As soon as you book something you're kind of locked in. At least mentally. You're kind of on a schedule and no longer have the freedom to get side tracked or try an interesting detour. At least that's how I see it and I prefer the chance to do my own thing.
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Accommodations on tour?
- Thread starter olayda
- Start date
It's all personality-related.
If you need the peace of mind to have a pre-booked place and give up a bit of flexibility, then there's nothing wrong with that.
Other people are okay with just wandering around, knocking on doors if need be.
We were riding in AZ, doing some awesome twisties and lost track of time. Got to what we thought was a larger town, but it wasn't as big as it looked on the map and the 3 motels in town were all booked up. We had to tip-toe back on those same twisties in pitch black for over an hour to get back to the last town we passed.
It happens from time to time, but very infrequently. We're still alive. Got a nice story to tell after all that.
We still don't pre-book anything because we value flexibility above all else.
We're not all built the same, and you know yourself better than anyone else. Just do what's right for you.
If you need the peace of mind to have a pre-booked place and give up a bit of flexibility, then there's nothing wrong with that.
Other people are okay with just wandering around, knocking on doors if need be.
We were riding in AZ, doing some awesome twisties and lost track of time. Got to what we thought was a larger town, but it wasn't as big as it looked on the map and the 3 motels in town were all booked up. We had to tip-toe back on those same twisties in pitch black for over an hour to get back to the last town we passed.
It happens from time to time, but very infrequently. We're still alive. Got a nice story to tell after all that.
We still don't pre-book anything because we value flexibility above all else.
We're not all built the same, and you know yourself better than anyone else. Just do what's right for you.
I have ended up camping in driveways before due to lack of places to stay when I ran out of energy. I try to leave before 5 so most people never knew I was there. I just need somewhere off the road so I don't get hit and killed while sleeping.
Yeah, there are things you can do to mitigate riding around in the dark in a tizzy:
- you can leave earlier in the day and arrive with plenty of daylight left. This works really well in the middle of summer because you aren't riding in the hottest part of the late afternoon, and most travelers who don't pre-book only go searching for accommodations after 5PM, so you'll get the jump on them.
In some of the hottest parts of the world, we'd get up before dawn and leave just as the sun was rising, sometimes that would be 5AM and we'd be done by noon or 1PM, just in time for a nice lunch and plenty of places available around that time for a siesta.
- as you mentioned, always carry a tent as backup. If all else fails, just wild-camp. My buddy's favorite spots are churches and graveyards.
I'm partial to piers if available. Not the best choice in a storm but waking up with an ocean view is awesome. I know I'm not in tune enough with tides to setup on most beaches.- as you mentioned, always carry a tent as backup. If all else fails, just wild-camp. My buddy's favorite spots are churches and graveyards.
Haha, my buddy set up on the beach once to get a nice ocean view. Woke up in the middle of the night to find himself swimming inside his tent.
Not a camping story, but we were in one of the Greek islands and was setting up our blanket for a day on the beach. There was an area cordoned off up at the top of the beach, so all the tourists set up their stuff below that line. We all thought that area was reserved for something or someone.
Sure enough, a few hours later, the tide rises and we all scramble to get our stuff to higher ground.
Turns out that cordoned off area marked the spot where high tide didn't reach. *THAT'S* where you were supposed to set up, not outside the area.
Yes, dumb tourists, but they could have put up a sign or something...
guzzirider
Well-known member
If you will be driving across southern Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta there are no twisty detours!!!
I must be getting old and have too many horror stories of getting the last motel room in town at 2:00 in the afternoon.
I usually book Airbnb when possible and plan my trip to be there by 3:00 in the afternoon by starting earlier in the morning.
One can always do side trips on the local interesting roads after unloading all the luggage.
I also book thru Booking.com at locations that allow payment on arival ( usually a slight premium) using a prepaid credit card with a very small balance. This allows me to bail on the reservation if the place turns out to be a dump.
If you take the road less travelled in the prairies you will find a lot of the gas stations are card lock and only sell regular and diesel.
I would recommend the Yellowhead over Trans Canada as it is less boring.
NOW the good news.
Central BC has some of the best motorcycle roads in North America.
See another of my posts.
Touring on a Suzuki GW250 19,000+km
When we tour those are our second favorite picnic spots. It's quite and you have the place to yourself. #1 is rest stops with washrooms and picnic tables.
Qu'appelle valley between Regina and moosejaw is a magical place. Mostly gravel or beat up asphalt roads so places that don't look far apart on the map can take a while to get to. Not at all what I expected in SK.
olayda
Well-known member
Valid point about the twisty detours in the prairies
And yes, I was planning on taking the Yellowhead out of Winnipeg. Apparently they have trees up there
Looking forward to checking out the Suzuki tour
Depending on your time in Manitoba you could take in the Narcisse Snake dens. Kind of out of the way and not really much to look at in the summer though.
(We got there late and thought maybe we vagrant camp at the site but the bugs were just too thick.)
(We got there late and thought maybe we vagrant camp at the site but the bugs were just too thick.)
When I tour I go selfishly solo. It's my bladder, belly and bedroom.
I have a general idea of direction and ride until noon or so. Then I'd figure where I want to be that night, call ahead and guarantee a room on my credit card. If I got there early I had time to see some local stuff. If I'm late I still have a bed.
Repeat the next day. I've never had a problem but that was pre Covid. One never knows about weather delaying a ride so a "If this is Lexington it must be Tuesday" schedule doesn't work for bikes.
I have a general idea of direction and ride until noon or so. Then I'd figure where I want to be that night, call ahead and guarantee a room on my credit card. If I got there early I had time to see some local stuff. If I'm late I still have a bed.
Repeat the next day. I've never had a problem but that was pre Covid. One never knows about weather delaying a ride so a "If this is Lexington it must be Tuesday" schedule doesn't work for bikes.
That was my spring ritual when the trees are just starting in Virginia .....point it south until it turns green,
No real seasons here ...wet .... less wet.....dry. Trees don't change.
tho jacaranda blossoms are lovely in October which is spring....
No real seasons here ...wet .... less wet.....dry. Trees don't change.
tho jacaranda blossoms are lovely in October which is spring....
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