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1. First thing we do is choose the starting point, a destination and then a route between the two with Google Maps. (Google Maps can also give you ground level street views.)
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| "Nice to have" information resources Eastern U.S. Interstate Exits and Rest Areas by State and/or Route We've listed where to find each map & guide that's listed free on the Internet. Good Sam - Campgrounds & Routes Participating Good Sam Parks offer 10% discount to members but you now need to be a member to use their route planning service. Ultimate U.S. Public Campground Project Over 20,000 Federal, State, and County campgrounds by State. CAT Certified Scales Concerned about the weight of your rig? Find out how easy it is to determine and put your mind at ease with CAT's help. They offer a free video. RV Park & Campground Reviews Valuable free service that lists camper's comments about the campground you are considering |
Walmart Stopovers Sometimes you need a quick and safe place to stay overnight but not all Walmart's allow RV's to spend the night in their parking lots. Cheap Area Gas Prices Gas Buddy gives prices submitted by consumers and usually only a couple of hours old. Pilot/Flying J Truck Stops They actually want RVers to stop by. They offer special lanes for us and discounts using their member card.
Free Campgrounds for RV's Nothing fancy but very helpful to those on a budget. Buy your Hunting/Fishing Licenses Online Choose your destination from a drop down menu to check prices and buy your fishing or hunting license. |
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______________________________________ We carry three reference books with us on every trip. They have been an indispensible help to us from day one. Our RV Bible is the "Rand McNally Motor Carriers' Road Atlas". It shows all the truck routes and where the low clearances are to be avoided. If an 18-wheeler can navigate it - so can we and you! The spiral binding and laminated pages are worth the extra money. It's a reference you will refer to again and again. Our second reference is "The Next Exit" simply because it's always good to know what's available locally - you never know when you will need to make an unscheduled or emergency stop. The National Geographic Guide to Scenic Highways & Byways is just a fun book to own and get ideas from in making plans for your next or a future road trip, The reference books and our Roadside Assistance membership |
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Our Research We have researched most of the campground clubs and most are fine and offer very similar services if you want to travel the same routes and stay in the same member campgrounds as you travel. We don't. Our goal is to travel America in our RV and see and do what we have only read about, not having the time or perhaps the money to do in our previous working life. Roadside Assistance is a must if you spend a lot of time on the road. Sooner or later something will require fixin' and it usually doesn't happen when you're sitting in a campground or a dealer;s parking lot. We have tried Coach Net and they are fine but only cover the tow vehicle when it is attached. We tried Good Sam and actually needed to use them several times and the service was satisfactory but we really take issue with a low introductory price the first year followed the next year by nearly doubling the price at renewal time. We dropped them and now use AAA Roadside Assistance. The price is decent, the coverage good, and they offer a host of extra free services like trip planning, travel books, and campground guides. We do use Good Sam Mail Forwarding service out of Pensacola. It is economical and they are responsive to our needs and instructions. We did subscribe to Good Sam Travel Assist for one year but did not renew. Read the actual Good Sam coverage carefully before you buy. If you are traveling extensively then a Rewards Card from Good Sam will save you 3 cents/gal at the Pilot/Flying J Truck Stops. Pilot/Flying J actually wants and appreciates the RV business they receive. Good people! Finally, yes we are card carrying, lifetime members of Passport America. And yes we do stay at Passport America half-price camgrounds 75% of the time when we are on a trip. It's all part of planning the trip. First we pick a destination, then a route and then the fun of picking the stopovers along the route. Safe travels, Jack & Niki |
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Have a question, suggestion or comment? Send us an email Note for Jack & Niki We'd love to hear from you and we do answer every email |
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