How do you plan your trips?

[DS06C50T]

My riding buddy's and I meet at our predetermined spot and THEN decide where to ride to. We really don't care where, we basically just want to ride!

[arkieollie]

Nothing technical here. Just figure out where we are goin' to go and go. If we are going to spend the night just call ahead for a room in a place nearby.

[dcstrng]

Paper maps, Mapquest, Streets`n Trips

[D_Klein]

Unfortunately, I can't merely go wherever the wind blows me because there are a lot of straight roads in Arizona... and those ain't no fun!

[inspiron]

You mean there are roads that curve in Arizona too?

[Apertureguy]

I tend to review my maps and or Atlas to make sure of the route and or to look for "other" routes to where I'm going. Where I go, can be anywhere, but I do like to let the family know in case something comes up.

I mostly ride alone lately (getting too cold and damp for the wife)...so I don't often go outside of about a 100 mile radius from my house. However, if there's somewhere further & I got a riding buddy...I'll ride for days.

[DragonRider]

I use a guide called: Destination Highways: Washi8ngton by Brian Bosworth and Michael Sanders. It's the best $50 I have ever spent. There is one for my Canadian Neighbors up north called Destination Highways:British Columbia you can get them at most Dealers in the areas or online here: Destination Highways - Roads you journey to, to travel on...

exerpt:
What is
Destination Highways British Columbia?

A Destination Highway, simply put, is a road you’d travel to, to journey on. And Destination Highways B.C. is the most comprehensive guidebook ever produced for the motorcycle enthusiast touring British Columbia. Using TIRES, or the Total Integrated Road Evaluation System, Destination Highways B.C. rates roads and highways from the motorcyclist’s special perspective. TIRES identifies and evaluates road elements-- some obvious, some not-- that, together, determine if a road is good enough to be called a Destination Highway.

In evaluating a road, TIRES counts and categorizes every curve, classifies every kilometer (0.62 miles) of pavement, and assesses overall engineering. It also rates the scenic quality, remoteness, and character of a road. All these factors combine to determine a road’s total TIRES rating out of 100. With this total, the road earns its DH number-- its ranking among southern B.C.’s 85 Destination Highways.

While the total rating of every Destination Highway shows how one DH compares to another overall, that isn’t always enough. Two roads with close, or even identical total ratings, may offer entirely different riding experiences. So TIRES goes further, providing a detailed breakdown invaluable for riders who prefer a specific type of road. Looking for twisties? Is it that remote, biking-in-Canada experience you seek? Are you a stickler for smooth pavement? TIRES lays it all out for you.
They also list Camp grounds,gas stations stores,repair shops and lots more for every road.

Same for Washington. They are compiling one also for northern California next. Due out soon.
These are the best motorcycle guides out there for the area. Bar none.

[texrider]

I try to keep the bikes ready to go and reasonably clean, at all times. If I get a wild hair, or a buddy calls and says let's ride, I can do it.
No severe planning, beyond somewhere known to be good, or one heard of...
My biggest decisions are which one to ride, and what gear to wear, based on expected weather.

[Smurf]

Originally Posted by Louis

I bring a map and I go. The map is used to find my way back

I thought I was the only one that did that.

I flip a coin (heads North or South, tales East or West), depending on how it lands, I flip it again to determine my direction (if it landed on heads the first time, then the second flip tells me which way to go....heads North, tales South). Then I pack rain gear, a Cargo Net, a Map, crank her up and head out. I figure I have about 8 hours, so after 4 hours I head back (except for the Dragon Ride I took earlier this year.....12 hours).

[Scott58]

I just go in the general direction I want then get a map out when i'm close.

[XoZe]

Garmin Nuvi 370...don't have a mount for it yet, but then again, I only use it to find my way back and where to refuel.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by RowdyRed94

What are your great ideas?

I plan to tap into the endless wealth of knowlege from the members on here!

Planning a "non-interstate" trip from Central Illinois to Atlanta, Ga. the middle of July. Got my gear. Getting a seat pad and disk lock/alarm and sissy-bar pack. Oil & filter and I'll be set to go.......except for the route.

I plan to take US 45 south out of Illinois, probably as far as Tupelo, Mississippi. Then the question comes in: Getting across Alabama. My first thought was 78/278 all the way to Atlanta but on the map, it looks like there might be LONG stretches of 278 that are pretty barren. Will probably be spending a night along there somewhere.......if there is any place.

Anybody familiar with U.S. 278 through Al. and into Georgia?
Suggestions for a better route? Want good roads, not TOO curvey and Interstates only when necessary. My schedule is pretty loose but there is a limit.

[GregR1]

i go mostly randomly, wherever i see something unique i head that way. mostly in town for now, though, but for out-of-town rides i meet up with guys and girls from the local ottawa forum. haven't done the gps thing yet, or the "great bike rides in your area" web page either.


edit:

now that i have google earth loaded up, i might use that to scope out some interesting routes. hmm, would be nice if there was a way of rating roads on a "curves per mile" basis or something like that, so that you could get the software to show only roads with a certain range of curviness.

[dcstrng]

I usually carry maps for several states in my saddlebags – seldom look at `em much, unless I get truly turned around… except for my Saturday night rides… at least until my bachelor days ended a year back, on Saturday night I’d ride out on some US or Interstate route, starting about midnight… at dawn, I’d find a local greasy-spoon grab a map and find some interesting looking, back-roads way home…

For more planned trips, or for when I actually have to be somewhere I use mapquest as well as MS Streets&Trips (the earlier version that gives somewhat more tweakability – so I can dial the limited access highways and twisties in/out as the time demands…). I’ve thought about using GPS, and although I do use it for sailing, just can’t bring myself to use it on the road – something about the general idea of having my face buried in the instrument panel that goes against the grain of my idea of ridin’…

[womper]

i just get on the bike and go....
i mostly just point in a direction and go 'exploring'

everytime i plan a route and try to follow a map, i usually don't follow it anyhow so i stopped doing that.

now i just drive aimlessly and try to get lost.
i usually just ask locals what town i'm passing through, etc... it's nice not knowing where you are. not hard getting too lost around here as long as you know which way is north