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Favorite RV Travel Apps 2013
Traveling fulltime requires a constant stream of preparation. In the old days that meant pulling out a road atlas, an enormous campground directory and a CB radio. But these days, apps are a traveler’s best friend. Not only are the databases much larger than the printed directories, but the good ones are updated regularly with comments and more information than one could possibly use.
Two things are most important to me when finding and using any app:
Firstly, I want it to be either free or only have a one-time nominal fee. I won’t pay high prices or monthly subscriptions.
Secondly, I want the location-based apps to be map based. This means that when I click on one, the first screen I see is a map with my current location flagged and with flags of whatever I’m searching for surrounding it. There is nothing worse than having to work your way through lists to only find that there are none of what you’re looking for in the direct area you are searching.
1. WeatherBug: I absolutely love this app. I have the free version yet it keeps me up to date on multiple locations with active weather alerts and can be enabled to keep a constant watch on “My Location” as one is traveling. I keep alerts active on my home base, my close family locations, my current location and wherever I happen to be heading to next.
2. We Camp Here: This is the best all-inclusive campground directory I found that is also map based.
3. Scanner Radio: This app allows one to listen in on local emergency radios. It is more useful in larger metro areas and I liked to use it when in extreme weather.
4. Fandango: Who doesn’t need a good movie break every now and then? This app works nationwide and I could always find the chains that I prefer.
5. Allstays CRV Military: There are many categories of Allstays apps. The military app lists campgrounds and areas open to military and DOD civilian personnel. These locations usually have required identification and specific affiliation for use.
6. Allstays Walmart: Lists all Walmart and Sam’s Club locations and whether or not they have allowed overnight RV and/or semi-truck parking. There are often notes for individual locations, and app users can add notes about where to park, friendliness of staff, noise, lighting, etc.
7. Allstays RV Dumps: Lists both free and fee-based RV dumps, including campgrounds that allow specific services on a fee basis.
8. Allstays Rest Stops: Lets one know where state rest stops are located and often has notes about allowed length stays and whether overnight parking is allowed.
9. Domino’s: Our favorite pizza chain with all of our favorite pizza and order combinations saved in one place. Simply enter your current location. If there is a Domino’s in your area you’ll be able to find out if delivery and/or pick-up services available.
10. History Here: Ever wonder what there is to do or go see where you are? This app can be set to automatically alert you to nearby sights. A similar app that many roadschooling families(homeschooling families rv’ing fulltime) use is “Field trip.” Be careful with these though, if you turn on he automatic alerts you might get more of an earful in notices than what you would prefer.
11. WordPress: My favorite place to write about traveling tUUsome!
12. myPilot: This app lists locations for both Pilot and Flying J travel stations. Especially great are the Flying J stations with dedicated RV lanes. These lanes normally provide unleaded gas and diesel, propane, dump stations, air and longer windshield cleaners in easy in-and-out lanes. With a free myPilot card for rv’ers, one can also get gas and store discounts and half-price dump station use.
So what are your favorite travel apps?
Share them here or on our Facebook page. We’d love to try them!
The Tar Heel State
On planning our visit to North Carolina, I chose a community early in its roots yet bursting at the seams of the small meeting house it occupies. What I found was the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fayetteville, eager to grow and ripe with enthusiasm.
A lay led church, this week’s message was presented by UUC Fayetteville member COL (Ret.) Harvest A. Floyd, U.S. Amy, speaking on his personal “Free and Responsible Search for Truth and Meaning.” Within his talk, COL Floyd used a Power Point presentation to trace his logical and well researched history through the advent of “God” (by all names), from Abraham to the First Council of Nicaea and beyond.
In his search, it was ultimately The Jefferson Bible that led COL Floyd to UU’ism. Written by a fellow Unitarian, Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), the Bible is a counting of the life and morals of Jesus of Nazareth, extracted textually from the Gospels, and void of the additions made by the physical writers of the books of the New Testament.
COL Floyd found, through this search, a strength in morals and in the tests of reason, justice, and compassion with, at the forefront, his own understanding of who Jesus Christ was as man and prophet, and Floyd’s view of God (to all) as one Creator and one in being. With this, he chose the poetry of Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi (1207-1273) to illustrate:
“All religions, all this singing, one song. The differences are just illusion and vanity. The sun’s light looks a little different on this wall than it does on that wall, and a lot different on this other one, but it’s still one light.”
Of course, as Unitarian Universalists, it is this ongoing, lifelong personal search that grows and revives our beliefs as individuals in unison with one another. With this freedom, and the knowledge of those around us, we are able to find truth and compassion within ourselves and our world.
For information on attending the UUCF, visit: http://uucfay.org/home.html
traveling tUUsome 