The drive from Eureka to Bend is spectacular. We followed the coast to the Oregon border and then headed NE towards Medford, OR along the Smith River and the Rogue River. The coastal mountains along the California/Oregon border are absolutely dripping with foliage. Every little ravine has a stream which drains into a creek, then a bigger creek, then a river and eventually the coast. The drive is littered with waterfalls and scenic overlooks. The road to Bend goes right through Crater Lake National Park and along the edge of the Cascade Range and the Oregon desert. We attempted to get to Crater Lake, but the side roads had 4-6 feet of snow...not exactly choice driving conditions for the Chevy G20 (a formidable van, but not an off-roader). We're planning an excursion to Crater Lake for a later, less snowy date.
Once we got into Bend, we went looking for our hotel. We decided to somewhat spoil ourselves and we booked a room at McMenamin's Old St. Francis School(link at bottom). These guys from Portland buy old buildings and restore them into amazing hotels, breweries, and whatnot. Our hotel featured a Turkish Soaking Pool, Brewery, and an array of great art work. It was formerly a catholic school complete with nuns and friars. It was a nice change of pace from camping out in the woods. 
At the hotel we enjoyed spectacular food and drink. For dinner, before the show, we feasted on the best pub-fare ever. We feasted on cheese fondue, deep fried won ton wrapped shrimp, and burgers. They brew a variety of beers on site, in the basement. Their signature handcrafted brew is the Hammerhead Ale; it's a hoppy, flavorful beer with citrusy overtones...Delicious!!!!
The John Butler Trip concert was amazing. The venue was an old roller rink within a few blocks of our hotel. After dinner we walked to the concert venue and waited in line. It payed off, for the show we were front row center. The opening band, Brett Dennon, absolutely rocked. They had a groovy, rocking, reggae sound to them. John Butler played pretty much every song I would have wanted to hear. Google them and check out their website. You can listen to most of the new album and some live concerts for free on-line. After the concert I had to check to see if I still had eyebrows they rocked so hard. Justine and I have really dug their music for a couple of years, so it was really rewarding to see them at such a small venue. We were literally feet away from the band.
The next day, after a soak in the Turkish Pool, we decided to have a day walking around Bend. The town is great. It just feels like people have their lives together. It's clean, the buildings are well maintained, and everyone in town seems to have a purpose. People are walking around decked out in kick-ass outdoor gear, people are riding sweet bikes, and everyone seems happy. It's a nice change of pace from Eureka, which at times seems overrun with vagrants and other mal-contents (but not as bad as the rest of California). I could really see living in Bend eventually, it's chock full of outdoor adventure opportunities. Speaking of very nice people...We actually spent a night in Bend in the spare room of a really great couple we met at the Patagonia store. I mean talk about great people, they heard we were gonna camp out in the van on a night which snow was forecast and they opened up their home to us. People like that kind of restore faith in humanity and help me realize that some people still see the bigger picture.
The road from Bend to the Oregon coast is pretty gnarly, especially after a snowstorm and in a camper van. The mountains surrounding Bend are spectacular. A number of 10,000 foot peaks surround the area, unfortunately visibility was limited due to a massive storm on the coast. The coastal storm meant rain on the coast and snow in the mountains. We decided to brave the drive before the brunt of the storm hit. Next time we visit Bend, we staying longer and bringing mountains bikes and snowboarding gear. The more places we visit out here, the more we want to visit more places out here. It's starting to become a vicious cycle of travel resulting in more travel, it could be the start of a never-ending cycle of travel.
We made it through the Cascades and to the Oregon coast. There were several 'Oh Shit' moments where we were sliding down icy mountains roads, brakes applied but not working, hoping that we would hit a bit of pavement that wasn't pure ice before we careened over a nasty precipice.
The rest of the drive was great. We made it to the Oregon coast and then home. The Oregon Coast is amazing. It's rugged and rocky. The towns are still small and have a rural feel. There are waves, tons of waves. They just take some work to paddle to and a thick wetsuit.
http://www.mcmenamins.com/index.php?loc=98
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