California Pain Mgt/ Cannabis Question-Moving Help!

[Tudo]

Sorry for the off topic question but does anyone know anything about canyon crest in riverside? Several people ( from texas who lived in california 30 years ago ) told me to avoid riverside, that it's crime infested and filthy.

I saw some listings in an area/neighborhood called canyon crest that looked pretty nice to me. It was a little demoralizing looking at how much houses cost that are closer to los angeles or san diego. It's higher than most parts of south fla. We were looking in riverside, then south in temecula ( neither one of us drink! ) and then falbrook till I saw someone complain about marine fly overs!

I'll tell you this, like becoming a libertarian, ( best analogy I can come up with ) that moment you will not be a part of either of the evils, lesser on some topics on others perhaps, once the shades are pulled open they aren't going to close again is the best analogy I can give with how I feel about california and everything I'm reading and how negatively I feel about fla and how I can't wait to cross the border so to speak

 

[SeaMaiden]

Uh... I would avoid Riverside. Fallbrook is a nice community. It's been too long since I've been in Temecula, but one of my horse trainers was there, lots of old Indian country and sites if it hasn't been built over now. Avoid Hemet! North interior San Diego county is nice, but may be pricey. If you don't need to work, consider Imperial county.

 

[Tudo]

Thanks SeaMaiden, we do work but work from home. As long as I have a high speed ( preferably comcast ) connection and the ability to send and receive express mails I'm in business.

Rives I HATE the hot humid weather. I used to love it when I was in my 20's in Ft Lauderdale ( what able bodied 20 something wouldn't like to be walking half naked on the beaches in Ft Lauderdale back when all the the spring breakers were there and like two ships that pass in the night............

But pushing 60 now and after taking such good care of myself when younger ( Had I known I was going to live this long I would have taken better care of myself!), 97 degrees, 97% humidity and 97 surf temp is just too much now so we stay in the air conditioned house. Then there's the mosquitos. It's the state "bird" almost there's so many of them and while I hate them, they LOVE me! I am told that problem doesn't exist in temecula-riverside-falbrook. Really?

Why do you say avoid riverside? All of riverside?

 

[SeaMaiden]

I'm sure there are nice areas, but it's been YEARS for me. Riverside county is a fucking huge county, as are San Berdoo (aka San Bernardino), San Diego, Los Angeles, Imperial, Kern, Ventura, basically almost all the southern counties are ginormous (and so when a county measure is passed, it affects a huge swathe of land) compared to northern counties.

There are skeeters out here, too, and while we don't concern ourselves with stuff like dengue fever, we do have west Nile virus.

Interesting you mention spring break, Palm Springs I think is still hugely popular for spring break. Yet it's way the fuck out in the desert. Ok, not WAY the fuck out. Needles is way the fuck out. Barstow is way the fuck out. Avoid Barstow, too, mkay? Just sayin'.

You know what I would do? I would use Google street views, and look for signs of bad neighborhoods like graffiti, vehicles, road upkeep, etc.

Riverside and those less populated areas tend to be where the tweakers converge. Affordable housing while allowing some privacy while they dig for gold, and all.

Oh! And since you specifically work from home, make high speed access one of the FIRST questions you ask. Or, find out who the local ISPs are in the areas you're considering and ask them what areas are served, and by what. You may already know that you're physically limited, depending on your proximity to the central office (where their servers and switches are located). I have seen many a home sale deal fall through because the buyer learned, often at the last minute, that the required high speed inet service didn't exist at the location. My folks have a place outside of Yucca Valley and high speed service still hasn't arrived. We have many areas out here that are still very underserved as far as high speed inet.

 

[Tudo]

Worlds "super power" LOL

 

[Stondestmanaliv]

150 percs per month will destroy your liver. pain 5-8 on a scale of 10 is terrible. See what you can do, 150perc per month will suck decades off your life. Regarding your California question, closet growers don`t get busted.

Your primary care provider should give you an evaluation, tell them you want a second opinion at another location but you need a copy of your medical records. Thats all you need, goto a pot doctor who specializes in cannabis recommendations. Nothing further.. No state card, local card, I don`t use any of it. I don`t want to be "known" as a medical user, I might file a lawsuit regarding HIPAA and it`s placement in the medical cannabis field.. Not enough time!

 

[Photorikki]

My pain management/addiction specialist doctor here in the bay area signs my medical cannabis recommendation each year and believes in it.

 

[Tudo]

That's how it should be. I hope to find someone close in southern california.

 

[Tudo]

Uh... I would avoid Riverside. Fallbrook is a nice community. It's been too long since I've been in Temecula, but one of my horse trainers was there, lots of old Indian country and sites if it hasn't been built over now. Avoid Hemet! North interior San Diego county is nice, but may be pricey. If you don't need to work, consider Imperial county.

Thank you! We work from home. As long as we have a post office closeby, cable high speed internet, we're in business. What do you know about Imperial Cnty? What towns/cities are there? Is it possible to find a smaller town or is everything huge and large populations? In comparison to NJ for example, everything in So Fla is huge. Most of western Jersey is comprised of so many smaller hamlets and towns with populations of a few thousand. Are there any socal towns that one can buy a nice house in for less than 500K ( even less would be great ) that compare with say punta gorda fl? Punta Gorda was named #1 in a money mag place for retirement in the last few years I think and it's pretty neat but I'm looking to lower my stress levels as I get older not increase them.

 

[SeaMaiden]

I've only ever really driven through Imperial County, though I think that when I was a kid we had some camping trips out there, Anza Borrego I think. Salton Sea is out there, that's always a gas, but I'd stay away for the tweakers. I know lots of farming is done out there, but have no idea how it's changed in the past few decades since I was last out that way.

What you describe of New Jersey is more in line with what you'd find in the Sierra foothills, where I am, or along the Trinity Alps, or around the border with Oregon. Not so much in the deserts, everything is really spread out in the deserts.

Where I live has a large contingent of retirees, the demographic shows the greatest population is 50+yo, IIRC from the last census. It's also mostly white, in fact, the ethnic diversity we log comes from the state prison for the most part. You can buy a home with property for well under $500K out here, I don't know about any place in SoCal.

 

[sdd420]

Palm Springs is awesome just not cheap , it gets freezing here in NorCal tho good luck

 

[Crusader Rabbit]

The warmest winter temperatures in So CAL are along the coastal plain. You'd want to avoid the fog belt though. As Sea Maiden pointed out this can mean muggy summers, but the extreme heat is moderated somewhat by the ocean. Temecula is east of the coastal mountains and will be colder and drier in winter, hotter and drier in summer. In the dry interior deserts you can use a swamp (evaporative) cooler during summer instead of paying through the nose for air conditioning.

I grew up in So Cal but it sure has changed. The housing boom caused an explosion of new construction in the inland rural areas with people planning to commute to work in the city. Then gas prices went up and commuting wasn't such a good idea. Then the 2008 crash drove a stake through the heart of the whole scheme.

Because of the predominate winds, Riverside/San Bernadino was always where the Los Angeles air pollution accumulated. When younger workers moved back into the city to save $ on commuting it increased city housing prices and the low lifers moved east to the San Bernardino/Riverside "Inland Empire". With the housing crash Riverside has become a shit hole. I remember Hemet as a small quaint town at the base of the mountains. I hear that now you should avoid even driving through the area. Temecula suffered with the crash but I think it's still a decent place. You pay to choose your neighbors.

If you go online and scope out the real estate sites you can call up info on community demographics such as income range and racial make up of student populations. Twenty years ago a big "white flight" population change started with a large influx of people migrating into northern California. I remember ten years ago sitting out in front of a Vons in Grass Valley wondering what was so strange about the place. I couldn't put my finger on it. Then an oriental woman walked out the door and I realized that hers was the first nonwhite face I'd seen that day. Bizarre.

As far as Imperial County, Anza Borrego and such ... I had a phone conversation with an old friend the other day and he described a changing situation. Seems the low level civil war in Mexico with it's drug fueled violence has extended across our border. It used to be people crossing the border for a better life here. With the economic crash the opportunities in the U.S. have diminished and reduced the flow of migrants, but activity of the criminal element has increased. My friend said that everything down close to the border has gotten weird. Ocotillo Wells has turned into a ghost town. They intended to go hiking in the southern portion of Anza Borrego State Park but were puzzled by the lack of people there. They decided the odds of someone on foot killing them for their nice SUV at the remote trail head was just too great a risk. I asked if that meant we couldn't go camping and kayaking on the lower Colorado River anymore. He said that he wouldn't even consider it now. So take that for what it's worth. The times are changing.

 

[justpassnthru]

Tudo, I personally love Canyon Crest and it is a very decent neighborhood. In Riverside, you need to avoid the southwest areas around downtown. I also, love downtown Riverside. My heart is in Riverside. And I currently live in the county.

I have had a similar pain story for awhile. I was in pain management for 17 years and stopped in 2008, after discovering marijuana for my similar issues. However, i went with traditional medicine..back surgeries, epidurals with anti-inflamatory's, etc. I never signed a pain management contract. However, after experiencing theft of oxycodone's, even though I never requested any more for replacements, I signed a contract that simply said, "it is a felony to share your medication....if you need a refill early-you won't get it..yada yada" no mention of mmj. But, it was from my M.D. and not pain management.

I've done accupunture, chiropractic and many things. Marijuana is the only thing that helps me. I have lived my entire life within 60 miles of Pomona, Because I love the area. I have watched the area's change, dramatically. As mentioned of areas in Hemet..and the High Desert-I left there and would not even consider it.

Canyon Crest in Riverside has free wireless internet access City-Wide. It is not shabby, either. I believe earthlink provided it, as an experiment, for free.

As you mentioned, it is a bit expensive. However, you will be 60miles from everywhere you will desire to go. It is a great business location, as well.

If you desire to grow outside, you may want to look a bit more in Reche Canyon area (a very good area, however, traffic is making it hard to get in and out of). It is between Loma Linda and Canyon Crest. So is Grand Terrace, another good area and one I frequent. Then there is Redlands and Yucaipa. I have lived in Sourthern California, my entire life and I would never leave, ever! I love it here. I have traveled a bit and never considered leaving.

There is a place in Riverside called Presto Quality Care. It is a good place to get your 'rec' and ask about MMJ friendly docs. I have an HMO and knowing what I do, I simply do not tell them. As, one M.D. wrote a 'prescription' for medicinal marijuana for a patient with Multiple Sclerosis, not long after that, a memo went to all docs that they are not 'allowed' to write them. I have not seen the memo, but am highly aware of it.

Crusaders for Patients, is based out of San Francisco area, and the founder of that organization, has a daughter that her Kaiser M.D. continues to write (now a 'rec') for her.

It boils down to: Finding a real M.D. that will treat you with MMJ and appropriate opiates and anti-inflamatory meds as needed. The MMJ docs are real M.D.'s and the ones that are of a certain age, tend to treat the entire patients. Some MMJ docs advertise that they treat the conditions you mention. At the docs office in Riverside, just about every publication you may desire is available for free. Which will give you many options.

Also, there are MMJ friendly realtors and contractors. I believe you would want to make that, your first stop in California. To get your rec and tons of information.

Claremont, CA is a much desired area, as well. However, it is not exactly friendly for MMJ. There is a city ordinance that only allows indoor growing, which is rather fine, for most. However, our enjoyable climate is very nice for growing, outside. Somehow, I expect Claremont, may change its rules, at some point. At our ages, why wait, just go to a 'friendly' place.

All the places mentioned to be bad are, except Imperial County, it is pretty bad, even 25 years ago. There are bad areas in almost every large city. Pasadena is another really neat place, and too close to L.A. for me. However, being closer to the theatre and real entertainment is a trade-off. Higher costs, more traffic and again, you have to find the more decent areas of town, which Pasadena seems to have.

Perris--if you get way out of town on acreage, not a problem. Moreno Valley, has ALWAYS been an armpit *even 55 years ago, when it was Sunnymead* of So Cali.

You are doing well in the areas you are looking in. The area between Loma Linda and spedific areas of Palm Springs, are great (but too hot for me in Palm Springs). Even Palm Springs enjoys 'bad' areas, now (No. Palm Springs). However, it boosts a very large retirement community and excellent modern healthcare for the aging. I go there for emergency services, when I desire better care (as my hmo does not have a hospital there).

As SeaMaiden states; It is a jungle out there, compared to years ago. There was a time, you could drive through Sunnymead and only see March Air force base (I did some training there, the hospital was destroyed in 2010). the base is gone and home to many Federal things and some military type ones, as well. It is all commercial buildings now and I got lost there a year ago. Properites that were amazingly bigger than you can imagine, are all gone and now concrete for something.

Oh, Woodcrest is a delightful area for a farmer/grower, as well.

I use to drive from Canyon Crest area in the early '70's and hardly be able to count homes on my fingers and toes, through Hemet to lower Temecula Valley. Now, it is solid homes and commercial interprise. I also got lost in the Temecula/Hemet area last year. I have now learned to use my navigator. You will need one of those.

Best thing to do, is as suggested: Ask up front about the doc's policy and whatever pain management program he utilize's. You can do that on a phone, from where you live, I suspect.

Loma Linda is 7th Day Aventist and the Post Office never delivered on Saturdays, until a year or so ago. Now, they have the same schedule as anyone else. Aside of Loma Linda is West San Bernardino, a place I avoid with a passion. And the areas along Mt. Vernon Street.. The Knife and Gun clubs that stay warm, live there.
Chino-avoid. Corona, has some decent areas.

I prefer a bit of the country and tend to go to the outskirts of town. However, if I wanted to live in a city..Canyon Crest would be a decent choice.

One thing, you've probably noticed where you live. Areas that have more people of our ages, tend to turn over to younger people, to be able to buy and live in. A once quiet neighborhood, can get restless and homes turn over to an element, you would not want as your neighbor.

The Inland Empire has everything you would desire in climate. I am living in an area that snow isn't suppose to stick around. I avoid the cold and heat. You can find the climate you desire, from the mountains to the ocean. You will find people are different, go shopping and observe. Like a HD or grocery store, in the neighborhoods you visit.

This area has CBD focused projects. I am certain, you can get the proper MMJ strain to grow for your needs.

 

[Crusader Rabbit]

You will find people are different, go shopping and observe. Like a HD or grocery store, in the neighborhoods you visit.

What good advice. A grocery market is a window into the heart of any community.

I wonder if he's out here house hunting now?

 

[Tudo]

Wow, just what I was hoping to find. Thank you. Hmmm, will post a question or 2 shortly, what a great idea to do some of the legwork from here though

 

[Tudo]

Justpassingthru, the hunt continues! Looking at claremont right now on realtor.com. Seems like 500K is a reoccuring number in southern california. Oye Vey!

 

[Crusader Rabbit]

Claremont has always been expensive.

 

[SeaMaiden]

This is depressing. I keep reading that the housing market is rebounding. Well, let me tell you what, I don't think so, at least not in my area. This is a home I'm very familiar with, and the original listing last year was around $240K. Now? Under $200K. No wonder there's been a flurry of activity, I'm sure they dropped the price again. Which goes to show you how stupid our local realtors can be. I knew it was overpriced in the first place, now it's been on the market for quite a while (the bank doesn't care) and their response is to continually lower the price. I bet they got an offer they refused and now wish they'd taken.

The owner of the home passed away two weeks after the bank took possession. Wells Fargo, did that... what was it called? Double-tracking? Where one department is working with a homeowner to modify their loan, and another department is fast-tracking them through foreclosure? What's the term for that? She fought for two years, along with her metastatic breast cancer, and two weeks after she had to clear out she died.

http://www.movoto.com/real-estate/homes-for-sale/CA/Pine-Grove/20895-E-Warner-Rd-102_12044902.htm

 

[Tudo]

SeaMaiden, check out Port Charlotte Fl on zillow and tell me what you see?

You'll see single family homes in a family oriented town that have sold for 50K. That's right, 50K and they're STILL whining about "I don't have a job to pay for it". These people here deserve no sympathy.

I was just about to buy a house in Boca Raton for 450K when we made the decision to look in socal. Boca is a nice place and in my opinion blows away socal. What would that 450K house cost in socal? More than a million. How can that be?

 

[SeaMaiden]

Show me the house in Boca Raton and tell me where in SoCal you want to make the comparison and we can sort that out, but mostly I'll say it's a very simple matter of what the market will bear. Out here, where it snows and we get four seasons, it's likely you can find a 4br/2ba for $200K, give or take. Not a mansion, but still a pretty large home. Same in some of the desert communities, but not all.

However, hit the greater LA metro area and you're probably going to see prices more in line with what we see, say, out in the Bay area, where it's becoming a seller's market again.

Looking where you've directed, there's a HELL of a disparity in housing prices. I'm seeing a range from $33K-$400K.