California is a weird state. Even though we have these pockets of high affluence, high technology, big cities, etc. The majority of the state is not these cities. If you aren't from California, you fail to realize how massive this state is, just like I failed to realize how tiny East coast States are. It takes the same amount of time to drive from San Diego to San Francisco as it does from like New Jersey to Raleigh, Durham. For the same reasons, state election results surprise me each year.
Dated a girl from Sarajevo. Once a year, her family would pack the car, get the munchies, and settle in for the long, long drive to Dubrovnik. Three and a half hours. I drove twice that far to see Jesus Jones. Hell, I drove to Vegas for lunch a couple years back.