Slab City

[sl1966]

Whose stayed there? I've been reading about the place for a while now and have heard equal good and bad press about the place. What's it really like out there?<div><br />I found this website with some good information about the place.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: xx-large;"><strong><a style="color: #000000;" href="http://www.slab-city.com/" target="_blank">http://www.Slab-City.com/</a></strong> </span></div><div>&nbsp;</div>

 

[VanTramp]

It is pretty interesting. Well worth checking out for the experience even if you don't stay for long. There are tons of pics online that google will find easily and give you some good ideas of some of the areas at least. When Heidi and I were there with Bob &amp; Katie &amp; others, we had a great time checking out all the cool little areas of the slabs like the library and the stages where people play music etc. We were entertained by "wandering minstrels"(fold dragging their guitars around and randomly playing) which was very cool. &nbsp;<div><br></div><div>Talked to many people there who had 0 forms of income other than what they could generate by finding cool rocks or other stuff to sell and they were still getting by. There are areas that have tons of garbage and debris from past residents who didn't bother cleaning up after themselves at all. There are rigs that have basically grown into the landscape and may eventually just disintigrate.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>But, then there are also very high end expensive COW's there with their toads and satellite dishes and temporary landscaping in their area which is usually on the southern edges from what I remember.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>There really is too much of a crazy cross section of stuff there to do a good job of describing it all. You really just have to see it. My warning to folks is always to be mindful that the air quality is hard on some people. It was partly responsible for me ending up on a respirator for a week and recovering in the hospital for a month total. I have CF though, most people with healthy lungs would be fine most likely. Just keep it in mind if you have COPD or some other breathing concern.</div><div><br></div><div>Quartzsite was MUCH better for me.</div>

 

[mountaintramp]

i've been there a few times, it's definatly worth checking out. i'll be making my yearly trip out there after Christmas.<br>

 

[cyndi]

<P>Steve, are you thinking of heading there after the RTR? Last year, the Slabs was the next stop&nbsp;for more than a couple RTR attendees. It was also an annual stop for some of those people.</P>

 

[sl1966]

No not after RTR, I have to get back to Texas and work unfortunately. I was thinking more in terms of making it another winter destination in addition to QS for when I finally hit the road.<div><br></div>

 

[WanderingRonin]

I definitely will be checking that place out eventually... when I finally get on the road...

 

[butterfly]

<p style="margin: 0px;"><font size="3" face="Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">vantramp...</font></p><p style="margin: 0px;"><font size="3" face="Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">WHY is the air quality so terrible???&nbsp;</font></p><p style="margin: 0px;"><font size="3" face="Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">&nbsp; and pardon my ignorance but what's a COW?&nbsp; I get that its a reference to an&nbsp;expensive rig, right? but what does the cow stand for?</font></p>

 

[cyndi]

<P>COW may have been a typo. Mike might have meant to type LOW (Loners on Wheels) </P>

 

[sl1966]

Looks like I'll be getting a chance to see the place first hand. I'm going to visit a friend there after Xmas and kick around for a day or two.<div><br></div>

 

[stillcan]

<p style="margin: 0px;">COW= condo on wheels</p><p style="margin: 0px;">40+ ft long plus a couple slide outs or more.</p>

 

[cyndi]

Slab City makes mainstream news<br><A href="http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57343234/slab-city-a-desert-haven-for-recessions-victims/" target=_blank>http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57343234/slab-city-a-desert-haven-for-recessions-victims/</A><br>

 

[sl1966]

I finally got a chance to visit it this weekend. It's very rough around the edges but I love the place and the vibe there.<div><br></div>

 

[Journeyman]

I've always wanted to go there. Can you tell us more about your experience, ?

 

[sl1966]

I blogged about it if you want to read about how things went. I plan on going back and will add another entry about the place in a week or two.<div><br></div>

 

[dragonflyinthesky]

I replied on your blog but I probably did something wrong, dont think it showed up. I said-there are so many differing ideas about the place, good, great, bad and terrible. It looks like you were open minded and non judgemental. I want to ck it out someday too.<br><b><FONT color=#ff00ff>Dragonfly</FONT></b><br>

 

[sl1966]

I got it. I set all replies to "await moderation" rather than make people type in the random word thing. I approved it so everyone can see it now.<div><br></div>

 

[VanTramp]

<p style="margin: 0px;"><font size="3" face="Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">vantramp...</font></p><p style="margin: 0px;"><font size="3" face="Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">WHY is the air quality so terrible???&nbsp;</font></p><p style="margin: 0px;"><font size="3" face="Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">&nbsp; and pardon my ignorance but what's a COW?&nbsp; I get that its a reference to an&nbsp;expensive rig, right? but what does the cow stand for?</font></p>

<div><br></div><div>Hey Butterfly, sorry for the delayed response, haven't been online as much lately. The air quality is really down for the whole valley. It has a lot to do with Mexicali, right on the other side of the border, which has a lot of poorly/not regulated industrial pollution that doesn't care much about stopping at the border. (as explained to me by the doctors at the Brawley Hospital), also, there was a lot of burning going on while we were there. People burning local fields for agricultural reasons and people burning random garbage and plastic etc in the slabs area locally. The smoke from the burning rubbish was significant for me. There are other reasons that have to do with the dust of that particular valley and the wind, but I couldn't tell you all the details specifically. I am much more prone to issues with this stuff than most due to my CF, so you can sorta consider me the canary in a coal mine. I can handle a little bit of junk in the air, but not that much <img src="/images/boards/smilies/tongue.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"></div><div><br></div><div>I think someone answered the COW thing already. Condo On Wheels.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Hope that helps.&nbsp;</div>

 

[cyndi]

A video I hadn't seen yet. The pilot in the video got a tour from one of the locals. The video also shows&nbsp;aerial&nbsp;views of the Slabs, Salton Sea and the Imperial Sand Dunes/Glamis taken from a cool trike hang glider type thing<br />http://vimeo.com/20423807<br /><br />As a side note, the gentleman who posted the video is from New Mexico and he and his wife hope to full time. He has a blog<br />&nbsp;http://trikepilotadventures.blogspot.com/

 

[josephusminimus]

<h2 class="entry-title"><a title="Permalink to Slab City, California &ndash; An Impromptu&nbsp;Community" href="http://sofarfromheaven.com/2012/08/30/slab-city-california-an-impromptu-community/" rel="bookmark">Slab City, California &ndash; An Impromptu&nbsp;Community</a></h2>

 

[Guest]

Wow, Cyndi...wow.<br /><br />When Paul adn Mar and I were in San Felipe the winter before last, there was a French expat with a plane just like that who would land on the beach wherever there were people and offer rides for hire...I didn't go but I am a notorious chickensh-t!<br /><br />Next time tho....I will screw up my courage....<br />Bri