The Road Less Traveled

Tired of the same old route to your favorite RV haunts? Me too! The fastest way for my wife and I to access the wilds of Nevada and Utah from Seattle is to take Interstate 82 through Washington joining Interstate 84 near Hermiston, Oregon and continuing on towards the Idaho-Oregon border. Worst of all (for a person like me that prefers to head in a relatively straight line to my destination) is that you have to cut west on I-82 to avoid driving through Hermiston, adding upwards of 6 miles, wasting time and fuel. On a recent trip through this area, I was determined that if I was going to travel that extra distance to miss Hermiston (and there are plenty of reasons to miss Hermiston!), I was going to see something different. Studying my map I saw that upon entering Oregon, you could travel east along the Columbia River to the junction of Hwy 37, then travel southeast on 37 rejoining I-84 in Pendleton. 

The mileage was about the same as our normal boring route too! While not as fast as driving the interstate, the alternate route took us by a state park we had never visited, provided nice views of the river, and passed us by a cool old abandoned school. We even found a neat spot to boondock overlooking the Columbia River! So the next time you find yourself RVing the same old route, put your fuel and time to better use and travel the road less traveled. Who knows what adventures in RVing you may discover along the way?

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.