My original basic planning for a big trip (multi days, a week or more) is pretty much to pull out a map and start day dreaming about how I might travel -- which also gives me some rough ideas of roads to travel, where to stop, places to see, etc. Then I'll do some more detailed planning to pick a specific route. That involves both some computer mapping, and some internet searching and some digging through things like AAA Tour books. I use the internet maps to give me specific distances between locations and specific routings, and I use the internet searchs to do things like get hotel reviews, get some different opinions on what to stop at and visit, and the like.

When I do travel this all gets turned into a notebook or file folder. I have the paper maps for the basic route in it, as well as perhaps some printouts of specific destinations (like directions to a hotel or specific place to visit if I'm concerned about the directions). If I've found a really good description of somewhere along the way I'll throw it in too, including some of those optional "oh it would be nice to visit if I have the time" places. Lastly, I have downloaded some key waypoints and key destinations from the map into my little hand held GPS to answer those nasty questions like "Really how far away is that right now?".

And oh yeah, I really do sometimes overprepare. But I'm usually pretty flexible about exact destinations and things to visit or specific routes, and I think having a good preparation helps give me this flexibility.