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11-21-2019, 09:17 PM
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#1
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1 Rivet Member
2020 22' Caravel
Virginia Beach
, Virginia
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 10
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Best Way to Plan Routes
Greetings!
I am waiting for my 2020 22FB Caravel to come off the production line and I am SO excited. I am a solo travel nurse that plans to live in this great escape during my adventures. My next contract will be up near the Redwood National Forest, near Eureka, CA.
I am going to be towing from Modesto, Ca. all the way up and wondering the best way to plan routes. I have a 2017 V6 Toyota 4 Runner that I've installed a brake controller, tranny cooler, and airbags for rear support. The GVWR of the truck is 5000, and and the trailer's dry weight is 3750, and a max of 5000. I think I've covered all bases, and know that I may be pushing some limits, but have researched a lot of forums and read that they're very dependable.
Is google maps a reliable source for route planning? Should I make considerations for my tow vehicle if grade are above a certain percent? I am somewhat naive, and this is my first experience- so be gentle OG's! Thank you for your feedback I am so so excited for this adventure!
Dee
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11-21-2019, 10:36 PM
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#2
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Rivet Master
2019 22' Sport
High River
, Alberta
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,176
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Varnerdy
Greetings!
I am waiting for my 2020 22FB Caravel to come off the production line and I am SO excited. I am a solo travel nurse that plans to live in this great escape during my adventures. My next contract will be up near the Redwood National Forest, near Eureka, CA.
I am going to be towing from Modesto, Ca. all the way up and wondering the best way to plan routes. I have a 2017 V6 Toyota 4 Runner that I've installed a brake controller, tranny cooler, and airbags for rear support. The GVWR of the truck is 5000, and and the trailer's dry weight is 3750, and a max of 5000. I think I've covered all bases, and know that I may be pushing some limits, but have researched a lot of forums and read that they're very dependable.
Is google maps a reliable source for route planning? Should I make considerations for my tow vehicle if grade are above a certain percent? I am somewhat naive, and this is my first experience- so be gentle OG's! Thank you for your feedback I am so so excited for this adventure!
Dee
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You have plenty of tow vehicle for what you are planning. Steep grades will slow you down, but they won’t be a problem if you are patient. You might want to avoid grades greater than 12% or so; those would probably be 1st gear pulls.
You don’t need air bags if the weight distributing hitch is set up correctly. Stability will be optimized with a good setup as well.
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11-21-2019, 11:04 PM
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#3
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Rivet Master
2005 25' Safari
Salem
, Oregon
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,367
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Welcome to the forum.
Hi, I use an RV GPS; Tell it where you want to go, and go. Simple.
__________________
Bob 2005 Safari 25-B
"Le Petit Chateau Argent" Small Silver Castle
2000 Navigator / 2014 F-150 Eco-Boost / Equal-i-zer / P-3
YAMAHA 2400 / AIR #12144
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11-22-2019, 03:07 AM
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#4
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Rivet Master
2014 20' Flying Cloud
Sag Harbor
, New York
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 17,523
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Welcome to the forum!
The best route planner is a good large print spiral-bound road atlas.
Works in all weather without electricity or Internet access.
Great for families and kids to join in the planning, perhaps while sitting around a campfire.
No batteries to replace -- useful for years, with no additional modifications or upgrades.
https://www.amazon.com/Rand-McNally-...4417320&sr=8-1
The best $9.42 you will ever spend.
Like Josh Deets from Lonesome Dove:
"Cheerful in all weather
Never shirked a task
Splendid behavior!"
Keep it simple, Stu.
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11-22-2019, 03:18 AM
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#5
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Trailer Sold, Waving
2019 26' Flying Cloud
Stettler
, Alberta
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 1,032
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My primary tool is RV Trip Wizard, supplemented by Google Maps, Campendium, and the various club membership sites - Escapees, KOA, ThousandTrails, Harvest Hosts, etc.
My approach is to do a route overview with Google Maps. Identify start and stop, and the major attractions along the way I am interested in. Then switch over to RVTW, and identify the closest camps with good reviews. I mostly relied upon KOAs when I started, as they were cookie-cutter, and I could focus on learning my trailer and tow vehicle. Now with more experience, I go for state parks, boondocking and "thrifty" campsites.
Use Google Maps Satellite View to zoom in on camps, gas stations, and other areas you may be nervous about to identify entrances and exits. Also good to scan a route the night before to become familiar with roads, turns, rest areas, gas stations and grocery stores.
__________________
2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500
2019 Airstream Flying Cloud 26RBQ
WBCCI #6679
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11-22-2019, 06:40 AM
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#6
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dropped rivet in grass
2019 23' Flying Cloud
Tarzan
, Texas
Join Date: Nov 2019
Posts: 85
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You will have to learn to think like a trucker: "is there room to turn my rig around in that parking lot?", "is there enough overhead clearance?", and of course, turn wide! No more cutting corners. Oh, and you should definitely spend some time learning to back your rig up. Big, empty parking lots will look much different now.
Good luck!
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11-22-2019, 07:23 AM
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#7
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Rivet Master
2017 26' Flying Cloud
Tampa
, Florida
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 7,620
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If you enjoy planning, it's hard to beat RV Trip Wizzard.
You enter a lot of numbers, W x L x H + gas mileage + how far you like to drive a day.
It even warns you to think about buying gas. And it can connect you to RV parks etc.
But I found it also locks you into your plan. I'm more likely to wing it, so I get everywhere using Allstays and Gas Buddy apps.
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11-22-2019, 08:39 AM
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#8
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Moderator
2015 25' FB Flying Cloud
2012 23' FB Flying Cloud
2005 25' Safari
Santa Rosa Beach
, Florida
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 13,153
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Greetings from the Florida Panhandle
Hi Dee. Welcome to the Forums. We're glad to have you with us. Congratulations on your new baby. May you have safe travels and many great Airstream Adventures with her.
As far as trip planning goes, we have never done much of that. We have been Airstreaming for fourteen years and have covered about 190,000 miles towing with over 2,000 nights camped in the Airstream. We plan our route as we go using a combination of our Garmin RV GPS and Google Maps on our smart phones. We also use the rvparky app to find campsites.
You will be traveling a beautiful route between Modesto and Eureka. Last year we traveled with Lucy (our Airstream) from Palm Springs to Port Angeles, Washington without ever going on I-5. We traveled mostly US 101 the entire way. We camped in Eureka for several days.
It sounds like you are all set to go. Take your time and enjoy the trip.
Brian
__________________
SuEllyn & Brian McCabe
WBCCI #3628 -- AIR #14872 -- TAC #FL-7
2015 FC 25' FB (Lucy) with ProPride
2020 Silverado 2500 (Vivian)
2023 Rivian R1T (Opal)
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11-22-2019, 08:58 AM
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#9
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Rivet Master
2006 25' Safari FB SE
Spokane
, Washington
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,843
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I like what Otra15 said. The good old hard map is my first tool. We have traveled almost 50K miles with ours and the first thing I do is to look at the map, decide how far we want to go each day and then look for spots to stay.
We do use google maps and do google searches too. I also think using an app is a good idea. We joined KOA years ago mainly because while on the road we know that they have laundry facilities and are relatively clean. Good Sams are other places where you can count on. Of course, these are some spots we use while traveling. If we want to stay in a place for a few days we will look at an app, or search with google.
I feel as though planning out every stop can be limiting as would be doing everything "on the fly". I try to find a comfortable medium between the two. If you are going to a popular spot like the Redwoods, you might want to get a reservation.
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11-22-2019, 09:23 AM
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#10
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4 Rivet Member
2016 Interstate Grand Tour Ext
Charleston
, South Carolina
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 389
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Google maps and distanceonline.com as well as printed and laminated smaller maps. I use the vans gps while driving to see the turns ahead and zoom in in cities to see the individual streets. I use waze and have it running on my iPad while driving. The combo of gps and waze is better than relying on either individually.
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11-22-2019, 09:25 AM
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#11
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Half a Rivet Short
2017 30' Classic
2022 Interstate 24X
Carlisle
, Pennsylvania
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 15,674
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Hi
Welcome !!
Planning, what's that?
You actually get into multiple routing issues when towing. Indeed "how do I get there" (or can I get there at all) is the first layer. The next wrinkle is keeping up with that route as you rumble down the road. With limited visibility to the rear, lower acceleration / braking, and a longer vehicle, things like lane changes need to be planed a bit more in advance. Getting stuck at the end of a dead end road / street is more "fun" when turning around involves unhitching ( yes, that's sometimes how it is done. Don't jackknife and damage things !!!!).
All turn by turn stuff has its drawbacks. A co-pilot keeping track of multiple sources if information is fine if you .... errr .... aren't solo .. hmmm. An RV GPS will have its issues from time to time. It's likely to do a little better than Google Maps for alerting you to things "Final mile" routing into a remote campsite can be a challenge, no matter how you do it.
The big thing you need to get used to is the greater concentration on driving that towing will involve. That leaves you with less "bandwidth" to do this or that while driving. If something *does* need attention, pull over and deal with it. Don't try to do 6 things at one time.
Bob
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11-22-2019, 09:32 AM
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#12
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Married with Airstream
2004 25' International CCD
Vancouver Island
, British Columbia
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 934
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We do our pre-planning with Rand McNally Motor Carrier's Road Atlas. This is the same map book truckers use. We have found it dependable. From there we use the GPS in the truck.
IMHO, I firmly believe your tow vehicle is not enough unless you are towing "empty". Once you add gear and water you have a tail wagging the dog. Also I did not see any mention of a weight distribution/sway control system. I like living on the edge but risky business is not wise.
You might be interested in reading my article n the exercise we did in choosing a tow vehicle for our Int'l 25 Airstream.
link to how-to-determine-if-your-tow-vehicle-is-right-for-your-trailer/
__________________
La Dolce Vita Brick & Mona
We're Married With Airstream dot com
2004 International 25CCD Registered Name "Blue Streak"
2013 F-150HD FX4 SuperCrew Lariart (MaxTow) "Red Dragon"
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11-22-2019, 09:33 AM
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#13
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1 Rivet Member
2020 22' Caravel
Virginia Beach
, Virginia
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 10
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Thank you everyone for your wisdom! Looking forward to this adventure SO much and reading other wonderful tidbits on this thread and others. Happy travels!
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11-22-2019, 09:44 AM
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#14
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Rivet Master
2014 20' Flying Cloud
Sag Harbor
, New York
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 17,523
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FYI if you are using a computer, and the main desktop version of this site, the new-ish search function in the blue box above works great.
For instance "Eureka CA camping" results here: https://www.google.com/search?q=Eure...com&gws_rd=ssl
Plenty of results which should be of interest as you head North.
Note that the Google-powered search engine automatically inserts the search term "site:airforums.com" to custom-fit the process.
Happy Trails!
Peter
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11-22-2019, 10:12 AM
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#15
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Rivet Master
1972 29' Ambassador
Boynton Beach
, Florida
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 568
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If I were you, I would be careful about overloading the trailer, in the you might encounter "the tail wagging the dog" effect. Not fun, especially on mountain roads! Once you load up, you should go by a truck scales are make sure that you have your weight equalizing hitch set up correctly. If you scour the archives here on AirForums, you can get a handle on the procedure. If you can't do that, at least make sure that both the truck (we call it a "TV" here on the Forums) and the trailer both look level from the side.
As for planning, I make custom maps on GoogleMaps that have all of the places I want to be aware of on my trip. State parks are usually the nicest to camp in, but you have to make your reservations way in advance. You might want to get one of those truckers apps that show all of the truck stop gas stations. They the easiest to pull in and out of. Watch out for steep driveways going into parking lots! You might wind up dragging the rear end.
I remember from my college days (back when dinosaurs roamed the earth) that the 299 has lots of up-and-down grades. So maybe try to cross over to the 101 as soon as possible, before the Trinities get in your way.
Good luck, and have fun with the new toy!
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11-22-2019, 10:30 AM
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#16
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Stay CazuaL
2018 25' Flying Cloud
2014 19' Flying Cloud
Reseda
, California
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 958
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Use Google Maps to get the general idea, zoom in to street level for areas of interest of questionable.
Part of my motto is, not knowing is part of the adventure.
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11-22-2019, 11:14 AM
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#17
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2 Rivet Member
2017 Basecamp
2019 22' Sport
Forest Grove
, Oregon
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 35
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Welcome! I always enjoy hearing about a solo traveler like me! I've done a couple coast to coast trips (Ga to OR) and use Roadtrippers and a paper atlas as backup. Love my Sport 22, towing with Tacoma.
Happy trails!
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11-22-2019, 12:51 PM
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#18
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Simply Riveting
2019 22' Sport
Saint Louis
, Missouri
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 5
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Congratulations!! My husband and I are fairly new to Airstreaming ourselves, we got a new 2019 Sport 22fb at the end of 2018. We started with a few State Park trips within a few hours from our home in MO just to get our feet wet. Once we were comfortable enough that we sort of knew what we were doing, we hit the road over this past summer, on a couple of trips out west. We did CO and NM the first trip, WA, MT, SD and IA the second. I looked at a few of the RV trip planners but fell back on my old reliable spiral bound Road Atlas instead. Like Otra15 mentioned, they have larger print these days, they're great!! I have a thing for maps and love to look at all the great options there are near areas you intend to visit. There's something about seeing it in print that makes it so much easier, at least in my opinion. I get frustrated with zooming in and out on the phone constantly!! I do use GOOGLE maps to check for nearby camping, and I GOOGLE "rv camping near...." so I can look at the options, reviews and make reservations before we set out. I paste those Post It flags and mark them with the states we'll drive through at the top of the pages, then I can flip right to the one I need. Then I put more of the flags near the towns where we'll be camping. I mark those flags with an arrow pointing in the direction of whether it's going there or coming home. I keep a folder where I put all the printed confirmations in the order we'll be arriving. (I do the same thing when we fly somewhere too!!) My method was good enough back in our old pop-up camper days, before we had cell phones and "information super highways", and it worked just as good for these trips!! You're a traveler anyway, you'll figure out what works best for you in no time. Take your time and enjoy the ride, happy trails!!
Margerelli
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11-22-2019, 01:54 PM
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#19
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Rivet Master
1977 Argosy Minuet 6.0 Metre
1973 21' Globetrotter
1975 26' Argosy 26
Vista
, California
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 589
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We like to look at a paper map, and get “the big picture”. Then we use the electronics to find a campsite and possible road conditions. Works for us!
Have fun!
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11-22-2019, 02:18 PM
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#20
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Rivet Master
2008 19' Bambi
2012 23' Flying Cloud
2016 25' Flying Cloud
Bandera
, Texas
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 786
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Welcome aboard!
We use a large spiral bound Rand McNally for basic route planning. In planning stopping points on the map, we query Siri on the iPhone for driving distances between points. We also use Siri for "driving directions to...". We use Google maps where needed, and also have the ME maps app which can be downloaded and used off-line. Lastly, for years, we have marked all of our travels on the Rand McNally so we can remind ourselves where we have been, and need to go next!
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