Tornillo to Marfa

Sunrise was at 8am and the temp was rising into the 70s, I was really looking forward today as it was my first full day in Texas and going through the 1000 mile marker. We met several old timers are breakfast, why do all Americans claim to be English:-) they were helpful in guidance for our route today.
I climbed onto my bike to head South East, through Van Horn and onto Marfa, right from the off I had company - a 20-30mph headwind, great!!!! The route took us along the Mexican border and Border Patrols were all over the place, well all I can say any person who can cross that border, the extreme weather and the open landscape deserves a green card, not too mention the patrols.
Through Van Horn and onto a town called Valentine, we met two young ladies doing the southern tier East to West, they were laden with panniers and had left Marfa that morning. They were making good use of the tailwind. We talked about where we had come from and what we would be coming across on route, few tips about our respective routes and the obligatory photo shoot.
Lunch was in a little place called Valentine, we stopped for some shade in a dissused gas station I needed fuel to keep me going in the unrelenting wind. Caroline was busy taking photos of anything from old shanty houses to birds of prey and not forgetting all the historic land marks.
As I cycled I could imagine Indians coming over the btow of the surrounding hills looking down on the early settlers and stage coaches that would have made this one of the oldest trails in the US. The train line ran adjacent to the route and every so often an engine pulling probably a miles worth of rolling stock from containers to cattle - big country!
I have seen a few men in cowboy hats but the majority are baseball cap wearers chewing tobbaco and probably packing a 45! Still the folk have all been very helpful, we have given up saying Chatham, Kent and have just gone for just outside London answer I find it saves at least 2 minutes of confusion.
By the way I finished on a puncture - something to do instead of trying to relax and recouperate
Wind is picking up and a 30% chance of precipitation, or should I say chance it might rain:-)
Lessons learnt today:
Put suntan lotion on before setting off
Take sunglasses off to avoid Panda look
Don't try to hang T-shirt on fence in 30mph winds