Haven't done much bicycle touring, but I've had motorcycle wheels in all of the lower 48 and parts of Canada. Something I learned years ago is to never ask locals for directions. First, a lot of people know how to get to work and to the grocery store, and that's it. Oh, they'll pretend to offer directions because no one wants to look like an idiot who doesn't know their own town. Second, even if the local knows the way their directions will be filled with all kinds of assumptions that are valid for someone who lives in the area but not for someone who is seeing the area for the first time.

Now, convincing my wife of this truism has been something I've worked on for twenty years of marriage ("why don't you stop and ask someone?" "Because it likely won't do us any good."). Thankfully GPS navigation units have made the debate somewhat moot. :-)