Our First Week as Full-Time RVers: Working, Traveling & Learning on the Oregon Coast
One week down. No regrets. Two cats still speaking to us.
Well…we did it.
On September 4, we officially said goodbye to our beloved Duvall, WA, and hit the road to begin our new life as full-time RVers. After months of planning, preparing, downsizing, organizing, second-guessing, and wondering whether two people and two cats could actually live happily in a 29-foot motorhome, we finally found out.
And so far?
We love it.
Our first real destination was Pacific City, Oregon, where we spent the week at Harts Camp RV Park.
And what a way to start.
Pacific City: Our First Week on the Road
If we're being completely honest, the campground itself could use a little love. But the location? Absolutely unbeatable.
We were just a five-minute walk from Pacific City Beach and Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area, with a front-row view of the spectacular Chief Kiwanda Rock. It's hard to complain about a campground when you can walk out your door and be on one of the most beautiful beaches on the Oregon Coast a few minutes later.
Because we arrived during Labor Day weekend, Pacific City was busy. And the campsites were tight.
But by Tuesday morning, it was a completely different place.
The crowds disappeared, the beach quieted down, and suddenly it felt like we had Pacific City almost to ourselves.
We'll take that.
Friends, Family and a Beachfront Dinner
One of the highlights of the week was getting a visit from Brandon's best friend from his Air Force days, who brought his family along.
There's something pretty special about having friends from one chapter of your life show up in another—especially when that new chapter involves a motorhome parked on the Oregon Coast.
We spent some time together exploring the area and enjoyed an incredible beachfront meal at Pelican Brewing in Pacific City.
Good food. Good beer. Good friends. Beachfront.
Not a bad way to spend a Sunday.
The Things Nobody Tells You About RV Life
Of course, our first week wasn't all scenic beaches and brewery dinners.
What we learned this week:
We are overweight – not just us, but the RV and the Subaru. We had to shed weight quickly and still have more to go.
The cats each need their own space – even in this tiny space.
Using AirPods when you are both on work calls 5 feet from each other is a must.
We were also learning how to actually live in an RV.
There are a surprising number of little things you don't think about until you're doing them.
For example: Making sure you take everything you might possibly need when you walk to the shower building at night, because making multiple trips back and forth, parading for all to see your pajamas, is not nearly as charming as it sounds.
We also spent the week figuring out our workstations, settling into our new routines, and learning how to make our RV feel like home.
And then there's the most important part of the household:
The cats.
Dinkel and Æro are officially RV cats now, whether they approve of the decision or not.
So far, they seem to be adjusting remarkably well. There has been some exploring, some investigating, some puking, some suspicious staring at us, but—most importantly—no major feline rebellion.
We'll call that a win.
A Little Exploring Between Workdays
Because we're still working full-time, our days aren't exactly one long vacation. We're figuring out how to balance work, travel and exploring—one week at a time. Especially since Juanita’s day still starts before 6 a.m. so she can be working when the East Coast is.
Fortunately, Pacific City made that pretty easy.
We spent time walking the beach, climbing the dunes and generally taking advantage of having one of the Oregon Coast's most beautiful landscapes practically outside our door.
We also made a pilgrimage to the Tillamook Creamery, because no Oregon Coast adventure is complete without cheese and ice cream.
Naturally, we took the ice cream tour very seriously.
We also took a short hike to Munson Creek Falls, the tallest waterfall on the Oregon Coast. The falls plunge an impressive 319 feet over multiple tiers, and the short hike through the lush Oregon forest was well worth the stop.
And perhaps the best part?
The weather.
While much of the country was sweating through the end of summer, we were enjoying temperatures in the high 50s to low 70s.
We'll take Oregon in September, thank you very much.
One Week Down…
After spending so much time preparing for this adventure, it feels a little surreal to finally say:
We're doing it.
We're living in the RV.
We're working from the RV.
We're traveling with the RV.
And yes, we're sharing 29 feet of living space with each other and two cats.
So far, we're still happily married, the cats haven't staged a coup, and nobody has suggested turning the RV around and heading back to Duvall.
That's what we call a successful first week.
We've already learned a lot, and we're sure there are approximately 10,000 more things we don't know yet.
But that's part of the adventure.
Week One is officially in the books.
And we're just getting started. 🍷🚐