East Jesus

There is just so much to see in Slab City.  On my tour with Chili Bob we saw East Jesus, an experimental, habitable, extensible artwork in progress.  There is a tour guide that will show you everything you need to see there from the art to where they live.  It reminded me a lot of how the Lost Boys in Peter Pan would live.  They had everything from a full kitchen and music room and they are completely off the grid.  Totally awesome.  Check out their website.  They take trash and make it into treasure.  Quite Fabulous!

Here are some pictures I took on our tour. 

 The entrance into East Jesus

 Time Machine: "you can sit in there and waste a lot of time"

 Charles Russel, who started East Jesus, use to sit right there in the doorway of the van naked and hand out stuff.

Our tour guide.

 Chili Bob walking through the ducks.

This one was my favorite.

One of their bathrooms... exciting to see a bathroom.  They had many other rooms including a full kitchen, living room, library and a music room with a grand piano.  All very rustic and open... either without all the walls or with just sheets as the roof or a little of both.

They buried this bus in the ground.

This was our tour guide.  It was a fun little tour.  Definitely recommend stopping by!

Slab City

Sorry for slacking... meant to post about the Slabs last week.

Anywhos... I had a great time at the Slabs.  Felt like home.   I met some really great people and enjoyed the calm, a bit secluded environment.  There are so many different types of people there... people from snowbirds to outlaws, people running away from people, life and themselves.  Something quite empowering happened to me while there... I realized I didn't want to disappear anymore.  I wanted to be seen.  I always thought I would go to Slab City to disappear and I think a lot of people thought that was what I was going to do.  I have always been invisible... I can be in a room and not be heard or seen.  That is who I was.  Now I can't seem to go anywhere without catching someone's attention... well, look how I live.  :)  There are days I like to be left alone but still put myself out there... I don't have much choice unless I hid in a place like Slab City and even there I wasn't by myself.  Life is truly amazing.  It was so empowering to me to tell my past therapist I didn't want to disappear anymore.  How cool is that!?!

I was so blessed to park where I did.  I met some great people who took me in as friend off the bat.  I can't wait to see them next winter.  Chili Bob took my neighbor and I on a tour of Slab City and surrounding area.  If you ever make it to Slab City ask for Chili Bob... he gives the best tours!

Here are some pictures from my tour and time at Slab City.  I will tell you all about East Jesus in another post... went there with Chili Bob.

Slab City really has a lot and I love the fact they give to each other and try to use what is there to create.  There is a lot of clean up needed and they are working on it.  It really is an interesting place.

Here is a plaque in the town of Niland with a bit of information about where Slab City came from.

Slab City is right next to this Naval base... you could hear bombs going off at all hours of the day.  I'm sure glad someone told me otherwise I would of been a bit freaked out.  I was also told the planes during training come really close... luckily I didn't have to hear or see that. ;)

Here is the library.  There are a few libraries in the Slabs.  The person who created this library ashes are buried at the black sign on the first picture.

You bring the books you don't want anymore and take a book you would like to read.

They used what they could find... quite fabulous!

They even have a golf course... they supply the clubs, balls, score cards and pencils.  

 A pet cemetery.  There is also a lady that collects the plastic bottles to help pay for the spay and neuter of the animals in the slabs... many many dogs in the Slabs.

Art is everywhere... LOVE IT!

Yes, Slab City even has an internet cafe.

I didn't get any closer than that... there was a naked man out there and not sure if he was taking a dump or just wandering around naked.  I have seen more naked people since being on the road than in my entire life.  I love the freeness of people.

There is even music on Saturday nights at The Range.  As my neighbor told me, don't sit on the couches... sit on the plastic chairs.  I didn't stay long.  Music wasn't all that great and too many people for my liking.

They also have a hot spring people bathe in and a shower.  I decided since I don't have that great of an immune system and a germophobe I would skip that part of the experience.  I didn't take any pictures out of fear of dropping my camera in.  haha... but just google "slab city shower" and you will be able to see it. 

More Slab memories to come...

Salvation Mountain

I was so excited a couple weeks ago when I decided I was going to go to Slab City.  It has been a place I have wanted to visit... well, live... for quite a few years.  I remember seeing Salvation Mountain on a news show like 20/20 or something when I was in high school and in the movie Into The Wild he made a stop in Slab City and I have been obsessed ever since.  So the next few days I will show you some pictures and such of the Slabs.  I spent a week there and hope to go back again for a week or so next winter.

What better way to start the tour of the Slabs... Salvation Mountain.  Slab City is just outside Niland California... you take this bumpy paved road about 2 miles outside of town and the first thing you see is Salvation Mountain.  Leonard Knight, who built Salvation Mountain, passed away just a couple months ago.   There are volunteers that help keep it maintained... it is a fairytale folk art land and a definite side trip to see and walk thru.  Here are some picture that really can't do it justice.  Be sure to check out the website!

Salvation Mountain

To give you an idea of the size of Salvation Mountain.

There is an actual yellow path you take that brings you to the top of Salvation Mountain 

(next to the cross)

 Pictures from the top of Salvation Mountain

These next pictures are in between the mountain with the cross and the smaller mountain with the windows to the right.

You can go inside the little mountain on the right.  

 These branches are the ceiling... you can look up and see so many colors and textures and even the sky.

 I was amazed as to how large it was in there.

 and color everywhere.

 The top picture is inside the walls and the bottom picture is what it looks like from the outside.

Below are pictures of more art around Salvation Mountain 

Of course I had to take a picture of myself and one of Blue and TicTac.

Truly a site to see.  If you are headed that way they take donations and could use any leftover paint to help with the upkeep of a great treasure.