How to Pack for a Beach Trip in the Pacific Northwest

Tomorrow I leave for four lazy, relaxing days in Seaside, so tonight I'm packing. Well, at the moment I'm procrastinating writing, but I'll be packing shortly. Because I prefer wasting time writing to packing, I'll explain to my California friends--and anyone else who lives where beaches are warm and sunny as God intended--how a Northwesterner packs for a trip to the coast. Here's what most of the world packs when going to the beach:

• shorts
  
• tank tops
  
• sunglasses
  
• swimwear
  
• flip-flops
  
• sunscreen
  
• a light jacket for chilly evenings
  
• boogie board or other fun thing to use in the water
  

Now, here's what we Northwesterners take:

• jeans
  
• long-sleeved t-shirts
  
• sweatshirts
  
• rain gear
  
• hiking boots
  
• movies, books, or other indoor activities to keep us busy till the rain lets up and the wind drops below 60 mph
  

The fact that I'm taking sunglasses, a swimsuit, sunscreen, and flip-flops can only be explained by one (or both) of the following:

• Old habits die hard (I'm a native Californian)
  
• The triumph of hope over experience
  

See y'all next week.