Originally Posted by
BengeBoy
Sometimes in online forums I detect a dogged determinism in bike tourists about following ACA routes and racking up miles. Reading the journals I sometimes get the impression that the tourists feel they have a timetable they need to hit. Other people just use their bikes as a means of transport in, around, and through parts of the world they want to see. Some of these folks even mix up cycling with public transit, hitchhiking, or flying.
It's up to you.
I'm new to cycling but I have met many people traveling who want to go somewhere just so they could say they have been, usually a country to add one more to the tally. I have met a lot of young backpackers in hostels who have these insane ideas about massive 3 week trips in Europe going to like 7 countries, they really didn't think it out at all. I have one friend who has been to 129 countries. It is true he has 'been to' 129 countries but he has not 'experienced' 129 countries. many of them are just a check off the list and he will admit that. That is up to him and I do admire him for many reasons, good man, but we travel a little differently granted I have the advantage of rarely have any time frames
Personally, I tend to rather stay somewhere and experience a place even it if means crossing somewhere else off entirely. Far as the original question, I research where I am going and pick the places that appeal to me most. Then decide how much time I will want for each. An example, I could go stop at the Hoover Damn for 20 minutes and see it or I could spend 1/2 a day and do a tour. Maybe if it is likely the only time in my life I will be there I think I would enjoy a tour and it is worth allotting time for that. Maybe that sounds boring to me and I'd rather keep going and get to Vegas to drink and gamble or prefer to spend an extra day at the grand canyon instead. You have to decide those kinds of things on your own, nobody else can do that. But with some research and planning you can make some educated decisions.
For me, it is also very important to be able to change plans on the fly. If I decide I want to stay somewhere longer I do; want to leave, I do. Hear great things about a place I must see, I go. My philosophy is if you plan on ending in San Diego but the trip somehow randomly ends in Denver then that is awesome and odds are you had an amazing trip. The end destination is just an idea, you don't have to actually go there. My last trip my original idea was to end in Prague, somehow I ended up taking a boat from Odessa, ukraine to Georgia and my trip ended in Armenia. Never ever crossed my mind that I would go to Armenia or Georgia when I left on the trip but I'm very happy I did--Never did make it to Prague
--Hoover Damn probably isn't on your way, it is just the example I happened to think of