Wines and Wanderlust : our next chapter
We’re Juanita and Brandon Pettersen—a pair of Veterans, full-time remote professionals, the parents to needy cats and overly independent teens, and soon-to-be full-time RV explorers.
Our story began in Mons, Belgium, where we met while serving at NATO. Juanita is a retired U.S. Army Colonel originally from Branson, Missouri. Brandon is a proud U.S. Air Force Veteran from Boston, Massachusetts. After decades of military life and living around the world, we’ve been out of uniform for four years—and recently decided we’ve been sitting still long enough.
So, we bought an RV.
This blog is the story of our next adventure: transitioning into life on the road, working remotely while exploring America’s National (and other) Parks, and adapting to our new lifestyle one campsite at a time. This won’t be anything like military camping!
We travel with our two Covid-era cats, Dinkelsbühl and Ærøskøbing (yes, they’re named after charming European towns we visited while stationed overseas), who are adjusting to the idea of life on wheels—slowly.
We hope this space gives fellow Veterans, remote workers, RV dreamers, family, friends, and travel lovers a real look into what it takes to make this kind of lifestyle work—from the practical to the personal. Whether you’re here for wine reviews, gear tips, National Park inspiration, or the occasional cat photo, we’re glad you’re along for the ride.
Whidbey Island Adventures: White-Knuckles and Oceanfront Bliss
Our latest Winnebago adventure took us just a couple hours from home but felt like a world away—equal parts heart-pounding and soul-soothing. The journey began with a white-knuckle crossing of the iconic Deception Pass Bridge (yes, it’s as narrow and nerve-wracking as you’ve heard—especially in a 30-foot RV), and ended with oceanfront bliss at Cliffside RV Park on Whidbey Island. Between exploring the coastline on our e-bikes, swapping stories with new friends, and falling asleep to waves crashing outside our window, this trip reminded us why RV life is all about the mix of challenge and reward.
RV Routes and Reviews
As we start venturing out and utilizing different Campgrounds, we wanted to list and rate them, mostly for our own memories but also for anyone in the area who is looking for a place to stay and stumbles upon our site for a quick recommendation!
Mission Ready: The RV Checklist
With keys in hand, the open road is calling—but before we peel out of the driveway and realize we forgot the sewer hose (rookie mistake), let’s talk preparation. An RV trip is part adventure, part logistics, and having the right checklist can mean the difference between smooth sailing and a roadside meltdown. Whether you’re a first-timer (like us) still figuring out where the propane switch is, or a seasoned traveler who just likes the reassurance of ticking boxes, this all-inclusive RV checklist will help you roll out with confidence, coffee, and everything in between!
Swing Wide or Stay Home: Our First RV Driving Story
So things are moving fast! We’ve got the dream, picked out our house on wheels… but then reality set in: how do we actually drive this thing? Neither of us has piloted a 30-foot moving house before—unless you count military convoys, where there was always a team of people involved (and usually a lot more yelling). Luckily, we’re self-aware enough to know that just hopping behind the wheel and “winging it” probably wasn’t the safest plan—for us or for anyone sharing the highway.
Mastering Your RV Walk-Through: Tips from Our Experience
When we did the walk-through inspection and tutorial of our new RV with the technician, excitement was running high, but so was the flood of new information. This is your chance to get hands-on with your RV, ask questions, and make sure everything works before you hit the road.
Here’s what we learned about making the most of this crucial step:
Choosing the right RV
Once we made the decision to buy an RV, the next step was obvious—and overwhelming:
Which one?
We spent months researching, virtually touring models, watching endless YouTube walk-throughs, reading Facebook groups, and mentally measuring our cats against floorplans. The options were endless—and honestly, a little intimidating.
But eventually, we landed on the one that felt just right for us:
The 2025 Winnebago 29NP.
Why We’re Doing This
When we tell people we bought an RV and are planning to live on the road full time, we usually get one of two responses:
“That’s amazing—what a dream!”
or
“Why would you do that to yourselves?”
Both are fair. But here’s our “why.”
Our Next Assignment—Hitting the Road
It started with a feeling. A quiet itch we couldn’t quite scratch. After years of serving around the world, from dusty bases in Iraq to NATO headquarters in Belgium, we thought we were ready for a quieter, more settled life. We’ve been out of the military for four years now, living the remote work dream and adjusting to a steady rhythm.