How much do you plan your trips?

[ColoradoPacific]

Just wondering how much in-depth planning everyone does prior to a road trip or trail run?

Once I've picked a destination, I usually just ensure I have enough supplies (food, fuel, water), and weather appropriate gear to make the trip. I don't really have a plan of exactly where I'll camp, or which route I'll take. I just pick a place and wing it until I get there.

I know some of you are more pragmatic and detail oriented than I...

 

[Billy "Poserlander" Badly]

I love planning, and as I've mentioned elsewhere on the forum, it helps keep me sane between trips. Mostly, I just want to understand the rough area I'm going to be visiting, and I like to have a (usually very long) list of places worth checking out, knowing I likely won't make it to all of them. That said, when the trip actually starts, I'm comfortable going with the flow and chucking plans out the window if/when necessary... I am pretty detail oriented when it comes to supplies/food/water, etc...

 

[Steve]

My trips are more traveling than overlanding. I stay in motels, and take day trips, either to nearby interesting places, or as far out in the back country as I can get in a day.

Still, my planning in nearly nonexistent. I take what gear/clothing/food I think I might use on a trip, but that's about it. We either eat in a cafe/pub/restaurant, or fix lunch from our supplies that we pick up along the way. That's about it.

We just returned from 29 days out west, and last year did a 42 day trip, all without any pre-planning. As often as not, we'll make motel reservations from the motel parking lot as we get there. Only on weekends in touristy areas or when we have to be somewhere specific will I make reservations ahead of time. We decide what we want to explore as we happen on it, with only a vague idea of our intended route. This leads us to places and eateries that we stumble across we wouldn't otherwise find, which is the best way to explore.

So I picked number 2

 

[Dunco]

It all depends on the trip if its just a couple of night's then i kinda just make it up as i go but any extended trip im a sticker for details especially when travelling in remote parts

 

[MOAK]

If reservations are necessary for back country permits, then planning is very detail oriented. As permits and reservations are always needed on the WRT, or in the Needles, we most generally begin our western tours in that locale. After that, we can wander about at will. Our planning is still detail oriented, but, "onthefly" in order to make sure we always have at least 5 days worth of food, water and gas, and to let family and local rangers, or BLM officials know of our "onthefly" plans.

 

[The other Sean]

As already stated, depends on the trip.