After a really great trip in September of 2015, it was time to return to Colorado. Our plan for this trip is a little more adventuresome as we will be adding a new destination, Colorado Springs, and visiting Boulder and Denver as we did the first time.
Once again Eddie and Wifey are blessed with good flying weather. Not a cloud in the sky as we prepare to head west.
First stop Boulder. Before heading for the hotel, it's a quick trip to Fresh Baked for supplies. We chose this dispensary because it was the friendliest one that we found in Boulder. Tom our budtender from last year had been promoted from sales to production, but Lisa was a more than capable replacement and just as friendly.
Given the smoking restriction that characterize Colorado in general and our hotel in particular, we were primarily interested in edibles, but it never hurts to take advantage of the opportunity to window shop the great diversity of available cannabis products.
Starting with flower
Moving on to bubble hash - 25, 90, and 160 micron
Then pre-rolls
and finally edibles
Checking into the hotel, we prepare for an evening of legal cannabis and other intoxicants
We picked BluKudu, Cookies and Cream, as the edible de jour. As you can see, I succumbed to temptation and had to add something to smoke. Looks like another trip to the parking garage. I'm old school so DJ Short's Flo was my pick and not Bubba Kush.
Tomorrow is another day and the adventure will continue...
This is the dispensary that we tried to visit last year, but got there too early.They were not open. Having checked to make sure Headquarters Cannabis Co was photo friendly, it was near the top of the list. This time we arrived after 10:00 a.m.
Upon entering the first thing was the 21+ ID Verification. I always laugh at this as I am seventy-four (74). It's kind of a special ego treat as I have not been "carded" since the early 1970's. Who knew that I looked so young!! More seriously, the verification really focuses on whether or not I'm a Colorado resident and entitled to purchase up to a full ounce. I'm not so I can only get up to 7 grams.
The lady budtender was both pretty and helpful. Once I passed the test by knowing the difference between Indica and Sativa and understanding that edibles can take up to two (2) hours to fully come on. She left me to my own devices to take pictures, review product, and make choices. All she asked was that I not take any photos of the medical products.
First up a display of Sativas (Kali Mist and a Diesel, Russian) and High CDB flowers (Harle-Tsu at 6.5% and Canna-Tsu at 8.6%)
Next up Indica/Hybrids with THC percentages ranging from 15 to almost 23%
After that I spotted the beverage bin and its many options - Keef Cola, Blue Dream, Bubba Kush Root Beer, Orange Kush, the Coffee, and two (2) types of CannaPunch. Remembering my previous experience with Dixie Elixir Blueberry, I passed, but will re-enter the beverage realm on my next trip out west.
Lastly the target for my visit was the Edibles on display. I saw some familiar products such as BluKudu a favorite product which has never tested below the advertised THC percentage, Cheeba Chews. There was also something called a "Rookie Cookie" in which I had no interest!
With FBN in mind, I took pictures of the four (4) menus
Flowers: Pricey as ounces are much cheaper at other Colorado dispensaries
Concentrates: Surprised that they were "temporarily" out of stock especially Bubble Hash
Topicals: Intimates, a new category for me when it comes to Relief Suppositories. I guess a legal environment fosters creativity!
Edibles: Lots of choices both old and new!
Spoiler alert!!
Day 2 will continue with Lots of Quilts!! we return to Lyons Quilting my wife's favorite, at least top 2, place
Last edited by notsofasteddie on Fri 24th Jun 2016 10:43 pm, edited 3 times in total.
If you're talking about traditional dry sieve hash, then the answer is "NO!" I've never seen it in Colorado. If you're talking about bubble hash, then the answer is "YES!" in about half of the dispensaries. The lack of hash was one of the big surprises in my three visits to Colorado. It seems that other concentrate forms have pushed hash into the background.
We're heading for Lyons and quilt heaven! When I think of moving to Colorado, I consider dispensary distance; Wifey focuses on Lyons Quilting!
A Bear in Lyons?
Cute Animals:
Cool Quilt:
The location of the black hole that is constantly draining the wallet!
Heading back to Boulder, we're in the market for some Apothecanna Extra Strength. Old age is starting the close in so a little extra pain relief is on order.
The first stop in the quest for pain relief was a the Station. It's not photo friendly, but Bub is friendly and gave me some leads for photo friendly. With a specific target I went through the ID Verification one more time. Getting to the counter, they were out of what I wanted. Asked if they could move some over from the medical side, the answer was "No, paperwork!"
We're off to the Farm! Not my favorite place too corporate, but the product is good! Get through security, but have to raise my sun glasses so the security cameras can see my eyes. Hmmmm, retinal scans in the near future?
Anyway the Farm is photo friendly, but only in the front room. Still some interesting things to shoot such as a menu of Father's Day specials.
Also my nominee for Canna-employee of the year.
Some cool art:
and the display of gear. Some cool stuff, especially if you want to bring a couple of souvenirs home
Day 3: Heading for the mountains and Trail Ridge Road - Mission Grand Lake
Looks like you all are having a good time could you ask your wife if those guitars on the quilt were pieced together or appliqued on have fun and keep on trucking
Willjay wrote:Looks like you all are having a good time could you ask your wife if those guitars on the quilt were pieced together or appliqued on have fun and keep on trucking
With considerable, but not total certainty as she didn't see it live, Wifey said the guitars appear to be needle-turn appliqued on.
Another amazing report so far! Thanks for that Notsofasteddie ! Only thing putting me off are their prices for weed et cetera in dispensaries(like with prices for clones you reported in your previous fine report)but I again blame dutch coffeeshops for it as dispensaries to some point(aware it's quite different)were probably guided by them. At least quality is most probably superior compared to the dutch black market gear sold at coffeeshops.
Preparing for Mission Grand Lake, we are in the hotel room looking west and seeing something evil coming our way. Fifteen (15) minutes later, it was raining cats & dogs. Not quite Florida thunderstorm level, but pretty impressive.
Next morning, the storm has passed and we're on our way. Heading for Trail Ridge Road and Grand Lake
For the first time we are in uncharted territory. We've passed the Alpine Visitor's Center at approximately 12,000 feet or 3,650 meters and are heading down to Grand Lake
High among the clouds
We've crossed the continental divide so all rivers are now flowing West not East. Here's Grand Lake. It's most impressive feature is the fact that its at 8,400 feet or 2,560 meters. Even though it's Colorado's largest and deepest natural lake, the lake is actually not that big as it's about 1x1.4 miles with a depth of 265 feet or 85 meters.
The wooden plank sidewalks are right out of my fantasy image of the old west. I keep looking for Clint Eastwood or maybe the Lone Ranger
This looks like my kind of place. The chocolate ice cream is to die for
This looks like Wifey's kind of place. Am I surprised that there's a quilt shop in Grand Lake.
No as the Grateful Dead once said, "Man Smart; Woman Smarter!"
Heading home to Boulder. Our time here is coming to a close. Next up the failed trip to Nederland and then on to Colorado Springs
Last edited by notsofasteddie on Fri 1st Jul 2016 04:09 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Weed-o wrote: Glad you’re heading to CO again! My wife and I were so inspired by your first Colorado report that we decided to go there for our honeymoon, last October. Add Nederland to the list. A cool little place and one of the greatest dispensaries (Silver Stem) we visited. Enjoy your trip!!
I'm pleased to have been an inspiration and for a honeymoon no less.
I'm working on adding Nederland to the trip. I'm checking to see if Silver Stem and Club Ned are photo friendly. If yes, the short trip from Boulder to Nederland will be added.
Inspired by Weed-0 a trip to Nederland was added to our itinerary. Its a neat trip from Boulder to Nederland with lots to see. On the way we saw a pair of free climbers going up the face of a rock out-cropping. Then as you enter the town there's this.
Barker Reservoir
Our goal is Club Ned. It's one of the few cannabis clubs in Colorado that is smoker friendly. I have a joint to celebrate my visit and the place is photo-friendly.
It's a new day and we're in Colorado Springs about 160 km south of Boulder.
First on the agenda is the Garden of the Gods:
The Kissing Camels - a hogback built from sedimentary rocks, mountain building geologic upheavals, and erosion
Cathedral Valley --- My first thought was the opening sequence of Game of Thrones
More hogback formations
View from a Top
Who knew the risks I would have to take in order to complete this Travelogue
Remembering that all the Colorado Springs dispensaries are medical, we head for Manitou Springs for supplies. There are two (2) recreational operations in the town - Maggie's Farm and Emerald Fields. Since the latter is photo-friendly, We went to
Emerald Fields
Checking out some of the samples
Indica
Sativa
Concentrates Menu
Guardians of the Garden
Tomorrow its more of Colorado Springs featuring the U.S. Olympic Training Center and the Air Force Academy
and it looks like your ready for an adventure 
keep on truckin 
have fun and keep on trucking 
