A Transbay Challenge Qualifier story from California’s Capitol

The Sacramento Transbay Qualifier on July 8th 2023 resulted in four brands qualifying for the year end TransBay Challenge. Future 2023 Transbay Qualifier events will be held in Los Angeles and Arcata so every licensed brand in California has a chance to participate in this competition. The TransBay challenge is now TransCal.

What makes Transbay so special?

A newcomer might ask: Besides the growers and processors that are competing, and the judges that are there to rank the flower and concentrate, why do so many other people show up? As an aspiring chronicler of such happenings – I wanted to take a stab at answering that FAQ with some facts. I’ve been to a lot of cannabis events. I’ve only been to a handful of cannabis culture events that are as welcoming to the disparate pockets of the cannabis community as TransBay is. It was my first time at a Transbay – but it wasn’t my first time at a Jimi Devine x Chronic Culture event. I know it’s the real deal when I have to step outside for a breath of fresh air. And that’s something I expect at Chronic Culture events now. It’s not just that smoking is allowed that causes this though it’s definitely a prerequisite. Besides that, these are the other celestial bodies that must align. First, you need an aire of friendly one upmanship where every attendee is smoking at least 2x the amount they’d smoke if they were by themselves or seshing with their regular crew – even if they’re in attendance with their regular crew. It’s like 4:20 every hour on the hour; or 7:10 for the Dabbadoos that have sworn off scobby snax. Second, you need vendors and attendees providing a seemingly unlimited supply of the best fire in the state. That means yes there is security at the event, but they aren’t having you throw out the distilled water you brought or telling you there’s no glass allowed – be they jars or rigs. Everyone’s got something they want to share or show off, the only question is whether or not you make the cut. Some things are shared with everyone – like a CAM or Mainstage Dispensary bag and swag kit. Other things… well those are unknown unknowns. Third, you need all parts of the cannabis culture present and the best way to verify is just to close your eyes and let your nose and ears take a look around. As far as the nose can smell, it needs to be a proper mixture of fresh flower, flower from joints, second hand vapor from dabs, and the unmistakable notes of blunts. The sounds are loud, too. Usually a combination of music that might could be quieter, and a shoulder to shoulder crowd of people talking loudly at each other over the percussion of lighter clicks and horns of blowing torches. Those random conversations can go anywhere. They’ll also likely end up changing course as more people join the ciph. All it takes is one eyesPeople will recognize each other from previous events, Instagram handles will be exchanged along with the word “shadowbanned” and “hit me up” and new connections are made so the cycle can begin anew. Since this is TransBay Challenge V, it’s safe to say that I don’t know what I’m talking about but I highly suspect it’s been like this from the very beginning. Onto my experience – or what I reliably remember of it anyway.

Transbay Challenge Quest Log 1: Searching for The House of Congo

Every time I go to an event I try to have one clear quest in mind. The kind of quest that is worthy, but can still be completed no matter what I end up ingesting that day. Ever since I saw the flyer for Sacramento’s Transbay Qualifier with its lineup of vendors – I knew there was one brand I hadn’t met or read any reviews of before that I had to go see as part of my international cannabis domesticates (landraces) tasting tour: House of Congo. That Red Congolese was everything I was hoping it’d be, and I’m very glad to have been able to try it. Quest completed, the day was now open. I was there early enough to be able to walk comfortably between all the booths. Latecomers may not have been so lucky. and got to meet people I’d only seen through the screen. One of many random encounters I’m grateful for was with the designer behind Red Eyes Chrome Dragon. The first highlight to most Transbay attendees that arrived early enough was right near the front on the left side and your eyes were drawn to the cannabis flower x camo design that is Your Highness. They were handing out free Cinnamon Oat Milk Vietnamese Iced Coffees to the first people to check in and I’ll be frank – it alone was worth the cost of the entry ticket. For me, and many many other people, it was the kick of caffeine and flavor needed to smoke through the day. I also got to try some of their Blueberry Headband – cuz the combination spoke to me and it had been a long while since I donned the headband. If my next quest was trying to collect cultivars with primary color names, I would have just needed to look for something yellow.

Transbay Challenge Qualifier Quest Log 2: Check your Six

I had a sidequest of trying to spot a homie that I knew should be at the event – but somehow be it the haze or the smoke or the dabs or the toke come 6PM and I still hadn’t spotted him. The next day, we met up hours to the West at an outdoor reggae concert in Golden Gate State Park featuring Nikka T. I lamented that the meetup didn’t occur, but we laughed because it’s one of those things that inevitably happens at cannabis events. That night, he sent me a screenshot of a video he had taken during the winners announcement by Ngaio and Jimi in which he spotted me not three feet away from where he was standing. In a poorly coded RPG, that might have technically counted as sidequest completion.

Transbay Challenge Qualifier Quest Log 3: Another Blueberry

During one of my extended breaks outside, I witnessed Chronic Culture execute a mid-event redecoration that greatly increased the amount of available seats with the help of a very high crowd. After that switch up, I found myself sitting near a gentleman that was chilling and telling stories from up the hill in the Emerald Triangle. Come to find out that he’s a writer for High Times and that’s the story of how I met Patrick – who has published some words on his experience at Transbay, too in his article “The Thin Green Line: Who Raised You F***ing People?” I feel it accurately captures why it is that Transbay Challenge gathers so many people and gives them hope for the industry. I think of it as a compare and contrast piece and you can bet your bottom dollar that the contrasts are sunrise-level illuminating. That Thin Green Line is real, protecting it is crucial, and those pushing the envelope while doing so deserve commendation.

An ode to Chronic Culture

The organization that put this event on and has been doing other cannabis culture events with increasing frequency and reach is Chronic Culture. Whether it’s a three day art show with Lot Comedy coinciding with Dead and Co’s last show and possibly one of the largest gathering of tie-dye wearing cannabis enthusiasts San Francisco has seen in decades, a New Year’s party, a pheno hunt or two, a farmer’s market or anything else the crew tries their hand at – These events come highly recommended. Hope to see you at a future one. Transbay Challenge V Los Angeles Edition and Arcata Edition are happening next. If you’re in that area… Don’t sleep on it. Get tickets for Transbay Challenge V in Los Angeles here.