Final Major Hurdle Cleared

Jenn and I slept until around 6 am and wanted to get on the road as soon as possible. So we just brushed our teeth, wolfed down some crappy "Contenental Breakfast" . I quickly wrote yesterday's blog at the business center and we were on the road by 7 am. We needed to drive the 488 miles to Presidio. Try and find some folks to help me unload the bikes out of the uhaul truck and get them back up into my truck. Then drive the 150 miles to Fort Stockton to return the rental truck Neal had obtained for us. The good news was the speed limt ranged from 70 mph to 80 mph. The bad news, I was in a rental that seemed to have a governor. So I just kept the peddle mashed to the floor and we got to Presidio at around 2:30 PM. The truck was there were we left it (that was another nightmare I chose not to entertain). I went into the office and paid the lady the $20 weekly storage fee, and asked if there was anyone around to help me load the bikes. She called into the back and a gentleman named Steve came out to lend a hand. A really friendly guy and a biker himself. He really didn't let me do much of anything! he road the bikes off the uhaul and powered them back up the ramp on our truck. After he got both bikes up, he sat on them while I strapped them down. He did seem to really like the KLR, so I told him to take it for a spin around the several acre parking lot. He was spinning out, popping wheelies, just having a grand time! Finally he brought it back around and said he needed to get him one of these. Hah, another KLR convert!! Anyway, after we finished loading I reached in my pocket and gave him what was left of our Mexican currency for his efforts, 600 pesos (I think around $40). I figured with him being right next to the border he could easily spend it. He seemed embarassed and said he didn't help us with the expectation of being paid, he was just helping a fellow biker. I told him I understood, but I would feel better if he would take it, and if he gets the chance to "pay it forward". A gret guy and another in the long list of folks who helped us get home. We started over to the rental company in Fort Stockton and Jenn had to drive the 2+ hours with her bad foot. Fortunately it is her left and the truck was an automatic. We got to the rental place 10 minutes before they closed (6pm). Handed everything over and finally headed out in all of our original equipment! We stopped in a cool steak house called the Barn Door and had a great meal, a couple of drinks, and took a deep breath for the first time in almost 1week. Today we will try to cover the 1200 miles that are left to get back home. It all depends on how much Jenn can take as she is stillin in a lot of pain. But, worst case we will be home sometime Saturday. That is all for now, we are hitting the road again.