Not sure if you have noticed, but people going out and chucking the matrix life in favor of full time RV living is a thing. There is even a show about it now called Going RV.
What makes living on the road every day in an Airstream the size of our former bedroom appealing? Well, for one thing we have found the freedom we dreamt about while working 70 hour plus weeks in the matrix. Another reason is that our time here is not guaranteed. So, why not live the life we want NOW instead of waiting for one day down the road for traditional retirement.
We are lucky ducks to live in a time when there are plenty of opportunities to make money on the road with just a computer, a semi-decent internet connection (gotta love wifi boosters!), and a chair. This chair can be sitting with a view of giant redwoods, of bison roaming in front of Grand Teton, or in front of waves at the Gulf of Mexico.
What makes the full time RV lifestyle doable is that you aren’t tied to a mortgage and everything the matrix lifestyle requires, so your money goes way further. It doesn’t take much to have an amazing life. You can control expenses by boondocking to camp for almost free and use that money for exploring.
While boondocking isn’t for us, we stretch our budget by challenging ourselves to create the best experiences with the least amount of money. Our time in Point Reyes was a perfect example of making a five star adventure with a small amount of dough.
First off, we were in fancy schmancy Marin County, a food lover’s paradise. There was a specific food tour that piqued our interest, but it was $200 per person. No thank you! However, to our surprise they detailed all of the stops on their website. So, we crafted our own #TeamTary food tour by picking out the places that seemed like our jam.
First Stop: Heidrun Meadery, because sparkling, of course!
Their mead is made with the traditional champagne process, but from different varieties of honey instead of grapes. We tasted mead from honey that came from carrot blossoms to Hawaiian macadamia nut blossoms and everything in between. It was amazing to taste the difference that just the source flower makes. The best thing was the tasting fee was waved if you purchased three bottles, so it was time to make room in the nooks and crannies!
Second Stop: Say cheese!
What follows a bubbly beverage? Why free cheese tasting of course! Did you know there is a California cheese trail?
We had to stop ourselves at two (Cowgirl Creamery and Marin French Cheese) because yes, you can eat too much cheese. The downfall of Airstream living is there is no room for our fat pants!
Third Stop: Hog Island Oyster Farm
Here you can get oysters that came from the sea that day for 50 cents per oyster…way cheaper & fresher than any restaurant.
You will have to wait to get further down this post to see Gary’s how to (or how not to) become a shucker video.
Last Stop: Did someone say gelato?
Our dessert stop was at Palace Market for Double 8.
No, not water buffalo gelato! Water buffalo MILK gelato, big difference!
Wait there’s more! Our Point Reyes stop wasn’t just about food. Point Reyes National Seashore is an amazing place to walk off all of the calories. The lighthouse trip alone is equivalent to going up 30 flights of stairs!
I don’t know why we don’t look winded in these pictures. We definitely had to rest more than once during the trip back up these crazy stairs!
You can also spend time searching for animals not only gray whales from the lighthouse view, but there are also spots on the seashore to look for the Tule elk, elephant seals and the illusive dairy cow.
Best thing we did?
Learned how to shuck an oyster. After watching this video you may question “learned”, but don’t worry, after shucking (and eating) a dozen more we are now shuckmasters!
Best thing we ate?
The chocolate version of the water buffalo milk gelato soft serve. A small cone was $1.69…we would have paid $5, budget be damned! We ate one (almost) every day and practically cried on the last day when they were out!
What we learned?
Life is what you make of it. Period.
Next Stop: California’s northern coast