I never lived in Commiefornia, but I visited with my children, to go to DisneyLand and Knotts Berry Farm, a few times... That was enough for me.... Now, I drive thru as fast as the speed limit will allow, on my way Elsewhere...
I left the Napa valley in 86....visited a couple of times on leave (last was in 89 I think)...then never returned.
When I was a kid, I didn't mind living in California. We lived in the Palmdale/Lancaster area. Then moved to Siskiyou county where we stayed until my early teens, then to Yolo county for a year and a half, then to Seattle area for a few years, now we're in Klamath county, and I think Oregon is where we will stay. Mainly because I don't want the hassle of moving again.
California gets a bad rap mainly due to it's urban populations. When you get out into the rural areas they are very down to earth regular folks. Mostly farm stock. I lived in Palmdale for a short time also then to Los Alamos, Santa Maria, then to Bakersfield and then up into the mountains to Kernville. Lots of good folks there, unfortunately they are outnumbered by the loonies. I knew a guy who lived up in the mountains. His place was so far back in the boonies that he had to use his old 4x4 to get to where he docked his canoe, paddle up river to where he left his mule then pack in another hour to his homestead. A lot of survivalist, prepper types around those parts.
