Central Oregon KOA - Aug 08 - Oct 08

So, we left Central California and headed to Central Oregon. We were much more nervous going to this park. The first park, we didn't know what to expect at all and weren't even sure if we'd stay in the first place. Now, we had an expectation. And we hoped there wouldn't be anymore employee drama. What we really wanted (and still do) was to have as much fun as possible while we work and have our kids with us to learn and enjoy life together.

Well we got what we wanted in OR. And we didn't have much time to worry since we were put to work straightaway. As soon as we arrived at the park, we were welcomed and shown to our site. We then had an hour to get settled and meet back. When we met up an hour later, our family was taken in by their family, right off the bat - and we worked through the day until 9 o'clock at night. That's how our stay was in Oregon; we were busy, and we all worked hard, and treated every camper and each other like family. And that's what made it fun. When you welcome guests to the park with your daughter by you side, your husband and another daughter escort them to their site, while the third daughter and the owner set up an Ice cream Social, that's when work is fun!

We learned so many great things at the Central Oregon KOA and were given so many cool opportunities. One, super fun experience was performing a controlled burn of a 20 acre field. The field sat along side and behind the campground. Jason and I may have a tad bit of pyromaniac in us because we really enjoyed ourselves. =-9

By this point, we had been living in our "camping" motorhome for about four months. We had not felt hindered at all by our living arrangement but we were starting to see what was really out there. Being as we had never owned a motorhome before and now we were seeing all kinds. So once a week, we drove 30 minutes to Redmond to stock up on groceries. Each time we went, we'd see this motorhome sitting on a small lot near the store. Everytime we passed though, no one was there. Well, that got us thinking, so we spent a day looking at motorhomes and fifth wheels. This was the first time we had ever looked at RVs in person, with the thought of living in one. Eventually, we decided that a diesel pusher would be the best option for us - for many reasons. (1) Our goal is to spend more and more time traveling and less and less time staying put. That being said, with the kids - it's much more fun to travel when you have all the comforts of home around you while driving. Sitting in your living room while you travel is always better than sitting in a back seat all day. (2) When traveling by motorhome, there is no real packing. Sure you have to secure your things, so as not to have your belongings slide off counters or fall off shelves. But preparing for travel in a motorhome is not the same as packing for a road trip in a car (or truck - if you're pulling a fifth wheel or travel trailer). (3) In the diesel pusher, the engine is in the rear, (under the bed) hence, pushing the motorhome. When the engine is in the back, it frees up precious floor space in the front of the motorhome, between the driver and passenger seats. In a gas motorhome (like our first one) the engine protrudes up through the floorboard creating a hump between the seats. (4) Diesels typically have a longer wheel base which means they are on the larger side and give even more square footage.

So we finally decided to stop in and look at the motorhome, on the little lot, with no one ever around. Again, no one was there, but we found out that all the RVs on the lot were on consignment. We did alot of lifting each other up and hoisting to see in the windows. What we saw impressed us. Although it was dated, the price made it a steal. Still, the price was more then we had. So, we went about our lives for the next few weeks, until Jason (being the avid internet surfer and researcher that he is) found the motorhome from the small lot - online. It was for sale, for even less than the price it was listed for, at the lot. So we contacted the company and asked to meet, so we could explore the inside. Once we got inside, our entire mind-set changed. Suddenly, we pictured how much more comfortable life could be with so much more space. 10 more sqft! :) Going from a 27ft (189sqft) motorhome to a 37ft (296sqft) motorhome equates to a gain of 107sqft. That's a huge difference when you're talking about such a small space to begin with!

So inevitably, we bought the motorhome. I imagined it would take an afternoon to move all of our belonging from one to the other, being as we just got rid of what seemed like EVERYTHING WE OWNED. WRONG!!! It took us about four days to get all our things out and into the new place. Since then, we've done some upgrading, updating, reconfiguring and replacing - to make it more our style and feel like a home. Now we have "basement storage" and althouth it's not nearly the size of most homes' basements, it sure helps.

Our time in Oregon was action packed, fun. We worked all different hours, with many split shifts (working 8-11a, 4-9p). That would have been dreadful for me in the "real world" but when you live where you work, it's fun. We would go in; open the office/store, collect garbage, mow the grass, clean out fire pits and check campers out. Then we'd have 5 hours in the middle of the day to go swimming, hiking or ride our bikes. And then, we'd go in for the evening to; check in and escort guests to their sites, sell and deliver ice, firewood and various other camping items, having ice cream social and generally helping campers have a nice stay. We also bought and sold a car. Bought a motorhome and traded another. All in just 2 1/2 months!

Life is meant to be fun! And although we all think of fun differently, I hope that, whatever you spend your time doing in life, it's fun for you!

Happy Travels!

D