Another no planner here. Local roads I know and if it's a ride in an area unfamiliar to me I follow the leader.

I have small children and my wife is doing a master's on top of her full-time job, so I don't get time for very long rides (40 miles max.)

No big hills around here, mostly rolling terrain, but strong winds are a factor. I generally head off vaguely into the wind until I finish the first water bottle, then head back along a different route. I know the area, so getting lost is not a concern.

Get on bike...go. When you're done, stop; if you're not home, it's a multi-day ride.

I'm pretty new, so I like to plan my rides, also. As a fairly new rider (since April), I don't have the stamina and ability to handle hills that the more experienced riders do.

Hopefully, as I get more miles under my belt, I get more fit (able to do more miles and bigger hills), and I get more comfortable with traffic, I'll be able to do more riding without planning.

So, it looks like more experienced riders are more likely to do unplanned rides.

GH

The only planning I do is how much mileage do I want to cover in a given week and how much climbing do I 'need' to do during that week. Don't worry too much about getting lost, if you're riding in a familiar area. Worry more about getting back to your starting point. Depending on how far you go, remember that you still have to make it back home, so add that to the plan. When you reach the turnaround point, you're only half way there. ;-)

So I take it than that every time you get in your car you do the same? Plan routes and inform family?
Pretty sure ALOT more people get lost and/or hurt on short trips in their car.

So do I plan my rides? No. The length and direction of my rides can literally be determined by which way the blows.

I am retired, and here in the Midwest were I live we don't have the best weather. I've ridden 67 times so far this year. I try to plan my tasks and chores around the weather and my cycling. Things like shopping and haircuts can be done on rainy days. Grass mowing can be done on cold, very windy, and extremely hot days. Any decent [weather] day... is potentially a cycling day.

I have several different routes I ride. I have three versions of my short ride (6, 10, 14 miles). My regular 10 mile ride to the post office (that I often stretch out much further). Two different 20 mile loops, two different 25 mile out-and-backs, a thirty mile ride. A 42 mile out and back (my favorite). All these rides (and a few others) I sometime combine, or modify.

I try to add in destination cycling. I like to stop at (go to) somewhere interesting and take a selfie for facebook. I hope to inspire my old friends to join me in the fun even if we live too far apart to cycle together. These rides take me "off course" and keeps the scenery fresh and interesting.

Most of my rides are commuting and errands, or otherwise in fairly well known areas.

So, I hop on my bike, then start planning the route I'm going to take. Which paths, trails, and arterials through town. Which traffic lights to hit, etc. Usually I've planned a turn a few blocks before the turn... but occasionally the plan changes after I've already passed the turn and then I have to decide to backtrack or plan a new route.

If something is far out of my "normal", such as my recent Eugene to Portland ride, I did look at maps, and print out the Oregon Scenic Bikeway map and cue sheet before the ride, as well as choosing my bike and give my bike a general tune-up a couple days before the ride. I still was missing a few important details such as a total mileage as my planned route diverged from the Scenic Bikeway in a few places.

I suppose, if I'm generally familiar with the area, for a sub-century ride, I'll think of the start and destination and do most of the planning on the fly. It depends on other rides through unfamiliar territory. Perhaps plan parts of the unfamiliar routes (or print a map), and improvise the familiar parts.

Sometimes it is good to just hunt for new routes, bike paths, and experiences.

I've been driving 42 years and biking exactly one month...but I still typically let the family know where I'm going. It's just common courtesy... as well as a good habit.

The terms 'being considerate' and 'common courtesy' are what struck me in your posts.
It's good to know that in a forum designated for people having lived on this planet for 50 years or more you have personally decided to define each of those terms for the rest of us.
I guess all the people in this post that stated they simply just get on their bikes and ride are not considerate or courteous?
It's all good though :)
To each his own and I am stepping off my soap box, sorry.

I'm not defining for anyone else. Go back and read the posts. I'm simply telling and explaining what I do. You do as you wish.

i would say that every ride I do has some form of planning involved. I have a pretty good idea of the route I am going to take.I may deviate a bit as whim takes over though.

MY Theory/Logic, to doing 'planning' : as I have preferred roads too only drive on. That's more critical, when driving on high-end wheels --- but still to done if on any wheels. (one example): Why would I want to drive c-f wheels on roads that have more potholes, than another route --- with lesser potholes.
(b) no matter what wheels. (c) what route has lesser trucks. Students. (d) splitting the metro/rural --- if applied in your route.
ETC

The 'designation' in this "forum" --- that "people having lived on this planet for 50 years" does get violated, you know.
Do you really trust that age is monitored, on every incoming review. I wish, too, such was.

I'm with MidLife50, I go hiking, fishing, biking, and whatever, I let the wife know where I'm going to be!
Carry ID and an emergency contact card too sorry if you have a problem with that.

Read my posts.
I have no problem at all with anyone's level of preparation.
I have a problem with someone else telling me what is common courtesy.

When I first saw this thread, I almost said I plan very little. I thought about it more and I realized that because of the amount of windshield time I spend on my job, I pretty much plan out my rides down to the mile before I ever get on the bike.