On the road, do you...

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

Post up your answers, I'm curious...

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

oh dear, the spelling errors can't be changed.

[Redbrick]

Interesting survey Tom....Under "Planning" a possible category might be "Plan general route and play it by ear" or something...At least that's about where Kathy and I fit in...We're heading for Montana with a few places we want to ride and we'll see when we get there....

 

Glad to see that Denny's wasn't the big getter in the food category ...Look for the full parking lots or a lot of trucks parked around the eatery....

Don't worry about the speling errors...

Phil........Redbrick

[leikam]

For food, I'll eat whatever's convenient. At times that's Denny's or the kwik-e-mart but, all things being equal, I'm in favor of local restaurants.

 

And for gas, I favor the big brands, but any pump is better than walking.

[tbarstow]

Once you start riding west of the Mississippi where gas stations get sparse, you take what gas you can get.

 

We try to camp most nights, but if its raining already, we'll find a hotel.

[Bill_Walker]

In all categories, my choice would be "all of the above, depending on circumstances". Well, except camping, unless it was absolutely necessary. It hasn't been so far!

 

I tend to choose a route for the day the night before, or sometimes the morning of. But it's always subject to change at any time. Unless, of course, I have to get to a particular place. Then, I may plan out the entire route and program it in my GPS.

 

I tend to stick to major brands for gas, unless absolutely necessary (there's that phrase again. Necessity is a mother!).

 

I tend not to make lodging reservations, because my route is usually subject to change, as is the time when I'll get tired. But I make an exception for (un)organized events, or anyplace I know lodging may be scarce.

 

My food choices are sometimes dictated by my lodging choices, or vice versa. I like to have a beer or two after a day of riding, and I will NOT drink and ride, so I try to choose a motel that has a restaurant/bar within walking distance. Sometimes it's steak, sometimes it's tacos. For breakfast, I usually try to find a non-chain cafe. Lunch could be anything, or sometimes nothing. I usually like a stop every 100-150 miles, and I'll usually have a Gatorade (seems like it's always hot where I ride). I've got to be consistent about something!

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

Yeah, I definately blew it on the "plan" question. When I ride with Richard (beniciaRT_GT) it's "make a plan then scrap it one hour into the ride and do something else." When I ride with Luke it's "hey look over there! Let's add that to the plan." When I'm by myself it's "well now, where was I going?"

[CarrotNC]

I love just playing it by ear except for the final destination. I'd rather start the day knowing I'll be near a certain town at nightfall, and then ad hoc the rest of the route.

 

Dinner is a crucial part of the destination decision, and luckily most of my rides around the Blue Ridge have a motorcycle camp within reach (120 miles after local diner fare).

 

End the day around a campfire with a "tasty beverage" and repeat tomorrow. Ahhh...happy times.

[W. Mazelin]

Remembering that Murphy was an optimist, we try to remember that our plan won't survive first contact! We don't plan in too much detail, sometimes just pick a general direction, or name a couple of national parks, or the like. For instance, this fall we are simply planning a seafood fest up & down the west coast, (a list of some good restaurants was written up in "Sunset" Magazine) When we get to Oregon we might meander around for a few days then come back down the coast. We rarely get a hotel reservation, and as of yet haven't had to sleep outdoors. We try to eat at the local places, sometimes stay at the local places, and every once in a while a B&B. Staying at a B&B is a great way to meet other folks on the road. We wear Camelbaks, so we always have water, and we try to maintain an EFS (Emergency Food Supply) of jerky, granola bars, or trail mix, etc. Denny's and the majority of fast food chains are strictly verboten, we don't eat there when home, no reason to pollute a road trip. if we're on the move we'll ride about 400 miles in a day; again not to strict on planning more or less as needed.

[ShovelStrokeEd]

All too often, my trips involve a specific destination and a specific date/time by which I have to be there. So, if the apartment is to be cleaned and the laundry done, both Sat AM jobs, and I have to be somewhere 1000 miles away by Tuesday at 8AM and in business casual attire to boot, I'm pretty much limited to an early start on Sunday and someplace 500 miles away for Sunday night. Add to the fact that I live near the tip of a peninsula with only 2 convenient north/south roads and the other end of same is more or less 400 miles away, my first day choices are pretty limited. Since the second day will find me where I'm going, no choice whatever there other than staying somplace within 30 miles.

 

Ah well, good thing I don't mind freeway riding.

[ChrisNYC]

Regarding the Food Vote, I will often hit the local grocery store and get some fruit, maybe some oatmeal or bread and Peanut butter, etc. It's nice to have that in case all the local eateries are fast food ...

 

 

------------------

Chris (aka Tender Vittles )

Little '77 KZ400 in the Big Apple

Black '99 RT for Everywhere Else, such as ...

[HappyMan]

I'm a point and shoot casual rider. Ride where the wind blows me. But when on a trip I typically camp with one of my children and when pitching a tent you can't show up late in the evening. Especially with a child helping you set up and the mosquitos in the north country buzzing around the size of vultures.....So because of that I leave some slop time in my day to wing it but keep to a fairly tight schedule and plan.