For me, it’s important to be able to visualise the route ahead. Most of us will get tired at some stage on a 200 km ride and, to me at least, it’s really helpful to know what’s ahead. I need to ride a route, memorise it and get to “own it” so that I can ride with confidence. Some cyclists take pride in doing a different ride each month towards RRtY. I am happy to do the same ride more than once and to combine parts of familiar rides to make new routes. And, of course, to take part in calendar events when they are within easy travelling distance – staying overnight in a hotel or Airbnb if that works out better for me. That’s not to say that I haven’t spent many hours planning completely new routes, choosing easier routes for winter months and harder routes with more climbing for the longer days.