I bought a cheap Vankyo MatrixPad S7 7" tablet (GPS enabled) and a car dashboard & windshield tablet mount holder to use as an "RV GPS".
I have the (paid) CoPilot RV app on the dedicated tablet. The tablet allows me to take the my GPS in my old towed or the truck camper or anything else I decide to drive. I tried the RV Trip Wizard but it lost it's mind somewhere down the highway (Arkansas, I think). I find the CoPilot app easier to use.
I have a Next Exit book, a Rand McNally trucker's atlas and a Rand McNally mid sized road atlas. I ripped the midsized atlas apart and it lives in sheet protectors in a 3 ring binder, just like the Next Exit does. I always have my route written down on paper.
To plan a trip, I use various websites, the Next Exit and the midsized atlas. I build the maps (by state) in Google My Maps. I include campgrounds/rv parks, overnight parking locations, restaurants and attractions that meet my personal criteria on the state maps. I will find a place/area to visit and build a map around that and save it for later. I prefer to find a "base" campground/RV Park and daytrip from that base. I have several "maps" saved in My Maps that I can build into a new trip.
Since I like to run US highways along with a few state and county roads, I use the trucker's atlas to make sure there isn't a problem with my route. Once I get my basic route marked out on the Mid sized atlas with wet erase markers (and this is why they are in sheet protectors), I double check my stops on Google satellite view to see where my best parking will be.
GasBuddy.com is good for finding fuel stops. Although I default to Sam's Clubs and Murphy's for fuel, particularly if overnight parking (ONP) in a Sam's Club lot (most of the time, not always, those two have the cheapest prices, unfortunately not all Sam's Clubs have diesel - I do use Google street view to see which side of the station the diesel pumps are on, then note that in the listing on My Maps). I do unhook to get fuel as it's easier and I top off fuel either the night before or in the morning before heading out.
Once my trip is finalized, I plug it into the CoPilot. Each day is a trip. I have discovered that is easiest to work with.
I have the (paid) CoPilot RV app on the dedicated tablet. The tablet allows me to take the my GPS in my old towed or the truck camper or anything else I decide to drive. I tried the RV Trip Wizard but it lost it's mind somewhere down the highway (Arkansas, I think). I find the CoPilot app easier to use.
I have a Next Exit book, a Rand McNally trucker's atlas and a Rand McNally mid sized road atlas. I ripped the midsized atlas apart and it lives in sheet protectors in a 3 ring binder, just like the Next Exit does. I always have my route written down on paper.
To plan a trip, I use various websites, the Next Exit and the midsized atlas. I build the maps (by state) in Google My Maps. I include campgrounds/rv parks, overnight parking locations, restaurants and attractions that meet my personal criteria on the state maps. I will find a place/area to visit and build a map around that and save it for later. I prefer to find a "base" campground/RV Park and daytrip from that base. I have several "maps" saved in My Maps that I can build into a new trip.
Since I like to run US highways along with a few state and county roads, I use the trucker's atlas to make sure there isn't a problem with my route. Once I get my basic route marked out on the Mid sized atlas with wet erase markers (and this is why they are in sheet protectors), I double check my stops on Google satellite view to see where my best parking will be.
GasBuddy.com is good for finding fuel stops. Although I default to Sam's Clubs and Murphy's for fuel, particularly if overnight parking (ONP) in a Sam's Club lot (most of the time, not always, those two have the cheapest prices, unfortunately not all Sam's Clubs have diesel - I do use Google street view to see which side of the station the diesel pumps are on, then note that in the listing on My Maps). I do unhook to get fuel as it's easier and I top off fuel either the night before or in the morning before heading out.
Once my trip is finalized, I plug it into the CoPilot. Each day is a trip. I have discovered that is easiest to work with.
