The Northern California Group Set out for Laughlin

From the left: Lloyd's 1971 OTS, David's 1969 OTS, and Jerry's 1964 FHC

The Northern California contingent consists of Jerry Mouton, Lloyd Nolan, and myself David Langley. Jerry met up with Lloyd and myself in Salinas around 8:30am, and after a bite to eat, we set off in convoy heading south in thin drizzle. Consistent with the spirit of adventure, Lloyd and I drove with the tops down, and as a result got a little damp. However, as we headed inland, the drizzle gave way to overcast, and later sunshine. Our first overnight stop was to be Bakersfield, which is only a 3 hour drive or so, so we decided to take a detour to San Luis Obispo. The cars all performed well, though I have a wandering speedometer needle, and a squeak coming from who knows where.. As we approached San Luis Obispo, we were once again engufted in mist. We found a spot for lunch near the Mission, before returning up Highway 101 to Paso Robles and then heading inland for Bakersfield. The further we drove inland, the warmer it got. Despite this, the cars all seemed to be fine, though the drivers were somewhat the worse for wear when we arrived at the Vagabond Inn around 3:30pm. The air conditioning was very welcome. The temperature in Bakersfield is probably just under 100 degrees. Tonight, we dine at a Basque restaurant, Noreiga's. Apparently, it has a very good reputation, so we are looking forward to it. Tomorrow, we will head for Laughlin, Nevada to join up with the rest of the group who are already converging from all over the Western United States.