I grew up in San Diego (many people's idea of paradise), stayed there through my 40's in a variety of locale's from 'the hood' where I was born to the upscale coast, then moved to the Caribbean for a year and a half before returning to the US here in Phoenix. I've travelled extensively, spending a lot of business time in both the SF Bay area and Boston, among other areas. Only a bit of NYC, and just a touch of England, Europe, and Asia. Been a lot of places vacationing as well. The crowding in some areas of SoCal, and the percentage of your income/assets required for your home are the only turn-offs for me. Culturally, it is a diverse mix, and as has been said, you find the culture which suits you. There is an attitude in some areas that can be a burden for many people, but that is true of all places. Here in AZ, it's the gun-toting, "I don't care what makes sense or what the country thinks, I don't want MLK day" attitude that can drive me batty. But you end up hanging with folks that share your perspective, no matter where you choose to live. I miss being close to the ocean, but other than that, I prefer AZ now. The riding is great, and it's just in general a fun place to live. It's also easier to avoid the crowds, though they most certainly do exist. No matter where I live, I try really hard to ensure I don't have an abusive commute. My new gig is 5.5 miles from home, and there are three turns and the traffic isn't an issue. I enjoy it here, and now that I've acclimated to an extent I never would have thought possible, I prefer the lack of humidity. I now feel 'sticky' when in CA, whereas I used to miss the marine layer anytime I was away from it. We humans are pretty adaptable.

The racing differs between AZ and CA, for sure. CA fields are much more crowded: tactics and norms have evolved based on that. A lot happens that would not be considered appropo here, as the less crowded AZ fields have evolved different norms. It becomes a "when in Rome" sort of thing, and again, it's whatever you prefer. Personally, I'm trying to race enough in SoCal to adapt to both sets of racing 'memes'.