My bicycle's a coatrack; why did I read a book about planning and riding multi-day bicycle trips? Well, I wouldn't have heard of Independent Cycle Touring except that I know the author; but I'm glad I read it anyhow. It's a book about long bicycle trips, but it can also remind you why traveling is fun in general. There's stuff in there about how to make your way around an area, figuring out lodging each night.
There's plenty of cycling-specific stuff, too: figuring out what kind of repair gear to bring; what brand maps for each region show the information that you'll need to plan your route. It has information on many cycling areas; not everything you need to know about any area in particular, but enough to figure out which areas you're interested in learning more about.
If you live near here, you can get the book at the Cupertino Bike Shop. If you live near the internet, you can get the book at its web site.
