More on mattress vs. extreme bicycle touring

If you don't know what "mattress touring" is, read this post first.

A major attribute of "mattress touring" is staying at hotels. Do that, and you are sure to be labeled "mattressnik". I can't say that I don't care, but, I am afraid that my "love" of comfort of civilization "is stronger than pride". I also have reasons to believe that I am not unique (nobody really is), and there are others like me out there who might be interested in re-using my mountain bike route of the Ukrainian Carpathian Mountains, but are not ready to give up daily shower and sleeping in a real bed.

So, I am planning to stay at hotels, albeit in a very "loose" kind of way, that is I am mapping out my daily rides so that they start and end at places where "western-style" hotels are available (or so I think based on my research), but I am not making any reservations, and I am going to haul a tent and a sleeping bag with me anyway. I know, it sounds somewhat counterintuitive, so here is the rationale:

• I am trying to keep my planned daily distances reasonably low, but I will not know how reasonable they really are until I actually ride them (I may turn out to be not as fast as I am hoping to get; the actual riding conditions may be worse than I am expecting);
• I might get delayed by various unpredictable factors (really bad weather; bridges that have been washed away; other things that I can't even imagine right now like - knock on wood - getting lost);
• also, there are several stretches I am considering that are definitely too long for one day, and there are no hotels (or, in some cases, even populated places) anywhere between the start and the end;
• I might decide (or be forced) to change the route while already on the ground.

In the view of the above, I am probably better off not having to show up at certain hotels on certain dates. Since summer in the Carpathian Mountains is not considered high season (plus, I am familiar with the area and speak the language), I should be able to get a room somewhere without a reservation as long as I make it to the next town or village on my itinerary. If I don't, I will just sleep in the tent.