RV trip planning

For RVers, getting where you want to go is relatively easy in North America given we enjoy a complex system of roads and highways. There are many resources available to assist us in this endeavor. RVers have many different approaches to navigating around the country from the carefree serendipity to the carefully calculated mission plan. My intention in this article is to give you some ideas about how to go about planning your RV adventure and the tools to help you get the most enjoyment from your travels.

The first thing you need to do is decide where you want to go. This is the easy part. For instance, suppose you decide you want to see the State of Maine. It's a wonderful state and makes for a great RV adventure but what rout will you take to get there, where will you camp and what will you see and do while you're there?

Before we go somewhere we've never been, I like to ask other RVers about their experiences while visiting these places. Your fellow RVers (especially the well traveled full-time RVers) are a wealth of information. They can tell you which roads are good, where to camp, what to see and where to dine. Take along your road atlas and a note pad to record these ideas.

A good road atlas is a must for for planning your trip. We don't like to travel more than 250 miles a day, so I use a pair of dividers to measure out the approximate distance for our route. I learned this technique as an Air Force Navigator. You simply measure off the distance on your pair of dividers against the milage scale located on the map page you are using and walk it along the path you will take.

Once you have your route roughly planned out you can begin to research the campgrounds, RV parks, WalMarts, and sites along the way. It's a good idea to have a “bare bones” plan outlining the general idea of what you want to accomplish on your trip. Keep in mind that flexibility is essential to any plan and the fact that your hotel and restaurant travel with you gives you much more flexibility than ordinary travelers.

We have never actually stuck to any of our travel schedules because we see sites and attractions along the way that distract us from our original plan. We like it that way and it works for us. Because of this, we rarely make advance reservations at campgrounds and RV parks.

Frequently after pulling into an RV park and while getting set up we meet other RVers who tell us about places they've just visited in the area and we end up staying a day or two longer to take in these attractions. If you're on a 'tight” schedule you'll miss out on a lot of fun and interesting opportunities along the way to your destination.

If you do need to keep to a “tight” schedule, then precise trip planning is essential to keep you on track.

In this situation advance reservations come in handy. I also recommend using computer programs like MapQuest or Google Maps to assist you in your planning.

Once you have your trip plan and itinerary finalized, I recommend using a good GPS system as an onboard navigation system. You can use a laptop with a GPS receiver connected through one of your USB ports and a program like Microsoft Streets and Trips to guide you as you travel down the road. You can also use Microsoft Streets and Trips as a pre-trip planning tool. I currently use a MIO GPS system and find it extraordinarily accurate and very useful for navigation.

Keep in mind a GPS system is only as good as it's programming, so it can and will mislead you from time to time. Therefore, you need to have a good idea of where you're going before you leave. I call it “map study” meaning you look over your paper map taking note of major roads, cities and sites along the way. With this accomplished, you'll be better prepared to override your GPS system when it gives you false information. I also rely heavily on Mrs. Professor to help navigate using the paper map.

She also has several resource books at her fingertips to help us along the way. She uses things like the Passport America campground book, the Wal Mart Atlas, an RV park directory, the Next Exit and the Elks RV park directories. The exit directories are particularly useful for finding fuel stops, shopping, restaurants, rest stops and more. You can purchase some of these books and other very useful travel resources at RVbookstore.com.

For us, the actual process of trip planning is enjoyable in and of itself. We have fun talking about it, researching and dreaming. Your next journey doesn't actually begin at your doorstep, rather, it begins in your mind, moves to the map and occupies your thoughts until your departure. Plan well, be flexible and enjoy your RV adventure! Jim Twamley – Professor of RVing