Over 600 miles

Last year I rode an estimated 550 miles. After tonights ride my total mileage for the year is now 608 miles. With so many riders on our cycling team well over 1,000 miles, some over 3,000, my riding 600+ miles doesn't seem too impressive. It means a lot to me though, I'm to a point now where I was angry at myself because I couldn't get in at least 20 miles. There was a very strong headwind tonight. I rode out from the bike shop to Hines with Brian and Scott, but I wasn't able to stay with them very long. Before the ride I wasn't feeling my best, but I knew I had to go, since I hadn't ridden for the past week. The first 1/2 was into the wind, I was pushing so hard to catch up to Brian that I was becoming less and less aware of my surroundings. I've never had such severe tunnel-vision. I was going into potholes that I've been easily avoiding for months, slipping on patches of sand, then got a branch in the face. Now I understand why Tour de France riders crash into clearly marked signs and other obstructions in the road. The turn around point for me was 5 mile hill, which I somehow got to the top of. I stopped and rested for about two minutes. Once I re-hydrated myself and caught my breath I rode down. Then just for fun... I climbed it again. After another rest at the top I headed back down and back to the shop. With the wind for the most part at my back I was able to finally get moving. I gathered up every bit of what I had left and pounded my way back. Every time I glanced at my speedometer I was doing 20-22MPH. Totally spent, I pull into the parking lot and looked at how many miles I put in tonight. WTF!! Only 17.93 miles! Crap! After an hour and ten minutes of hard, miserable riding, my average speed was only 15.3. Double Crap! It really just proves that I need to ride more, much as I hate to say it. I have to blame work... after doing the work of three people for 9-10 hours, I don't feel like riding my bike, I feel like banging my head against a wall then going to bed. Speaking of which, I really should be in bed right now....