Don't layout too much in advance, anyway....listen to locals for advice about roads, shoulders, construction, etc. I tend to 'head for the hills' or the greened-in regions on state maps; these are often state forests or forested regions where I can sneak into the woods and wild camp on most nights. I find the real MINOR roads have low traffic but poor visibility and shoulders; so I often head for 'state' routes (not US federal routes, distinguished by the Federal Shield shape). These are often well shouldered, scenic, pass thru small towns instead of big MoFo cities, and make for very pleasant riding.
roughstuff