The day was hot. I pedaled along Highway 18 in the morning, enjoying the rhythm of steady highway miles for a change. That is, until the shoulder disappeared and traffic picked up. I gave a side road a shot, but the gravel was deep and loose, making the riding extra tough. Back on the highway, I continued east until reaching a small town with a park campground. I decided to make it a half rest day and spent the afternoon cooling off at the local pool and lounging in the shade. After the heat faded, I crawled into my tent looking forward to a good night’s rest. Unfortunately, my sleeping pad had other plans. Sometime after midnight, I woke up to a loud pop—the internal baffles had blown out. What was once a sleeping pad was now a lumpy balloon with a giant bubble in the middle. I ended up finishing the night on the ground. Still got some rest, but definitely not ideal.