What are your 3 top criteria for smb destination planning

[Jeffrey]

1. Opportunity for spectacular photography.

2. No people within 25 miles.

3. No people within 25 miles.

4. No people within 25 miles.

5. No people within 25 miles.

[Ocsmb]

Originally Posted by Jeffrey

1. Opportunity for spectacular photography.

2. No people within 25 miles.

3. No people within 25 miles.

4. No people within 25 miles.

5. No people within 25 miles.

I guess we won't be seeing you at a meet anytime soon

[daveb]

Originally Posted by Ocsmb

I guess we won't be seeing you at a meet anytime soon

We're not people, we're SMB owners and a SMB is an opportunity for a spectacular photograph.

[loren85022]

a) scenic water spot (pond, creek, lake,ocean)
b) Far enough back that most 27' Toy Haulers are not nearby. (Nothing against the toyhauler itself).
c) Weather hovering between 70-80d.

[rob_gendreau]

1. New experience (could be a new activity at a familiar place, or a new place with any activity)

2. Nice camping. Sometimes trumps no. one. This became more important when I had to give up some of the activities I used to do; now camping is more of an activity in it's own right.

3. The cultural experience: could be meeting interesting people (some campground, eg, just have more cool people than other ones). Or maybe historical sites or cool towns.

Oh…maybe I should add 4. No government shutdown….

[BrianBlair]

1. Stuff to do. My girlfriend and I ski, run, mountain bike and climb(rocks primarily). Our trips almost always revolve around a new destination for this stuff or a place we've been before that is worth repeating.

2. Solitude. We'll take BLM land over pay campgrounds any day of the week.

3. Dog friendly.....which means high-temps are a no go.

[rionapo]

1) Boondocking/solitude/beauty

2) Multiple trail options w/minimal or, preferably, no driving

3) Dog friendly

Although we're not opposed to walking around a local community to see what's up. And, supply and demand still rule, as in most ski resorts have lots of people, little or no boondocking and no dog areas. They do, however, have snow.

Don

[Yodavan]

1) we mostly decide on somewhere we want to see like Chaco Culture or a hot spring or a lake.

2) we may pick a loop on the map as a general guide but really once we leave the driveway it's whatever route that is less traveled that makes it an adventure(once took a 150 mile detour for lunch in Taos).

3) Camping in National Forest or BLM or on the beach at the lake is preffered. Campgrounds are ok if the spaces are not too close together(like some comercial campgronds Say no more, say no more)We usually pull in late and leave early.

[geoffff]

My priorities:

1) Solitude (or just my group)
2) Adventure (challenging roads; avoid official campgrounds)
3) Interest (rock art, views, ruins, water features, in that order)

Wow, it's fun to see so many people who seem to align with my values!

Like someone else said, my usual strategy is to plan my trip by just picking a location, scouting some points of interest on maps & the internet, and then just arrive with no specific plan. I may end up making use of some of my planned destinations, or none of them.

-- Geoff

[rionapo]

Originally Posted by geoffff

. . . I may end up making use of some of my planned destinations, or none of them.

-- Geoff

We have the left-hand turn tradition, named for the time we made an unplanned left-hand turn at Gunnison and discovered Crested Butte. Our current trip on the UP is also a left hand turn. One should always be on the lookout for LHTs.

Don