Why so much "planning"?

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 get on my bike with a general idea of where I want to go but that might change at any time depending on what the intersection looks like. My wife kind of wants to know the general area of the state and/or the edges of the adjoining ones, some place to look for the body. I just know I need to be back on Sunday night. I plaln to find breakfast in the morning, usually works out. Lunch anmd dinner are another issue.

I plan every trip extensively over our long and icy winters. It keeps me sane till riding season starts again in March of the following year. But I have yet to follow any of those exhaustively planned trips.

Kinda figured that's what most do. Could be worse things to do with your time.

This is what I do, also. I plan my next trip and try to find interesting destinations during the winter.

However, I usually follow my plans pretty closely once I take off, but I leave the GPS and maps and itineraries at home. The route in my head takes me to some very interesting places.

I just get on the damned thing and go. Ended up in Labrador once with a bald set of Tourances. Not too bright but sure made it interesting. Weather determines my route usually and camp gear means i don't need reservations.

I'm leaving NE Kentucky when storm Andy clears a bit and have yet to decide what route I'm taking back to New Mexico.

I'm just back from a 4-day, 2400 mile trip (Boston, KY, NC, TN, VA) did lots of google mapping to get the lay of the land (and the location of various dragons and snakes). And then made it up as I went, changing on the fly based on what roads looked squigglier on the map. What a blast. I agree, too much planning makes it feel like a checklist rather than an adventure.

That about sums up the extent of my planning.

When I got back from my 2400mi ride to Arkansas and back, I had a friend ask me

"Don't you know what a straight line is?"

My reply was

"That's the point"

The Ozarks have some awesome roads.

Aim low and chances are good you'll accomplish that. It amazes me that people meander through life and simply accept whatever happens to come their way. No plan.

I've got to ask, why is it important to you how others plan a trip? Have you ever tried planning a ride?

I could give a shit less how others plan. The most I have ever planned a ride was a specific destination and a time I wanted to get there, I hated it. Now I just get on and go and let the weather, my mood, or whatever is in my head dictate where I go.

Never heard the saying "wanna hear god laugh, tell him your plan"?

This is not new wisdom! From Lao Tzu in the Tao: “A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.” (OK, I'm not quite that evolved, after all I did have to make it back home for family and work.) To each his own. So funny that folks could actually get cross with each other over the "best" way to travel on our expensive luxury toys for leisure!

+1 Well said, jeez I just found a thread on here about what socks to wear on a trip!!!!

Smart wool and wear them until they stand up on their own, usually about 3-5 days then rinse them in whatever cleanish water is available and repeat.

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.

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.

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.

Amen.

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

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.