complete and is no comparison to I-35E rough road, heavy traffic thru downtown Dallas
Route #1 is goofy and puts you going thru Dallas. Many miles of traffic.
Route#2 is terrible when you start South on 351 in Oklahoma. U S 69 may be the worst road in all of Oklahoma ( rough and many small town stop and go ) U S 75 traffic starts about the Texas state line, then I-35E traffic thru Dallas -- maybe 40 miles of traffic.
Btm
__________________
Ben Moore
Temple,TX
2019 GT5 31L5F, 2014 Wrangler Unlimited
CHF rear, CHF front, Sumo springs front
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01-20-2020, 12:29 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: TEXAS
Posts: 9,095
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When in doubt, seek a third opinion with Google Maps. That gives you driving time as well as route information.
The I35 route takes about 10 minutes less even though its a few miles longer. We've taken both routes and prefer I35.
__________________
2015 Dynamax REV 24TB class C
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01-20-2020, 07:02 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 100
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Btm
Chuckie
I currently live in Temple, but I lived in Fort Worth for over 50 years and have traveled most of the roads recommended by the maps. You are not missing anything that the R V maps use. I think they only use shortest routes.
You are correct to take route #3. There is some bridge work on I-35 in Oklahoma. I-35W thru Fort Worth construction is 95% complete and is no comparison to I-35E rough road, heavy traffic thru downtown Dallas
Route #1 is goofy and puts you going thru Dallas. Many miles of traffic.
Route#2 is terrible when you start South on 351 in Oklahoma. U S 69 may be the worst road in all of Oklahoma ( rough and many small town stop and go ) U S 75 traffic starts about the Texas state line, then I-35E traffic thru Dallas -- maybe 40 miles of traffic.
Btm
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Thanks much Btm! On the routes #1 and #2, I was wondering why the RV apps were suggesting to take I35E through Dallas. When I was last through there in the car a few months ago, the construction was pretty bad with very narrow lanes and I was thinking I should avoid that in an RV at all costs (whereas I35W through Fort Worth was OK).
Glad I asked!
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01-20-2020, 07:07 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 100
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Reverse_snowbird
When in doubt, seek a third opinion with Google Maps. That gives you driving time as well as route information.
The I35 route takes about 10 minutes less even though its a few miles longer. We've taken both routes and prefer I35.
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Thanks Reverse_snowbird! I'm an avid Google maps guy (and Waze too) but thought the RV direction apps might know something those don't. Maybe not!
As a side note, as much as i like Google/Waze, I miss my Garmin unit. I let my teenage daughter use it a couple years ago and it disappeared. Never replaced it.
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01-20-2020, 11:36 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 7,948
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Yes Google all the way and shows you where the road construction/delays are.
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01-20-2020, 12:23 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 100
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Iggy
Yes Google all the way and shows you where the road construction/delays are.
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If I recall my last trip on I35 in OK a few months ago, the stretch between OK City and TX border was a little rough (where your map shows construction). Otherwise, that whole route from MN to TX was pretty good.
I'm still curious why the RV app directions don't default to that route.
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01-20-2020, 12:29 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 7,948
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chuckie
If I recall my last trip on I35 in OK a few months ago, the stretch between OK City and TX border was a little rough (where your map shows construction). Otherwise, that whole route from MN to TX was pretty good.
I'm still curious why the RV app directions don't default to that route.
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If you were not in a rush heading north I'd take that route RV app shows only hit it after you bypass Dallas and intersect further north.
That is a nice easy drive if you don't want interstate.
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01-20-2020, 01:37 PM
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#9
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Enjoying Life
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Texas
Posts: 919
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I35 has both an east and west leg to go through Dallas/Ft Worth. Come down the west side through Fort Worth (I35W). There will be much less traffic and there are express lanes (if you don't mind tolls, get a toll tag for cheaper rates for TX, OK, and KS) to speed through the heaviest traffic areas.
__________________
2022 Rockwood 2109S
Previous: Rockwood 2608WS, 2608BSD
2006 Durango HEMI
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01-20-2020, 02:05 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 100
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TeachTexas
I35 has both an east and west leg to go through Dallas/Ft Worth. Come down the west side through Fort Worth (I35W). There will be much less traffic and there are express lanes (if you don't mind tolls, get a toll tag for cheaper rates for TX, OK, and KS) to speed through the heaviest traffic areas.
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Yeah, I need to get a Texas Tag at some point. I'm glad we don't have to deal with tolls up here in the great white north.
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01-20-2020, 06:44 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Canada
Posts: 463
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Reverse_snowbird
When in doubt, seek a third opinion with Google Maps. That gives you driving time as well as route information.
The I35 route takes about 10 minutes less even though its a few miles longer. We've taken both routes and prefer I35.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Iggy
Yes Google all the way and shows you where the road construction/delays are.
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It might not be an issue for MHs, but google maps and waze have both brought me to low bridges under 13'2" that I couldn't make it under . a real pain backing down a 2 lane hi-way in a 41 foot 5er. weight might be a restrictor on MH. i tend to use one of the free apps on my phone WITH one of the other mapping programs to confirm height/weight.
truck map is a good one.
__________________
2023 Rockwood 2911BS | 2023 Silverado 3500 SRW Duramax
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01-20-2020, 07:09 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 7,948
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Quote:
Originally Posted by primo20
It might not be an issue for MHs, but google maps and waze have both brought me to low bridges under 13'2" that I couldn't make it under . a real pain backing down a 2 lane hi-way in a 41 foot 5er. weight might be a restrictor on MH. i tend to use one of the free apps on my phone WITH one of the other mapping programs to confirm height/weight.
truck map is a good one.
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Dang that 5th wheel is tall.
My Georgetown with the 22.5" tires hit only 12 ft 6 inches to the top of the AC units. If I see 13 ft or higher no sweat!
OK maybe I will duck a little. lol
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01-21-2020, 01:02 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 359
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I’m a big Waze and Google Maps fan. That said, you get routed down one road with a low bridge, low weight limit or propane restrictions and all of a sudden an RV specific GPS app sounds like a gift from God. After running into these issues more than once m, I went on the hunt. I now mainly use RV Life on my motorhome trips. You put in the make model year of your rig and it know your height, weight, width, and propane. Better yet, it routes around the problem spots. Now a days I still use google and Waze to see traffic, but RV Life is my primary.
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01-21-2020, 10:35 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 100
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EricNJ
I’m a big Waze and Google Maps fan. That said, you get routed down one road with a low bridge, low weight limit or propane restrictions and all of a sudden an RV specific GPS app sounds like a gift from God. After running into these issues more than once m, I went on the hunt. I now mainly use RV Life on my motorhome trips. You put in the make model year of your rig and it know your height, weight, width, and propane. Better yet, it routes around the problem spots. Now a days I still use google and Waze to see traffic, but RV Life is my primary.
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I like the theory that goes into the RV Life app, but I've found myself switching back to Google or Waze quickly after starting a trip because of their better functionality (searching along the route, speed limits, actual speed w/Waze, better displays). I haven't taken the time to dig into RV Life, so maybe that functionality is there and I just haven't found it yet.
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01-21-2020, 05:06 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Canada
Posts: 463
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Iggy
Dang that 5th wheel is tall.
My Georgetown with the 22.5" tires hit only 12 ft 6 inches to the top of the AC units. If I see 13 ft or higher no sweat!
OK maybe I will duck a little. lol
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actually i just double checked...12"10' according to the manufacturer specs...
https://www.kz-rv.com/2018-products/...fications.html
not sure where i got 13"2". I've never measured, but always give myself grace at 13"6'. just in case my unit is nose high on the truck.
__________________
2023 Rockwood 2911BS | 2023 Silverado 3500 SRW Duramax
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01-27-2020, 12:50 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 359
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chuckie
I like the theory that goes into the RV Life app, but I've found myself switching back to Google or Waze quickly after starting a trip because of their better functionality (searching along the route, speed limits, actual speed w/Waze, better displays). I haven't taken the time to dig into RV Life, so maybe that functionality is there and I just haven't found it yet.
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Agree with your rationale. All depends on what you need at the time. I’m a huge Waze fan. I use RV life to find a safe route based on height weight propane and the Waze along the way. Btw. Check out Nexit for a great tool for what’s at the upcoming exits on your route. It’s a new addition for me and I’m getting to really like it.
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01-27-2020, 08:20 AM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 100
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I'll have to try Nexit. Thanks for the tip.
I used both the RV Life and Goodsams apps to find parks on the trips.
By the way, I noticed that Google added realtime speed and consistent speed limits (intermittent feature recently?) to the maps. However, they deleted my beloved compass! My 329DS has no electronic compass, so had to download a compass map.
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01-30-2020, 09:33 AM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 7,948
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chuckie
I'll have to try Nexit. Thanks for the tip.
I used both the RV Life and Goodsams apps to find parks on the trips.
By the way, I noticed that Google added realtime speed and consistent speed limits (intermittent feature recently?) to the maps. However, they deleted my beloved compass! My 329DS has no electronic compass, so had to download a compass map.
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NEXIT is only for the iphone ONLY.
Just looked it up
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