Fight Up; Sail Down

The other day, I took Lucy out for a training ride. The goal: easy miles. One of the things I'm doing with my training this year is to go easier than I used to for my easy or medium rides. I'm trying to skew my mix more to each end of the curve, and stay out of the middle. So, the goal was a very easy long road ride up to Nye or so.
Windy Spring
As usual, however, the Stillwater Spring Winds changed my plans. The way up, it was a bluebird day, and it wasn't too gusty, but it was a very solid, sustained, 10mph wind right in my face. The whole way from Absarokee to Nye, just a constant, face and ear numbing, spirit-sapping, body-chilling, momentum-sapping wind. Constantly, for well over an hour. At least it was scenic:

Heaven on Earth

The way down, it was bicycle magic. The wind continued, with zero let down, and I got to reap my reward: not only was it 20 or so miles of downhill, I had a 10mph tailwind the whole way. There were miles at a time where I could just coast with an occasional spin of the pedals. It was an hour of bliss, heavenly, earthly bliss. One of my best rides in a long time, and something I'll always remember.
It was also so beautiful, I stopped for some pics: