Rascal's Roadshow: Rascal's Roadshow: Silver Lake, WA

RASCAL'S ROADSHOW

Fat Smitty’s & a Side of Heimlich

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Shortly after rolling out of Port Angeles, we made a very necessary food stop at Fat Smitty’s 😋 (https://www.takeout-guide.com/porttownsend/restaurants/FatSmittys).
The place had great reviews AND trailer parking—score! We loved the money covered interior and their love of country! The money for the postcards I purchased went into a jar for veterans. Very cool.

Todd ordered the infamous Fat Smitty’s Burger 🍔 and quickly realized there was no way this GIANT burger was fitting in his hand, let alone his mouth. I joked with the waitress that she might have to Heimlich him—she laughed and said she'd just push him off the barstool! 😲 She went on to tell us that, on one extremely busy day, a man was sitting on a stool at the end of the counter and was apparently choking to death—and no one knew! 😵 The place was packed, loud, and the waitresses were hustling. Meanwhile, this man quietly choked until he passed out, fell off the stool, hit the ground, dislodged the food, and could breathe again! Her takeaway from that was… if someone is choking, shove them off the barstool! 😂

A couple of important side notes here… One: I once read that a lot of people who are choking will go into the bathroom—where no one can see them—likely due to embarrassment, and then they choke to death! If you’re choking, grab someone and use the international sign for choking!

🠟(see the woman in the photo below)🠟

Which brings me to my second note… Contact your local Red Cross and see if they offer first aid training in your area. You’ll not only learn the Heimlich maneuver but also CPR! These are very good skills to have.

When I was a child, I took a bite of an orange and it lodged in my throat. I couldn’t breathe at all. Fortunately for me, my dad had recently taken a Red Cross course and immediately performed the Heimlich—he dislodged the orange and literally saved my life. 🍊🙌

https://www.redcross.org

Silver Lake Serenity

About three hours after lunch, we landed at Silver Cove RV Resort (https://www.rvinnstyleresorts.com/washington/silver-cove-rv-park/) and immediately felt like we’d scored a hidden gem 💎 The grounds were spotless, the grass had mowing lines worthy of a golf course ⛳️

The manager, Daniel, was incredibly friendly. He even lives on-site and does rounds throughout the day to check on things. Class act! He made sure we knew to call him, day or night, if we needed anything. We loved it so much we would definitely make it our home base when passing through next time.

🛶 Kayaks, Beavers & Bobbers

The best part? I FINALLY got to use my kayak! 🚣‍♀️ Peaceful canals weave through the park, and Todd fished from his while I paddled out to Silver Lake. The water was glassy, the sky was clear, and guess who swam right by me? A beaver! He didn’t even care I was there.

Quick wildlife PSA: if you’re on the water and an animal starts acting differently, back away. Don’t disturb them or disrupt their activity—they’re not there to pose for selfies 😉

As I turned to paddle back toward the park, Mt. St. Helens came into view, and WOW 😍 What a majestic moment! I was almost 17 when it erupted in 1980, and I still remember my aunt in Portland talking about ash falling from the sky.

💪 Paddles, Poop & Pesky Squirrels

Being on the water was not just peaceful—it was good exercise and earned me bonus Weight Watchers points 🎉 Todd and I love anything on the water, and being out there together is a major win 🥰 I also scored several bobbers that were tangled in shoreline brush and gathered loose fishing line I found along the way, which can seriously harm wildlife.

Geese were everywhere—adorable goslings and all—but where there are geese… there is poop. LOTS of it 💩 Pretty sure Rascal snuck a bite before I could stop him. GAG! 🤢 That dog… We had to keep a close eye on him due to his very odd taste in “food.” Meanwhile, a sassy squirrel drove Fuzzbutt nuts, and a gorgeous deer wandered right by our site 🐿️🦌

🍳 Peper’s 49er = Yum

Another winner? Peper’s 49er Restaurant (https://pepers49er.com/) 🥓🍳 Classic mom-and-pop vibes, hearty food, friendly service. We can’t resist a good ol’ diner. Highly recommend stopping in for a bite if you’re in the neighborhood!

🌋 Mt. St. Helens:
Nature’s Power on Display

We made the scenic drive up SR-504 to visit Mt. St. Helens. Though the main visitor center was closed, we walked down the nearby dirt trail to a spot where there was a picture-perfect view of the mountain framed between the trees.

We continued up the highway to the Mt. St. Helens Forest Learning Center, and while the learning center itself was closed, the gift shop and bathrooms were open. Clean bathrooms (= travel gold 🏆) and a very well-stocked gift shop with a lot of unique items—not just the typical touristy stuff.

Can you find poor little Rascal?
No doggies allowed in the gift shop, sorry pup.

The further we drove up into the hills, the better our view of Mt. St. Helens. It really is one thing to read about and see photos of something of this magnitude, but completely different to see it in person. The closer we got to the mountain, the more unfathomable the sheer magnitude of this volcano’s 1980 eruption seemed.

From Wikipedia: “The Mount St. Helens major eruption of May 18, 1980, remains the deadliest and most economically destructive volcanic event in U.S. history. Fifty-seven people were killed; 200 homes, 47 bridges, 15 miles of railways, and 185 miles of highway were destroyed. A massive debris avalanche, triggered by a magnitude 5.1 earthquake, caused a lateral eruption that reduced the elevation of the mountain's summit from 9,677 to 8,363 ft, leaving a 1-mile-wide horseshoe-shaped crater.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_St._Helens

🏞️ Coldwater Lake: Born from Ashes

At Coldwater Lake, we strolled the Birth of a Lake Trail—a gentle, half-mile walk with a stunning view of Mt. St. Helens and boardwalk access along the water ♿️ The lake, formed by the eruption, is now full of life—fish, birds, beavers, bugs, and all. Nature always finds a way.

Rascal loves boardwalks and docks,
but he HATES the water!

Farewell Washington, Hello Oregon!

Silver Lake and Mt. St. Helens were unforgettable. It’s one of those places you don’t just visit—you feel it. But it’s back on the road for us now… Goodbye, Washington! 🐾

🐶 Rascal’s Rufflection

“I give Silver Cove four paws up! 🐾🐾 Plenty of room to sniff, explore, and—if you’re quick—maybe sneak a snack 🍪 (just don’t tell Mom about the goose poop she didn't see me eat! 😅). Can’t wait to see what the Oregon coast smells like! Woof woof! 🐕”

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Next stop on Rascal’s Roadshow:

Astoria, Oregon!