It is difficult to start planning this summer's rides while there is so much snow on the ground. It seems like all we've done for the past two weeks is shovel snow. However, the 2010 riding season will be upon us before we know it.

We are planning a trip to California this summer. As always, the planning part is almost as much fun as the trip itself. After I retired, trip-planning has taken on a new perspective. It's nice to not to be concerned about when we leave and how long we will be gone. I no longer need to leave on a weekend and return by the next weekend. That changes the whole agenda from destination-oriented to the journey.

On one of my Sturgis, S.D., trips, a group of us made the 3,000-mile round trip in nine days. The agenda was three days to get there, three days there at the bike rally and a three-day ride back home. We rode the interstates practically the entire way.

A couple of years later the same group of us rode to Key West and back the same way. After that second "endurance ride," I decided that I was not having a good time. The destination was good but the ride was brutal. We didn't stop for anything other than gas and a quick bite for 500 miles for three consecutive days. I am not saying that it is not a good strategy if your time is limited, but, personally, I would prefer to take a short trip if time is an issue. Now that time is not a factor, I can take the back roads, enjoy the ride and make the destination secondary.

It's not for everyone, just as not everyone likes to ride in a group. Some of us are loners and some are group riders. Some prefer to enjoy the journey and some just want to get there. It's a reflection of one's personality.

I like to meet new people and see new places. I enjoy passing through forgotten little towns, stopping to have breakfast at a local diner and meeting the people who live there. When you pull up on a motorcycle, it seems like people take an instant interest in you. They want to know where you are from and where you are going. How many times have strangers checked out our license plate and commented, "Did you ride that motorcycle all the way from Pennsylvania? "

On another trip to Sturgis we took four days to get there and passed through towns like Pocahontas, Iowa. It was Sunday and raining as we arrived, the only diner in town was closed. As we huddled under its awning, the owner came out, invited us in, and put on some coffee. As it turns out, she and her husband are bikers. We dried out there, had some great conversation and hot coffee. When the rain cleared, we thanked them and continued.

During the trip-planning process, I take a map and start tracing the trip along old U.S. routes that interstate highways bypass.

A typical day will cover 300 to 350 miles and take about eight to 10 hours. At the end of the day we usually stop at chain motels because I like a hot shower, a good meal and a comfortable bed.

In the morning, after a quick cup of coffee, we get on the road about 7:30 and ride 50 to 75 miles before finding one of those local diners for breakfast. We pull into some little village and ask for the best breakfast place in town.

Usually we don't stop for a formal lunch but make plenty of coffee stops at gas stations. I take trail mix along and snack during the day. We try to get off the road by 5 p.m., park the bikes, unpack, check in, take a shower and a little walk to dinner. For the most part, it's a relaxed schedule.

As the riding season approaches, friends will ask about my plans for various trips. Some will ask, "Do you mind if I ride along with you?"

As mentioned earlier, my style it is not for everyone but it works for me, and if it works for you, you are welcome. But, please, don't be in a hurry -- I want to enjoy the journey.

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