From Rain to Shine

I would like to say we had a decent sleep that night, considering the situation. It was not overly noticeable that our bed was significantly less hospitable than it usually is when we go camping. It wasn’t until early the next morning that things started to go south. We were awakened by a familiar yet unexpected sound….rain pounding on the outside of the tent!! This was not supposed to happen!! The weather was supposed to have cleared up over night, not clouded over!! We were not prepared to deal with rain. We had no air mattress to lift us up off the ground, we had not covered our tent with a tarp yet , in fact, we almost decided not to put the fly on the tent either. We naively thought that it would be a good night to star gaze and allow the fresh air into our tent J. One for three is not bad for a major league batting average, but it did very little for keeping us dry on this Saturday morning in Westport, Washington.

The rain started out innocent enough, but it grew in rage much like an inebriated Cowboys fan bearing witness to Tony Romo blowing yet another chance at winning a playoff game. That rage is usually an object of amusement for me, since I have never been much of a Romo fan, but angry rain turning our campsite into one giant puddle does make me giggle in the same way….though I did start laughing at one point when the rain started coming down so hard we could barely hear each other talking, despite being in the same tent! At this point we were still relatively dry. The sides of our tent were not as fortunate, but we seemed to be safe where we were, situated in the middle. But even that only lasted for so long.

It was a matter of minutes before Shannon started to realize that water was soaking through our tent and into the blankets on her side of the bed. We could not figure out why her side was getting wet but mine was not. It was not until later that morning when I left the tent that I realized the flaw in our set up. During our half assed attempt at setting up camp the night before we had pitched the tent on top of a tarp. The reasoning behind this move was that it would provide a layer of defense against the morning dew. Not a bad plan if that is all that we would have had to deal with. Unfortunately, the rain was running off of the tarp that I had used to cover our tent after we had woken up to the rain, and then started to pool underneath our tent…..right underneath Shannon’s side of the bed. I attempted to “fix” the problem after it was already too late, by using my sandal to splash all the water off the tarp and pile empty beer bottles around the tent, under the tarp, to direct the water away from the tent. But as I mentioned before it was much to late to fix the problem, it was now more about damage control lol.

Once we were awake and realized that we were wet and getting wetter, it was time to get up and face the day. Luckily our camping companions had the foresight to set up a tarp covering the picnic table the night before. It was by no means a perfect set up, but it served its purpose. Using our surfboards to prop it up to a level that we were able to function under comfortably, it was time to make some breakfast. In order to lift our spirits Shannon and I suggested that we do something a little bit less conventional for breakfast. We offered to share our prized food item with the group for some comfort eating. We offered up a baked brie J. Well at least a wheel of brie that we would bake and share with the group. Baked brie, soft bread, delicious deli meats, and some breakfast beers….oh and I almost forgot, some candles to set the mood.

It did not take long before we were laughing and enjoying ourselves just as much as we would have on a sunny day. There are very few problems in life that cannot be solved using cheese, bread, meat, and beer and/or wine. During our breakfast discussions we realized why the weather was unpredictably poor. My sister and her friend were telling us about the great deals they got on their rain coats from the Columbia outlet store (http://www.yelp.ca/biz/columbia-sportswear-outlet-tulalip). “We bought them just in case it rained this weekend” they said. So they were responsible for bringing the rain! Unreal! We gave them a good tongue lashing for the trouble they caused and then as a group (them included) we decided to put in an order for the weather to clear up for the rest of the day. I know what you must be thinking “good luck with that”, and I would venture to guess that you would be speaking sarcastically in saying so. Well if that is the case, I am happy to tell you that in no more than an hour or two after we decided we wanted the weather to clear up, it did just that. From cold and rainy to hot and sunny, perfect surfing weather!!

After we had our breakfast we headed into town to check out the craft fair/seafood cook out. It was fun to take in the sights of what I believed to be a picture of American culture. We waited in line for a good 45 minutes before we realized that none of us had any intentions of buying anything and then decided to check out Westport Brewing (http://www.westportbrewing.com/).

By this time the sun was out on full display and I was regretting the fact that I was still wearing my cold weather Under Armor gear while the others were working on their tans. The brewery itself was a sight to be seen. It was not your traditional brewery, in fact it started out as someone’s garage. The garage door opens up to a make shift bar, offering growler fill up, tasting paddles, pints, and a fun tasting room to enjoy all that is offered. They also have outdoor umbrella covered tables and chairs to use when the weather is favorable, some are even located on the porch of the of the neighboring house (I would venture to guess that whoever is the owner of the brewing company is the one that owns the house and turned his/her garage into the tasting room, but I can neither confirm or deny that is actually the case). Whatever the case may be it was a great place to enjoy a few pints and even though we were still new to the idea of sour beer it was a pleasurable experience and one that I hope to replicate on a regular basis on my future visits to Westport!

After our memorable time at the brewery we headed back to camp to get prepared to surf the afternoon away. On our way to the beach the task of getting us pumped up for the waves fell squarely upon the sturdy shoulders, or more appropriately booty, of Nicki Minaj. It was an “Anancoda” marathon for the ten minute drive to the beach. It should be noted that playing songs on repeat has become somewhat of a trend on our camping trips. Every year a new song is unintentionally chosen as the theme song for the weekend. One especially memorable trip we had the Park Ranger come to our site and say “I know all I need to know about your friend, and can you please turn down the Chris Isaak?” This was after our group had started ranting about a friend from high school while listening to “Wicked Games” on repeat (I believe the next day our Ipod told us it was played 53 times in a row lol) and thus a tradition was born.

Well what can I say about our time at the beach?! It was great fun! Beers were drunk, hot dogs were eaten, waves were caught, and grand old times were had! Lighting a fire on the beach can be a tough task. Finding dry wood is not usually an issue but kindling can be in short supply. This is why I always include a bottle of body spray in my surf backpack. What does a bottle of body spray have to do with starting a fire, you ask?! Aerosol can + lighter = a sweet….and great smelling…..blow touch!! This is how you start a beach fire quickly and easily J.

The surfing itself was an awesome time! I would not quite describe it as epic, the waves were not big enough or clean enough to provide an epic day of surfing. As much as we tried we could not make it out past the breakers to catch the epic waves. We were also on an area of the beach where the under tow would continuously push us down the beach. There were some areas where it was so strong that we could barely walk out in a straight line. I felt like a drunk dude trying to walk on ice. It was even tougher to paddle out. There were a few occasions where I thought I saw a break in the waves and a great opportunity to get out where the waves were best. After a solid five minutes of paddling (or at least that’s what it felt like) I saw a fellow surfer, and he was standing in waist deep in water. Very discouraging lol. To make things worse when I turned around to look at the shore I realized that I was waaaaay down the beach, a good ten minute walk back to our sun tent. On the up side I did catch a few sweet waves, not epic, but I will take sweet.

The highlight of the day was the sunset surf session at the end of the day. I told my co-surfers that I wanted to catch one more good wave before calling it a day. It ended up taking quite a bit longer than I thought that it would but the view was amazing! I have seen pictures and paintings and I have seen some unreal clips in surf movies, but it takes on a whole new meaning when you see it in person. My first thought was, I wish I had my camera. My second thought was, why not just take a mental picture? Mental pictures allow an element of creativity and imagination that cannot be matched by any of the special features included on top priced cameras. I was living a dream and enjoying every minute of it, so much that I kind of forgot about the other group members sitting on the beach waiting for me. It wasn’t until later that I realized that everyone was not having as much fun as I was, they were actually eager to get back to the campsite before it got too dark, which is exactly what happened. But it was not an experience that I will forget anytime soon and it was definitely worth it J. One of the reasons why I love surfing as much as I do is that it is not just about the waves. The environment plays such a large role in the enjoyment of the sport, that you can have an unbelievable time even if the waves are not going off and providing the rides that change lives. Surfing is more than a physical experience, it includes an element of spirituality that is not common in the world of sports, an element that can create memories that stick with you for years to come. 

Day 3 – Splitting for the Coast

So day three of the trip, we started off the day with a bit of a lazy morning. Camp-fire cooked bacon, eggs, and hash browns for breakfast followed by some lazy time soaking up some sun down by the river. While sunning ourselves down by the water we came upon the same idea that most people do, at least once, in their lifetime....we need to buy a bar!! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dsjWRinnVs) But instead of buying a bar, we came up with ideas on how we would start our own growler fill-up station. From that point on ideas were cascading down, out of our minds, like Niagara Falls. Some good, some bad but most were great and some were awesome! Add it to the checklist of things to do. This blog is named “Living your Dream, whatever it might be!” and if you want to own a growler fill up station I don’t see any reason why not! Keep a look out for us. I will not go into any more detail about it because our business name and our business plan are epic and they will be released when the time is right *wink wink.

Once we were able to come back to reality after spending some time on Fantasy Island (http://www.moviefanatic.com/quotes/are-you-seeing-planes-is-your-name-tattoo-because-i-swear-to-go/), living our lives as the World’s Greatest Growler Fill-up Station Owners, it was time to pack up and head out....we had missed out check out time anyway...good reason to leave I think.

Our next stop was the Oregon Coast, to do some surfing! Or at least go out into the water with a board and pretend to be surfing. Once in the car we solicited the knowledge of our trustee GPS to tell us where to go next. Once our plan was brought to life right before our eyes, as the GPS systems are renown for doing, we realized that in looking for a campsite the day before we ended up doing a big circle and somehow ending up further away from the coast then we had while doing our time in Portland. Not ideal, in the day-to-day definition of the word, but we would not have had the great day we had the day before if we had not ventured in that direction. Once we had regained our bearings we headed due west for the next leg of our journey.

The temperature dropped significantly as we approached the coast. It was not unexpected as I had heard time and time again that it is windy and cold. I have known of two people who have lost tents to the strong winds of Cannon Beach and we didn’t expect much different at Beverly Beach, just a bit south from there. The drive along the coast was beautiful. Oregon, in my opinion, is just bursting with character and the coastal cities spoke true to that opinion. All sorts of eye-catching signs to reel in the tourist, not necessarily my kind of thing (let’s be honest, thoughts of surfing took up the majority of my brain, leaving little room for anything else) but I can see the draw. The weather was clear and the view was one to be remembered. I could feel the excitement start to build. It had been almost a full year since the last time I was surfing, far too long and I was jonesing to get out there and shred! I could see the waves breaking onto the beach to our right, as we turned left into our campsite, our home for the next couple of days.

After having the air-conditioning blasting most of the trip it was a bit of a surprise to leave the car and feel colder than we had in the car. We went from cooling ourselves with icy pints of beer, to warming ourselves with a lunch of wonton soup. Word to the wise, as quick and easy as it is to make the wonton soup from Trader Joe’s, remember to add water...the only instruction other than to heat it up. Though it was palatable on its own, one cannot stray from the thought of how much better it would have been if made correctly. Much little Peter Griffin who had thought dogs laid eggs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7obgSCc7zC0), we learned something today J.

Following our warm lunch, we bundled up (sunny but the wind cooled you down quick) and headed to the beach on foot. This was a nice feature for us since most surf trips rely on us to drive to the specific area of the coast that is conducive to surfing. This also limits one of us in our ability to join in on the beer consumption that goes hand-in-hand with surfing. Not that I support excessive drinking before swimming out into the ocean, I do not, because that would be irresponsible. Irresponsible not only for me to suggest such a thing, but irresponsible for anyone that thought that was a good recommendation. Everything in moderation J. But it is nice to indulge without the worry of having to drive home. Walking to the beach does come with a cost though. It is never a short walk no matter what it may look like. But we are young fit people so we do not complain...much. Our surfboards are light, which is good, but they are also easily victimized by the wind, which is not. However, when the sun is shining, you have a cooler full of good food and drinks and you are on vacation, any small convenience is easily forgotten. How aggravated could someone be when they are going surfing! Wooohoooo!!

The biggest issue I face when surfing is finding the best place to do it. It’s one thing to do your research and seek out the right spot before you leave but you can get confused and disoriented quite quickly when you are the only one out in the water. Am I in the right place? Why is there no one else out here? Is it because the conditions are bad today? Is it because the conditions are bad always? Is it even safe to surf here? Are their sharks? Is this where the Ogopogo spends his vacation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogopogo)? All these things shoot through you mind all at once. How do I cope? Well I follow the “just surf” rule. The rule is that if you are at the beach and you see waves breaking, than just surf. Doesn’t really matter if the waves are big or small, choppy or clean, consistent or sporadic, just surf. In following this rule I have made the best of some not so ideal surfing conditions. When you travel hundreds of miles to ride the waves you are going to give it a shot even if you’re the only one out there. You don’t have the luxury to wait for a better day.

Did I catch any great big waves? No, not really. Did I have the ride of my life? No, far from it. Did I enjoy the absolute hell out of the day? You’re damn right I did. The ocean is my “happy place.” Sure I don’t have girls walking around in lingerie holding pitchers of beer, or grandmas hitting the jackpot on slot machines, like Happy Gilmore (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9z5qpyxRR-A), but it does the trick. Shannon and I had a great time sipping some ice cold beer, getting some sun color and enjoying life.

As the day light started to dissipate, or hunger did the opposite, so we decided to head back to camp for a candle light dinner of lamb meatballs and pasta with truffle sauce.....and of course some wine. Another tips for shopping at Trader Joe’s, be portion aware. If you have a healthy post-surf appetite, like myself, one bag of pasta for two people is just not enough. Delicious, yes, but not large enough to satisfy my calorie replenishment needs.

So after a long day or driving, surfing, and fun it was time to build us a nice big fire and relax our way through the rest of the evening. The big fat fire was a must because unlike our last campsite we needed it for the heat and not just the ambiance. So once we had it going well enough to keep us nice and toasty, we just sat back and enjoyed a couple choice beverages and some qualities tunes.....and a little bit of drama from our camping neighbors.

When our neighbors arrived there was one woman that, no sooner had they arrived and started setting up camp, started asking where her medication was, and why she didn’t have a glass of wine in her hand. Fast-forward several hours and I can only imagine several more glasses of wine to occupy her time, she says something that upsets her daughter, causing the daughter to retreat to the hammock for a good cry. The dad comes over to try and settle things, and he seems to be doing a descent job, up until the mom stumbles over and tries to slur her way through an explanation. In the process she becomes wise to the fact that it was not just something she had said to her daughter, but it also included a comment made by a young boy that was amongst the group of campers. So she drags this kid over saying “don’t worry you’re not in trouble, we just want to know what you said.” He, wisely, is hesitant knowing the chances are slim that if he admits what he said to hurt the daughters feeling, he most likely will get in trouble despite her assurances to the contrary. As entertaining as it was, my synopsis of the situation was that the boy was cruel, saying what he did, the mom made things worse with what she had said, and the girl was right to be upset. Kids will be kids, and unfortunately that means they are inappropriate from time to time. It’s not an excuse but it is more or less expected. But adults should not being getting loaded in situations where they are interacting with kids. Kids do not need to be witness to their parents being incoherently drunk. How can you respect them the next day when they act like everything is ok because they don’t remember anything from the night before? Adults at least understand why this would be the case, kids, I imagine, would just be confused.

It was an interesting end to an interesting and fun day! First day on the Oregon coast gets an 11/10!!