Monday, November 30, 2015

Medina Holiday Lights Drive-Thru Display

The Medina Holiday Lights drive-thru display is back for another season, and thanks to the crew from the Century Cycles store in Medina, Santa and his bicycle-reindeer are back, too!

The Medina Holiday Lights event is brought to you by Main Street Medina and the Medina County Fair. The schedule for this season is:

  • December 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 18 thru 27
  • Times:
    • Fridays and Saturdays: 6:00 - 10:00pm
    • Sundays and weekdays: 6:00 - 9:00pm
Rates:
  • Cars: $7.00
  • Vans: $15.00
  • Buses: $50.00
Location:
Medina County Fairgrounds
710 W. Smith Rd.
Medina, OH  44256
Entrance at Smith Road parking lot

Friday, November 27, 2015

Route for 28th annual Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure announced for 2016

The Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure has announced the route for the 28th annual bicycle tour, to take place June 18 - 25, 2016.

The ride will take place in southwestern Ohio, beginning in Hamilton and passing through Eaton, Oxford, Brookville, and Miamisburg before returning to Hamilton.

For full details, go to: www.goba.com

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Happy Thanksgiving! All three Century Cycles stores will be CLOSED on Nov. 26


Century Cycles would like to wish all of our customers, staff, and friends a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Please note that all three of our stores will be CLOSED on Thursday, November 26, 2015 for the Thanksgiving Day holiday. We will be OPEN for our regular hours the rest of the weekend:

  • Friday and Saturday: 10:00am - 5:00pm
  • Sunday: 12:00 - 5:00pm

Monday, November 23, 2015

Global Fat Bike Day Ride: Dec. 5, 2015 10:00am in Peninsula


Join us for our 3rd annual ride celebrating fat bikes and snow bikes! We'll have a new time and new route this year, with a combination of road, paved bike path, unpaved bike path, and mountain bike trail!

The 16.5-mile route will take us past the new East Rim Trail for mountain biking in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Those that want to can ride the East Rim Trail for a lap or two. Those that don't want to ride the East Rim Trail can either wait or continue back to Peninsula on their own. Find the route details at: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/11127159

You don't have to have a fat bike to come along; bring your mountain bike, 'cross bike, or whatever you feel comfortable riding for the conditions. We have snow bikes for rent; call us at 330-657-2209 to make a reservation.

We'll get together for lunch afterwards!

Follow the event on Facebook to make sure you get all the latest updates.

Here's the video from last year's ride:

Click here if the video above is not appearing for you.

Sunday, November 22, 2015

Share Your Adventure and you might win a $25 Gift Card!

The folks at the Century Cycles store in Rocky River have set up this cool display to highlight the fat bikes and touring bikes available from Salsa Cycles. The backdrop of the display is our "Adventure Wall." We invite our customers to share their photos of their bicycling adventures! Anyone who submits a photo will be eligible to win a $25 Century Cycles Gift Card!

Your bicycle adventure photo doesn't have to include a Salsa or a fat bike -- as long as it's any bike! We welcome any type of adventure, whether it's your adventurous ride to work, to the store, or to a far-flung destination!

You can submit your bicycle adventure photo any of these ways:

  • Stop into our Rocky River store and hand it to us!
  • Mail it to us at "Share Your Adventure, Century Cycles, 19955 Detroit Rd, Rocky River, OH  44116."
  • E-mail it to: info@centurycycles.com
  • Post it on Facebook and tag @CenturyCycles and type the hashtag #ShareYourAdventure.
  • Post it on Twitter and tag @CenturyCycles with the hashtag #ShareYourAdventure.
  • Post it on Instagram and mention @centurycycles with the hashtag #ShareYourAdventure.
Be sure to tell us your name, the location of the photo, and the date it was taken! All photos submitted by December 31, 2015 will be eligible to win!
The Adventure Wall at Century Cycles in Rocky River




Saturday, November 21, 2015

Introducing the Salsa Marrakesh touring bicycle

The Salsa Marrakesh is Salsa Cycles' new across-the-country or around-the-world touring bike. The Marrakesh is stable and predictable when heavily loaded, and durable enough to be strapped down to the roof of a bus jostling over a remote pass. Turkish dust around the bottom bracket and mud from Thailand’s monsoon season make just as much sense on this bike as all the stickers from the other countries you’ve visited do. When you’ve decided to stop dreaming and actually make that year abroad a reality, Marrakesh is ready to pile on the miles, whether you're actually headed to Marrakesh, or the Republic of Macedonia, or just to Macedonia, Ohio.

The parts spec is made up of tried-and-true touring bike components, starting with a Shimano Deore 9-speed drive train with a triple crankset, and Microshift bar-end shifters. Avid BB7 disc brakes provide the stopping power in all conditions. Steering duty is handled by Salsa's new Cowchipper drop handlebar, with a wide flare for comfort and control. Where the rubber meets the road you'll find Schwalbe Marathon Plus 700x38 tires on all frame sizes.

You get some great extras right out of the box -- a Brooks B17 narrow leather saddle and Salsa Alternator rear pannier rack! The frame also has lots of eyelets for fenders, bottle cages, plus front and rear racks, including mounts on the fork for Salsa Anything Cages.

The frame comes in Black or Green, with cool constellation highlights to inspire your global navigation.
We've got a 54cm, 55cm, and 57cm in stock in Black. Smaller sizes in Green are on the way!

Friday, November 20, 2015

Why Bike Commuters Should Be Using Strava


If you think that GPS-based activity tracking apps like Strava are just for speed-crazed adrenaline junkies, think again.

With the use of these apps getting more and more popular in the past few years, the companies that provide them have accumulated a wealth of data about where people ride bicycles. Many bicycle advocacy groups and government agencies are now acquiring and using this data to make the case for where to provide cycling facilities such as bike lanes and trails.

So, if you use Strava every time you ride, even for your commute to work or short jaunts to the grocery store or coffee shop, you could be helping to make bicycling better for all of us!

Click here to read more in a recent article from Bicycling Magazine.

Thursday, November 19, 2015

30% OFF a Blackburn Indoor Trainer - Hot Deals for Cold Days are Back by Popular Demand!

Every winter, we negotiate special purchases from our manufacturers for the most popular bicycling accessories, then we pass the savings (30%-50% off) to YOU! A new "Hot Deals for Cold Days" offer comes out every two weeks, now through February. Stock up on essentials, shop for the holidays, and save on your cycling favorites!

Blackburn Tech Mag 6 Indoor Trainer
Regularly $239.99
NOW $167.99

The Blackburn Tech Mag 6 features a sturdy steel frame and a silky-smooth magnetic resistance unit with 6 settings that are select-able with a handlebar-mounted remote. It's ideal for use with your bicycle in your own home, for indoor cycling classes where you bring your own bike and trainer, or for taking to a race or event to warm up.

The Fine Print:
This Hot Deal is good only November 19 - December 2, 2015, while supplies last on in-stock merchandise only. In-store purchase only; no online or phone orders accepted. No coupon necessary.


Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Congratulations to our WKSU bike winner!

Congratulations to Donna Moot! She's the proud owner of a brand new bicycle, which we provided to WKSU to help with their Fall Pledge Drive!

The bike is the Momentum Street, valued at $429.99! It's a great bike for getting around town for errands, with 7 speeds, a comfortable upright riding position, and comes with all the accessories you need -- rear cargo rack, full-coverage fenders, kickstand, a bell, and even a built-in coffee cup holder!

Momentum Biking is the new lifestyle division of Giant Bicycles. The line also includes the new Momentum Rocker, the fat bike priced for anyone's budget, and now in stock in our stores!

Thank you to Donna, and everyone who helped to support WKSU and public radio in Northeast Ohio!

Monday, November 16, 2015

Film 'Bikes vs. Cars' coming to Cleveland

Join Bike Cleveland and Tugg, Inc. for a thought provoking film about our cities, our air, and our society's obsession with the automobile.

"Bikes vs Cars" depicts a global crisis that we all deep down know we need to talk about: Climate, earth's resources, cities where the entire surface is consumed by the car. An ever-growing, dirty, noisy traffic chaos. The bike is a great tool for change, but the powerful interests who gain from the private car invest billions each year on lobbying and advertising to protect their business. In the film we meet activists and thinkers who are fighting for better cities, who refuse to stop riding despite the increasing number killed in traffic.

How did we get to this point? What can be done to change course? Watch the film then stick around for a brief forum about Cleveland, specifically: where we are, where we want to go, and how can we get there.

This film presentation needs to pre-sell 57 tickets by Jan 13, 2016 in order to show. You can pre-purchase tickets and view a trailer at:


See the latest updates for the event on Facebook. The planned date of the screening is January 28, 2016 at 7:00pm at the Capitol Theatre (1390 W. 65th Street, Cleveland).

Sunday, November 15, 2015

It's Sunday, and here's Wednesday

Now in stock (size Medium) at Century Cycles is Surly's latest entry in the fat bike/snow bike world, the Wednesday. Why another fat bike model, you may ask? The Wednesday splits the difference between Surly's other fat bike models.

It's got the nimble trail geometry of the Ice Cream Truck, which means it will handle well on whatever mountain bike trail floats your boat. Point it downhill, pedal it uphill, shred the rocks, etc.

Like the tried and true Pugsley, it's got oodles of mounting eyelets for racks, fenders, and bottle cages, so you can load it up for that all-terrain expedition in the arctic or through your neighbor's backyard woods.

The Wednesday comes with Surly's popular Nate 26x3.8-inch tires, but the bike will handle up to a 26x4.6-inch tire. This bike is not completely without new-school tech, as it also has Surly's new Other Brother Darryl tubeless-compatible rims, plus the oversized head tube makes it compatible with the RockShox Bluto fat suspension fork should you decide to upgrade. Round it out with Hayes MX disc brakes and a solid SRAM X5 2x10-speed drive train.

Come check it out!

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

We thank and salute our veterans!


We at Century Cycles wish to express our gratitude to all of the veterans who have served to protect our country, as well as all current service members on active duty or reserves.

To honor all of these men and women, we are offering the following discounts for all current and former members of the US military:
These offers are valid on Wednesday, November 11, 2015 only. Please have proof of military service. Thank you!

Monday, November 9, 2015

Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park gets funding for Phase 2 of East Rim Trail

Hot on the heels of the wildly successful grand opening of the 2.3-mile East Rim Trail for mountain biking in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park announced today that they have received funding for the design, engineering, and construction of Phase 2 of the trail. The funding comes from a $120,700 grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and will add an additional 7 miles to the mountain bike trail to be completed in 2016-17.

Friday, November 6, 2015

Winter Hours starting Friday, November 6, 2015


REMINDER: Our Winter Hours begin today, Friday November 6, 2015. Our hours at all three Century Cycles stores are:

  • Monday through Thursday: 10:00am - 8:00pm
  • Friday and Saturday: 10:00am - 5:00pm
  • Sunday: 12:00 - 5:00pm
As always, you can also find our current hours of operation at:

Thursday, November 5, 2015

Section of Towpath Trail near Akron to be closed

Photo: Akron Beacon-Journal
An approximately 1-mile stretch of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail is set to close soon, and the closure may be for as long as four years. The affected section is between the Mustill Store and the Memorial Parkway, just north of downtown Akron. The closure is being done by the city of Akron for the construction of a $184 million sewer tunnel.

Fortunately, the city is taking steps to provide a safe detour using a marked route on local streets.

For complete details, click here for an article in the Akron Beacon-Journal.
Map image: Akron Beacon-Journal

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

ACTION ALERT: Don't let Congress cut bike funding

Congress is considering three amendments to the transportation bill that would significantly reduce federal bike funding by cutting two critical programs, the Recreational Trails Program and the Transportation Alternatives Program. If they pass, these amendments will make it much more difficult for communities to build bike infrastructure. Tell your representatives to vote against the amendments from Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA) and Rep. Ted Yoho (R-FL).

Click here to contact your representative using a quick and easy form provided by People for Bikes.

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Shop Local and WIN in the Shop Medina Giveaway!

Kyle from the Century Cycles store in Medina with the Giant Motr 20-inch kid's bicycle

Shop Local and WIN in the Shop Medina Giveaway!

Here's how it works:

Collect and save your receipts
Save receipts for any purchase made in the 44256 Medina Zip Code from November 1 through November 30, 2015. Each receipt is worth ONE (1) ticket you can use to enter the drawings of your choice for fabulous prizes from local Medina merchants, including a Giant Motr 20-inch kids bicycle from Century Cycles!

BONUS: Each receipt from a Medina Chamber of Commerce member (that's us!) or Main Street Medina member business earns a BONUS TICKET!

Receipt Exchange: December 1-4, 2015
Present your original receipts and receive your raffle tickets at:

The Post Newspapers
5164 Normandy Park Drive Suite 100
Medina, OH  44256
9:00am - 5:00pm

Towne Center Commons
23 Public Square
Medina, OH  44256
4:00 - 6:00pm

Prize Drawing Event - with Mayor Dennis Hanwell
December 5, 2015
Enter raffles 2:00 - 3:00pm
Prize drawings 3:00 - 4:00pm
Medina Community Recreation Center
855 Weymouth Road
Medina, OH  44256
At the basketball courts -- enter through door D6 ONLY!
Park in lots D, E, or F.

Must be present to enter/win merchandise raffles. All other tickets will be entered in drawings for Gift Cards and winners will be contacted by phone.

Sponsored by:


Monday, November 2, 2015

East Rim mountain bike trail in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park now OPEN!

On November 2, 2015, the first mountain biking trail in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park officially opened. The 2.3-mile trail is the first phase of a multi-year plan that will eventually include 10 miles of new trails.

The trail is accessible from the the Summit Metroparks Bike & Hike Trail just north of Boston Mills Road, with parking available at the intersection of Boston Mills Road and the Bike & Hike Trail.

For updates on the latest trail conditions and status, follow @CVNPmtb on Twitter (or see the feed on our web site).

For more details about the history, location, and frequently asked questions (FAQ) for the East Rim Trail, see:
http://www.conservancyforcvnp.org/eastrim

This trail is thanks to the advocacy and fund-raising work of the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park (through their TRAILS FOREVER program), and the work of professional trail-builders with the help of volunteers from the Cleveland Area Mountain Bike Association.

Sunday, November 1, 2015

Trip Report: My bike tour on the Ohio to Erie Trail

At the end of September and beginning of October, I (Kevin) found myself with some free time to do an item on my bicycling bucket list, riding from Cincinnati to Cleveland on the Ohio to Erie Trail.

The Ohio to Erie Trail (www.ohiotoerietrail.org) is not a trail, per se, but a collection of trails and on-road routes that provide a bicycle touring route that connects the three "big C's" of Ohio (Cincinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland). About 80% of the 350-mile route is on dedicated bike paths, with the rest on public roads.

I wouldn't be camping during my trip, so I was able to pack pretty light; just a couple days' worth of clothing and the usual tools and spare parts. You can read the details about what I packed in this post on my personal bike blog:

Gear List: Credit-card Bikepacking the Ohio to Erie Trail

My trip began the morning of Sunday, September 27 when my brother arrived in his mini-van to haul my bike and myself down to Cincinnati. I made a few adjustments to my bike and what I packed that morning, based on the weaterh forecast as well as some bike issues.

My brother and I stopped for lunch outside Columbus, then he dropped me off at BioWheels bike shop in Cincinnati. BioWheels is where Austin (who used to work with us in Peninsula) now spends his working weekends, and he agreed to let me crash at his place for the night.
With my lightly loaded Salsa Fargo bike at BioWheels in Cincinnati
You can read more about the trip down to Cincinnati here:

Ohio to Erie Trail Tour: Prologue


Day 1: Monday, September 28, 2015

Austin actually lives in the small village of North Bend, almost 20 miles down-river from downtown Cincinnati. The main road connecting North Bend with Cincinnati is busy 4-lane US Route 50. I had about a 2-mile stretch on this road before I detoured on some quiet back roads, then another 2-mile stretch just before I reached the city.

I stopped in town for some breakfast, then found Yeatman's Cove Park, the official start of the Ohio to Erie Trail on the shores of the Ohio River.
Following the route out of downtown Cincinnati was actually much easier than I expected, and one of the most pleasant surprises of the whole trip. Making a right turn out of Yeatman's Cove Park, you see signs for the Ohio to Erie Trail route right away, and they're not hard at all to find and follow. There was also much more bike path than I expected. The route winds through some neighborhoods and parks on the shore of the river, then past the Lukens municipal airport. Eventually, I would up back on US Route 50 through a couple of busy neighborhoods and strip mall zones, but I found all of the drivers to be courteous and respectful.

Finally, I got to the Little Miami Scenic Trail, a paved rail-trail that makes up a large part of the Ohio to Erie Trail's southern end. I hopped on the trail a few miles south of the town of Milford. At Milford, I looked around town a bit (including the local bike shop and a new outdoor store), then continued on my way.
My lunch stop for the day was the town of Loveland, and nice trail town with several restaurants and a bike shop right on the trail. Later on, I came to a closed section of the trail, but using Google Maps on my smartphone made it easy to navigate up out of the river valley to detour around. Just after I got back on the trail, I got a flat tire, but I had everything I needed to get the inner tube replaced and get rolling.

My day ended in the town of Waynesville, and was my only paid night's stay for the week, at the Creekwood Motel on the edge of town. There are a few local restaurants to pick from in Waynesville, plus a plethora of antique shops. Mileage for the day was almost 81; more details of the day at:

Ohio to Erie Trail Tour: Day 1 – North Bend to Cincinnati to Waynesville


Day 2 - Tuesday, September 29, 2015

I got some breakfast at the local diner in Waynesville, and continued on the trail. There was a light rain falling as I got started. The Little Miami Scenic Trail goes all the way to Xenia, the hub of southwest Ohio's bicycle network, where five trails all meet at the Xenia Station.
I took a break and refilled my water bottles. It was a little confusing at first finding where the route continued, but soon I was on the Prairie Grass Trail, which goes through Cedarville, South Charleston, and ends in London, all of which provide a range of food and lodging options for bike travelers.

In South Charleston, I came across another group on a bike tour.

They were doing a supported loop around southwest Ohio to raise money to build an orphanage in Ukraine. You can read about their organization here: endscycling.com

The rain continued and got a little worse as the day went on. I got some lunch in London, and as you make your way through this town, the route continues on the Roberts Pass Trail, which later becomes the Camp Chase Trail.
On the Camp Chase Trail - a reminder of the journey still ahead of me
At the end of the Camp Chase Trail at Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park outside Columbus, I detoured from the Ohio to Erie Trail route to make my way down to the Grove City area, where I'd be staying with relatives for the night. The rain got even harder, and there were some very narrow, busy state roads on my custom route, but I made it in one piece, cold and soaking wet.

Mileage for the day was 68; more details at:
Ohio to Erie Trail Tour: Day 2 – Waynesville to Lockbourne


Day 3 - Wednesday, September 30, 2015

I made my way back to the Ohio to Erie Trail starting with an easy 10 miles on some local roads that weren't nearly as busy as the final miles the day before. Then, I got on the Alum Creek Trail, which winds it way up the east side of Columbus. In Westerville, I re-joined the Ohio to Erie Trail Route, which continues on the Westerville Bikeway.
This trail leads you through and around the shopping plazas on Polaris Parkway, then becomes the Genoa Trail heading straight north to just outside the village of Galena. From Galena, the route follows roads through Sunbury (a few food options), the village of Hartford (very few services), then Centerburg. The terrain is flat to sometime rolling farmland, which wouldn't have been too bad were it not for the almost-constant headwinds.

I stopped in Centerburg, very hungry, wishing I had stopped for lunch back in Westerville. I grabbed a quick lunch at the local Subway, then got on the Heart of Ohio Trail just a couple blocks from downtown.
The Heart of Ohio Trail connects to Mount Vernon. Just before Mount Vernon, don't miss the climb up the Rastin Observation Tower!

On the other side of Mount Vernon, the route continues on the Kokosing Gap Trail, which goes through the city of Gambier.

This picturesque bridge marks the village of Howard, my destination for the day.
Mileage was about 76-1/2. I slept in a small "biker cabin" recently built by two local residents and supporters of the trail. There was no heat or electricity, but it was cozy and comfortable.
More day 3 details:
Ohio to Erie Trail Tour: Day 3 – Lockbourne to Howard


Day 4 - Thursday, October 1, 2015

It was back on the Kokosing Gap Trail from Howard to Danville. Cutting through a few local streets in Danville, the Ohio to Erie Trail route continues on the Mohican Valley Trail.
This trail goes through the Bridge of Dreams, the longest covered bridge in Ohio.
Just ahead, I had my second-most confusing navigation issue. I came to this sign next to the trail:
If you're doing the route, don't worry; just do what the sign says--turn left off the trail, cut through the grass, and follow that back road for a short stretch. Then, you turn left on State Route 62.

Route 62 is busy, narrow, and has a lot of truck traffic and some rolling hills. Fortunately, it only lasts about 3 mile before the route detours onto some smaller back roads. This area is beautiful Amish farm country, but it also means steeper hills. This day, it also meant more headwinds. I pushed on through until the town of Killbuck, where the route gets back to bike trail, the Holmes County Trail.
The Holmes County Trail takes you through Millersburg, then to Fredericksburg. I stopped for a sandwich at a local market, then hit the roads again for more farm country, rolling hills, and wind. Finally reaching the town of Dalton, I got on the Sippo Valley Trail.
This trail goes for about 10 miles east right into Massillon, where the route meets up with our very own Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail.
It felt good to be back on "home turf," and I only had a few miles to go to get to my destination for the day, Canal Fulton, where I'd be staying in a camper offered by my hosts I met through Warm Showers.

Mileage for the day was almost 79. I got some dinner in town, and of course, no visit to Canal Fulton is complete without a stop at the Cherry Street Creamery for dessert.

Day 4 details:
Ohio to Erie Trail Tour: Day 4 – Howard to Canal Fulton


Day 5 - Friday, October 2, 2015

After pancakes in Canal Fulton, it was back on the Towpath, and I was joined by Ray, one of my hosts.
We rode the Towpath Trail together until downtown Akron. I noticed another new do-it-yourself bike repair station in Akron, right on the Towpath near the Richard Howe House.
After getting a photo of me with the Akron skyline, Ray and I said our thanks and goodbyes. He headed back home to Canal Fulton, and I continued north.
It was good to see more familiar sights along the Towpath Trail.
The Beaver Marsh in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park
I reached Peninsula and stopped in the store to say Hi to the gang. I was happy to officially earn my spot in the Century Cycles Bicycle Touring Photo Gallery as an actual bike-touring visitor!
I fueled up on donuts and cinnamon rolls in the shop, and hit the trail again. I got another flat tire about a half-mile past Boston Mills, but got it fixed up with no problem.

The wind was worse than ever today, and got worse and worse the closer I got to Lake Erie. Reaching the end of the Towpath, I made my way through Tremont and Ohio City, stopping on Abbey Avenue for my best view of downtown Cleveland.
The Ohio to Erie Trail has two official finish points in Cleveland. For those who want to end downtown, you can go to Voinovich Park, which is at the end of E. 9th Street behind the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. I chose to go instead to Edgewater Park, which is included as a finish for those who like to dip their tires in the waters at their start and end points (although I didn't do that).

I rode west on Lorain Avenue to W. 45th Street, then west on Detroit Road to W. 65th Street, taking the tunnel connection to Edgewater Park. I asked a kind stranger to get a photo of my official finish.
Mileage for the day was 61, and total mileage for the entire trip was 365.

The wind was howling, going straight from east to west. There were surfers on the lake, something that's only possible a handful of days out of the year. Go to my final complete report to see a video of the windy shoreline:
Ohio to Erie Trail Tour: Day 5 – Canal Fulton to Cleveland

If you're a novice to bicycle touring, I'd recommend the Ohio to Erie Trail as a good beginner-friendly trip to see how you like it. You don't have to camp, and you don't have to ride the whole route; you can pick two or three days. The route is mostly easy to follow, and there are plenty of easy-to-find options for food and lodging along the way.

I had a very enjoyable trip. Thanks to everyone who helped me along the way!

Go to www.ohiotoeerietrail.org for more details, including links to order your own maps!