Hwy 112 to Salt Creek

Tea Time!

In the last entry we looked at the twists, turns and other undulating adventures of Washington Hwy 112 on our way to Salt Creek Recreation Area. The last leg of our journey required us to travel north from Hwy 112 to the edge of the Straits of Juan de Fuca. The shortest path approaching from the west via Hwy 112 , as we were, is to travel down Crescent Bar Road to the water and then east along Crescent Bay to the recreation area. I use the word “path” as I am not really sure what we traversed was a road. My first clue that we should have traveled a different route was that our trusty on board navigation system didn’t recommend going this direction. Second clue was the recreation area was not signed from the intersection of Crescent Bay Road and Hwy 112. Finally, the online driving instructions found on the recreation area’s website inform you to enter via Camp Hayden Road. The good part about Crescent Bay Road is that it was a welcome break from the twists and dips found on the portion of Hwy 112 we had just traveled. Nor did it have logging trucks or other commercial vehicles traveling it. (They are smarter than that). Come to think about it we didn’t see any other vehicles at all. The drawback to Crescent Bay Road is that it goes from narrow to narrower, lacks shoulders , center lines or fog lines and at one point along the bay becomes virtually one lane sandwiched between cliffs and the bay. The final shortcoming for RVers is that portions of the road support a healthy low hanging tree canopy and the sides of the road are seldom, if ever, brushed out. Luckily our RV is not that tall, but we did end up arriving at camp with some local vegetation attached to the sides of our RV.

Braving the lesser known paths of this world, just another adventure in RVing!

Next week we will look at Salt Creek Recreation Area, which was the payoff for traveling Hwy 112 and Crescent Bay Road. Now excuse me while I gather the nettles off the side of my RV while they are still fresh and brew some nettle tea!

Dave Helgeson

Dave Helgeson’s many roles in the RV industry started before he even had a driver’s license. His grandparents and father owned an RV dealership before the term “RV” had been coined, and Dave played a pivotal role in nearly every position of an RV dealership. He and his wife Cheri launched their own RV dealership in the Pacific Northwest. The duo also spent 29 years overseeing regional RV shows. Dave has also served as President of a local chapter of the Recreational Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA), worked on the board of advisors for the RV Technician Program of a local technical college, and served as a board member of the Manufactured Home and RV Association. Dave’s reputation earned him the title of “The foremost expert on boondocking,” bestowed by RV industry icon, the late Gary Bunzer (The RV Doctor). When he’s not out boondocking, you’ll find Dave in the spotlight at RV shows across the country, giving seminars about all things RVing. He and Cheri currently roam in their fifth travel trailer, with Dave doing all the service, repair and modifications to his own unit.