My (first) Slab City experience.

[allergic-to-society]

Ironically, I live about 60 miles away from Slab City (and did not become aware of this, for some time after my developing obsession with Chris).
Slab City is set in Southern California's desert near the town of Niland. This place is filled with squatters, snowbirds, and wanderers during the winter months. During the summer season, it's pretty desolate and vacant. Of course not knowing this, or much more than what I had seen in the movie, or read in the book... I venture down there during the deep heat of August with absolutely no idea what to expect.
This free spirit infested community, was where Chris spent a fair amount of time while on his adventure. So knowing this place was where a guy (who I feel), only liked certain places and situations enough to call it his temporary abode... it must had been a pretty magic place.
You could only imagine my excitement while crawling passed the handmade, hand painted, "WELCOME TO SLAB CITY" signs, and seeing Salvation Mountain ahead. I slowly drive down the line of gravel that is placed in the middle of all the (what looked like) handmade tents, ancient R.V.'s, cars with tires almost entirely settled into the earth, trees covered in god knows what, and random objects painted and customized to fit the city spot on. My eyes are trying to capture every image and detail I could possibly see without making me look too much like an annoying intruder. I debate on parking my car and walking around... but once, reading an article on how the locals don't like tourists and wish the "outsiders" (us), would leave them alone, I decided a drive through was enough... for now.
My family owns a 1969 Volkswagen "hippie" bus. Grateful Dead stickers bury all the windows, the rusty red paint job needs some major upkeep, I could only imagine how many people have had sex in the back, and you can hear it coming down the road from miles away. What i'm trying to say is... this bus would fit in perfectly with the weirdness of Slab City. So I figured if I trek down there during the winter months, and arrive in my hippie bus... it might look less like an outsider vehicle and more of a curious, hopeful resident...
Driving out of the Slabs, I realize that I am about to re-enter reality. And that everything behind me is nothing more than a weird, crazy, artistic, amazing, incredible, surprising, wonderful and most importantly... free, society away from society. An unexpected grief pours over me as I enter the real world. Almost as if, I became oddly attached to a place I had only spent a mere 15 minutes in. I then understood Chris's love of discovering new places and meeting new people. I just wanted to take off, head to another destination and observe their way of living and lifestyle.
All in all, slab city is a pretty sensational place for a certain sort of folks. Me? I loved it. I hope to head back there this season, meet the people who reside there, and uncover what I couldn't see from the road.
Throughout the entire fifteen minutes I was there... I only came upon one resident... riding an old rusty bicycle, hair down to his knees, and naked.


^^^^ From my blog. Hense the essay format... =)

[poppyallan]

Hi!
Slab City sound amazing, I've always wanted to go.
What is your blog URL if you don't mind me asking? I'd like to read more!