Pacific NW C5

I'll be driving from Bandon to Bend on saturday morning.
The most direct route is via the McKenzie Highway (126).
I was thinking about going on the Willamette Highway (58) and then heading north on the Cascade Lakes Highway (46) near Crescent Lake Junction.
I haven't been able to find current road conditions for the Cascade Lake Highway on ODOT's website.
Your suggestions/comments are appreciated.

last901

I'm sure our neighbors to the south in Orygun will have sage advice, but I did the McKenzie Pass route about a year ago, out of Eugene - or was it Corvallis (anyway we came east from Newport on the coast).

Santiam Pass may be the quickest route - it's certainly the more modern - but McKenzie is more interesting. Lots of twisty bits, but mostly 2-lane roads as I recall. In fact I remember thinking as we were on the McKenzie pass road that parts of it might actually be more fun on a sport bike than a Corvette. If you prefer and have the time the two passes are linked by a circle route - or whatever they call this sort of thing and it doesn't take that long to explore both.

You might even consider staying in Sisters in lieu of Bend. Bend is larger and quite nice, but Sisters looks like a pretty cool place in itself.

Now, as for the best route out of Bandon, I don't really know, but the road from Coos Bay out through Winston to - what? - Roseburg is a nice drive. One of my favorites between the coast and I-5. Can't overlook the Grant's Pass - Crescent City route either. I don't think there is a bad route between any of the roads from the coast to I-5.

By the way, The Mill Casino in North Bend (Coos Bay)is a delightful place to stay. My wife and I have done that several times on our way to Reno and beyond by way of the Oregon Coast. Seems to me, even if you don't like to gamble, you can join the players club and if you earn enough points playing the machines - and it's not all that many - they will discount the room. Like other hotel/casinos on the coast, they have learned the value of catering to car folk and sponsor car shows every Summer. But, it is a casino and they don't build places like this on winners.

That's my 2-cents worth. Sounds like no matter which way you go, you're going to enjoy it. Oregon's a beautiful place.

duckvett

I don't know that I can add anything of value to the conversation, but I'll throw some thoughts out anyway.
From Bandon:
Hwy 42 (Coquille, Myrtle Point, Winston) is a great road, smooth, curvy enough to have fun, but heavily patrolled. Once you reach Winston, then you have at least 70 miles on I-5 before you reach any of the roads going east. Don't know if that is a concern for you or not.
Hwy 38, Reedsport to Curtin is a good road, maybe not in as good of condition as 42, but not bad. Also heavily patrolled. When you reach Curtin you will have only 25 miles of freeway before turning east on Hwy 58 (if you choose to go that way).
East from I-5:
Hwy 58 - much improved after some needed repairs over the last couple of years, but lots of truck traffic.
Cascade Lakes Hwy (372) - I wish I could give you more advise about this one as it is a beautiful drive, but I don't know if it is clear yet. You could stay on 58 to 97, then north into Bend.
Another option would be to go east on 126 out of Springfield, to Hwy 20, to Hwy 22 and into Sisters. No sense even thinking about the old McKenzie Hwy 242, it won't be open until late July (or even later this year).

PDXPorkchop

If your not in a hurry and want to just ejoy the drive in the vette.
I would stay on 101 heading North to Waldport and take 34 East out of Waldport To Corvallis/Albany. Beautiful drive up the coast and 34 runs along the Alsea river. Not much traffict on 34 with some nice twistys.

Stay on 34 to Lebanon, where it runs in Hwy 20 to Sisters.
Sisters is a cute little town. But I don't know if I would stay there, as I have had a friend stay there last month and got in to Bed Bugs in both place they stayed at.

Any way you go, it's a beautiful driver in a Vette or on a Bike.

widgetsupply

Not true. If you go this route, go north on I5 to Roseburg. Take the Diamond Lake highway out of Roseburg going east. It is kind of so, so until you get to Idlewild, where it becomes an awesome road. It is full of gentle curves(35-45 that you can take at 60 easy), plenty wide roads and beautiful road along the north Umpqua River. Very beautiful, if you can slow down and take your eyes off of the road.

We did a reverse of this last year with the club. We ate at the Diamond Lake lodge and the food was pretty good. One member loved this road so much he suggested we do it every year. lol. The problem is that once you leave Diamond Lake, the road is pretty boring and you have to go North in Eastern Oregon, which is also boring.

widgetsupply

The Alsea Highway has some AWESOME Corvette road in it. There is a section that is mostly 20-25mph curves connected one after the other with elevation changes. It is incredible, we call it the Devils StairCase. Just before you get to this, there is a turn of for Mary's Peak. Not sure about the condition of the road as I read they were doing some work on it. However, Mary's Peak is the highest mountain in the Coast Range and the road up it can be pretty incredible, not so much if there is snow or gravel, so be forewarned to look up conditions or turn around if you get to bad road. I have a friend who is into BMW's and the Mary's Peak road is one of his circles favorite things to do. Be sure to use your gearing to slow you coming down the mountain. My wife had our mini van brakes literally smoking one time. We had to stop at the bottom for a half hour or so to let them cool down.

widgetsupply

Of course, you can go the long way and go down almost to Crescent City and take 199 to Grants Pass. I think this would be a great Corvette Road that starts in the redwoods. I have never taken a Vette there, but just thinking about it makes want to jump in and go. Especially since I bought a Z06 yesterday. lol. I think it would be an incredible drive.