Hey, we left SoCal in 1996 too - from Carlsbad. Only thing I miss is the ocean....
I really appreciate your posts; me and my brother & sister-in-law want to leave California - he lived in a Southern state for 4 years and absolutely loved it & plans to return. I was up at a mountain lake yesterday; at Muir beach two weekends ago... LOVE this state but need to live/survive around some reality-based sane people w/out the 10%+ state income tax & have the freedom to defend my own home w/out fear of losing my 2A & just all the other insanity...