Day 2, Sunday June 29

Today started early, we left Casa Grande at 4 AM sharp. It was very dark but still around 90 F. The Healey and I ran cool for the next few hours, the early start was a good idea. We stopped for a hearty breakfast at a truck stop in Yuma at around 7 AM.

After that it started to get hot, especially when we left the Colorado River cooling effects around Yuma. At El Centro, I am sure it was over 100, and likely over 110. West of El Centro the Imperial Valley is a vast sand dune pierced by I-8. This dune adds to the dramatic effect of the heat. The dunes are a major recreational area for off roaders, but it is empty in the summer.

After the dunes it got fiercely hot and the road climbed dramatically by 4000 ft. This is a 10 mile climb, grade is 6% or more. The Healey ran the hottest of the whole trip here, it started at the bottom at 190 F and finished at 212 F. After the crest, we descended gently into San Diego and it cooled off considerably as we picked up ocean breezes.

Finally saw a few Healeys on their way to the Conclave here. It was hard to keep track of them, congestion got major as we approached I5 and the Airport where the Sheraton is.

It was a great end of the day to find this gathering of Healeys. They motored in all day, some in trailers but many driven. It was time to relax and share stories, all had a few adventures to talk about. We saw several Healeys that were driven from S and N Carolina, by the way, what a journey.