Travel [Over]Planning

[PrairieSpyder]

When I plan a long trip, I always go back-and-forth about:

1. "just getting there" - drive with purpose and get there in a hurry
2. "see as many sights as possible along the way" - What if I never get to come this way again? Gotta see everything! Plan all my hotels in advance, etc.
3. "take my time and see what there is to see along the way" - plan a scenic route and give myself enough time to stop if I decide to. Find lodging when I decided where I want to stop.

Last year when I went to the Owners' Event in Durango, I did #2 and it worked out, but I felt like I was planning a lot and had to fit everything in. Then when I went SpyderQuest in NY, I planned like #2, but found I didn't have enough time, and the trip ended up being like #1. It wore me out. I've never been successful with option #3 . . I guess I a compulsive planner. Though before I did Spyder touring and traveled in my car, I'd just find a place when I thought it was time to stop. (But that was mostly along interstate and there were many hotels to choose from.

Now I'm planning my trip from home to Chelan, Wash., so I can meet-up with the North-to-Alaska group. I have decided on a route that will allow for option #3. But it's not primarily interstate highways. I have researched lodging along the way, so I know where there are some hotels . . . I won't find myself 100 miles from the nearest lodging. The only sights I really want to build into the trip are most of a day at Rocky Mountain National Park and a couple nights at/near Mount Rainier National Park. Because of popularity of those destinations and expense, I think I'll make reservations ahead of time for those.

So my question to you all: Do you plan your overnight stops and hotels ahead of time, or do you just find a place when you decide to stop? How does it work out for you? If you "plan as you go" do you have any trouble finding lodging - or at a reasonable price?

[Chupaca]

I just ryde till I decide its time to rest. Never had a problem finding good lodgings along the way but have had to push on to the next town a time or two. You will be surprised how many event are going on and how full small towns get. But those are fun to visit if you find room. Planning too much for me pressures the ryde and reservations really kill it. All good for the final destination but along the way we wing it...

[ARCTIC]

When I plan a long trip, I always go back-and-forth about:

1. "just getting there" - drive with purpose and get there in a hurry
2. "see as many sights as possible along the way" - What if I never get to come this way again? Gotta see everything! Plan all my hotels in advance, etc.
3. "take my time and see what there is to see along the way" - plan a scenic route and give myself enough time to stop if I decide to. Find lodging when I decided where I want to stop.

Last year when I went to the Owners' Event in Durango, I did #2 and it worked out, but I felt like I was planning a lot and had to fit everything in. Then when I went SpyderQuest in NY, I planned like #2, but found I didn't have enough time, and the trip ended up being like #1. It wore me out. I've never been successful with option #3 . . I guess I a compulsive planner. Though before I did Spyder touring and traveled in my car, I'd just find a place when I thought it was time to stop. (But that was mostly along interstate and there were many hotels to choose from.

Now I'm planning my trip from home to Chelan, Wash., so I can meet-up with the North-to-Alaska group. I have decided on a route that will allow for option #3. But it's not primarily interstate highways. I have researched lodging along the way, so I know where there are some hotels . . . I won't find myself 100 miles from the nearest lodging. The only sights I really want to build into the trip are most of a day at Rocky Mountain National Park and a couple nights at/near Mount Rainier National Park. Because of popularity of those destinations and expense, I think I'll make reservations ahead of time for those.

So my question to you all: Do you plan your overnight stops and hotels ahead of time, or do you just find a place when you decide to stop? How does it work out for you? If you "plan as you go" do you have any trouble finding lodging - or at a reasonable price?

When we went to Yellowstone NP, we found a place to stay in the town when we arrived. West Yellowstone was the most challenging but we always found a place and it was at times entertaining finding a place and negotiating a rate. Overall we had a blast with very little structure.

[STELLING MAN]

I've been to all 48 cont. states on a bike and have never made a reservation ahead In 40 plus years of riding, when we get tired we look for a motel, never had a problem ever..

[easysuper]

We pull a tent trailer so it gives us an option to camp if we can't get a hotel room , there are some places that fill up over the weekend but we have always found a place to park for the night. We just travel without a itenarary as it give us more freedom to choose where and when we move on .

[cptjam]

Normally, we get up and roll. A glance at the map, and go. Some days, we feel great and can do 800 miles. Some days, bad weather, heat, ice, construction....we might have to stop at 500. We have only been SOL twice in over 5 years of touring. When we stop for our evening meal, we decide where to stop, stay, and make reservations. Even if it is across the street, most deals are online or phone. Then we go there. Takes the pressure off: either a stretch, or, most common, a feeling of how we could have gone farther if we had not made reservations! We always have a destination and the reality is limited by expense. So, we tend to hustle! We enjoy the ride, and where we are going!

[oldman]

I plan route make no reservations. Many time I have not gotten to the end because there was so much to view.
Only three times in fifty years have I have trouble getting a room. have travel all 48 states plus 2/3 of Canada.
You plan to much.

[PrairieSpyder]

I am planning on taking a tent and bed-roll with me, so in case I want to stay in a national park, I would be prepared. With an inverter and electric kettle, I can make coffee. That would hold me until I could get to civilization!

[oldgoat]

Wifey & I spend 6 weeks every year driving around the western states (2 x 3 week vacations).

It is always planned with the hotels all pre booked.

When we first started doing this in 1990 we would look for somewhere to stay around 4pm or phone ahead while having dinner.

With the increase in older travellers we have found the need to book months ahead if we want specific hotels as one coachload can fill them & in some sparsely populated areas it is a long way between towns with decent accommodation.

Maybe we're overdoing it, but we are more comfortable this way. It is a personal choice. I would worry all day about finding somewhere for the night & it would spoil the enjoyment for us.

Over the years it has worked out very well for us & you get better rates.

[ARtraveler]

I prefer the #3 way of traveling. Travel in the areas you will be in on your way to WA should not present a problem for finding suitable lodging. If you see a place you like though, go for it and don't try to make that extra hundred miles or so.

Your planning ahead on the North to Alaska trip is a wise decision, IMO. A group the size of yours has a tendency to "overwhelm" the small lodges that you are going to encounter. Here, better safe than sorry. It gets cold in the evenings in the Yukon. Camping out when you did not plan on it can be an adventure in itself.

When I was traveling the highways on a regular basis, I did a combination of the two above. Never had to sleep in a gas station, rest area, or camp out when I did not want to.

On our move to Alaska (MN to AK), we traveled with our disabled special needs daughter, my Husky dog, my cat, a wheel chair, and assorted medical equipment. We never made a reservation for any lodging. We took what we found in the late afternoon, and were usually set well for the night. Some places were better than others. The daughter and the dog had the most fun on the trip.

[kngfsh27]

There are many times I don't make it down to the corner and find myself going somewhere else. I do keep numbers of motels that I may find myself in the vicinity of at the end of the day. I have been known to only make it 154 miles in 2 1/2 days. Sometimes I don't even make to my destination. That just let me take another trip.

[Cyclist922]

Good thread. I like to plan. I layout the general route (off interstate) then look at online sites such as motorcycleroads.us, to work in routes bikers have reviewed. I'll use google earth and street view to spot check the route and this year I will use Roadfood.com to find the best greasy spoons.

I try to get a good idea of which towns along the route will have a few hotels. But I never make reservations. Once the trip starts we just go with the flow. We follow the general plan but are totally cool with stopping to chill in a park or spending a rainy day in a hotel eating pizza or watching movies.

[Yazz]

No hotel reservations. Hubbie planned a route out and got the cheapest hotel via prepaid internet once. Yes it was a very good deal, but upon seeing the room, we ate the cost and found a cleaner hotel.

When doing long distance riding, our the rule is "Three days on the road, one day down."

The reason being is...
1- Doing laundry,
2- If the weather, construction etc. gets you behind schedule, you have a catch-up day,
3- Maybe you find something really cool and need to explore more.

At the end of the day, I put the GPS in hotel mode. Find the area where hotels are, with real food nearby, cruise around asking prices, and make my pick.

[PrairieSpyder]

I moved this from another thread:

Patti...I'm thinking you already have your route here in stone...but in case not...consider CA coast highway (some call it 1 others 101 or Pacific Coast Highway)...truly amazing scenery...
see you soon.

You may have seen my post of my planned route across Utah and Nevada then up to Crater Lake. I had resolved to not plan too much, and then I went and planned the whole trip! I think I realized that my process for overcoming anxiety is to plan and organize. Now that I have a route planned, I'm free to go ahead. But I don't necessarily have to follow that plan. The coast highway is on my radar, for sure. I think I'll get to northwestern Colorado and then decide which way to go.

Thanks, Karyl, for all your suggestions. I think the NW USA is going to have to be another long trip for me someday.

[Bob Denman]

Patti,
If it was me (It ain't... ); I would LIKE to be able to plan the outgoing part of the trip as a, "Get there NOW!" sort of deal.
The return trip can then be left to one's discretion, and sense of adventure...

IF... Timelines don't get in the way of the fun!