About Sacramento (Placerville, Shasta Lake, Nevada City: agricultural, smog, pine)

[straats]

Sacramento is the government center of California, with lots of government jobs due to being the capitol of the State.

Surrounding counties have all kinds of different flavors, depending on what you like. To the south, there are lots of farm communities, some small and rural and some larger and more cosmopolitan.

To the North, there are more and more hills and finally a mountain pass to get over on the way to Oregon. As you go further north, you switch from flat agricultural communities to more oak studded hills, and finally forested pine with more rain and water in various ways. Shasta Lake and Mt. Shasta are a couple of examples in the northern part of California.

To the East, you can go from flat land to hills and then mountains with snow. Each county to the East has this dynamic and each has it's own flavor and appeal. If you are into New Age, Nevada City in Nevada County has that flavor. If you are into Conservative Cowboy type of terrain, try El Dorado County and Placerville.

Both of these towns are below the snow for the most part but above the valley fog and smog.

[moderator CUT]