Update 3/6
We had met the family of the owner of the mini-mart and talked fairly late into the previous evening, so we didn't get a particularly early start this morning. He is also a collector and dealer of gem stones and collectible rocks, and we spent the first part of the morning admiring the collection of stones owned by his family. We finally departed Mesilla at 10:00 AM and then we stopped for lunch at a Mexican restaurant which is well-known in the area. Bottom line: we had a late start, and we were in for a long day. Then, to add to our late start, a strong 20 mph wind with gusts to 30 mph hit us in the early afternoon. The wind was variable in direction, but almost never a tailwind. As we climbed a steep grade through what is known as Anthony's Gap, the front tire began to get soft, and sure enough: another flat caused by a "goat head." We were lucky because it was the front tire, but the wind made it more difficult to change the tire. In fact, Susan was holding the tandem while I did the repair, and it was all she could do to keep it upright. We took off again after the tire change, but the strong wind kept our speed down to a crawl. We crossed over the Texas line and made it into El Paso at about 5:00 PM. Our Warm Showers hosts were already worried about us, so they had set out to locate us. When we called them to let them know where we were, they said we were at least 20 miles from their home and they offered to come and get us in their truck. We had traveled 52 miles, much of it against a strong head wind, so we welcomed their invitation. When we arrived at their home on the outskirts of El Paso, they prepared a delicious meal for us, we exchanged tandem stories, and settled in for a relaxing evening to be followed by a rest day. Yes!! We're ready for that!