Candi L. Swinscoe: Rascal's Roadshow: Carnation, Washington & Boeing Tour

Rascals’ Roadshow

One of my favorite photos of Rascal. He had a mud splattered
face from running behind his big sister, Annie, on a rainy day. Then looked at me through the heart-shaped opening on our front porch.

🌮 No Taco for You!
Our drive from Rockport to Tolt-MacDonald Park & Campground in Carnation, Washington, was supposed to be a quick two hours… but a detour for lunch (and a surprise pick up – more about that below) in Monroe turned it into three.

When traveling with an RV, our GPS is a lifesaver—it helps me scout out towns ahead of us with restaurants with big parking lots. I had a serious craving for Mexican food and found Taqueria La Bamba with great reviews. Bonus: they share a parking lot with a movie theater! 🎬 We parked where we could keep an eye on the trailer and headed over… only to find they were closed for a “family issue.” 😩

While I sincerely hope it wasn’t anything serious, my taco dreams were officially crushed. The only other option nearby? Tokyo Teriyaki & Wok, right next door. Not what I had in mind, but hey—I didn’t want to get hangry, so... 🍣 It turned out to be delicious! Todd LOVES sushi, so he was thrilled and I loved my beef teriyaki.

Meanwhile, Rascal stayed cozy in the trailer with food, water, and a cushy nap spot—but of course, instead of napping he perched at the table and stared out the window like the world’s saddest dog. 🐾 He just can’t wrap his brain around the “no dogs in restaurants” rule. When we returned, he gave us a dramatic sniff-down followed by a betrayed stare. 😒 We all moved on... eventually.

🚣 Back in the Kayak Game!
We’ve had a bit of a kayak saga.

Our first ones were Maki fishing kayaks—beautiful, red (my favorite color ❤️) sit-on-tops, with rudders. Todd scored a fantastic deal because of slight (unnoticeable) paint flaws and being over the company’s weight spec. Even better, the company (based in New Zealand) had a shipment heading up the California coast and delivered them right to our door for an extra $100!

They were amazing but had some drawbacks: they were heavy, hard to move, and because they’re made of fiberglass, they’re not something you want to run up on rocks. Still, they were worth every penny. We owned and used them for well over 10 years. When we sold our house in 2023, we gifted them to a kind neighbor—it was tough to let them go, but time to make new kayak memories.

We tried inflatable kayaks next—great space savers but still took up too much room in our tiny trailer. Off they went to my son, Derrick. Next, Todd tried a fishing float tube, but it was too much effort for too little fun.

So, back to Todd doing some in-depth kayak research, and then surprising me with a detour after lunch to Tractor Supply in Monroe, where we picked up two hard-shell sit-on-top kayaks. We wedged them inside the trailer (not ideal) and continued on to Carnation.

They’re lightweight, but... the ugliest color you’ve ever seen. Todd doesn’t care, but my dad would have called the color “baby shi-shi.” Picture a diaper after green peas and yellow squash. You’re welcome for the visual. 😂

After setting up camp, we made a second trip to Monroe where we bought a truck rack at Harbor Freight.

I was happy to see Todd thumbing through the instructions!
Actually, he is pretty good about that.

This was a man with a dilemma...can you see the problem?

The install took Todd a full day—including a trip to Ace and some creative tweaks to make it work with our bed cover. But finally—ta da! We’re back to kayaking! Or will be as soon as I get a new life vest. 🦺 Safety first!

🏕️ Hello, Tolt-MacDonald Park!
After winding through charming towns and postcard-worthy Pacific Northwest scenery 🌲, we arrived at Tolt-MacDonald Park & Campground. There was no check-in office or staff on-site, but my notes said we were in Space 6—with a question mark. So... maybe? We pulled on in.

The campground is a single loop with a big grassy field in the center (that’s also where the restroom/shower building is). Each campsite has a curved, paved pad along the loop. We noticed blue tags on the power posts, and thankfully—Space 6 had our name and reservation dates! 🎉

The sites are lovely, but the curve in the loop is a little sharp. We ended up driving over a bit of grass getting situated—and judging by the other tire tracks, we weren’t the only ones. Our trailer is 30 feet long, and anything bigger might have a tough time parking without flattening more grass.

NOT our tire tracks!

Due to the wonderful Washington rains, we stepped out into a mudhole every time we went outside. Not complaining—just a heads-up if you’re visiting during Washington’s “rainy season,” which, according to locals, lasts 365 days a year. 😆 But honestly? It’s totally worth it—Washington is absolutely stunning.

Rascal enjoys the rain...as long as it isn't too loud,
and there is no lightning, or thunder! So, basically, he's
okay when it sprinkles.

The Tolt-McDonald Campground is the second camp we’ve stayed at that doesn’t offer septic, but the Carnation Storage & Box Company just a short distance from the park has a dump station: https://carnationstorage.com/

🌊 Rivers, Fishing, and Privacy Hedges
Tolt-MacDonald Park is tucked between the Tolt River and the Snoqualmie River. I picked our site because looking at Google Maps it appeared we’d have riverfront access to the Snoqualmie. No such luck, there’s a tall, thick hedge between the sites, which makes everything feel super private… but also blocks direct access to the river.

The good news? It’s just a two-minute walk to a path that leads straight to the water. 💧 And it turned out to be the perfect fishing spot for Todd! He did nearly freeze on day one—I had to drag him back inside—but he came back grinning after reeling in so many fish. 🎣

✈️ Touring the Boeing Factory: The Future of Flight

Each stop on our journey gets at least one fun outing, and for this leg, it was the Boeing Factory Tour in Everett, Washington! ✈️ Todd and I both love plane museums—it reminds me of my daddy, who was absolutely plane-obsessed.

Daddy loved planes so much that he joined the US Air Force at the age of 17,
where he became a jet engine mechanic.

We made the hour drive to the Future of Flight building at Paine Field along peaceful backroads, past grass-covered pastures and tall trees. Seriously, the scenery in Washington is so lush it soothes your soul, and the air is so fresh and clean. 🌿

Our tour was scheduled for 11:00, but we arrived an hour early (I don't like being late!). The friendly check-in guy, Allister, ended up being our tour guide and offered to bump us to the 10:30 tour—score!

We stored our phones in free lockers (no cameras or phones allowed), which was difficult for me, but I survived. The tour starts in a nice theater where Allister told us a few facts about himself and Boeing. Then we watched a short intro video. Boeing’s history is fascinating and that alone is worth the visit.

Then our group (only about 20 people—off-season---I’m telling you it’s the perfect time!) hopped on a luxury bus and headed to the factory.

I got this photo as we drove past the Boeing factory.
You can't tell in the photo, but those are roll-up doors...and they are 8-stories tall!

This building is mind-blowing. It holds the Guinness World Record for the Largest Building in the World by Volume—98.3 acres and 472 million cubic feet! It’s basically a city, complete with doctors, dentists, cafes, and over 30,000 employees working in three shifts.

Here we are on the Sky Deck of the Future of Flight building
with the Boeing Factory in the background.

You can see Mt. Baker in the background.
The planes covered in the green wrap are waiting for certification, which can take years.
Each plane has over 3 million parts and each part needs to be inspected and certified!

We walked down 22 steps into an unfathomably long corridor, then rode an elevator up to a 4th-floor viewing deck. From there, we could look down on the 777s and 777Xs in various stages of assembly. It’s absolutely incredible—the people below looked so small, and I saw several riding on three-wheeled bikes to get from one place to the other! 🚲

Afterwards it was back down the elevator, up the 22 steps, and into the bus for a ride back to the tour building.

This tour is great for all ages and is accessible for those with mobility issues (buses kneel, and alternate routes are available—just call ahead!).

🛍️ Gift Shops and Flying Taxis?
After the tour, we returned to the Future of Flight gallery and gift shop. I was a little bummed—no postcards, and the book I wanted, about the tour, was only available in Japanese. But I grabbed a few stickers, and Todd found a cool keychain.

Then it was downstairs to visit the spacious and well-lit gallery. Todd was thrilled to see a WISK in person (which I had never even heard of)—it’s a self-flying, all-electric, vertical take-off and landing air taxi. 🚁 Meanwhile, I’m still recovering from a taxi ride in San Francisco from years ago... so I’ll pass on the flying version, thanks!