Modern Vespa

For those who love to ride and need some direction in their lives.

Not long after I purchased my first scooter I started taking short trips to parts unknown for the dual purposes of riding and exploring.

For the most part though, the ride itself was the object rather than the road or the destination. My early trip planning usually went something like this:
1) Head North and turn around when I feel like it
2) Go home and try not to get lost while doing it. Simple.

Later, I added destinations as a goal. Longer journeys became part of my weekends, sometimes weekdays, and I expanded into camping, too.

Well, some roads are better than others and it didn't take long before I longed to get more riding done while on the good ones. Either I could explore every road in the country (I wish!) or I could find if other intrepid scouts had taken the time to put their routes and observations in writing.

They have.

Thanks to the wired world, I can now look up short trips, often with a description of the ride supplied by other riders regarding the type of roads I would be on. Straight, twisties, farmland, covered bridges, nice places to have a bite to eat.

Longer trips can be planned often by connecting some of the shorter routes together to insure spending as much of riding time as possible on interesting roads.

Besides maps you can print, some sites even have files you can load to your compatible GPS.

Some advice:
1) The maps may not be entirely accurate due to scale. I always compare and plan with my own maps before setting out.
2) GPS files may be skimpy on the details, sometimes only including the starting and ending waypoints. You may find you have to fill in extra waypoints and viapoints to stay on exact route as described.
3) User descriptions may be misleading based on the reviewers inclinations: I read a review of a route that one rider hated because of sudden stops, hidden signs after sharp turns, etc. I found the road to be a great country ride. A closer look at the review revealed that the writer was expecting to make this great rural ride a high-speed run on a sport bike.

Lastly, there are often options for submitting your own favorite routes and descriptions. You can become an intrepid scout, too!