“Go West Young Man!”
And so it began. John Soule (not Horace Greeley) can be blamed for publicizing the westward expansion of America back in 1851. Of course, had he lived anywhere along the Pacific back then, he probably would have thought otherwise, and instead told people to stay put. Why? Because just like those of us who tell everyone it rains all the time here in Seattle (it does by the way) the West has a certain draw that many find irresistible. You visit once or twice and soon all sorts of excuses sprout up for why you need to move west.
Fortunately, most of these early travelers would visit the Pacific Northwest, live through a couple unbearable winters, and leave. OK, so not everyone left, and as anyone who lives in the cities of Portland, Seattle or Vancouver, BC, can attest to, the PNW, for many reasons, is the place to be. Have I ever mentioned epic mountain biking and bike touring, a lifetime of sea kayaking trips, and a deep deep snow pack that provides year-round backcountry skiing? The cities are great too 
There is one activity that I often leave out mostly because well, I don’t partake in it much. But my wife does. Matter of fact she is pretty obsessive about it (I mean this in a very good way of course!), something I would come to terms with (I mean appreciate) when we lived in Seaside, Oregon, a couple years ago: surfing. Admittedly though, I’ve come to respect the thousands of surf bums venturing the coasts for that perfect wave. They’re really not much different from your average ski bum: always obsessing over weather reports, what the wind is doing, should I buy a new board, etc etc etc. And, after finally really “dropping in” to a wave earlier this summer, I have to say, it’s pretty damn fun…and addicting. As we often say at the end of a ski day, “just one more wave.”
Little did Lewis and Clark realize they would set up fort just miles north of the one of the best (when conditions are right) ‘lefts’ in the country, “The Point” in Seaside. Way above our skill level though, Jeannine and I typically head south of the upscale sea-side town of Cannon Beach to Oswald West State Park, as we did this past weekend, a beautiful beach enclosed by crumbling cliffs and towering old growth forests. Adding to the appeal of the area is a very fun, albeit short, classic Oregon mountain bike ride that hugs the cliffs north of the beach (on what I now realize was the Oregon Coast Trail.) Unfortunately, as a not-so-friendly ranger would inform me later in the day, the trail isn’t open to bikes, despite not a single sign indicating otherwise. Not a bad day when you can surf in the morning, hop on the mountain bike and return for sunset session. Just another day in the Northwest.
And maybe we should thank Lewis…
“The Coast…is slipping from the Sides of the high hills, in emence masses; fifty or a hundred acres at a time give way and a great proportion of an instant precipitated into the Ocean. those hills and mountains are principally composed of a yellow Clay; their Slipping off or Spliting assunder…is no doubt Caused by the incessant rains…”
Photographs coming shortly…
No related posts.
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
About
Award-winning adventure photographer Ian Mackie moved to the Pacific Northwest 10 years ago, leaving behind the suburbs of Massachusetts in search of higher mountains, desolate trails and deeper snow.
Stay Connected
Design by Graph Paper Press. All content © 2012 by Mackie Images