what to do without MS Streets & Trips

[Smitty77_7]

Always enjoy reading these threads, and keep hoping that a new product will be brought to market that will match or improve upon S&T.

 

For now, I do pre trip planning with our S&T 2013. We do daily traveling with our Garmin DEZL 560 (On auto mode, unless I feel we in an area of risk for size restriction, then we'll change to our RV Profile. We have been unpleasantly surprised by too many routing suggestions while on RV Profile mode. And yes, even some in auto mode, but not quite as often:)!).

 

We do a nightly pre flight review of what Garmin suggests, agains our map atlas, and adjust if we feel we want to take a different path to our destination. (Sometimes just to see a different or specific item or area. And sometimes because the DEZL does not seem to pick a good path.) We also use Google maps for this pre flight check, as we find it's routing to be sometimes better then the DEZL. And when the to differ, it's another indication to take a good look at the map atlas, and make our own decisions.)

 

Finally, at anytime during the days drive we are uncertain, and always when getting close to our destination, the DW will also use her iPhone and activate it's navigation feature (Google).

 

One of the main reasons we retain S&T, is it has the option to alter our driving speeds, and plan in breaks. I set all road options to the slowest speed of travel, and we add in a 30 Min break each four hours of travel. This really helps when planning the overall trip, as you can get a pretty good idea on where to plan for overnight stops. While I do use S&T for campgrounds to stay. I usually also use Google Maps, and put in the town or city we'll be stopping in, and then look for nearby campgrounds - it's a pretty nice feature, and usually brings up many more options then S&T. And, we then cross check these against RV Parks Review, and other sources, to narrow down the decision on where to stay. Or even just Wally Camp, etc. if it's just an overnighter heading somewhere else.

 

Now that we're retired, we usually use the S&T options to Start at 9:00AM and End by 2:00PM. I will back up the Start time if I want to reach a certain place the next day and the normal times are not enough. We like to get in to a destination early, especially if no reservations, to ensure a spot. And, we make it a habit to get out and preferably walk the area, or take the toad and explore a bit. Even it if is only a nightly stop. Many times, we've decided to stay a few days in a place, from doing this:)!

 

Travel safe, and best to all,

Smitty

[Bill Joyce]

We still are using and will continue to use S&T 2013. No really new roads are being built, resurface yes.

Whoever is the co-pilot connects the GPS receiver to the laptop and away we go, tracking as we travel.

Though I am still a user of S&T 2013, I disagree with you since I encounter new roads and changed intersections all the time. Maybe because I am in the West, where the population is increasing. Where I am right now in Southern California, they added two exits and bridges over the interstate connecting to new or improved roads. I have also seen frontage roads and bypasses added that remove exits, making it difficult to recover when your GPS is trying to take a non-existent exit a mile or two past where you should have exited.

[doit2010]

This information has been very enlightening and helpful. Thanks to ALL of you have responded and those who will later. I DID finally figure out how to install MS S&T 2013 on my new lap top that came with Windows 10 so I will be keeping it and looking into some of the other suggestions.

ESW