best (android) mobile route-planning app for trip to upstate NY

[gnyce]

Last year my brother and I rode to Tail of the Dragon, was alot of fun (our dad, since passed on, used to ride, so this is something we can do that's fun in memory of him). This year, we are going to hit upstate NY - maybe even as far north as Canada. I have the Butler map, and need to do some planning (and if you want to throw suggestions my way, I'll take 'em).

I'd like to find out what people use to plan routes. I'll use my phone (android) as my GPS, but I find it hard to use my standard fare (google maps) and have it use the roads I choose. Even doing multiple destinations (just to have to use the road I want), it becomes problematic and complicated. This is not a pointA-to-pointB trip.

Anyone point me to something you've used before or know of? Minus that, I'll start digging into Play store reviews, but - as decently technical as I am, I keep any mobile apps to a minimum and dont' pay much attention to the latest stuff.

Thks

 

[2007Fizzer]

I use Google maps for that type trip, but do the route "juggling" on my PC (I'm a senior rider; I need to be able to see clearly what's happening with the route). It's not too hard to make Google Maps shift the route by dragging it here and there. When I get it the way I want it, I save it and download it to my phone (an iPhone). Then I can call up the saved Google Maps routing on the iPhone when I'm ready to take off. Don't have to make changes as I drive, nor have to use multiple waypoints. Of course, YMMV with an android phone. Good luck.

 

[Cloggy]

I generally plan my routes beforehand and then use my Garmin to follow them.
At the moment this one seems to be quite popular in the Netherlands: MyRouteapp

 

[tejkowskit]

I use copilot. The maps are all downloaded on your phone so it still works even when you don't have cell service. The routes can be fully customized, and you can set however many way points you want. It's not as user friendly as google maps which is why i usually plan my routes and save them to the app ahead of time.

 

[ShoopCE]

I also use CoPilot and recommend it. I have the iOS versions but I believe the android version has the same features.

As Tejkowskit says, the maps are loaded on the phone so you don't use cellular data while navigating AND you will still have the map and GPS if you go into the sticks where you have no cell service. You can load maps for areas, regions, or the whole US - though the files are pretty large. You can save routes after tweaking them.

The app is not exceptionally user friendly but it is very precise and predictable. You can set as many waypoints as you want. When I first got this two years ago you were able to change routes by dragging the plotted routes but that seems to not be a feature in the recent update and it was pretty imprecise and frustrating anyway.

The app is free but I suggest that you upgrade to the basic level, about $15 one-time, and then you can hear spoken instructions that you can get by bluetooth to a Sena or a headset. This feature might be in the free versions now. Can't tell from their website. You set up an account and then simply re-load the app for FREE if/when you get a new phone.

A feature that I like is where I can set a warning if I exceed the speed limit by a selectable margin like 5, 10, or 15 mph.

If you pass by NYC be sure to visit Bear Mountain and take a spin on Seven Lakes Dr and NY 106 through Harriman State Park. Seven Lakes is pretty but straight-ish while 106 is loaded with twisty goodness.

Checkout motorcycleroads.com and look at the Fort Lee Loop. Their search feature seems to have been weakened since a year or so ago.

Chris

 

[gnyce]

Thanks to all for the suggestions. Checked out CoPilot GPS and MyRoute app (and BBR Lite), but in the end, I used Google's "my maps" feature to build a route. It wasn't awful - a little cumbersome - but found brief lifehacker guide to get me started at https://www.lifewire.com/make-custom-route-on-google-maps-4126536

Here is what I ended up with so far, work-in-progress (yearly trip with my brother, we leave next week) - not too many destinations planned, more like routes, gleaned from my Butler Map and Motorcycle Roads | Motorcycle Roads and Rides | MotorcycleRoads.com - want to get to Whiteface Mtn, near the finger lakes, and then the Pine River Gorge (aka "Penn. Grand Canyon"). Haven't figured out how to work in Route 6 in PA, which is supposed to be pretty neat as well.

 

[Ohendo]

Looks like an epic trip. When are you going?

I returned last week from a 2200 mile eclipse trip through MD, VA, NC, TN, and SC. Planned the whole thing using Google' My Maps' on the desktop like you did. Was pretty easy and fully functional. The problem you'll encounter is that although the map is available on your phone's Google Maps app, the exact routing is not. You can't just pull it up and hit "go!", and assume the app will follow your route as planned. You have to click on one of your way-points, and then Google Maps finds the best way to get to it, not necessarily the path you had chosen .

It turned out OK for my trip, since I had studied the damn route so many times I knew where I wanted to go. There are a lot of complaints out there about how Google Maps doesn't support this feature, using the route you chose in My Maps once you're on the road. Hopefully they fix it one day. Below is just one of the threads on this topic. Good luck, have a great ride!

https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/maps/D5_q8Hh9nYE

 

[gnyce]

Looks like an epic trip. When are you going?

I returned last week from a 2200 mile eclipse trip through MD, VA, NC, TN, and SC. Planned the whole thing using Google' My Maps' on the desktop like you did. Was pretty easy and fully functional. The problem you'll encounter is that although the map is available on your phone's Google Maps app, the exact routing is not. You can't just pull it up and hit "go!", and assume the app will follow your route as planned. You have to click on one of your way-points, and then Google Maps finds the best way to get to it, not necessarily the path you had chosen .

It turned out OK for my trip, since I had studied the damn route so many times I knew where I wanted to go. There are a lot of complaints out there about how Google Maps doesn't support this feature, using the route you chose in My Maps once you're on the road. Hopefully they fix it one day. Below is just one of the threads on this topic. Good luck, have a great ride!

https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/maps/D5_q8Hh9nYE

We leave next week! Very excited... only poor weather could bring be down at this point.

Nice, 2200 miles is nothing to sneeze at. This is only our 2nd year doing this, but I could see some longer trips in our future. Want to do Banff and Lake Louise (someday). I think this one will only total about 1000 miles (if that), unless we go further north into Canada.

Geez thanks, that is very good to know, that the exact routing is not available. I did notice that you can export to KML, and some of the apps I looked at will 'consume' a KML file, so maybe I'll mess with that a little bit. Brother will be on his Harley (last year he was riding a suzuki boulevard), this should have a bit more power. I'll mostly be jealous of his seat, not the bike... can't touch how cushy seating will be.

 

[Ohendo]

We leave next week! Very excited... only poor weather could bring be down at this point.

Jinxed it! D'oh!

 

[gnyce]

Jinxed it! D'oh!

View attachment 68437

Sigh.... completely did. We are revamping the route as we speak... we can _do_ that b/c as my wife says, this is a "man plan" (e.g. no hotel reservations, nothing tying us to the old route except for stubbornness and inability to quickly pivot). And we have Irma looking to make sure we leave in time (hunker down Scott!). Looking to do BRG (blue ridge parkway/skyline drive) the entire length, back to Dragon but this time hit Cherohala and Moonshiner (short on time last year), and then if time permits, going north to OH and hitting the Triple Nickel on the return.

 

[Ohendo]

Excellent new ride plan, I must say, having just been on basically the same route! Love the Cherohala!

 

[Gary in NJ]

This is a great website. It has road recommendations, descriptions and you can even "pre-ride" the route using Google Street View.

Motorcycle Roads | SundayMorningRides.com

 

[gnyce]

And we are back. Irma was chasing us out, but we were scheduled to leave anyway. Thursday-Monday. 2080 miles.

Thursday
- Philadelphia to beginning of Skyline Drive, Front Royal VA
- Blue Ridge Parkway to Roanoke VA

Friday
- Blue Ridge Parkway from Roanoke VA
- brief re-route to Wilkesboro NC for a Harley heel-shifter (shook loose/fell off) (not-me)
- sidenote: the folks at CrossRoads Harley-Davidson could not have been nicer/more helpful
- back on BRG
- another re-route to Wilkesboro NC for a lost/dropped (and run-over) cell phone (not-me)
- Micah @CrossRoads literally went searching all over the parking lot for the cell phone
- brief rest at Switzerland Inn
- finished BRG in Cherokee NC at 8:15pm
- arrived Iron Horse motorcycle resort (held room with no credit-card, just a phone call... appreciated)

Saturday
- Dragon
- Cherohala
- part of Moonshiner 28
- 441 to Gatlinburg (too much traffic)

Sunday
- exit strategy, slab to Morgantown WV

Monday
- home


NOTES:
- bike did awesome, everything I asked and more. The PR4s held great, and I used more _of_ them than I typically do.
- rode my brother's Harley ('04 Road King)... very different setup, was an experience to be sure. I understand better the appeal of such a ride, but currently not thing I have an interest in. Sure were lots OF them around though
- Cherokee NC was having some sort of biker/bike event, tents and vendor booths, we didn't stop but man it was an experience just to drive through.

 

[Ohendo]

Sounds like quite the adventure! Like I said before I was just on those same roads in mid August. Even stayed at the Iron Horse!
Now it's time to start planning the next adventure. (My buddy and I are thinking about a Great Lakes circuit.)


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[gnyce]

Sounds like quite the adventure! Like I said before I was just on those same roads in mid August. Even stayed at the Iron Horse!
Now it's time to start planning the next adventure. (My buddy and I are thinking about a Great Lakes circuit.)


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We are likely going to try the upstate NY/Finger Lakes trip next year, but lesson learned, have a backup route/trip in mind.

I think I'll stay with the Google MyMaps. While you can't (currently) do turn-by-turn with it - and I had no luck using their KML/KMZ to import to CoPilot - you CAN overlay your planned-route on _top_ of your current-location (like a photoshop-layer), which - as long as you have visibility to your phone - I think will be good enough.