The Nomads

Left Benson, Arizona

Temp: 30 degrees C

Sunny and hot, Crosswinds

We were on the road just before nine thirty with a cloudless, clear sky and a temperature already too hot for that time of day!

By about noon we were well into the south Arizona desert and the heat off the blacktop was more than oppressive. There were cars and trucks pulled up on the shoulder here and there with the hoods up and steam spewing from their overheated rads! AAA had a busy time on that highway today; the max temp was 46 Celsius.

I kept a good eye on the heat gauge of the bike fully expecting it to overheat all day. True, I kept the speed down to 120kmh but even at that the heat off the engine was almost unbearable!

Cooling off with a Prickly-Pear Catus milkshake.
Tasted sort of like cotton candy ice-cream.
-Very Sweet

ps. See how red and hot I look in this picture? I had just come out of the 'ladies' room where I had washed my hands and face. While I was in there, I turned on the hand blower and thought "gee, that thing is blowing cool air." I put my face down to cool off and the air was HOT! --- My hands and arms were so hot from the sun that the blower actually felt cool! Now that's hot !!
(added by Sue)

By supper we were into the mountains in California headed
for San Diego and the temperature started to moderate such that we pulled up in El Cajon, a twenty minute drive from downtown with a cool breeze around seven thirty.

It was a long day with longer stops every hour to prevent heat stroke and serious dehydration. Thank the lord for air conditioned restaurants!

Kilometres - Day trip: 720 km total: 21,335

Gas: $ 51.56 Tolls: $0

Lodging: Days Inn $ 86.79