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  1. #1
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    Default Planning a scenic drive, not the fastest route. Google Maps hates me !

    I hope someone help me, I am trying to plan a road trip from Niagara Falls across the country mostly following Route 66 to San Franciscan and ending in LA.

    I have found quiet a few maps for the main part of the Route 66 drive so I can probably copy/paste that part but going from Niagara Falls to Chicago via Cleveland I want to try and do the scenic drive along the shores rather than the fastest route via major highways.

    I have attached a short scenic drive that I quite often use as it takes me around the ocean front.

    Spoiler: screenshot
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    My Scenic Drive


    This is how Google Maps tries to take me.
    Spoiler: screenshot
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    The top map I have entered way points to try and force Google Maps to go where I want to go but it overrides my route and instead takes the quickest one.

    I have plotted out the first days drive to Cleveland and I don't want to get there and find myself heading down a major highway. Even when I set avoid highways and tollways, google maps still deviates from my proposed route.

    I have looked at a few Android Apps but I find myself going round in circles and I haven't even left my study

    I even tried Sygic which seems to get good ratings but it is nowhere as easy as using Google My Maps for doing the initial planning.

    I am hoping I can get some recommendations for an App that will allow me to import the exported files from My Maps.

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  3. #2
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    Doing a little bit more and used my intended route Niagara Falls to Cleveland, loaded the My Map into Google Maps and it seems to disregards all my way points for most of the trip.

    Spoiler: screenshot
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    The above is the Cleveland end. If I touch onto my route it then asks for the start and end locations, deletes the Google Maps route and then goes back to a never ending loop.

    I just can't get it to follow my scenic route.

    Am I better off to use something other than Google Maps? I am OK with plotting the route using Google My Maps but it craps out trying to use my route.

  4. #3
    Administrator Planning a scenic drive, not the fastest route. Google Maps hates me !
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    So just out of interest what GPS are you going to use for this Trip?
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  5. #4
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    Umm, that is what I posted here, I to see if anyone can suggest an app for my Droid phone. My thoughts are to use one that I can import a saved kml file.

    Trouble with Google is that it seems to disregard my way points.

    I will welcome any suggestions.

  6. #5
    iGO Enthusiast Planning a scenic drive, not the fastest route. Google Maps hates me !
    Planning a scenic drive, not the fastest route. Google Maps hates me !Planning a scenic drive, not the fastest route. Google Maps hates me !Planning a scenic drive, not the fastest route. Google Maps hates me !Planning a scenic drive, not the fastest route. Google Maps hates me !Planning a scenic drive, not the fastest route. Google Maps hates me !Planning a scenic drive, not the fastest route. Google Maps hates me !Planning a scenic drive, not the fastest route. Google Maps hates me !
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    [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
    [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
    [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
    Before asking a question, know it's already discussed here and at 99.9% is not unique. Use search.
    NO ONE IS A SEER, READ (click on): [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] <- Click!
    [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] <- Click!

    Spoiler: obs
    Many questions become very arduous, a lot of time chewed deja vu...Since we have lost all the year of work and effort, many people have no will to answer the same questions again. Me neither. Use a search, please.

  7. #6
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    Thanks Boki_Srd, will check them out.

    I think I have worn Google out today but I did trip over one app called MapQuest and when I put in the start and end points (Niagara Falls Marriot & La Quinta Inn by Wyndham Cleveland Independence) and told it to avoid toll and highways me to drag the route around to get it going my way.

    Only problem is, I can't seem to open an account with them but then I have not downloaded the app yet.

  8. #7
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    Gee, where did those 2 months go, I guess a lot of it was spent trying to get my head around the various apps.

    My final choice comes down to Locus Map Pro. It does so many goodies but I probably will never use most.

    The best thing I found is to navigate using "My Points", with this it will use all your way points to follow your chosen route which for me will be the scenic one along the lake shores etc.

    I now have 5 months till we hit USA so should be able to sort out my daily drives and detours to the places to see.

  9. #8
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    Another month gone by and had to dump Locus due to it not having lane assist which I believe is essential for driving in another country never-lone on the wrong side of the road

    My final choice (until I change my mind again ) is OSMAND+. Biggest problem and it is the same with many other, is the total lack of a user manual. If you have the manual in pdf it is easy and quick to do a search for key words but not easy when the manual is online using WIKI.

    I created a bit of a training manual so I can visit it later to remind me how to use it so will post it back here later in case others might want to use it.

    I have managed to upload GPX files for drives in USA and checked the route out, when I tried Sygic months ago, it crashed when I tried to load the same file.

    I also found when I tried to create GPX files that GPSBABEL crashed, same with [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] but I have had no problems using [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] which even shows the route on a map so you can verify it is working properly.

  10. #9
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    I have used OSMAND+ on and off for hiking.

    It is OK and can use Garmin GPX files.

    For driving it is OK for short trips.

    If I were you I would spend some money on a Garmin Stand alone unit.
    Now a days they come with everything you need.
    Life Time Traffic
    Life Time Speed Cams
    Life Time Map updates.
    All in one price with out the need of a data connection.

    The Traffic comes over a DAB+ receiver built in to the unit.

    Pick one up when you get to the states.
    Bring you GPX files with you and add them to the GPS


    Spoiler: Garmin Nuvi units
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    This is a good website to convert routes into GPX files.

    Spoiler: Maps to GPX
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    Last edited by asprin624; 29th November 2019 at 04:33 PM.

  11. #10
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    Thanks for the comment asprin624 but my frustration started 10 months ago when I was planning a three week drive through UK. I purchased a Navman thinking I would be able to plot each days drive and then load it into the GPS but the only way that I could find to do this was to enter the coordinates for each waypoint. I communicated with the Navman support in Australia and he suggest I buy another model which ended up be the same so each night I would manually enter each turn.

    It worked out reasonably well except we were directed over the Erskine Bridge in Glasglow 3 times so I can only guess that I stuffed up the entry and put it in twice - we had a good laugh about it.

    This is when I thought that there must be a better way to layout a sight seeing drive and be navigated along my customised route so I have spent the last 6 months or so trying various Android apps and OSMAND+ seems to me to be the best app for what I want to do.

    Part of what I like about OSMAND+ is that I can load the gpx file at home in Western Australia and the check the route to make certain I will be going exactly the route I have planned.

    One of the early apps I tried was Sygic but it will not show the route unless I am in USA which means I can not try them out until I arrive and that will not give me time to correct them.

 

 

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