I second AKSAR's practice of wearing shorts when hiking in the rain. Skin dries much faster than any fabric. It is a really good idea to have some dry items reserved for camp. Just let wet gear stay wet for the duration.
This thread has new found relevance for me. I will be spending a week on Santa Rosa Island, and there is significant rain in the forecast. Looks like the "Wet Coast" will include SoCal finally (Thank heaven!)
As an alternative to hiking in shorts, some people like to wear tights. As hikermor says, just let the wet gear stay wet. Rig that small tarp above your tent entrance, and there out of the rain you can change into dry clothes (which have been kept safe in a dry bag) before entering your tent.
One aspect of NW coastal forests I forgot to mention is that even in heavy rains, one can often find dry spots under the big conifers. These are good places to stop out of the rain to take a break, brew up some tea, have lunch, etc. This may not be an option for hikermor in SoCal however, with the meager shrubs they call "trees" down there.
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