Re: [a/s] Top-of-Ga to I-75

["Peter K. Kaiser" <pkaiser@xxxxxxxx>]

I have been using DeLorme's Map'N'Go for several years and love it.  About
three years ago I purchased their Tripmate which is a GPS receiver.

I built a small platform that sits between the driver and passenger up
against the dashboard.  On this platform I place my notebook computer into
which I have the GPS plugged.  A small inverter plugged into the cigarette
lighter provides constant power for the notebook computer.

Before I leave on a trip I plan my route with Map'N'Go and it shows up as a
highlight on the highways and roads we want to take.  Our present location
as shown by the GPS is indicated by a green arrow.  So as long as the green
arrows move along the highlighted parts of the map on the computer we know
we are ok.  On a couple occasions,  usually in larger cities we discovered
that the green arrow was not on the highlight.  Immediately we knew that a
wrong turn was made and were able to correct it.

Here is an amusing anecdote.  We were traveling North through Pennsylvania
when nature started calling really loud.  We took the first exit, found a
gas station with a rest room and soon all was well again.  Got back in the
car and headed back to the Interstate Highway we just left only to learn
that the only entrance was South going.  What do you do now?  We zoomed in
on the map shown on our computer and immediately saw that to go North we had
to do a 180 and a mile or so up the road we hit the entrance to the highway
going North.  The amount of map detail to learn this would not be seen in a
typical atlas or fold up map.  A book type map of the local area would, but
we did not have that.

Sorry folks, Map'N'Go is the only such software with which I have experience
so I can not tell you merits relative to other programs.

I'll tell you though, I use Map'N'Go with the GPS whenever I take an
extended trip.  I especially like it while towing my 29' Excella.  I really
don't like the idea of getting lost or traveling where I don't want to be
with that long thing behind me.

Pete