The Reds road trip.

[gatso]

why would you fly with a tent woodsey? surely they're like 20 bucks in walmart

I have a good quality tent that packs nicely and pitches easily Gatters.  It weighs about 1.3kg. It's tried and tested, so I figure it's worth taking.

what's it made of? checked out the one I'm using for glastonbury last week, reckon that must weigh about 8kg

From my experience its only when the sun actually hits the tents its unbearable, just pitch by shade of some description so your not forced to leave the tent as soon as the sun hits it.

space blanket 2 pack from the pound shop pegged to the outside should reflect enough heat to keep it bearable if you have to pitch in the sun

[RED-DOG]

why would you fly with a tent woodsey? surely they're like 20 bucks in walmart

I have a good quality tent that packs nicely and pitches easily Gatters.  It weighs about 1.3kg. It's tried and tested, so I figure it's worth taking.

what's it made of? checked out the one I'm using for glastonbury last week, reckon that must weigh about 8kg

From my experience its only when the sun actually hits the tents its unbearable, just pitch by shade of some description so your not forced to leave the tent as soon as the sun hits it.

space blanket 2 pack from the pound shop pegged to the outside should reflect enough heat to keep it bearable if you have to pitch in the sun

Oops sorry. That should read 3.3kg

[gatso]

lolz, ok. I had images of something made of crepe paper and cotton

[Geo the Sarge]

lolz, ok. I had images of something made of crepe paper and cotton

There are many very good tents between 1.5 & 2kg in weight

8kg is overkill imo

Geo

[WPIL]

If you go to Napa stay at the Best Western - when I was out there last we also hired out 2 Electric Bikes which was fun as people do not drive aggressively over there. Stop at a couple of wineries - best was Mario Andrettis, the bigger one we stopped at was more like a conference centre. If you have time I would get to Monument Valley - a good 5 hours from the Canyon but IMO the best scenery in the West (and the worst food)

[RED-DOG]

Mrs Red & I are looking at doing a bit of a US road trip lasting approx 3 weeks.

I can get return flights to Vegas for £473 leaving on the 6th July.

Dithered and missed this price. £588 now...

[Longy]

Have you considered flying to San Francisco, if I had my time back I would deffo done that. Cos of the awkwardness of having a vehicle there.

[RED-DOG]

Have you considered flying to San Francisco, if I had my time back I would deffo done that. Cos of the awkwardness of having a vehicle there.

Yes. Flights seem just as expensive though.

[Longy]

Have you considered flying to San Francisco, if I had my time back I would deffo done that. Cos of the awkwardness of having a vehicle there.

Yes. Flights seem just as expensive though.

If they are the same price(ish) it pays long term to fly to SF imo. As you can expect to pay at least $30/day downtown to park the car just not to use it.

[RED-DOG]

Have you considered flying to San Francisco, if I had my time back I would deffo done that. Cos of the awkwardness of having a vehicle there.

Yes. Flights seem just as expensive though.

If they are the same price(ish) it pays long term to fly to SF imo. As you can expect to pay at least $30/day downtown to park the car just not to use it.

OK thanks. I'll take that into consideration.

[RED-DOG]

I have loads of questions re maps and Android phone navigation. (I might have the loan of a sat-nav with US mapping for this trip, but I'm curious anyway)

I have a google maps app on my phone and it works really well, giving the option of directions in text form, as a trace on a map, or as full blown satellite navigation with voice assist.

This seems to work without the aid of a data connection as long as the I have the GPS switched on. This suggests that the maps for the UK are already downloaded.

If I ask for directions between locations in the US, it works just as well, but I have to turn on a data connection so that it can download the maps.

It seems to download US maps as and when needed during the navigation process. If, I browse a route for instance, and then turn off the data connection, the maps that I have already viewed are still there, (Cached?).

Is it possible for me to pre-download maps so that they are permanently there, like the UK ones are? If so, how?

Also, If I google say, a travel guide page, how do I save it for use later, when I have no data connection?

I have empty folders, but no idea how to transfer stuff into them.

Hope some of you can figure out what I'm trying to ask.

Yes, I've tried turning it off and on.

[Longines]

Think I half-answered that one on page 4 Tom - Google Maps will cache maps that were downloaded whilst route planning in WiFi mode. However, go off-route whilst in the USA and not on WiFi and it'll cost a fortune.

http://www.mapdroyd.com looks interesting. Or CoPilot as someone else recommended.

[RED-DOG]

Think I half-answered that one on page 4 Tom - Google Maps will cache maps that were downloaded whilst route planning in WiFi mode. However, go off-route whilst in the USA and not on WiFi and it'll cost a fortune.

http://www.mapdroyd.com looks interesting. Or CoPilot as someone else recommended.

Think I half-answered that one on page 4 Tom

You did, (Thanks) otherwise I wouldn't have grasped the concept a all.


Could do with someone explaining CoPilot etc to me in "Talking to a 5 year-old" Stylee.

[Longines]

CoPilot is a SatNav program like TomTom, Google Maps etc. The difference is the maps it uses are stored on the phone's memory card - unlike Google Maps - so it doesn't need a data connection to give you directions.

[Longines]

CoPilot looks to cost £22.50 for the UK version plus £19.99 for the North American maps.

Mapdroyd appears to achieve the same result in conjunction with Google Maps for free.