My California Exodus; Finding the Amazing Wilderness

The wildfires of California are pretty much the burning bush of the California Exodus. Just like Moses jumping out of Egypt, the California Exodus is real, happening now, and I am more than happy to have been part of it. This is HOW and WHY I kicked off my exodus.

Tired of Walking the Fine Line

So, this is the beginning of my decision to move from California to pretty much ANY other state in the United States of America that still believed the government is by the people and for the people. There’s no arguing or debate at this point that the California legislature and governor are fond of overstepping their bounds and legal limits. I got first-hand knowledge as a cop, as an individual, and as a business owner of how true this is.

After the death of my sister-in-law in a car accident, it became clear that staying in California was a waste of time. And thus, I became a solid part of the California Exodus. It didn’t feel bad to be part of the large number of people moving away, with the exception of missing the land itself. There’s a lot to like in California. That said, freedom is far more of a priority to us than sites we used to see, like on our trip to the Trona Pinnacles.

It’s important to understand that the decision to leave California is not one caused by disliking a single political party. People leave because of the astronomical income tax, high cost of living and high cost of daily life that leaves the middle class wondering what happened to the American Dream. And it’s not just the tax rate or high taxes in general that southern California brings on.

There’s the obvious mentality that basic criminal behavior should be seen as a byproduct of a “poor criminal’s lot in life,” as opposed to an injustice acted out upon an undeserving individual. Politicians incentivize such behavior by offering ‘free stuff’ to those who do wrong. That is something I didn’t want to support, and truly did not want my children to be anywhere near. I still can’t understand how this sort of political rhetoric was allowed to go on for so long.

How I began my California Exodus; Finding New Lands

The first thing Chelsea and I looked for were the best states to live in as a family and small business. Nevada, Wyoming, Texas, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon hit the top six on our lists, and then we threw on my additional filter: the pro-2nd Amendment test. With that consideration, Washington and Oregon both fell off due to things I knew as a cop, and recent legislative grumblings in those two states.

Finally, we examined each state with respect to their ability to provide the boys a strong future in hunting, hiking, and other outdoor activities. That left us with Wyoming and Idaho. The final tests fell to Chelsea and her desire to seek an area with strong medical facilities, and a community focused on parents’ rights to educate their own children.

So, Idaho it is FAM

And just like that, we set our sights on Idaho. Chelsea scoured the internet for land that we could set a mailbox on and later build a home. After a competitive search, she found three acres of land right next to a lake with tons of building potential. Not only that, but no one could build next to us and there was only one existing neighbor already on the other side.

Californians Moving

We packed our things and headed North. Our last route was a scenic one , shooting up through Northern California and the San Francisco bay area to say goodbye to Chelsea’s dad. We passed by Mount Shasta and finally away from the golden state and into the land of freedom.

It felt strange knowing we were hauling what would be our house for the next undetermined amount of time.

Cleaning off the Southern California

We got to our new property, and Chelsea finally got to see the abandoned and dilapidated building on the land we’d bought. Ironically, being part of the California Exodus didn’t spare us from some of the bad things we’d experienced in California. The building was absolutely covered in graffiti ,and Chelsea slathered 15 gallons of Behr paint on the thing to cover it up.

A Refreshing New Start

Shortly after arriving in the Treasure Valley area of Idaho and setting up shop, I set out to find the perfect kickoff to our new lives. Fortunately, the search was not difficult! We set our sights on Hell’s Canyon and America’s Rafting Company. Like Moses walking through the parted waters of the Red Sea, we knew our experience in these cool waters would help us leave our oppressive pharaohs behind.

Oh, and we caught a lot of fish which was pretty fun too!