RV Travel Routing: Fastest or Shortest?

[Chief]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Chief - what version of CoPilot were you using? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>


John - Currently using version 10. Route was from Biloxi to Destin using routing for RV and no toll roads. I'll run it again when I get time and see if it takes me to the 17th street overpass.

[hamguy]

Try Sioux City, IA. W. 8th street crosses W. 14th street at right angles. Woof.

[Dav5942]

Started using the shortest route on the GPS and have found 10% fuel savings on most trips and not much difference in time(especially when staying under 65).

[IBHIPRU2?]

I tend to agree. We are midway on our first trip in our 2005 Aspect Class C. Biggest problem with the "supposed" fastest way is your out there on the open highway with the trucks trying to keep up with the traffic flow and battling the crosswinds. We tried a couple of "shortest" routes and found the driving to be less tiring with better gas milage and not a significant difference in driving time.

[codgerbill]

I have had several Garmin units from the GPSIII to the Nuvi 5000 that I now use. The thing I like about the Garmin (I dont know about the others) is that I can customize the route on my laptop or desktop computer and download it to the unit. I set the unit on fastest and the only time I let the unit pick the route is when Im out on the road and and cant get to the computer to customize the route. I have set the avoids but when the unit picks the route it can sometimes be tricky. I use the latest version of map source city navigator on the computers.

[GaryKD]

I use fastest in the coach and alternate in the toad. The alternate route designation has made for some excellent sightseeing,,,,,but only in the toad.

[Tom N]

I prefer and travel the "Blue Highways". Much more to see, a slower journey and much more interesting scenery and people.

Blue Highways is an autobiographical book by William Least Heat-Moon, born William Trogdon.

In 1978, after separating from his wife and losing his job, Heat-Moon, 38 at the time, decides to take an extended road trip around the United States, sticking to only the "Blue Highways," a term he coins to refer to small, forgotten, out of the way roads connecting rural America (which were drawn in blue on the old style Rand McNally road atlas). He outfits a white van with a bunk, a camping stove, a portable toilet and a copy of Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass and John Neihardt's Black Elk Speaks. Referring to the Native American resurrection ritual, he christens the van "Ghost Dancing," and embarks on a 3-month soul-searching tour of the United States, wandering from small town to small town, often just because they have interesting names. The book chronicles the 13,000 mile journey and the people he meets along the way, as he steers clear of cities and interstates, avoiding fast food and exploring local American culture. Well-researched and intriguing stories and historical facts are included about each area visited, as well as verbatim conversations with characters such as a born-again Christian hitchhiker, a teenage runaway, a boat builder, a log cabin restorer, a prostitute, fishermen, an American Indian medical student, owners of western saloons and remote country stores, a maple syrup farmer, and Chesapeake island dwellers.

I think I'll get the book out, place it in the motorhome and re-read it.

-Tom

[ncason]

WOW, I am so glad I read this thread. The 2002 posting was the best, I had never heard of the "Blue Highways" book but it is on order now and I can't wait to read it.

Nancy

[EasyDoesIt]

I have a Nuvi and MS Streets and Trips. I like to stay off freeways and see the country. There aren't thrift shops and antique shops on the freeways. I usually incorporate the POI for overhead clearance check on the routes planned on the Laptop. I have the MS GPS attached to the Laptop as we go as my NUVI does not have the capability of doing routes

[historyljc]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> There aren't thrift shops and antique shops on the freeways. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Sounds like a good reason to me to take the freeway.

[IBHIPRU2?]

Lessons learned on current trip include not automatically selecting the fastest route provided by the GPS. Case in point: Fasted route from El Paso, Texas to Holbrook, Az was 8:30 and 486 miles. The alternative was 8:47 and 385 miles! That's 101 miles saved at the expense of only 17 minutes.

[GaryKD]

IBHIPRU2?,
As long as the roads selected are okay for your rig.