indy, averaging almost 17 is still a good clip! we had a 74 mile ride yesterday around the white tank mountains. the flier said FLATFLATFLAT and we had a perfect tail wind for the first 25 miles, then a crosswind then a head wind. i went out on my own for the tailwind and average 23.4, then the crosswinds just took it out of me and i was struggling. i just try to keep pedalling and know i will soon recover. then a group of three passed me and i jumped on and we paced all the way to the last sag. leaving the sag we turned into the wind and i just couldnt stay on. thats when i got really disheartened, and irritated at myself like you said. then the ride ends with a killer hill - short but steep - 5.9 mph! anyway, not a stellar performance.

but DH just had shoulder surgery last week so he's off the bike for probably several months, and i did learn a valuable lesson - its not the same without him. i needed him to help pull AND more importantly for the moral support. at the end of yesterdays ride i thought, "whoa, that wasnt even fun."