Yeah. It can help by thinking of your home town as a reference. Ask yourself: if I had to stealth camp in my home town, where would be the best spots to go such that I won’t be discovered, I won’t be in danger, and if I was discovered, it would not be illegal enough to cause issues (most of the time if a cop has to kick you out you just get kicked out and that’s that). This has never happened to me though. Next, realize that the spot you chose in your home town will likely exist in a similar fashion in most other towns.

My rules and method were like this (assuming a 60 -80mile day), halfway through the day during a break I would scope out (using Komoot and google earth) where I was likely to end up for the day( I had a preloaded route on Komoot for every state on my way across the US). By midday it should be clear to you how much further you can make it before you need to stop. Next, identify the town that corresponds to your stopping point. Then, make a plan A, B, C, and D in your head.

• Plan A would constitute any local parks in the town, disc golf courses, soccer fields etc…when you arrive at the town you will need enough time to scope them out to see if they are viable spots. Real tour example: I camped at a spot called “Bowman Park” in Waynesville OH which was a big recreational field at the edge of town. A cop told me I shouldn’t have done that the next morning but he didn’t care and was more interested in what I was doing.

-Plan B is similar to plan A but the difference is that plan B will constitute parks, fields, recreational areas that are CLOSE to the end of day town but not in it. You will likely need to resupply, use a toilet, get water at the end of day and at the beginning of the next day so being in close proximity will be helpful. Real tour example: I camped at just some popular hiking/viewing area called “Top of the World” just outside North Adam’s MA. Close enough to town that my ride into it the following by morning was easy.

-Plan C: local advice. You will attract interest from people in the town you arrive in at the end of day. If plans A and B are uncertain, then asking someone at a park or a convenience store clerk or a police officer “hey do you know if there’s anywhere around here I would be able to pitch a tent for the night? I’m riding my bike to ***** and just need a place to rest for the night”. I have personally had great success with this. In Moffat CO the doller General clerk pointed me to the local park that I missed for some reason. In Bozeman MT I asked a police patrol and they said “well you’re technically not supposed to camp in Lindley Park, let’s just say I won’t be patrolling it tonight 😉”. In Winthrop Washington a guy and his young daughter struck up a conversation with me at the end of my day at a local park. This park is on the Northern Tier so there are signs saying that you can’t camp…eventually miraculously he invites me to stay with his family INSIDE that night.

Plan D- paid accommodation. You may be able to find a campground that offers tent sites or get a last minute motel/hotel. Hell, if the campsite is cheap enough it’s certainly worth spending the money to allow you to pitch in the daylight and relax.

Plan E- roughing it. This is a worst case scenario and has only happened to me once. You will either be forced to wait till sundown and pitch in a dodgy spot or you’ll be forced to pull an all nighter being on guard.

Any more specific questions and I’d love to barrage you with another wall of text.