well if you could find it on google you could see a cached version of your page and get it that way

that's the route I go if I need the last version of a page and I mess it up and such

I pretty much restored it, but I'd still like to know how I find a cached version.

Suzy just told you. If Google hasn't cached your site then you are unlucky.

It is your responsibility to back up your own files.