Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Imperial Dunes and Slab City, California

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

We awoke earlier than usual this morning.  I wanted to get out of Q before the town came alive and I would have to wait in lines to get things done.  We were on the road into town by 8:30, and got all our duties done and on I-10 heading west by 9:45 with Fergie leading the way.  Not bad.
  Fergie pointing the way! California here we come!
Took I-10 to the town of Blythe and because I had Miss Magellan on “least use of interstates”, it took me right through the business district of the small unique western town. 
Church in Blythe, CA
Since we only have a 135 mile trip today, we are in no hurry.  And the time zone gives us another hour as we go into Pacific time.  On the outside of town, I made a left on highway 78.  A very nice 2-lane road that went through the valley.
Highway 78   Highway 78
Highway 78 goes through the Imperial Sand Dunes.
Imperial Sand Dunes
Imperial Sand Dunes 
Imperial Sand Dunes
Imperial Sand Dunes

We continued our journey winding our way around the south end of the Chocolate Mountain Naval Reservation and then we hooked onto hwy 115 and then hwy 111 to Niland, CA.  We missed the turn-off at E. Main St. and had to turn around and head east out of town.  Main turned into Beal Rd. and about 3 miles out of town I could see Salvation Mountain off in the distance.  I knew we had arrived!
Slab City
Salvation Mountain

I pulled the motorhome into the first decent looking boondocking place after “the mountain”.  Couldn’t see running over anymore rough road than I had too.  A guy came out of his trailer and we talked a little bit.  I asked him if I could park over near the shrine, or monument to some dead guy.  He said I could park anywhere I wanted that gave others space.  I went over near the shrine and parked.  Then the guy in the trailer next to the guy I talked to came my way. 

I had my camera with me, and the first thing he said was “what are you doing with that damn camera?”  I told him I wasn’t going to shoot him with it, and he seemed to calm down a little.  Dolly was out walking with the dog and came up and then we found out he was just a lonely guy named Pat trying to act mean.  We started talking and Pat would not stop!  Told us about his old neighbor, the dead guy we were parked near and about his years of sobriety and that he was a photographer by trade, etc., etc.

Finally, I said that I had to get us set up and after telling us where we could get water and where the free dump station was, he headed home and we were doing our thing.  We quickly got the jeep unhooked and took a tour of Slab City.
Inside Salvation Mountain 
Inside Salvation Mountain


Tomorrow, I will post more pictures of Slab City and give you the short history of the dead guy we are parked near.  Today’s blog is already getting too long.

See you later.

6 comments:

  1. Well that was quite a Howdy-do you got to Slab City. In all my years of packing cameras around I don't think I have ever been approached by anyone like that. Slab City is an experience in itself & if one can keep an open mind & see past the visiual junk littering the area one can begin to understand Slab City & the many interesting characters that live there......Might want to drop by Solar Mike's & ask him about a solar panel. He's very close to that white Church you can probably see from where you are. Nice fella & easy to talk to.............On your way to Borrego Springs remember there is a big Arco station where you turn onto highway S22 heading for Borrego. Free dump here, water, propane, gas, a few groceries, laundry, etc.....

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    1. Thanks for the info Al. We are enjoying a quiet day here. Quite warm for us snowbirds, but not complaining.

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  2. Yup, we enjoyed our time at the Slabs too... hopefully you will be around for the free music at the Range on the weekend? (donation box up front helps with power for the generators for the lights and electronic music devices)

    We parked further to the east and south, down by Rayhound Road and Chef Roger Way... have friends that stay there all winter every year. If you run into Rich & Mary, Seann, Chili Bob or Cookie & Earl... they are all great folks and tell em Karen and Steveio sent ya! LOL
    ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
    Karen and Steve
    (Blog) RVing: The USA Is Our Big Backyard
    http://kareninthewoods-kareninthewoods.blogspot.com
    ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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    1. Thanks Karen. We will try to do a little visiting later today. This is an experience, but a couple of days is all we can handle.

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    2. Yup.. it's a "unique" place... but if you are parked up near the first part as you enter the area, it's the roughest. We parked down by our friends in a nicer area, near Rayhound Road and Chef Roger Way. Amazing how there can be big expensive rigs and then again, other dilapitated old broken down places... but everyone gets along.

      ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
      Karen and Steve
      (Blog) RVing: The USA Is Our Big Backyard
      http://kareninthewoods-kareninthewoods.blogspot.com
      ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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  3. Dunes rentals offer small town feel, people actually live here and a great family friendly atmosphere is a great result. http://www.justridearizona.com/

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