Originally Posted by
raybo
I'm in the training before a tour camp. I also plan my rides down to the place I'll be staying for the night. I do this because I don't like to camp and don't take camping gear when I tour. As a result, I have to get where I'm going or abandon a place to stay that I've usually paid for in advance (usually the day before).
Good point, folks vary pretty widely on that. I am the exact opposite. I typically make it a point know what my options are for likely places to finish my day, but often don't have a clue which of them I will stop at until I am there. I might start the day not knowing if I will ride 30, 70, or 130 miles that day if those are the options. I might take a break at 30 miles, still not decide if I am stopping there until I stop a while, get restless, and ultimately push on to the 130 mile option.
When I say I know what my options are, that may just mean that I know there is a town there and I may assume I can improvise something when I get there, especially in the rural "small town" middle of the country. I never had a problem camping in small towns on the Great Plains. Closer to either coast I trust improvising a bit less.