My hometown was around 5,000 inhabitants in n. California, in a valley surrounded by open space (oak, pine, and fir forests) and hills. I was used to seeing the open space and did enjoy the beauty of it. To me that's what the world looked like (not homes as far as the eye could see). We didn't have a family culture of hiking or backpacking, but we did camp out at Lassen once when I was small, which I really enjoyed, and spent a couple weeks in a cabin at Donner Lake where according to my sister we walked on trails with Dad, though I have no recollection of that. I did play outdoors and loved exploring, especially around the creeks near my house. I had cousins I would stay with on their ranch each summer, and experienced that life too. My high school band teacher had been a backpacker since the 1930's, and he was probably my inspiration for backpacking though I didn't actually do it for another 15 years after high school (did do dayhiking once I left home, though). When I went off to college I ended up in the SF East Bay area, where I still live, so I am comfortable in rural and city both.