I'll be coming across AZ/Cali in July. You suggest i ride at night? Or does the risk of animals offset any advantages of heat?
In Cali, it normally cools down at night as compared to AZ where it may not cool much. If we have a 110 degree day (not super common in the Central Valley of Cali, but it does happen and sometimes a week at a time) it normally cools to mid 70's at night and early morning. It's pretty rare that I wake up to 80 degrees at 6am here. Partially depends on what part of Cali you are going through. Bakersfield or Redding and you might be screwed. Get closer to the central part, near Modesto/Tracy and it cools off more since it's closer to the Delta/Bay. Once you get to the Bay Area it is normally much cooler and the coast can seem very cold to most as you may not see the sun because of the fog.