Stage Victory (almost!). Another perfect day for cycling. Flat roads and a good tail wind the entire way. Jake, Judy, Bart, and myself rode hard this morning and came into lunch at mile 41 with a 20.0 average mph. We were the first to lunch, and Bart and I sensed that our first stage victory was possible today.....would be the first stage victory for any of the "rear guard!" So we finished lunch quickly and with the fast guys now arriving at lunch, Bart and I were off for the finish line only 35 miles away. And the two of us road faster in the afternoon than in the morning as we finished the entire 78 mile ride with an average mph of 20.5 mph....which is a NEW personal speed record for me!!! Bart and I were flying and there was no sighting of the fast riders over the very flat country side. Bart and I rolled into Tuscola and our hotel was at the end. We eased off the gas a little to enjoy our victory. Only a quarter mile from the hotel....I see the fastest of the fast riders rapidly approaching -- David Smart from the UK -- and Bart and I started sprinting for the hotel. We still had a chance! We turned off the main road onto the side road leading to the hotel....David crushed us with his speed and ended up beating us by 20 yards! Painful!!! There is a lesson here for all of us...Don't uncork the Champagne too soon! (Note: in comparing speed info with David afterwards, Bart and I had a 30 minute head start on David...so in 78 miles, David pulled back 30 minutes on us even though we were averaging 20.5 mph the entire day.....that is why David is the fastest of the fast!) Tomorrow we enter my home state of Indiana and will spend the night in Lebanon, IN. If you are near Lebanon, you are welcome to stop by the hotel (Holiday Inn Express on Mt Zion road) and/or join me and others for dinner at Stats Bar & Grill not too far from the hotel. It is a 120 mile ride from Tuscola to Lebanon, and I should arrive in Lebanon around 5pm give or take an hour. I very much am looking forward to my ride across Indiana!