National Parks PASS - Other PASS for camping?

[John Nelson]

If I were doing it over there was one really crumby campground (Jerry Johnson Campground) where we could have stealth camped a few miles up the road.

The Jerry Johnson Campground is in the middle of a National Forest that openly allows dispersed camping. So you wouldn't really call it stealth camping. There's no need to conceal yourself. I "dispersed" camped just a few miles down the road from Jerry Johnson and it offered me almost as many services as camping in the campground would have offered.

[John Nelson]

So, I also anticipate staying in churches along the way. How do you usually get in contact with a church, or some place like that? Is this part of being organized a day or a couple of days ahead of time, or do you just appear and work out the agreements?

First, I check the door to see if it's unlocked. If so, there's probably somebody inside to ask. Failing that, I call the phone number on the church sign out front. The pastor's phone number is usually there.

I am anticipating planning most every night what my next day will look like, including having a good idea of where I want to stay. Is that being too optimistic about my planning abilities (or just naive to the reality of the trip) or am I right about the planning that is involved with staying on top of things the night(s) before I arrive?

When using ACA maps, it's generally pretty easy to plan out where you will spend the next night. Sometimes, however, there are no free places to stay listed on the map, and there are no Warm Showers or Couch Surfing host listed either. In that case, you just have to improvise when you get there. I virtually never plan the day after tomorrow. One day at a time is enough.

[staehpj1]

If I were doing it over there was one really crumby campground (Jerry Johnson Campground) where we could have stealth camped a few miles up the road.

The Jerry Johnson Campground is in the middle of a National Forest that openly allows dispersed camping. So you wouldn't really call it stealth camping.

Yes I guess that is the case.  Ideally I would have rather stayed somewhere near the hot springs up the road a bit.

[staehpj1]

So, I also anticipate staying in churches along the way. How do you usually get in contact with a church, or some place like that? Is this part of being organized a day or a couple of days ahead of time, or do you just appear and work out the agreements?

I have seldom contacted churches directly, except for ones listed on ACA maps.  We most often asked around and were put in touch with them by a clerk in a store or a librarian.  Only a few times did I ever ask directly at a church that was not on an ACA map.  When I asked directly I always asked about camping first and only stayed inside when that was offered.

I am anticipating planning most every night what my next day will look like, including having a good idea of where I want to stay. Is that being too optimistic about my planning abilities (or just naive to the reality of the trip) or am I right about the planning that is involved with staying on top of things the night(s) before I arrive?

When using ACA maps I usually shoot for a town with something listed and call ahead only if the ACA listing says to.  When not on an ACA route, I most often just shoot for a town and wing it when I get there.  There are places where the spacing of the towns is such that you may need to plan which towns you will stop in more than one day in advance in order to avoid have the choice between a too shot day and a too long one.

[John Nelson]

In most towns where bicycle camping is allowed in the city park, the ACA maps tell you to call the police or sheriff first. In most cases, when I made that call they seemed to wonder why I had called. Eventually I just quit calling and went ahead and camped. There was one town, however, where the sheriff arranged for the sprinklers to be turned off, so I'm glad I called. I would, however, suggest you call (or visit) the police/sheriff before camping in a town park for which it's not obvious (from signs or from the ACA map) that camping is allowed. If I hadn't already confirmed that the sprinklers had been turned off, I would generally set up my tent under the pavilion to avoid them.

[Pat Lamb]

I think you're about right, planning one day ahead.  At least after a couple of weeks.  Be ready to change your plans, if you get a headwind, tailwind, lots of hills, or rain, or if that small town turns out to be really TOO small.

The first two weeks, you're getting used to your legs, your load, and the terrain.  After a while, you'll feel comfortable projecting a day or two out, but anything beyond that is a crap shoot.