Hey, nice job!
There's a technique for dealing with side winds but everyone has to be on the same page. Rather than try to describe it, I'll find a video. It's called a "rotating pace line"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWEoBFkwsc0
It is a really great skill to have because in any situation where you have less than, say, 10 riders, you will desperately need a way to keep the pace high without having anyone stay in the wind too long.
You're constantly either moving forward or backward relative to the line next to you. The usual trick to it is that when you get to the front, you are going to move one to the slower line and start moving backward relative to the line next to you. People want to speed up as they get to the front - do NOT do this! Keep your pace, pass the guy to the side of you, who should be slowing down, get in front of him, and start slowing yourself.
It helps if you remember who you're going to be "behind" as you're moving forward, so that when you see him come past you, you know you're next and get read to move over.
A group doing this can easily go as fast as or faster than the main peloton, unless the main peloton is also as organized - a really good organized chase group will be doing a rotating group at the front with a bunch behind them. In *really* windy conditions in pro races you'll see rotating pace groups that are 30+ riders long. I wouldn't recommend that.
I seem to remember that y'all don't have much in the way of organized club rides and stuff there. But if you can, hook up with 4 or 5 other guys and get them to practice this with you. It's especially a good method when you have a strong side wind. The slow side that is moving backwards will be on the windy side, protecting the ones who are moving forward.