Actually, you'd be surprised how some of those overcast days lead to very bright scenes. I'm just south of you in Oregon, and shoot some of the same conditions.

If you haven't already done so, go out and handle the cameras you're considering. If you are going to shoot action, you won't have much time to set your shots up. So you'll want a camera that seems intuitive. When you handle the cameras, check out the location of the buttons and switches. Try to find the one that makes the most logical sense to you. Nikon and Canon have different setups, and they're both good systems. The layout was my biggest deciding factor in going with Canon.

- Joe U.