Thursday, February 11, 2010

The Slabs: A Mecca for RV boondockers

The saga continues.

We had to come here, the Hired Man, Missus, and our pal, Cathie. We've heard so much about it. It is known as "The Slabs" or "Slab City". It is an abandoned military facility that his called by some down-and-out residents as "the last free place." And, there are at least two types of residents here: the full time residents who look like they are too far into drugs, and the transient RVers who simply want a free stop in the desert.

Directions to The Slabs: at Niland, California turn east on Main Street and go about 3 miles until you see "Salvation Mountain" and you are there. Well Jeez, you can't miss Salvation Mountain (see photo) It is an experience in folk art.

Progress on into the Slabs and your first encounter will be with Poverty Flats. It is a desert mess with old and young hippies in every kind of hovel. Not having our bearings, we stayed here the first night. Our neighbor, Vince, who was under the influence of some sort of substance explained that over the hill was the hot springs. "You need to go in buck necked," says he. "Occasionally you'll find folks floating belly up who have failed to get out of the hot water soon enough."

The next day we moved to the more gentile section of The Slabs. We abandoned any plan to bathe in the springs. We unhooked and ventured north in the truck to discover the Salton Sea and environs. So here is our new plan, as current as this morning: We will park (dry camp) at an RV park between the Salton Sea and the Chocolate Mountains. There we will bathe in their more refined hot springs and schmooze with other RVers of a somewhat higher station in life. We'll be there perhaps a week to remove some kinks to our old bones.
Enough for now. Wish you could see all of my Slabs pictures.



4 comments:

  1. Wish I could see all of your Slabs pictures, too!

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  2. I think scenes from this RV park were in the movie Into The Wild.

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  3. I've read about this place!! That's amazing.

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  4. Yeah! Post those Slab City pics! I am hoping to go there one day soon. I can get along with the poor and rich, doesn't matter to me. Must be some great stories there!

    Dear Miss Mermaid
    Author of "Hurricanes and Hangovers (and other tall tales and loose lies from the coconut telegraph)

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Please enlighten me. The Hired Man