We chose to travel the US20 rather than the faster I84, adding perhaps an hour to the trip but guaranteeing quieter roads and more to see.
The fields gave way to a river valley bordered closely by treeless desert hills, covered in grasses and yellow and purple wildflowers. Rich black and red soils tumbled down the slopes, and there was
little but the river, the road, and the disused railroad, covered in places by rockslides.
From the high desert we descended slowly into the lush fields and forests, past ski, bike and fishing resorts. It really was stunning countryside of tall pines and oaks, huge lakes and windy roads. We came upon a recent accident - a rollover - a reminder of how important it is to concentrate all the time. We see so many people texting and talking on their mobiles whilst driving here.
We stayed the night in Woodburn, just north of Salem, Oregon.
There was a riot of wildflowers alongside the road as we headed east on the 22 in beautiful weather.
We came apon huge dunes encroaching on the forest and the highway, spectacular bridges built high over rivers and the forest dropping straight into the sea.
We'd planned to stop at Coos Bay, but there was a 'wine walk' on in town and accommodation was limited so we continued on to Bandon.
Bandon is a small town on the south coast of Oregon. The Bandon Beach Hotel is small hotel right on the coastal cliffs. I didn't realize how amazing it was until we unlocked the door and saw the view.
We loved it so much that we stayed another day, walking the beaches and resting.
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