This is all very helpful - thanks. And on re-reading my first post I do sound like a ignorant Brit!! In partial defence, I guess that over here we see enough of the really big cities in the U.S. to make some kind of judgement (even if it's selective), but a town of this size doesn't register overseas in any kind of detail.

My cousin isn't very outdoorsy - yet. Part of the appeal of this job is that he wants to 'branch out' in that direction.