Study maps???
Actually I usually study maps of the area any time I'm biking in a different area but the road structure in the midwest is so regular that I often will just ride without having a particular path planned out. With a decent sense of direction occasionally you have to make a few detours but seldom do you actually get lost.
However I did live in New England for a few years and it is very easy to get lost in that area. Most roads are wind thier way between points that may no longer be relevant and the names often change at each town boundary and at every 3-way intersection. Up there I always carried a detailed map of the area whether on bike or driving.
Craig