My ACA maps arrived on Thursday, and I've since spent several hours going over them to glean as much information as possible. They're truly wonderful resources. I also mounted a new set of Schwalbe Marathon Supreme tires to my bike since my old pair were showing some sidewall wear. Rather worryingly, I've had two flats since fitting them. The first was a pinch flat caused by my own negligence when inflating the tire. No big deal. But the second one? I have no idea what caused it. I was cooking in my apartment one afternoon when I heard a sharp "pop!" in the garage. When I examined the tube, I found a 4-inch gash that managed to blow the tire off of the rim. I'm hoping that it was just a faulty tube, but just to be certain I fit a new tube and went on fully-loaded test ride on a nearby gravel trail. Everything held up, AND I got to pick some blackberries for cobbler that evening. Yum.

Only finals now lay between me and the open road!