Back in Oregon!
In the fall of 2020 we sold our home in Oregon and began making plans to travel the U.S. We purchased a Grand Design Toy Hauler RV and loaded our two BMW motorcycles into the back. By the Spring of 2021 we were ready to head out on our adventure. During our travels we had thought we might find a different location to land as our permanent residence and we were always looking. One thing is for certain, after traveling the U.S. and visiting 43 states, we can say with certainty that the people all over America are just really nice. There are so many locations that we could have chosen and likely we would have fit in well with them all!
Here are a few of the locations we considered landing in for “Our Next Chapter…”
Florida
It is warm and beautiful with an absolute melting pot of fantastic people! White sand beaches, blue ocean waters, and so many springs that it might surprise you. We spent a Winter just a few hundred feet from this beach in Panama City Beach (PCB) watching the sunset every evening. Who wouldn’t want to stay here? 😎
Arizona
Arizona is obviously quite warm, especially in August. The landscape and terrain is so interesting. There are mountains, canyons, and beauty that takes your breath away. Our winter in Camp Verde, just outside Sedona, was a true inspiration to hike more paths than we could count. Do not miss this location, even if it is for just a short visit.
Texas
We were hiking in the Palo Duro Canyon State Park when we met a family that said they had driven 11 hours to get to this location. 11 hours!! And they were still in Texas. Texas is big and offers so much.
Our day of hiking “The Lighthouse” was over 105 degrees so always be prepared for heat. 🤠 (Be sure and check our “Best Motorcycles Roads” for Fredericksburg. There are several classic motorcycle routes that are simply fun.)
Oregon
Oregon has 4 seasons, 1 National Park, mountains, deserts, and a beautiful coastline. There are State Parks, BLM, Forest Roads, and the BDR for riding, camping, hiking, and so much outdoor activity.
Once we arrived back in Oregon, we got busy looking around to really make a good decision. Take a look at the places we considered below…
Silverton, Oregon
Like so many locations around the country, this area had some pretty steep housing prices that were just out of reach for us.
The town of Silverton is a special place and is located close to Silverton State Park, home to a wonderful hike of 10 waterfalls. Be sure and visit if you are in the area.
Southern Oregon
We decided to spend the Winter in Southern Oregon since we were quite familiar with the area. (That, and John had a sister that was getting married so staying nearby was helpful.)
We took a stent of working at a local RV park to help restock some savings and catch up on some much needed medical appointments.
We raised our two sons here and had plenty of friends to visit, however, we realized we were in need of change of scenery as our permanent location so we continued on…
The Oregon Coast
Living in Southern Oregon means you are just a beautiful 3 hour ride or drive to the Oregon Coast. We have always found a sense of respite and peace when visiting.
We took our two sons camping here many times, even enjoyed our honeymoon along this stunning coastline. That said, we decided we can always ride to the coast from anywhere in Oregon when the weather is welcoming.
Our journey to find the perfect location continued…
Eugene, Oregon
We have a son that lives in Eugene and spending time with him and his friends is always a blast. Walking his dog Brandy, going to an Oregon Ducks game, or playing pool at Max’s. You can’t beat it.
We spent a month as Lane County Camp Hosts along the McKenzie River. There is only one RV slot and a small rest area and boat ramp at Henderson Bridge. We took the opportunity to ride the motorcycles in every direction while living here for the month. We found the area to be green and beautiful, especially along the McKenzie River.
In the end, we decided to keep rolling to the “Dry Side” of Central Oregon and see what it had to offer. 🤠
Central Oregon
In June of 2024 we were invited to present our RV / Motorcycle travels to the BMW National Rally. We arrived at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds RV Park to stay for yet another month and check out the area. It did not take long for us to look around at the surrounding mountains and high desert setting to realize that we found our home.
By July 15th, 2025, just 45 days later… we were signing papers on a small piece of property that we could call “home.” We realized that owning an RV and “Big Mamba Jamba” truck was not going to be needed. So we sold everything… except the mtorocycles of course!
It took a bit to get moved in, but as of now, we are settling in to the Central Oregon life and loving it!
It has been quite a journey to say the least. In one year we made an almost complete over-haul of our life and have not had any regrets about our 4 year adventure. What better way to see the U.S. and really take the opportunity to think about where we would want to spend the rest of our retirement? Finding this special location has been a tremendous joy for us and our family. Our two sons now know where to find us and I think both of them enjoy this area almost as much as we do!
Be sure to see the next Central Oregon blog for more ideas of what to do in this area.
And on THAT note:
Travel Safe… and we will see you out on the road!
John and Caroline
