Spreadsheet Template For Tracking Trips/miles?

LisaNKevin

LisaNKevin

Junior Ranger
Donating Member
Does anyone use a spreadsheet to track their trips & miles? One that can also tell how many nights in which states? If so, would you be willing to share it? I've gotten off track and made some errors in miles & nights math that needed correction and I am way behind now. I would love to have some automation in the process but spreadsheets are WAY out of my wheelhouse.
Thank you in advance!
And, unrelated, I am finally (after 7 years) no longer a NOVICE, I am a Junior Ranger. I'm so thrilled! :D
 
I've used a simple spread sheet since day one (3/17/14, #645) to track our travels. For each day that we travel the columns run: date, mileage start, mileage end, trip (day) total, total miles on trailer, nights, total nights, location (campground, town, state, campsite #, whatever else you want to note)

this spread has worked well over 5 1/2 years, 50k miles, 213 nights. I keep it in the cloud but downloaded on the phone for those wonderful off-grid nights.

I've attached a screen shot that shows the early trips. It's been adjusted a bit since then but still keeps the same numbers.
 

Attachments

That's helpful. I'm just so uneducated on spreadsheets. I assume you 'sum' the miles and nights at the bottom? I'm going to try and learn more on the subject.
Also, unrelated, on this trip we just took, we also stayed at Pine Grove Furnace SP in PA, our first foray into PA. How did you like it? We thought it was nice but the showers were a deal breaker. Pushing the button would only give us 2-3 seconds of water, very frustrating, especially since it was pretty darned cold out. I see you've been to other SP's in PA. Are they all like that?
 
LisaNKevin said:
That's helpful. I'm just so uneducated on spreadsheets. I assume you 'sum' the miles and nights at the bottom? I'm going to try and learn more on the subject.
Also, unrelated, on this trip we just took, we also stayed at Pine Grove Furnace SP in PA, our first foray into PA. How did you like it? We thought it was nice but the showers were a deal breaker. Pushing the button would only give us 2-3 seconds of water, very frustrating, especially since it was pretty darned cold out. I see you've been to other SP's in PA. Are they all like that?
Click to expand...

all the totals are done with simple formulae but you do have to know some basic spread sheet stuff to make it work. The trip and night totals are running totals where each day is added to the previous total. I'd be happy to post the spread sheet if the forum lets us do that sort of thing.

the stop at Pine Grove Furnace was a one nighter on our way to Maine. From central NC we're always looking for a decent way to get north that avoids the I-95 corridor so that trip we went up through the middle of Virginia (Hwy 15, I think) and worked our way over from Gettysburg to the state park. I don't remember having much thought about it and since it was the first night out we didn't try the showers.

The last couple of trips north we've gone up I-81 to get to the same area of PA. Last year we camped at Caledonia SP near Chambersburg and this year we went a bit farther and camped at Locust Lake SP. Nothing special about either one, definitely not great campsites.

It always gets me that Pennsylvania, like NC, has a no alcohol rule in their state parks. After I drive all day and get the rig set up I'm going to have a beer and there's a better than even chance that'll lead to another. So, using a modicum of discretion, I break their ridiculous rule. It's like a campground blue law ...
 
In Washington State Parks you can drink in your camper and at your campsite but you can not in public areas.

I use the Camp-Inn book to record my days and miles.
 
Alcohol: We also enjoy adult beverages in the parks, no matter what they say. We don't flaunt it and no one cares, as long as we're not being stupid.
Spreadsheet: I found a camping spreadsheet template online, downloaded it, learned some basic spreadsheet functions, made some changes and additions to it and have now finished documenting all trips, 128 nights, and 14,180 miles! :)
This is where I found it:
HOW TO: Davies RV Travel Log/ Service/ Inventory spreadsheet (Excel/ Numbers)
There are also other tabs I haven't delved into on it for service schedule, service records & inventory.
Thanks for the nudge to learn about spreadsheets!
Lisa
 
[QUOTE.......It always gets me that Pennsylvania, like NC, has a no alcohol rule in their state parks. After I drive all day and get the rig set up I'm going to have a beer and there's a better than even chance that'll lead to another. So, using a modicum of discretion, I break their ridiculous rule. It's like a campground blue law ...[/QUOTE]

I think the no alcohol rules are mainly there to prevent the parks from being used as gathering places for unruly drinking parties. By having the rule, ejecting anyone whose drinking behavior deteriorates to the point of being obnoxious to fellow campers, becomes less problematic, since they have broken campground rules, and law enforcement assistance would probably be quickly available if needed. Enjoy your adult beverages, but be discreet, behave....and you should have no problems.
 
I have been 'busted' for alcohol in a park. I won't say which state, to protect the innocent.

As the park truck rolled up and I thought, "Oops! This is how it happens...' --- but he actually stopped to admire the rig. We talked for a good 20 minutes, during which time the topic came up. He wasn't a peace officer of any kind and I was done for the night.

During the conversation, he said essentially that they knew they were in the entertainment business, and that they never said anything unless people were acting up. They have a college nearby and they need to have the heavy-handed tool in their toolbox to deal with them as they are....kids. As long as I was discreet, so were they, and at which point I offered him a beer and he siad "Don't push it" and laughed sincerely.

I think this is probably the case everywhere except where you run into a Barney Fife. Since then, I've been a little more cautious and restrict myself a bit. I've also always used coffee mugs and yetti tumblers where there is any restriction.
 
LisaNKevin said:
That's helpful. I'm just so uneducated on spreadsheets. I assume you 'sum' the miles and nights at the bottom? I'm going to try and learn more on the subject.
Also, unrelated, on this trip we just took, we also stayed at Pine Grove Furnace SP in PA, our first foray into PA. How did you like it? We thought it was nice but the showers were a deal breaker. Pushing the button would only give us 2-3 seconds of water, very frustrating, especially since it was pretty darned cold out. I see you've been to other SP's in PA. Are they all like that?
Click to expand...
It’s what is called a Navy shower: Wet down, soap up, rinse off. In contrast to a real Navy shower you usually have water for the rinse phase.
 
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