May 24, 2008: Gwen and I are planning to spend at least six months of the year workamping after I retire. Workamping is taking employment at a resort while traveling in your RV. Gwen has been doing this for four years at Howard Prairie Lake Resort while I commute to my "day job" in Medford. We have been following Workamper News for two years receiving daily emails of jobs available. I have saved the ads which sound interesting and have over 50 pages saved which may be the right situation for us. We must have full time employment with free "hook-ups" for six months of the year. Why would I quit my job for near minimum wage employment? Answer: to allow us to travel much of the year. To illustrate the jobs available, it has been about three weeks since I saved a job to my file. Here is the one I saved over the last three weeks:

"Oregon. Paid Maintenance Personnel needed immediately at Surfwood RV Campground, near Winchester Bay, OR. Full-time or part-time, seasonal or year-round, wages for all hours worked, hourly pay DOE. We pay State and Federal minimum wages and higher. FHU available. Spend the summer in air-conditioned comfort on the breath-takingly beautiful southern Oregon coast. General maintenance skills in all CG aspects a plus. See: www.Surfwood RV.net Call Jody, our manager, toll-free at: 866-705-9176 or locally 541-271-4020 to apply. $$$"

We know the area around Winchester Bay to be an attractive area and would certainly be different from what we have known at Howard Prairie in terms of weather. The ad says, "wages paid for all hours worked" which usually means they don't charge the workamper for a camp space. The three $$$ at the end of the ad mean the same thing. But, "FHU available." makes me think they will charge for the site so further investigation is needed. Workamper News also has a forum where a workamper can check for other workampers who may have experience with a potential employer. Here is a satellite view of the Surfwood RV Campground.