It may be pure conjecture but if the plane is going to pitch up, it always appears to pitch up tail first(ie nose down) as if the turbulence is coming from the rear.
As I say, it may just be me, but I know I am much happier in a headwind if its turbulent.
I take your point about the " hardness" of the bumps.
Coming over the channel on the day mentioned above, I was well throttled back to stay well clear of the yellow arc but we were still covering the ground at over 200mph on what would normally almost be decent power!