Cycling in the storm

Today my friend and I had notified the others going by car to herbal class, that we would cycle again. Sunny weather and temperatures up to 20C predicted. That there would also be winds up to 60 mph we weren't aware off till we set off, with the wind against us. It was quite an exhilarating though exhausting hour. The sand of the coast blew in our eyes. The light was strange, as if we were in the desert. The plastic covering the tulip bulbs looked like the sea, would have been better captured on film.
On the way back we practically flew, rarely any pedaling needed, and the same journey took half the time, though you had to be careful not to be blown in one of the canals.