Road Trip

I am trying to plan a solo cross country trip from Cols,Ohio to Denver area, to visit family. Does anyone know of a detailed map that could get me there without using interstate routes. My swing has 50K miles on it but has been kept in great shape.
Any and all good or bad advice accepted.

I am showing 1200 plus miles. Definitely doable for a Silver Wing! I am hoping you mean to wait until seasons change? The weather now will be a problem for sure. As to route, get (egad dare I say) paper maps. I like the big map books available at Walmart too but those are a bit big to take on a road trip. If you belong to The Auto Club they can supply some great maps for free. A GPS won't help much so my advice is to stick with real maps and plot your route!!! Good luck.

Maybe Map Quest, that's what AAA uses. Determine what route you want and print it at home.

if you use google maps you can choose to avoid interstates... should give you a route

Usually WalMart has a smaller Rand McNalley map book. Works for me---after over 1.5 million 2 wheel miles---I never plan I just go....and always get there.

Have a fixed plan/time table=stress you do not need.

i know google maps and most GPS receivers have options to "avoid highways" and "avoid tolls". You can plan a trip with whatever route you want in google maps from the comfort of your home and print out maps, instructions or both, while also saving a link to the route in your profile, e-mail, or text for subsequent use when able ot connect to the internet. there is also an offline maps mode for google maps but it only saves small area (at least it did about 10 months ago when i last used that feature) best for use when at final destination with little knowledge of the area (it saves about a 50 mile radius).

Cell phone coverage doesn't always work (particularly when off highway and in the sticks across our great nation (and then google maps can get lost! - dont ask me how i know). i'd recommend a GPS unit or hard copies but you could also stop where wifi is available (most McD's and other fast food joints to get a connection fix and update).

if you are adventurous - get a compass - the old fashioned kind that relies on earth magnetic poles, take a bearing from where you are to where you want to go and head off in the direction!

my paper maps never said RE calculatingggggggggggggggg and when I was redirected it was because of my error then a correction.

A chalk line snapped between Denver and (approximately) Columbus runs along US Route 36. So if you use that as a primary route you could then add detours to incorporate your fancies or avoid unwanted areas. 

It's ~1200 miles, so given a gentlemanly like pace and 'sensible' riding hours you should make it in 3 days. If, on the other hand, you opted for using the Interstates and rode a wee bit over the posted speed limit, ie. kept up with traffic, and minimized your stop time you could easily make it in one iron-butt day. YMMV

Tim

oldwingguy wrote:

my paper maps never said RE calculatingggggggggggggggg and when I was redirected it was because of my error then a correction.

I am glad that I got rid of my old Garmin. Could not stand that RE CALCULATING. Now my newer Garmin automatically corrects my route.

Tip---big cities probably better to use Freeways to get thru them. Once I tried Chicago, no Freeway or Toll road. Took me several hours, real waste of time.

Once again just go/do it.

So many of the "young uns" insist on using their phones and Google Maps... I prefer a REAL GPS or simply paper maps. Google has taken me some strange places inadvertently... Plus my old eyes can't see a phone or hear it all that well. Both my cages have built-in GPS so with my paper maps and all I am set!!! LOL

Easyrider wrote:

oldwingguy wrote:

my paper maps never said RE calculatingggggggggggggggg and when I was redirected it was because of my error then a correction.

I am glad that I got rid of my old Garmin. Could not stand that RE CALCULATING. Now my newer Garmin automatically corrects my route.

which garmin do you have? I have a 660 zumo... wondering if a newer model would be better.. I do like the Bluetooth voice thru my sena!

I have the nuvi 2595LMT from Garmin. It is about eight years old.