The winds are the almost always the biggest factor on the 508. There is nowhere to hide from them out in the desert. Sometimes the heat can be bad but there are ways to deal with the heat. The only way to deal with the wind is to ride through it. Generally, the winds tend to go from south to north so you usually have tailwinds for the first two hundred miles and headwinds for the last two hundred miles. For some reason, even if the winds are light there is always a headwind for the last 30 miles from the top of Sheephole to the finish. It can be very demoralizing. Blowing sand is not the norm but it does occur so it's best to be prepared. If the winds start getting up over 30mph expect them. I don't bother with masks or bandana's, some people do. I just put my head down and go but I grew up in the desert. It doesn't bother me. I do use wrap around glasses though. The sand will exfoliate your skin and it will be baby soft when your done! There's always a positive side.