Miles--Welcome to the forum. The more I read the more I am convinced that the number of prostatectomies a surgeon performs (open/daVinci) the better the results are likely to be. That said, there are some high-numbers surgeons who are not as good as others.
If you are willing to travel outside southern Oregon to a bigger city, I would ask the surgeon about his numbers, ask to talk to patients who have had this surgeon perform their prostatectomies, and see if you can talk to other health care folks in the area for their two cents about the surgeon.
When I discussed the option of DaVinci with my urologist, he told me of a high-numbers surgeon who had a less-than-great reputation for his surgical outcomes. This kind of information, while anecdotal, can be helpful. I ended up getting an open prostatectomy not a robotic.
Many of the posters here know of great surgeons in many different areas of the U.S., including the West Coast. Research as extensively as you can before making your decision and read some of the standard books on prostate cancer listed on this forum. According to most here who have travelled elsewhere for surgery, it wasn't too difficult to accommodate.
You will not regret making an informed, well-researched decision, rather than a hasty, ill-considered one.