Welcome back to another chapter of the wild ride that is our story! If you’ve been following along, you’ll know that our van broke down in the middle of the desert, leaving us stranded without a vehicle or a home for weeks. Fortunately, the van was repaired just in time for us to make a beeline to the Oregon coast—because, let’s be real, everywhere else felt as hot as the surface of the sun! In one whirlwind weekend, we drove from Sedona, AZ, to Gold Beach, OR—a 20-hour journey spread across three days. The trip wasn’t exactly smooth sailing, though. We managed to cover quite a bit of ground on the first night, stopping in Barstow, CA. Little did we know at the time, Barstow isn’t exactly known for its charm, but thankfully, we avoided any crazy incidents there. The next day, we hit the road again, winding through the valleys and mountains of Southern California. Say what you will about California, but geographically, it’s one of the most stunning states—if only the economy matched its beauty!

Our first major sightseeing stop was San Francisco. Maneuvering through its crowded, chaotic streets felt like an adventure in itself, but it was all worth it to see the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. The sight of it was absolutely breathtaking! We had planned to stop at an overlook to snap some photos and cook dinner, but with all the construction and insane traffic, we missed our turn. So, the only proof we have of being there are the pictures Jill snapped while we drove across the bridge. Not quite what we had in mind, but hey, it’s something!

After that slight disappointment, we ended up parking at a Walmart for the night and calling it a day. Not glamorous, but it got the job done.

The next day, however, was nothing short of incredible. Most of it was spent driving, but along the way, we visited the famous Redwood National Park. If you’ve never been, let me tell you—it’s a must-see. Unfortunately, we didn’t do much exploring since it was raining and Bear (our furry companion) wasn’t allowed on the trails. Still, we managed to walk a short section of a trail, and wow—those trees were absolutely mind-blowing. At first, the forest didn’t seem all that different from others we’ve seen. But about half a mile in, we were surrounded by trees that were 30 to 40 feet around. They were massive—so massive that it was almost surreal. I was in awe. After all the stress from the van breaking down, I’d been questioning whether this lifestyle was still right for us. But standing there, surrounded by those ancient trees, I was reminded why we chose this path in the first place.

Here’s the thing: there’s so much to see beyond your hometown—or even your home state. Just within this country, there’s an endless amount of beauty to discover. Despite all the bumps and challenges we’ve faced, I can say without a doubt that this is 100% the life I want to live. Every time I turn around, I’m wowed by the stunning landscapes of our country. If you ever get the chance to go camping or take a trip, I can’t encourage you enough to do it. The views, the experiences, the memories—it’s all worth it. And to think, I’ve only scratched the surface of what’s out there. Anyway, thanks for letting me ramble. Let’s get back to the story!

After leaving the Redwoods, we continued driving up the California coast and into Oregon. Gold Beach was just across the border, so we didn’t have far to go. When we arrived, it was like stepping into a postcard of the Pacific Northwest. The moody, misty vibes you see in movies and TV shows? That’s exactly what we experienced. It felt like a scene out of *Twilight*—you know, the one where Bella and Jacob are walking along the beach at La Push? That was Gold Beach to a T. We stayed there for a few days, enjoying the occasional sunny break in the gloomy weather, and spent some time exploring and working. While it was a cool spot, we quickly realized it wasn’t the place we wanted to settle down for any length of time, which had been our original plan. So, after a few days, we hit the road again and continued our journey along the coast.

We stopped at a few spots along the way, slowly making our way north. While the coastal towns were charming, none of them really stood out as a place we could see ourselves staying long-term. By the time we reached North Bend, OR, we were intrigued. It was a cool little town, and we even debated staying there. But we’d heard rave reviews about Bend, OR—a hotspot for vanlifers and nomads—so we decided to head inland and check it out. Stay tuned for our next post, where we dive into our adventures in and around Bend. Until next time!