97 would be about an hour quicker than the freeway. Especially if you hit Portland at the wrong time. And it can be very windy east of Portland

 

Time saver with decent views could be 97 to Madras then catch 197 through Maupin, (great twisties), Dufur and right into the back door of The Dalles. Great views and good access to any side trips you may have time for once you get up here.

 

Crater Lake is a must but the road around the crater may not be open. I was there a few years ago in late July and the road was open only around the North half (South half still snowed in). Beautiful anyway! Bend is a great place to stop as well. An oasis in the desert LOL

 

Since it's going to be like riding in an oven, you might as well burn the slab West as quick as possible. You don't mention what town/city in NorCal. I'd write-off day 1 getting outa the oven and get to the coast. Spend the other 2 days going up the Oregon Coast, then turn inland at Tillamook. Oh yeah, stick to the speed limits too. They're gunnin' for outa state plates...

 

Hit John Day, and along the John Day river valley if you can. Beautiful!

 

I am leaving this Friday, here's my plan. I have a buddy joining me from the East coast, so we'll be leaving the Phoenix area on I-10 and riding west to Bakersfield. Saturday morning, another buddy from LA is going to meet us in Bakersfield and we'll ride to Redding CA. The next morning we'll leave Redding and ride to The Dalles via I-5 to 97. We'll be meeting up with more friends in The Dalles for a few days of riding the area, then go our separate ways. I will take I-84 to Boise and stay the night. Then I am riding to Salt Lake City (my old hometown) to see friends for a couple of days, then it's down I-15 to Vegas and then back to Phoenix.

 

Have a great one. Be sure and grab a photo of Multlomah falls. You will see it from I-84. It is a left hand exit but easy on. One of the most photographed sites in Oregon.

 

Nice tour. Nothing like Salt Lake City in Rush hour on 15. Left hand HOV lane ..... 80 mph.

 

it has been 110 degrees in Redding the last couple of days

 

I just returned from this trip on Tuesday (3 days ago) it was extremely hot in Redding on Saturday June 17th. Riding from Bakersfield to Redding on 99/5 wasn't too unpleasant until we got close to Sacramento. There it was ~105° and very humid, leaving Sacto on the 5 we had some pretty serious wind pushing us around along with the heat. When we arrived in Redding it was 109°. It was a cruel trick to be riding in heat like that and be able to see snow-covered Mt Shasta in the distance.