In the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas, right next to Grass Valley and just off of I-20, is the little town of Rough and Ready, population: 936. A quirky, beautiful place, and a town after my own heart. With an interesting story (it was its own Republic for a bit) and great golden light, I try to come back to it every chance I get.
The first established settlement in Rough and Ready was made in the fall of 1849 by a mining company from Wisconsin, known as the Rough and Ready Company, during the California Gold Rush. Their leader, Captain A. A. Townsend, named the company after General Zachary Taylor (nicknamed "Old Rough and Ready") who had recently been elected the 12th President of the United States. (via Wikipedia)