Why so much "planning"?

[Hektoglider]

a bit of pre-trip research is good. Being flexible on the road is good. Arriving at a far away town or beach, and discovering that you took the overcrowded boring route and missed the "best motorcycle road" in the area is not good. Riding the best routes requires knowing what and where they are, after all, its the journey not the destination.

[guavadude]

On long weekend rides I always use google maps "walking directions" as a starting point. This is the "crow flies" avoid highways route and then I add a point and drag route over to add any interesting roads or tweaks. Then I either ride the plan or throw it out completely depending on weather, time, etc. but at least I have a starting point and know where the best roads are. I use satellite view to find dirt roads.

+1 on smart wool or the equivalent blend on the socks at Academy Sports for 1/3 the price.

[kwthom]

Originally Posted by Hektoglider

<...>Arriving at a far away town or beach, and discovering that you took the overcrowded boring route and missed the "best motorcycle road" in the area is not good.

I've done that...it sucks to realize that there were two different ways to get from point A to B, and taking B would have put us on one of the better moto roads in NorCal. D'oh!

Last really long trip back to AZ from KY, I had the ability to take five days and basically follow the front wheel and the GPS as guidance on where some of the better roads were. Much more enjoyable than planning the ride, then riding the plan to the n'th degree.

[TwoShots]

Originally Posted by mpatch

See so many people following or asking for "routes" to get somewhere. The lease enjoyable trips for me have always been when I have a set destination and a set time to get there.

Amen.

Last year I took the GPS off the bike with no regrets. Now I'm not missing things.

[Wy'east]

Tooling around North America and most of Europe without a specific plan I can understand, but try that across North Africa, Asia or the Mid-East and you my friend are going to be screwin' the pooch at some point.

[PFFOG]

Originally Posted by Hektoglider

a bit of pre-trip research is good. Being flexible on the road is good. Arriving at a far away town or beach, and discovering that you took the overcrowded boring route and missed the "best motorcycle road" in the area is not good. Riding the best routes requires knowing what and where they are, after all, its the journey not the destination.

Bingo!!

But my plans are usually loose, some one mentioned removing the GPS, I do the opposite, the GPS has found some fantastic little roads for me, I don't generally plot a specific route but put points of interest, or use it to get to that road I found on Google maps.

By spending lots of times with maps the GPS and Google Maps, I have found fantastic roads in NC and Smokey's, small, twisty stuff that makes the GAP look like an interstate, and I have shown locals roads they didn't know existed, they can't figure out how a Yankee from NY, can come down and show then great roads they never found, even though they ride most weekends in the area.

Also found a road in the Alps this year, that has to be the most beautiful place in all the Alps, so obscure that it didn't even show up on the GPS, and most maps of the region!!!

Here is what some research can find you, a 30km dirt road with views like this the entire ride! Could I have stumbled across it, of course, but it wasn't very likely that I would.

[Shibby!]

Originally Posted by mpatch

Isn't having unknows the spice of life? I can see being prepared (ie tools, proper gear, some idea of the area/culture, $$, etc.) but planning every stop, camping/hotel spot, road etc. seems to take most of the fun out of any trip no matter the mode of transport. See so many people following or asking for "routes" to get somewhere. The lease enjoyable trips for me have always been when I have a set destination and a set time to get there.

I don't have to read any further then the first post to agree with you 100%. People on here will get upset over this. They are the people that need things all planned out before they'll even consider a trip.

IMO, HUGE mistake, but I've been over it many times on this forum. I stop saying this and just continue to read because most jump on me saying I'm in the wrong.

Being prepared, and planning are two COMPLETELY different things.

[High Country Herb]

Originally Posted by Hektoglider

a bit of pre-trip research is good. Being flexible on the road is good. Arriving at a far away town or beach, and discovering that you took the overcrowded boring route and missed the "best motorcycle road" in the area is not good. Riding the best routes requires knowing what and where they are, after all, its the journey not the destination.

Exactly. I plan so I have an idea of things I'd like to see. There is a lot of area to cover in this world, and I may not ever return to the same place twice. I usually end up cutting out things because I found some curiosity that led me another direction, but at least I was aware of what I was deciding to skip.

[catweasel67]

I plan my long trips in outline. I never go down to the level of booking hotels/campsites/breaks for each day but I do plan out my rough route. My trip to the USA in 2010 was a perfect example - I started with an idea, posted here for "local" opinions, got them, fed them into my plan and voila!

Plus, and maybe it's the nerd in me :), but I enjoyed the planning stage a hell of a lot :)

As for the GPS, I bloody love it :) I live a in (very) strange country and it's (the GPS) great for allowing me to ride off in the middle of no where and still be able to find my way home without carrying maps etc (I can't speak the local language either). Turn it off on the way out, turn it back on when you want to head home - awesome! :)

But that's me, it's the way I like to ride. I've known, and know, other bikers who ride more often, for longer, but with a greater degree of planning. They won't leave home without a hotel booked for every night and they have a bloody good time.

Each to their own and don't knock another person's life choices unless it impinges on your own.

[sleazy rider]

I plan, research and plot routes extensively. Then I load it all in the GPS and ignore it. Its more fun that way. There are always a few must do sites to visit, but the route, restaurants and lodging are taken as they come.

[Mr_Gone]

Originally Posted by Shibby!

I don't have to read any further then the first post to agree with you 100%. People on here will get upset over this. They are the people that need things all planned out before they'll even consider a trip.

IMO, HUGE mistake, but I've been over it many times on this forum. I stop saying this and just continue to read because most jump on me saying I'm in the wrong.

Being prepared, and planning are two COMPLETELY different things.

+1000

I don't think you're wrong. I think you're exactly right.

I plan where I want to go, but getting there I prep for flexibility on the ride. I try to prep extra time for exploring unknown roads. I have a plan, but it's a plan designed around where I want to go, and when I want to go, and how I want to get there. That, to me, is preparation.

[lhendrik]

I just finished a ride from Germany to Republic of Georgia and back over several weeks. The best times, the ones I will remember all my life were those that were not part of any plan, things that happened and how I reacted, the people I met then and the actions I had to take to deal with the reality of the trip.

Do the research, enjoy it, make a plan. Then, ride and enjoy as God laughs at your plan.

[Rollin']

There were 366 days this year to ride around and smell roses.

For 16 out of 366 days I had a plan -

[mpatch]

Originally Posted by Rollin'

There were 366 days this year to ride around and smell roses.

For 16 out of 366 days I had a plan -

Seems more like a mission.

[Mr_Gone]

Originally Posted by mpatch

Seems like an AWESOME mission.

Fixt.