Hey, don't lump us SF Bay Area dwellers in with your lot down in SoCal.
As far as where this state is headed, I completely agree with you. I make a decent income, but I can't even think of buying a house anytime soon. A 1 bedroom, 1 bath home down the street from where I rent is going for -- get this -- $460k!! Unfriggin' believeable. And someone will buy it.
I've seen a lot of the western half of the country in the past 5 - 6 years. My favorites areas so far are listed below:
Coastal Oregon -- absolutely beautiful
Southern Utah -- Zion Nat'l Park (nuff said)
Western Wyoming -- Grand Tetons and Yellowstone
Nothern Idaho -- green everywhere
Washington -- practically the whole state
