We drove to the east side of the Salton Sea to visit Niland and Slab City, CA. The sun was out and it was pretty warm - I cannot imagine being here in the heat of the summer. Niland was certainly not a large city, but it was an interesting trip. It was a little like visiting a ghost town that is not completely abandoned.
Just a few miles out of town is Slab City. When the government decommissioned a military base here, they removed nearly everything except the concrete slabs the buildings once stood on. Now it is populated with people who have chosen to live "off the grid," There is no electricity, running water, sewers, or trash
pickup service in Slab City. Solar or generators are used for power needs - it has to be a pretty difficult life. The tourists were easy to spot in nice cars. The few residents we saw didn't seem bothered by all of the lookie-loos.
Slab City definitely sleeps during the day. (You can see Salvation Mountain in the background.)
One of the more artistic residents of Slab City. If you are interested in boondocking, there are no rules, but there are tips to help you fit in.
"The Range" is a stage area that is said to come alive at night with music.
This should be in "Creative Living" magazine!
The local shoe exchange?
This area (around the Salton Sea) has an interesting past, but now it is a city of ruins that the residents embrace.
Just outside the entrance to Slab City is Salvation Mountain. I talked with one of the volunteers at the site and learned that over a period of 28 years an estimated 200,000 gallons of paint were used to create this work of art that was designated as a National Folk Art site in 2001. Slab City and Salvation Mountain were featured in the movie "Into the Wild." We had seen the movie but watched it again when we got home (I skipped the haunting end of the movie because, that part, I remember all too well.)
We almost didn't stop at Salvation Mountain, just snapping a couple pictures from the car. I'm so glad we changed our minds!
You can feel the joy in Leonard Knight's heart when you walk around his labor of love.
Our friend, Jeff, was able to meet and talk with Leonard when he visited the mountain 5 years ago. I'm envious!
Mr. Knight has lived in a nursing home for the
last couple of years, but he still occasionally visits the mountain. His last visit, a few months ago, was on his
82nd birthday and, I was told, he was doing well.
A small room on the side of the mountain.
Across from that little room is a wonderful forest room called "the museum."
This picture and the next are looking up inside the tree room.
David is looking at Leonard Knight's home of 26 years. The truck behind was his guest house.
There was a little door next to the cab that we could peek in.
He slept here every night, except one that he spent in a little room that he built in the mountain. He didn't like it and moved back in here.
Driving home along the Salton Sea, the water, haze and mountains reminded us of a Japanese water color painting. The haze over the water would reflect the sun making it the brightest band in the pictures.
Across the highway from our park was a date farm. It had little in common with farms I grew up around in Iowa, where corn and beans were grown. We saw huge bags covering the dates - I assume to keep them from being eaten by birds.
On the tall palms, we noticed ladders attached to the trees about 30 or 40 feet up the tree trunks. We decided they must be used for harvesting. That would probably be an interesting thing to watch.
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