Today's 54 mile ride was tempting to me.  I knew I could own it.  I suggested to the group that we could ride without rest stops.  Here goes.The morning began with a modest breakfast of oatmeal, coffee, and cupcakes.  Because of the excess of food leftover from the night before that could not fit in the van, last night's dinner was offered as breakfast, even desert.  Who would throw away ice cream?  I wouldn't!  I sweetened my coffe with vanilla.  I spiced my oatmeal up with chocolate.  If that wasn't enough, I finished the rest of the Neapolitan and chocolate ice cream buckets.  I was sick and pumped up with sugar.  Eager to ride...This was our very first flat ride.  It was very easy.  We flew by the rest stops, enjoyed the scenery and saw some alpaka run (too funny).  We hit the last 5 mile stretch.  A roofing nail attacks my back wheel.  I goes through my tire, both sides of my tube, and through the wheel well of my rim.  I spent more time prying the nail out of my rim han actually replacing the tube.  Thus, I ruined the continuous 54 nile ride.  I hope the guys didn't mind too much.As I arrived in Columbus, I scavenged for bike shops to fix my front derailleur.  After paying ten dollars to make the problem worse, I continued down High street with Lauren to hit up some more bike shops.  Three more miles of bike shops brought us to Baer Wheels, the best bike shops I had ever set foot in.  The mechanics were very knowledgeable and understanding.  They fixed my bike so well that it rode as if I had just bought it.  I bought a new chain lube called Chain-L no. 5.  Works like a dream.The alumni of Columbus gave us a meal.  I met Dan, a second in command in the Navy.  I never knew too much about the Navy before I talked to him.  It must be tough to leave your wife and kids for years at a time.  My time spent talking to him was very fun and he was very immersed into what we were biking for.Later that night, I found myself rather bored.  I began talking with Mary about how I should never be bored on this trip.  The problem is we travel from town to town, hiding in churches and not exposing ourselves and giving back to the community that gave us a home for that night.  Our day shouldn't end when I finish X amount of miles.  It is done when the community that we stay in is moved by the I4K.  We had our first portrait done yesterday.  We have yet to visit a hospital or give a portraits presentation.  When I entered the I4K, as a rider, the journey across the country was second to the community outreach of the I4K.  My assumption was wrong.Mary and I wrote down a list of amendments  that we would like to see in the Illini 4000.  Hopefully our stayovers from now on will be a little less selfish.To widen my perspective on this ride, I am riding back tomorrow during our 107 miler to RIchmond, IN.  I am hoping to feel more like a team and meet my teammates in a riding group.  5:30am wake up.  Time for bed.