Last leg in the US

 Wednesday night Grady picked our Belizean friend up from the airport in San Antonio. We took him to a hotel and spent the night in a Lowe's parking lot again. We left early and headed south to the exporting company in Pharr Texas where we would complete the process of exporting our vehicles and goods. The thermometer read 101 when we stepped out of the car at the import yard. It was HOT! Our poor Oregon bodies were running to catch up! 

 

The little girls donned their hats and shades :-)

 

We had to pull everything out of the back of the toyhauler to list and send to the MX border

That took at least an hour in the hot sun. Jeremy and Stephanie's process took a little less time because they had planned ahead and listed it out on a printed piece of paper. Theoretically we were supposed to have done that also but we were a little less organized! :-) 

 

Sweet Shade!

 

Stephanie was so kind and let us use a few of their ice packs!

 

Ryan, Checking out some of the creative towing and hauling combos! There were little compact cars hauling 2 small cars behind.. lots of crazy loads!

Inside the yard we met a lot of Guatemalans and San Salvadorians who were also exporting- mostly salvaged cars.. we are in Mexico as I blog this and many of our San Salvadorian and Guatemalan friends that we met in Pharr, TX are keeping us company along the way here- we are seeing them at the gas stations etc. Everyone kind of watches out for each other while traveling through. They are known for helping anyone who breaks down along the way. Even if it means sacrificing their own safety or losing a day of travel, they will stop to help anyone.  

 On our way from San Antonio to Pharr we experienced high winds which caused our trailer to continually swerve dangerously when passed. While at the yard Grady decided we should move some of the heavy things around so as to distribute the weight more evenly. That was one seriously scary ride. The Kings who were traveling behind us said it was frightening to watch. We praise the Lord he kept us on the road.

 

Getting the 'low down' on the border crossing process

 

tres amigas 

 

Orlando, giving us specific directions and warnings. It seems like the yard is the place where the drivers and importers share information as to where the cartel are- where and what to avoid based on their recent driving experiences. Most of the guys buy totaled cars in the US and drive them down to fix and sell for a living on a weekly or monthly basis.

 

By the end of the day I think we all were feeling a bit of 'What ARE we doing?!' :-)