"mapping" is (and forever will be) a non-linear process, chronologically speaking. the seasoned cyclist never sets in stone a mapping factor (such as distance or departure time) before taking all others into account. thus the following explanation, while structured as a step-by-step example, should be taken as just that: an example. depending on where you're riding, each day may well push a different factor to prominence.
part 2: process
first, we're almost always looking at destination, i.e. what's available 70-100 miles down the road (or whatever your daily mileage goal may be). points of interest, national parks, scenic routes, monuments - essentially anything we would not see anywhere else - usually takes preference at this point.
second, we figure out accommodations for the night, often based on how badly we need a shower, laundry or a hot meal in our tummies. mapping is very much an exercise that takes the last several days into account. let's say we've stayed in a city park the last three nights, none of which had showers. getting to a facility that had such a luxury will often take priority over all other factors (total mileage that day, elevation climb, etc.) and determine our direction and destination for the day. we're almost always making calls in the morning or at lunch to see what's available.
and speaking of, when's lunch? the third step to mapping (once we're fairly confident on where we want to finish) is to check out places along the way to for our midday feeding. while it's nice to have a gas station (ice, water, restrooms, picnic table) or similar venue, it's not a make-or-break aspect of mapping, since we're almost always eating food we've bought beforehand, and could enjoy just as easily along the side of the road or at a particularly stunning vista.
fourth step: determining departure & arrival times. it goes without saying that how many miles we'll cover that day (and when we'll finish) depends a lot on when we get rolling in the morning. the number of miles to our lunch stop usually dictates our departure time; sunset, our desired arrival. weather or poor sleep the night before can easily alter both, however, so we often pick two or three potential lunch spots and, if there are a number of unknowns (elevation, weather, etc.), two destinations - typically a short & long ride.
care packages! step five plays a major role (salute) in our long-term (3-4 day) mapping as we work around post office hours and locations. we LOVE care packages, and whenever we know we're getting one, will look far enough down to road to make sure we arrive on time to receive them.
step six: the next grocery stop. more of a long-term aspect to mapping as well, and FAR more important when mapping out west (california through kansas). at times we rode as many as 300+ miles without passing a walmart or general store. as a result, what roads we took and where we stayed at night largely had to do with where we could stock up on water, peanut butter, etc.
last (but not least), the seventh step to our mapping process is looking at where we'll next want a cyclist shop. believe it or not, things break on your bike along the way, and we're always keeping an eye open for where there might be a spot to pick up some extra tubes or get a quick tune-up.
that's all there is to it! not so hard, really, and if you can find the right balance between planning ahead and being flexible when those plans change, you're in for an incredible ride.
until next time,
may God hold you in the hollow of His hand
josh & mark
the lifecycle team
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