... I plan on a drive through Death Valley and will try to do it early in the morning to keep from baking.
Are there any good inexpensive or free overnight spots near that area to stage a crossing?
What about my route above San Francisco to Harris Beach State Park: Brookings, Oregon?
I still would like to at least look at Crater Lake even if I don’t drive around it. Let me know what your thoughts are and if there is anything or anyplace I am overlooking.
Your route to Brookings looks fine. Leave plenty of time for the southernmost section of 1, just north of the gate.