Tour of Slabs

2/24/10 Wednesday



First note: Cheryl had surgery to remove her gall bladder on Tuesday. Steve is suppose to call and let us know that she is OK. Will update all when we get word.

One of our new friends here is letting me use thier internet connection on a limited basis.  So the photos will be coming after we are able to get a wifi connection with enough time to update.  Sorry but unless someone wants to get us a sat. dish, we are at the mercy of others internet.


As a little history, The Slabs was previously a Marine Base. The base needed to be built fast so cement “slabs” were poured and the buildings erected on them. Years later the TV show Gomer Pile will be modeled after the base here. When the base was closed, the buildings were taken down and the slabs remained. The land was turned over to the school system here which still owns it today.

I am not sure at what point it became “The Slabs” but today and for the past several years this has been a place for people to come and stay for free. A handful actually stay all year. But in the winter the population swells with folks hunting a warm place to winter over.

Next door there is still a military base. They do a lot of testing and training there. It is not unusual to have “thunder” on a cloudless day (bombs), or to hear machine gun fire or to see helicopters and planes shooting. BLM is also active in this area as the Illegal’s will come across the border and up the canal that runs through here.

At 9:30am, we loaded up into Chili Bob’s tour “bus” and off we went. The first stop was the Library. This would be the library closest to us. There are actually three here. People bring in old books they have and trade them for another. You would not believe the collection of National Geographic Magazines they have! The library is divide up into sections by topic just like are real library. In the front “yard” the lady that began this library is buried there.

Next stop is Gopher Flats. This is an 18 hole golf course, no kidding. There are no “greens” because this is the desert. But there are flags and it is just like a real course. There is a warning sign that if your ball lands next to something metal sticking out of the ground – DO NOT PLAY IT, CALL THE MILITARY BASE. If you play the ball or pick up something metal it just might be unexploded arsenal. OUCH! Can you say “Fore?”

We continued on through and was shown some of the people that are permanent residents here or that have permanent spots.

*Photo 3202 is of someone that is permanent. Their motor home died here and they just stayed. The fence was added this year.

*3203 is a sailboat on a trailer that someone lives in.

*3204 is the site that someone made theirs. They are gone but will return. People that are gone for the summer will also mark their permanent spots and it will be there when they return in the fall.

*In 3205, you can see one of the slabs that is being used.

*3206 is the Oasis Club. This is where morning coffee is served. There is also another library here. This is a permanent resident. To the left, out of view is a regular mobile home that someone pulled in here and lives in.

We were told that you have not been to the Slabs without a visit to the pet sanitary. Some people have been cremated and had their remains returned to their pets grave.

The next photos are of the old water towers that were used for the military. Nice paint jobs to brighten up the remains.

Photo 3214 has someone living in it. This past year when the bikers had their annual rally here, they moved him out and they stayed there. After the bikers left, he moved back in.

Our next stop was the local hot spring. The water bubbles up out of the ground and is very hot. Thomas felt of the water on the outside edge and it was as hot as the hot spring in Holtville. But the water doesn’t look nearly as clean. This area is “clothing optional.”

Three miles south of Niland are the Mud Pots. Before we got here others told us of the Mud Pots and that it was a must see. We were not to be disappointed. This is about as close as you can get to the planet rebuilding herself. Last fall when the earthquake hit here, these pots became more active. Chili Bob said that he was here a few weeks ago and since then more bubbling pools have opened up and the others have gotten larger.

The ground around the area is white with alkaline deposits. The mounds are built up with the mud being belched up with the gases and cooled on top of the last layer. Surprisingly the water is cool. The bubbles are just from escaping gas and not from hot thermal water. This was very interesting to watch and feel the mud. Once while trying to take a photo, I got “splatted” in the face/camera with mud, LOL.

We traveled on to see the Salton Sea. This Sea was made in 1906 when the local canal (which comes off the Colorado River) burst through and flooded the valley farm land. It was about 2 years before the canal was fixed and the Salton Sea remained. This water is very salty due to the chemical make up of the land and the evaporation that takes place here. It is surprising to see sea birds here but then this is more or less ocean-like water.

On the way back Chili Bob showed us the “shower”. The water from the hot spring eventually flows here. This water used to be warm before someone tried to divert part of it and use it elsewhere. Now it is too cool for us to take a shower in. Maybe in summer when the temps are 120* but not now. Thomas went down in the shower to get a “feel” for it without getting wet.

Because my camera batteries were getting low, we drove by Salvation Mountian but didn’t stop. We will come back to that later. Had we arrived by the front entrance instead of having to take a detour, first we would come by the shower, then the hot spring and then Salvation Mountain.

After passing Salvation Mountain, you come to “Poverty Flats”. Need I say more? There are many of the no to lower income folks living here, some permanently. Solar Mike also has a “store” set up here and does a lot of business. He is also a full time resident. But with enough solar panels to run 4 a/c units he can survive the 120* summers easier than most.

The next couple of photos are of a truck and car that are here. They were photographed for a movie that shot here recently. I can’t remember the name but will try to find out again.

Back at home again after our almost 3 hour tour. Thank you so much Chili Bob for being a wonderful tour guide!

After lunch and a rest, it was time for supper. I cooked salmon and broccoli in the Sun Oven. It never amazes me how wonderful food is when cooked this way.

After supper, we sat around the fire with the rest of the group. The BLM helicopter was looking for someone in the field tonight.

Bedtime again………..