The Nehalem Experience (Part 1) Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Camping gear sits outside Ben Cyphery's car Apr. 18, waiting to be loaded for a trip to Nehalem Bay State Park.

Every year, a group of my friends celebrates Joe Mitchoff's birthday by camping at Nehalem Bay State Park. The park is on the Oregon coast by Manzanita, about two hours' drive from Portland. After missing the chance to join them the last couple of years, I finally got to go last weekend.

It's pretty cushy camping, really—yurts with beds, lights, and heat; a group meeting hall with more of the same (no beds); hot showers and flush toilets. But this year, at least, we were all glad for the comforts because the weather was awful.

Ben and Todd take in Cannon Beach from a highway lookout en route to Nehalem Bay State Park.

As we drove out to the coast, there was snow in the air over the David Douglas Summit (about 1600 feet). Saturday—on the coast—was marked at various times by mist, rain, snow, thunder, graupel, wind, and a couple of brief sunny breaks. Sunday morning was sunny but cold, and it rained again later in the day. The temperature never got above 50F.

I rode out there with Ben and Todd. We arrived at about 6:30, with just enough time for a quick beer before heading into Manzanita for pizza.