Given the time you have, don't skip the CA coast. If you want to get off the interstate after Reno, take I-80 40-50 miles to SR 20 and follow that into Nevada City, part of the Gold Rush country. There you decide back to I-80 via SR 49 and Auburn or follow 20 all the way to US 101 via the Clearlake area. The road follows the lakeshore and it a bit on the slow going side.
At 101 you go north into the Redwood region before getting to the coast at Eureka. Or you can stay on 20 and get to Fort Bragg on SR 1. That stretch of 20 is very twisty/curvey.
But, my personal pick would be to go south on 101 to Healsburg, 40 miles roughly, then take Westside Road to SR 12 and Gurneville to the coast and then turn norht.
You see Fort Ross, old Russian outpost, Point Arena, Mendocino and Fort Bragg before SR 1 turns inland to join 101.
After you regain the 101 just head north. All the coast region is worth seeing.
One last note, if you stay on 101 all the way through OR, cross the birdge at Astoria and drive up Washington's Long Beach Peninsula, or follow 101 all the way around the Olympic Peninsula and wind up in the Seattle region.

I still have not seen the month you plan to do this trip.
With the amount of time you have you could take US 199 out of Crescent City CA and go through Grants Pass and Gold Hill to get to the south entrance of Crater Lake NP.
You could take the wild road from Grants Pass through Merlin and Agness to Gold Beach to get back to the coast.
Headed back east if you have the time, take US 2 out of Spokane and see Glacier NP. Head back south on I-15 to get back to I-90.

Bag the Cal Coast. Get straight to Oregon.

Didn't you have another post on this?

I am going June 3rd drop off fired in Reno June 5 and then it's my time. Im wondering if I should set up home base in seatttle for 4 nights and go to San Juan islands, mt rainier as 1 day trips before heading back to chicago. Someone told me I must take rt 20 runs the top of Wahington state to Spokane then hit 90. Any other suggestions

Trust you have looked at a map? There are a number of different ways to get to Seattle from Reno - including going through my old hometown of Klamath Falls, Oregon - and then say up old hiway 97 - past scenic Bend - and the 3 Sisters/Mt. Jefferson/Mt. Hood on the way to either Portland and on up to Seattle - or keep going north of Mt. Hood into Wash state - past Mt. Adams, and close to Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Ranier and over to Seattle.

Here is just one way - and zoom in on the map to check out other routes. http://www.travelmath.com/drive-distance/from/Reno,+NV/to/Seattle,+WA

Well I am leaving this Sunday at 6 am Chicago time with the other driver to Reno. From all your ideas and I thank you I think I am going to go straight to Oregon from Reno via 395 and then rt 97? I am on the fly so I don't have my map in front of me. Can anyone tell me if I stick scenic through middle Oregon, how long from Reno to Seattle. It looks like I should be able to do it in 2 days pretty nicely. Still up for any special suggestions, I think my pooch is more excited then me. LOL

why not google map yourself? or yahoo map or? you're on line, thus it does not cost you any more.... just saying.

you will see few people and lots of desert. I'd still strongly suggest coming over Ca 89 to Mt.Shasta and travel up I-5 with the option of some coast time