Saturday morning I did the Byers Bash.  Byers is a little bitty town about 20 miles north east of Wichita Falls.  Looking at the long range forecast it looked like a beatiful day to ride.  As it got closer, my beautiful day turned into a windy day.  I went to college up there so this shouldn't have surprised me.  I had decided to do the 100k route which had very little climbing as those who have done HHH know about that part of the state.  This would be my first 100k of the year but I figured I could have a good time if I rode it conservatively.  Looking at the elevation profile, the first 6 or 8 miles are a bit more down then up with a couple of small hills thrown in so I decided I'd have some fun and let the bike fly like it wanted to.  They had an attenance of 200 riders - as I was waiting at the start line I noticed more and more MSU cycling jersey's arrive so I figure more then likely they were with the racing team.  They were the first group to seperate from the rest of the riders, another group of riders were shortly behind them.  I went blowing by the pack of mixed riders.... I'm pretty sure I heard their jaws drop as they were growing smaller and smaller in my mirror.  I wasn't able to catch the pack of racers so I decided to drop back with the next group and rode with them most of the way to the first rest stop with a 19.2 avg.  As the day continued the wind got stronger and stronger reaching wind speeds from the Northwest at 20-30 mph.  The balance of the rest of the day would be to ride the next 40 miles with a quartering or full on headwind.  After grinding it out into the wind at 12 mph I got to the half point of the 100k and opted to detour to one of the shorter routes.  Even after doing so I got the enjoyment of another hour straight into the wind struggling to hold 10 mph at times.   Two straigh hours of dealing with the wind had taken the fun out of the ride so the turn east/southeast that put the wind at my back was welcome and put some fun back into the ride as I cruised at 18 mph back to the finish.  Ended with 48 miles.
 
Aside from the wind, it was an excellent small ride.  They had great rest stops, though I only stopped at one.  I loved getting to see the country side in the spring time before the summer heat kills everything.  At one point I realized I was seeing what I always thought in my mind would be a beutiful cycling setting.  Small rolling hills with green pastures as far as the eye could see with a few trees dotting the top of the hills.  I wish at that point I wasn't still trying to "perform at a high level" and was in a more relaxed "enjoying the ride" mentality so that I got my phone out and took a pic to post.  Since it was such a small ride, there were times I wondered if I was in the right place as I went miles without seeing another rider or vehicle (good thing).  I recall seeing the sag truck about 3 or 4 times so I would say it was pretty well supported.  I could probably have counted on one hand the other vehicles I saw for the entire 48 miles. I have never been on a ride quite like that before.  I will definately be back!  Hopefully less wind next time.