GoKawiilPike - Solving the "should we stop here or gamble on the next exit" problem
04 Mar, 2026
Why Google & Apple Maps don't work
Picking the right exit when you are road-tripping is not a solved problem. The "Add Stop" functionality on Apple is frustrating, often-times wrong, and has no option for rest areas. I've noticed the "Add Stop" options are not holistic - they are just a smattering of options at exits ahead. Google Maps and Apple Maps on the phone are great when you are doing a radial search, but you don't care about the options that are near "as the crow flies" but far in terms of detour time. You want "1 minute off the exit for the next 5 exits" options.
A solved problem, re-solved in an app
That's where Pike comes in. With Pike, you can swipe through the next exits and look at the options at a glance via exit cards that are reminiscent of the famous blue logo signs you've undoubtedly used on the interstate before. Every option is within 5 minutes driving time of the exit. I love the simplicity of logo signs - it's why we generally rely on those over my wife searching on her phone. It's not that important of a decision and trying to Minority Report the next three exits on your phone for the right stop is not ideal.
Who is this for?
Well, my wife and I plan on going on a 6 week roadtrip starting in May, and we'll be doing a heck of a lot of driving on the interstate. She and I have similar tastes in food, but we have definitely made the mistake of waiting too long for an exit, getting hangry, and then ultimately stopping somewhere neither of us are crazy about.
I'm trying to make shopping for where to eat next easy to do. Maybe you're not terribly hungry right now, but wouldn't you want to know you're about to pass the last Chik-fil-A for 300 miles?
But also, we'll be traveling with two golden retrievers: Goose & Peanut. My app doesn't offer this feature just yet, but soon I will add parks and dog parks to the categories on the app. We like to let the dogs stretch their legs and RUN on a big travel day. This is a real problem we have, trying to track down a good place to let them loose, so I will be very much incentivized to get it right.
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