Well Tom, I will give you my opinion of how I would make the trip. I have made it in a 40' Motor Home Towing a car, and presently we do it in a 27' Motor home towing a Suzuki Grand Vitara. You will know the Washington area better than me so I will pick it up at Eugene since that is one of the cut overs that you mention. The coastal highway is great all the way from Astoria at the OR & WA border. From Eugene you will take the 126 over to Florence. Several places to stay in Florence and you will also be right at "Moe's Fish House". Best place along the entire coast to get Clam Chowder (Get the family size pot). Right as you leave out of Florence is Dune Buggy Riding, you can get one with a driver if you have never done it. Very cheap to do. The road all along the coast is great - you could tow a 60' rig with no problem. Lots of membership campgrounds along the way, but since you didn't answer that question I guess you don't belong. About 27 miles North of Coos Bay is a very small town Lakeside (spot in the road) that has an RV Park called & I think it is also called Lakeside RV Park. Good place to spend the night, Has a small Cafe right at the campground with good food, and you don't have to unhook or drive anywhere. If you want to go on to Coos Bay, just as you come into town there is a Casino with an RV Park & just for sleeping overnight you can either get hookup's or drycamp. If you feel like driving even further them Brookings is right at the Border of OR & CA. Really great State Park there called Harris Beach State Park, or my choice would be to stay about three miles more right into town as you come off the bridge turn off on to the road to the marina and stay right out by the water. Lots of places to eat and great view's - that is right where the "Chetco" River dumps into the ocean (that area is actually called "Harbor", real easy loop for the rig and plenty of room to drive around in. (I always worry about getting into tight places and not being able to turn around).
From the border stick with the 101, lots of things to see along the coast for the first couple hours. At "Leggett" you have a choice of staying with the 101 or taking the "1" over to Fort Bragg and down the 1 that way. I did it once the road going over to the coast is so crocked that I have never wet that way again, and since you sound "Hesitant" with the TT on behind, I would no recommend it. Just my opinion. Going on towards SF - at Santa Rosa I turn off and take the "12" over to Vallejo and the I-80 a little ways to Fairfield and stay at Travis AFB. A very nice Fam Camp right at the BX and Commissary complex. Also a large Hospital on base. I know a lot of people that have just stayed on the 101 and taken it right thru down town SF and it didn't bother them at all - your choice. You can stick with the 101 or swing over to the 1. If you have never been to "Hearst Castle" it is there on the 1 after you have gone thru Big Sur and just before you get to Cambria. Nice little State Campground just a few piles past Hearst Castle and drive back to HC and take a couple of their tours thru the Castle. Well worth seeing. As you bring the "1" on up towards San Luis Obispo you will leave the ocean and head into town towards the 101. Before you get to San Luis Obispo right on the "1" is "Camp San Louis Obispo", an old 2nd WW Camp, now used for National Guard, it is on the right. If you go a couple miles further is the prison on the left. This is a great campground to spend a couple nights. One of our favorite campgrounds and they there every year as we pass thru. Only eight or ten spots, but we have always gotten a spot there. As you leave SLO just 3 or 4 miles after you rejoin the 1 & 101 is a place called "The Madonna Inn", it sits right along side the 101 and has it's own turnoff with the same name. If you have never stopped there, don't pass it up. Plenty of room for the rig. The outside of the big building don't look anything special, but the inside will blow you away. People book rooms there years in advance. At least stop and see the restroom and dinning room. It will remind you of the great Castles of Germany. People come from all over the world to see and stay at this place. All the rest of the way you can stay on the 1 if you want. Another great Fam Camp is at Vandenberg AFB. Great campground and facilities. If you should go there be sure and eat all your meals at their dinning facility. It is great and they welcome retires also fuel up while there. From there on the 1 & 101 Port Hueneme at Oxnard is a great Fam Camp built by the Sea Bee's. Great spots and right on your way. We love it there and if you want to take a charter boat out for some deep sea fishing they have real reduced rates during the week. Last time I went out it was less than $30.00 for the half day trip out by the Channel Islands. Also Point Magu is within 20 miles of there and also has a nice Fam Camp. (I think the Santa Barbara area is to expensive to stay in & I also didn't find it convenient for RV Parks).
From that point on I just take the 101 on to the 405 to the 10 and out towards Phoenix. If you want to spent some time at Disney World, Knots Berry Farm, Queen Mary, then stay on the 405 and get off at Seal Beach Navel Weapons Station. GREAT Fam Cam that is only about 3 years old right by the ocean and Pacific Coast Highway. About 5 miles from the Queen Mary. Very large lots with lots of grass. No facilities for you other than a Gym & small Club for Breakfast and Lunch. On the I-10 it is just straight on out towards Phoenix. If you do decide to go to the RV Show at Pomona at the LA County Fairgrounds "Fairplex". The place to stay there is right as you turn off the I-10 on Fairplex Dr (I think) is Bonelli Regional Park and there is a real nice RV Park called "East Shore RV Park - San Dimas). Then it is the I-10 all the way into Phoenix. One other place well worth stopping is after you leave Indio - Coachella Valley (Two good Truck Stops to fill up at the Coachella Valley exit) area I would guess about 35 miles you will come up to the "Chiriaco Summit" and get off there and cross back over the I-10 and right there is the General Patton Memorial Museum. Plenty of room to park and lots of things from the days of Patton - all that area is where he trained with the tanks for WWII. remember Fuel is a lot cheaper as soon as you cross the border into AZ. There is a Flying J right at exit 1 as you cross into AZ. Hopes this helps. Darv Meler (I will post this as well).
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