Originally Posted by KC8QVO

Good points. Thanks!

I didn't even think about credit card touring. I suppose that may come with it, though, the idea of prior planning for the stops. Who's to say you'll find vacancy at a hotel or bed and breakfast if you go on a whim? If you aren't self-supported and don't have the support with you (IE - the gear with you to camp and eat) what are you going to do? Find a 24/7 laundromat and crash on the floor for the night? In the case you go on a whim with no self-support (gear) and get turned down anywhere you might find for hospitality service (hotel, bed and breakfast, what have you) then you hit the "not prepared" category.

I ran in to a group that, of all things, was rollerblading down the route I was going up a few weeks ago. I got an early start in the morning and went a bit before I stopped and cooked breakfast. They were camped at the trail head shelter I stopped at for breakfast. Come to find out, they weren't prepared for the cold and the only food they had was snack bar stuff - no cooking gear/stove. So they were cold and no way to get hot food and drinks. I brewed up a pot of coffee for them to get them something to boost their morning. That gets back to the support/no support theme though - I couldn't imagine not having the gear to get me by. To me, that is suffering. I suppose it still goes to the category of "unsupported" but maybe the far end of it closer to the degree of having problems (the sacrifice, if you will) at the gain of less weight/easier ability to travel.