[Zeke]

Every pine and redwood looks like the last one. Every town built for the gold rush of the logging industry looks like the last one. Big Sur is a one and done deal just like most other things. Even Lake Tahoe and I've been there several times. Fortunately most of those time were long ago when the lake area was pristine and not overrun with commercialism.

Hard to find non tourist areas unless you are in poor country. We have a lot of trailer park type communities. By that I mean most of the houses aren't as nice as a good trailer home. Every desert community is a drug fest wasteland. That is unless it is inside a national park.

The Colorado River scene is namely a 24/7 drunk. Fun when young. Fun 40 years ago and even then it was a 24/7 drunk, just better drunks. Until you get way the hell up the Kern River, it's just like the Colorado River.

The wine country is nice as is a lot of the middle coast as long as 100 dollar bills are plentiful in your wallet. Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm were great in the 60's. Now they are a pricey zoo.

Not to say there aren't pockets of paradise in CA. There are many. If you don't know, you need a guide. I've been up and down the state many, many times. I was in San Francisco for 2 months working. I saw the belly before the whole city was the belly. It was pretty cool. I was in Haight-Ashbury in the late '60's. That ought to tell you I've been around.

Just missed a bunch doing all that I did.