Cannabis Season – Week 15

I will be continuing my Dispensary Tour north and east of the Willamette River.  Here is how I walked 42.4 miles from Sunday July 16 through Saturday, July 22.  This is after the most recent update to the prosthetic in my right shoe, and is definitely more like the weekly distance I remember from last year.

Sunday, 7/16/17, 9.0 miles. Just as yesterday, today is a beautiful day and I spend it wandering along the Eastbank Esplanade, Steel Bridge, Willamette River Greenway Trail, Waterfront Park Trail, and Poet’s Beach, the pedestrian walkway along the Willamette River.  My foot feels great!

Monday, 7/17/17, 0.7 miles.   Stay home; be lazy; clean house.

Tuesday, 7/18/17, 10.0 miles.  Today I get off the bus at NE 15th at NE Prescott St and walk to

The Rose Bud Room, 2314 NE Alberta, which is now a pop-up store. Or at least what used to be a Medical Only dispensary.  When I created my spreadsheet of dispensaries I merged those on the OMMP list with those on the OLCC list.  Those that were only on the OMMP list are listed as ONLY in the Medical column.  This is the first of 5 of those that I hope to visit today.  One of the things I have been wondering about is the fate of Medical only dispensaries.

Medicated LLC, 5012 NE 28th Ave. This is the second OMMP dispensary on today’s wander that is no longer serving patients.

UPLIFT BOTANICALS – Today they have 21 chemovars, including 5 which are CBD heavy.  When asked to show me a sample or two of something that really stands out, the wonderfully knowledgeable and outgoing budtender (bad Ralph – you didn’t get her name – Bad Ralph!) did not hesitate to show me: a Cannananda cross of RugBurn OG with Chem Dawg @ 23.68% THC; Cannananda’s La Chocolate @ 19.15% THC; and Cannananda’s (do you discern a theme here?) Green Crack @ 19.29% THC, which has a wonderful terpene profile to me.  They offer half gram pre-rolls for $5 and only top shelf full gram pre-rolls at $13.  There is no customer restroom.

Emerald Leaf Institute, 3829 NE Columbia Blvd. (Photo of red tag “Final Notice” as well as photo of OMMP only notice) This is the third OMMP only dispensary to be shuttered in today’s wander.

Portland Health Center Inc.  (Pür roots), 5816 NE Portland Hwy. (Photo of storefront and then of notices on door) This makes four of four OMMP only dispensaries on today’s wander that are closed to patients.  Apparently this one was open for a time after January 1, but not today.

ATTIS TRADING COMPANY – (Photo of shingle style sign in neighborhood – so neat) Today they have 42 chemovars on the shelf, quite a few relative to most of the other dispensaries in this area. Among them are 45th Parallel’s Northern Wreck @ 28.23% THC and Hoodview’s Green Bastard (i.e. Bruce Banner) @ 24.3% THC.  They have Squib 100s at $13.50, the lowest price I have found in any of the dispensaries!  You can use credit or debit cards via Linx with a $3 per transaction fee.  They have many vape cartridge choices as well as many extract choices (including 10 different Clay Wolf choices!).  For $8.33 pre-tax you can pick up full gram pre-rolls.

GREEN OASIS NE – today they have 15 chemovars.  They offer $20 eighths, half gram pre-rolls at $6 (rec) and full gram pre-rolls at $10 and $12 (rec).  You can use the CannaPay system to purchase your product.  They have extracts from $20 for a half gram and $40 for a gram.

Cannacare Organics, LLC, 4605 NE Fremont St.  The decal on the window still displays RCW, but it has been closed for quite a while, according to the new owner who happened to be on-site today when I stopped by.  He is going to be relicensing the dispensary as a recreational shop and opening near the end of the month.  We shall see.

From the 4600 block of NE Fremont I walked down Fremont Street to Sandy, then up Sandy to Prescott, down Prescott to 112th and finished the 4 mile walk at Prism House for the Oregon Cannabis Industry Meetup (OCIM, pronounced “Oh see, I am”).  This is a fabulous meet-up for any and all folks involved in the cannabis industry, organized by the wonderfully phenomenal Samantha Montanaro.  Today we heard from Mary-Jane Brooks of Yerba Buena regarding “How to get a job in the Cannabis Industry”.

Wednesday, 7/19/17, 6.2miles.  Let’s visit 8 dispensaries starting by taking TriMet Bus #12 up Sandy to NE 67th and visit:

PANACEA – Today this dispensary has 24 chemovars including: Bull Run Craft Cannabis’ Silvertip @ 15.03% THC; Bull Run Craft Cannabis’ Grinspoon @ 14.18%; and Fire Flower’s Snow Leopard @ 32.5% THC.  They have some in-house created 0.5 gram pre-rolls @ $7.50 and full gram pre-rolls for $15.  They have quite a large selection of half and full gram vape cartridges including a lot of CBD heavy choices.  Wandering up Sandy a quarter of a mile brings me to

7126 NE Sandy LLC, 7126 NE Sandy (Bloom Garden Supply); I am not sure why this address is listed on the OMMP database, but it is a wonderful garden supply store.  Another quarter of a mile walk up Sandy takes me to

Roseway Organics, 7420 NE Sandy Blvd.  This property now houses a shuttered building and the Angry Unicorn food cart.  After a short pause under a tree in the back parking area, I wander down 74th to Fremont and down Fremont a half-a-mile or so to 82nd to visit

DOCTOR’S ORDERS – Today they have 35 chemovars on the shelf.  For OMMP patients they have only two pricing levels, $10 and $12 per gram.  When I asked Terrell to show me some of the best flower in the shop he didn’t hesitate to bring out Self Made Farms’ Silver Train @ 19.86% THC, followed by Bruce Banner #3 @ 25.75% THC from an unknown farm.  All of their in-house created pre-rolls are full gram, crutchless, and sell for $8 each (pre-tax) or 2 for $14.  They have Squib 100s for $18.  Terrell wants to be sure that I know about the 420 sale that occurs on the fourth and the twentieth of each month.  Leaving here I walk north a half-a-mile on 82nd to Sandy and then east another half mile to

AMERICANNA RX – Today they have a whopping 100 chemovars, including: 7 Points’ Voyager 1 @ 27.07% THC (3.89% CBD); Resin Ranchers’ Lemon Betty #3 @ 23.39% THC; and Dog House’s Star Killer @ 26% THC.  There are many pricing levels at this dispensary, including flower for OMMP cardholders that begins at $5 a gram ($81 an ounce).  They have 70 different extracts including: full gram Hush and Hood Oil at $20(pre-tax); full gram Dab Society at $35 (pre-tax); and Willamette Valley Alchemy at $32 (pre-tax).  From here I continue east on Sandy three-quarters of a mile to

LA MOTA – I am very happy to see that this small shop has survived the change to OLCC.  There is no longer a reception area; one simply walks in and up to the counter, like in a normal store.  Today they have 59 chemovars on the shelf including: Vagrant Hills’ Banana Dream @ 28.6% THC; 9lb Hammer (with sugar leafs) @ 19.47% THC and Willie Nelson @ 27.71% THC, neither one with a farm on the label.  They have 10 different pricing levels: $4, $5, $6, $7, $8, $10, $12, $14, $16, and $20!  This is the first time I have seen the FlavRx e-joint.  These are disposable 300mg oil vape pens that come in different flavors and different effects.  They have low prices on Hush ($18) and Dab Society ($20) extracts.  They pack their pre-rolls by hand every day and charge $8 or $11 or $14 each for a full gram ($5, $8, or $11 for medical patients).  A quarter mile walk east brings me to

DEANZ GREENZ – This dispensary has three pricing tiers: Premium, Top, and Mid.  They have many extracts priced to sell: Dab Society @ $29.17/$35; Hush @ $16.67/$20; Hood Oil @ $20.83/$25; Clay Wolf @ $33.33/$40; and half gram Original Extracts @ $16.67/$20.  They also have Squib 100s @ $20 and Kief for $20 a gram.  I found some “old-school” straight rolled joints; one made from 2.5 grams of flower, with a crutch, for $16/$20; and one with 1.5 grams of flower for $10/$12.  These are some massive party joints!  They do have clones for $16.67/$20 each.  From here it is another very short walk to

GreenBuds – This shop that I used to visit quite often last year has just reopened after making all the changes necessary to comply with the new requirements.  Today they have only 17 chemovars on the shelf.  They have four pricing tiers: $8.33/$10, $10/$12, $11.67/$14, and $13.33/$16.  We shall see how well they do over time.  Public transportation, shoe leather, and two hours are all that is needed to get my old self home.  I LOVE MY LIFE!

Thursday, 7/20/17, 7.4 miles.  Let’s visit 8 more dispensaries today by taking TriMet Bus #87 from the Gateway Transit Center to NE 105th @ NE Simpson and entering:

PLANE JANE’S – Today they have 28 chemovars spread over 5 pricing tiers: 8 in the VIP tier ($15/$18); 8 more in the 1st Class tier ($12/$14.40); 7 chemovars in the Business tier ($10/$12); only 2 in the Coach tier ($8/$9.60); and finally 3 chemovars in the Economy tier ($6/$7.20).  One of the things that I like to ask the folks behind the counter is about the clientele.  “From the airport we are the first dispensary that comes up when you do a search, so we get a lot of tourists” says the budtender.  They sell a lot of flower and pre-rolls, but not a lot of extract.  “Folks know to go across the line to Washington.  Their extract prices are lower.”  They do offer clones; today they are offering Durban Poison, Blue Widow, and Crockets Conf. at $30 each.  They also offer vape cartridges and edibles.  From here I walked north and east 1.5 miles to

SHANGO – I simply love the fact that this dispensary sits as a normal business in a relative new (or newly updated) neighborhood strip mall.  Today they have only 13 chemovars on the shelf, including Grimace OG (21.98% THCC) and Mango Kush (25.78%) both from Private Reserve.  They offer half gram pre-rolls for $6 and full gram pre-rolls for $10.  They offer Squib 100s for $21.  They have a very nice selection of flower; what they lack in numbers they easily make up in great quality!  From here it is another 1.3 miles east to

CHALICE – If you remember my visit to the Chalice in Tigard, they have a 2 gram minimum on flower purchases, and all of their flower is prepackaged.  For me, it doesn’t smell like an Oregon cannabis dispensary since it doesn’t smell of cannabis flower, but don’t let this keep you away.  Some of the wonderful items I find here today include: Ten Four Farms’ Platinum GSC (18.68% THC); Sirius Flower Farms’ Sirius Black (14.22% THC); Clay Wolf Extracts’ half gram Live Resin or full gram Crumble @ $38.  They have Squib 100s for $21.  From here it is a 1.25 mile wander past Costco back to Sandy and to

Ascend Dispensary – (Photo of front entrance) Located in the Sandy Plaza, this dispensary has 29 chemovars on the shelf sold in three tiers: top, mid, and budget.  They offer specials on flower within each tier, as well as they try to always have $15 eighths available for their customers.  They offer full gram pre-rolls for $5 and $8.  Today they have some clones for sale @ $20 each, $15 on Thursday. They have a restroom in the reception area for their customers.

Rose Plaza LLC, 13810 NE Sandy Blvd Ste #13836.  This is an entry with an address very similar to that for Ascend Dispensary, but is listed separately in the state’s databases.  From the Sandy Plaza it is just under a mile along Sandy and up 148th to

CANNASOURCE – This well-hidden dispensary utilizes a sign flipper on Sandy to direct folks up 148th.  They have a restroom in the reception area for customers.  Today there are 24 chemovars on the shelf.  They offer an app at Google Play as well as the Apple App Store to check out their dispensary.  Their flower prices range from $5.50 per gram up to $14 per gram, and they offer half gram pre-rolls for $6 and full gram pre-rolls for $12.  This is a nice neighborhood shop for folks in this area.  From here it is another mile back to and down Sandy to

NATURE’S ALTERNATIVE, INC. – (2 photos of building from Sandy) Behind Grant’s Philly Cheesesteak diner is this very unassuming two story building.  Today they have 21 chemovars on the shelf and have 5 pricing tiers: $5, $8, $9, $10, $12 per gram.  As usual, I asked to be shown samples of what the budtender considers to be the shop’s most interesting buds.  The first sample presented to me is Grizzly Farm’s Bruce Banner #3 @ 28.88% THC.  In my dispensary visits I see a lot of flower, not as much as a few other folks, but a lot relative to what a normal cannabis consumer sees in a day.  And I look at all of these buds using a jeweler’s loupe.  I can say that this bud from this farm is spectacular!  The trichomes are so wonderfully milky.  The next sample is Token Farms’ Purple Kush @ 15.21% THC.  A second farm I have never heard of before with one of the most wonderful buds I have seen!  This dispensary is so fortunate to have found these products.  Good work, everyone!  From here, I take TriMet’s bus line #21 to Halsey @ 238th to visit

NW COMPASSION MEDICAL CENTER – This dispensary in Wood Village is the furthest east that I can get to by using the TriMet system and my feet and is definitely worth the visit.  It is not very large but is packed wall to wall with product.  Today they have 150 chemovars on the shelf.  150!  I don’t recall ever having seen this many in one dispensary.  The shelves are also packed with many different vape cartridges and pre-rolls for their customers.  They also do a large business in CBD products.  Next door is Fabulicious Cupcakes, so you can pick up flower and sweets all in one stop.  At 7:08 I leave Wood Village and, using public transportation and my feet, I get home at 9:09.  I LOVE MY LIFE!

Friday, 7/21/17, 8.9 miles.  And we will make it another 8 dispensaries today by taking either the Red or Blue TriMet train to the Ruby Junction/E 197th Ave station and walking less than half a mile to:

The Joint (RIPPED CITY DISPENSARY) – This dispensary has been open 6 months, and today they have 10 chemovars on the shelf, including some fine specimens from Yerba Buena.  There are five pricing tiers: $10, $11, $12, $14, and $15 per gram.  They offer pre-rolls from $6 to $12 each.  The staff consider this to be a neighborhood dispensary with many repeat customers.  Less than a mile wander down Burnside brings me to

NECTAR – Since OLCC changed the regulations, they no longer utilize a reception area in any of their dispensaries I have visited.  Within the large main room of the dispensary there is a queue area where customers form into a line behind a velvet rope.  Nectar dispensaries do not smell of cannabis since all of their product arrives pre-packed. (Well, maybe not exactly all, but close enough for me and my nose.)  The company keeps all of its dispensaries stocked with close to 100 chemovars; I have never seen one of their dispensaries shy on choices.  Walking a bit more than a mile further down Burnside brings me to

CANNABIS NATION – (Photo of front entrance) Today they have 22 chemovars; 17 of them in their top pricing tier ($12/$15 per gram) and the other 5 in their 2nd tier ($10/$12.50 per gram).  The dispensary has sniff jars on display tables so customers can judge the daily choices before queueing at a “Line Starts Here” area.  They have 12 samples of shatter, many choices in vape cartridges, and some edible choices.  They create monster 7-gram pre-rolls from some of their flower ($45/$50) as well as 0.7 gram pre-rolls for $6/$8 each (one gram total weight with flower, crutch, and paper).  From here it is half a mile to the Gresham Central Transit Center to catch the bus to

Nectar Markets LLC, 6928 SE 282nd Ave.  Another old, out-of-date listing in the OMMP database.  Google Maps shows me that this building was a John Deere dealer in 2011, but was vacant last year in February, and is vacant today.  Since it is going to be a while until the next bus comes along, I walk up 282nd and Powell Valley, 2.6 miles, and catch the bus going west down Division to visit

CANNA-DADDY’S – Today I find 83 chemovars spread over 5 pricing tiers including: 10 @ $15/$18 per gram (Connoisseur); 20 @ $12/$35 (Primo); 23 @ $10/$30 (Top); 20 @ $8/$25 (Mid); and 10 chemovars @ $6-$7/$20-$22 (Bottom shelf).  They have clones available from $20/$24.  The display shelves are loaded with dozens of extract choices as well as numerous edible choices.  They have a huge number of pre-rolls, ranging in price from $3/$3.60 for a half-gram selection up to $12/$14.40 for a full gram.  This is a flow-through dispensary with a large reception area, customer restrooms next to the dispensary’s exit door, and an exit hallway with doors to the front and rear parking areas.  From here it is less than half-a-mile west on Division to

BUDLANDIA – Today there are 26 chemovars on the shelf spread over 5 pricing tiers.  I was shown Eugenius’ Blackberry Kush @ 22.48% THC as well as Sasquatch Valley Farms’ Super Sour Diesel @ 19.75% THC.  Both are really nice looking flowers.  They offer Squib 100s @ $20 and Hush extracts for $30.  They offer some in-house pre-rolls.  It is another half-a-mile on Division to

LOCAL HERB – This dispensary sits at the end of the parking area of the Lynch Professional Plaza and has its sign, of course, included in the Plaza’s main sign on Division.  Today they have 24 chemovars on the shelf as well as 12 extracts.  This dispensary, on this particular day, has more selections with THC at-or-over 30% than I have found in one place.  Today they have four such selections: Big Black Cherry (30.72%); Holy Grail Kush (30.80%); Mango (31.8%); and Voyager 1 (30.72%)!  There are quite a number of extract and concentrate choices, as well as many edibles.  They offer Squib 100s for $16.  They offer their own in-house created pre-rolls from $5.  From here it is a mile or so down 162nd to Powell Blvd and

EXODUS WELLNESS CENTER – This dispensary has quite a social component, which is why they include “& Social Club” as part of their name.  The interior of the dispensary has two regular sized picnic tables positioned in front of the video screen where they “host every major sporting event and almost all UFC fights that air” according to their website.  Today they presented four samples for my nose and loupe: Pistil Point’s Gorilla Glue #4 (28.83% THC); Terra Canna Farms’ Pezz (21.49% THC); Kanji Inc.’s Blue Magoo (28.55% THC) and Kanji Inc.’s LA Cheese (27.36% THC).  There are a decent number of extract and edible choices, including Squib 100s for $18.  From here the TriMet line #4 or #9 takes me to downtown where I catch the MAX and head home.

Saturday 7/22/17, 0.2 miles.  Today I rest my aching foot and see if a day off can quell the muscle cramps in my legs and feet.  BBC America is running “Christmas in July” (all eleven of the Christmas episodes of Doctor Who, from 2006 through 2016), and the expected high temperature will be around 90° so I will stay home with Flo.