Seen some videos on Slab City before, but your video is by far the best. I feel like I'm a passenger in the car with a history teacher that did a good bit of research on the society.
Visited slab city and areas a couple of time. Thanks for doing all the driving! Regarding Salvation Mountain, it's too bad that you weren't able to explore further back. There are all sorts of very surreal painted rooms that were created in and around the big rocks. It's a real experience! But, very much, finding your travels everywhere very informative. These are places most people would not think to go to. Thanks to you and your wife for the videos you do.
Another great video! Surreal. When I saw the house/compound/etc that is surrounded by half-buried tires I remembered the ranches in rural parts of Latin America where the people bordered their property with tires. Painted tires. Someone's trash is someone else's treasure. Safe travels. Thank you.
That is true, last summer I experimented with tires and made frogs with top hats smoking a cigar sold a bunch of those, made owls planters, made tea cup and pot planters and swan planters. Now I have a bunch of people wanting me to make roosters.
Fascinating video! I could not live in Slab City. All of the trash and lack of amenities would be issues for me. I like the bartering concept, creativity and art. Love the tire fencing. The flag 184 feet below sea level is very cool with the anchors. Thank you for the eye opening visit!
Recently found your channel. Have watched a number of video's. Great formula with historical content, and just stating the facts. This is the best video I have seen! Very educational!! Just Subscribed!
I have traveled on both sides of the Salton Sea, on trips back and forth to the Quechan Reservation for years and I have never heard of this town, let alone go by it. It is out of the way which seem to fill the needs of the people who live there. thanks again for the ride along.
I can understand how people live like that. When I was a kid my Grandparents had a cabin at a small county lake. We did have electricity but no trash service and no plumbing. We had an old time outhouse and a shared water well 2 houses down the hill. When we had extended stays we had a wash tub that took several trips to fill and we bathed in it on Saturday night so that we could go to church on Sunday. I always thought that must have been how the pioneers lived. By the way this was in the 60s and 70s.
Wow, Slab City was a real eye-opener. I've never seen anything like that before, very post- apocalyptic looking. The people there must be very resourceful and seem to have thought of everything, in order to live out there. It looks very flat and dry there, so the water they have delivered would be precious. I love that they have a library and a church, and of course, at least one cat !! The neighbouring towns were very interesting, too, a lifeline for the people in Slab City. I really enjoy your videos. Thanks so much. 😊
I have seen specials on slab city before. I remember one woman said she got tired of supporting her kids and left everything to them and just took what she wanted and up and left. Lol absolutely awesome video. U did just as great as the specials I saw on a major network years ago.
Joe I automatically thought of Mad Max too. Before I saw that yiu visited here i was watching other videos on Slab City and then I saw oh my favorites Joe and Nic have their own video on Slab City. Sweet. 😊
Of all your videos, so far this is my favorite ❤Shows us something very different from what most of us will ever see in person. Gotta admire those people’s grit, if nothing else!
Vanessa and I have watched hundreds of videos from slab city. Great tour. They have a few youtubers there too. It gets rowdy at night. When they get mad at each other they burn each other's houses down. 🏘
My wife and I lived in outback Australian opal mining town of Lighting Ridge in the 90s. We lived out of town in the semi arid desert with no power, water, services But the local council still charged us . What a wonderful life it was. Very similar to this.
My grandparents lived in a farmhouse in rural Ohio with no running water and a one hole outhouse well into the 1970s and their 80s. They had a pump well in the kitchen which was their only source of water. The water was high in iron and Sulphur and it smelled and tasted horrible. My grandparents were fit and hardy people right up until they sold the farm and moved to the city, after which their health rapidly decayed. It can be hard to imagine life without flush toilets and hot and cold water on tap but those conveniences are only a little over a hundred or so years old. Before then people drank water from questionable sources and dropped their waste in shallow holes not too far from where they slept and ate. The folks in slab city are ready for the next Carrington event or whichever disaster befalls mankind. It's not a matter of if but when.
Yup, same here. Grew up in Missouri, Ozark region, a house hidden way off Maries Road, Vienna, Missouri. That house was built by us using rock surrounding the local area as foundation. Our driveway was 1/2 a mile off the main road and rocky to boot, but you could hear anyone driving down it. Also had a good well , garden pony, and was able to hunt in the woods surrounding our house. Outhouses may actually be better for your health in the long run, imagine when the mains burst in large cities , so much so that your wading in it. I prefer living out in the country with good neighbours more than an arm's length away, say at least two miles away but able and willing to come to your assistance as and when.
They are not ready. They're supported by the neighboring towns with food and water. If that goes, so does the slabs. Food don't grow in the desert. You're grandparents would have done better. I think the Amish are fairly self sustaining, they'll do alright.
@Chilly Willy Just like Glorified Welfare Recipient Politicians and bureaucrats Politicians really need welfare money, it go's with their large bank accounts and rents they charge on many of their homes and commercial buildings.
Your grandparents' health might have appeared to deteriorate when they moved to the city. My wife and I lived in outback away from all the city businesses. But we had to move to the city to be closer to medical treatment after many years of good health in the outback. It would appear that moving to the city was the problem, but it was a necessity to be there...all good things come to an end, unfortunately.
Thanks for this very unusual tour. Slab City does look post-apocalyptic. You would really have to like roughing it to live there. They are creative, to say the least, with how they use their trash. It wouldn't surprise me if they barter a lot, too. Interesting place...
I'm glad you did a tour through Slab City and Nyland. I followed a few bloggers from here, but never got the sense of where they lived in here. Thank you for the thorough tour. Makes much more sense to me and better understanding, now.
Thank you so much for this video! I have been wanting to move near there and help to maintain Salvation Mountain by donating my time. I think it is very, very important now that Leonard has passed that we keep this the way he intended it. This world is such a messed-up place now and people to know that they are loved by God and not care about what the world thinks of them. Sometimes encouragement and a hug and the Lord's message is all that someone needs to completely turn their lives around.
I've driven past here a few times before knowing of it's existence. I came across a documentary about it also on UA-cam about 5 or 6 years ago. It's not widely known about here in the UK, but I think I'm going to try and visit it when I'm next doing the Phoenix to San Diego run in September. Love your videos. Makes me want to be in the US ALL the time!
I stayed in that motel, it is nice. I went to the store, it is like a trip back in time 50 years. Restaurant was closed so I had to make my own dinner.
One thing I never see is people in the yard s or walking down the street in most of your video , Where are the people ? Love your video sure learn a lot thanks
Lord, Bob Wells Did A Visit/Tour Of Slab City Some Years Back, It Has Changed Much Since Saw It Then. Less Than More. I Am Wondering If The Corona-19 Virus Had Impact On Slab City & The Towns You Went Through? Glad You Have A Good Run'n Vehicle To Get You'al Around. Great Tour. Safe Travels. always, Tommy🤠
You must have been there really early--I've never seen Salvation Mountain without any people wandering around. It's truly one of the greatest desert folk art installations, too bad you didn't have time to explore it a little more. I've driven through Slab City several times since the mid 80s and I have to agree, it's always had a Mad Max vibe (with maybe a hint of The Hills Have Eyes 🙂). The ruins around the Salton Sea have the same kind of feel, great for photography.
@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip I remember Salvation Mountain on Rare Visions and Roadside Revelations on PBS. The man that built it showed how he made flowers be pressing (lightly punching) his fist into the wet cement. He had a very creative mind. In GTA 5 they call Slab City "Stab City" which is indicative of the tongue-in-cheek humor throughout the game. I always thought it was funny. I guess you could say there is an element of anarchy, not really mayhem though. Probably best described as an an autonomous community.
Hi Lord Spoda That's very unusual. And therefore interesting too, though bit thought-provoking. The flag pole and an anchor nearby give ideas about the geographical location of the area. Your videos are always informative, educative and entertaining too. You must be doing a lot of homework before selecting the locations. Thanks for the video. Enjoyed and learnt something new.
Thank you for sharing this very positive video about slab city. I think that settlements like this are a great model of a solution for the homeless situation clogging our cities. Unfortunately slab city is riddled with crime and drugs, much like any other homeless encampment. With the right services and resources such as sanitation, mental health support, medical and law enforcement, slab city could be a shining example of a permanent solution to this country's homeless crisis.
have you ever seen the channel "ghost town living"? you're not that far away and its an old abandoned mining town that Brent Underwood is rebuilding, very interesting and he does an awesome job dealing with the history and reconstruction of Cerro Gordo. a trip out there would make for a great LS video:)
I can't believe you didn't visit East Jesus, in the back corner of Slab City, on the left side. Unbelievably creative sculptures! You really need to go back. And also explore the cave rooms behind Salvation Mountain. Fascinating!
I also can't believe that he didn't get out and talk to anyone. Almost turned into the library nope ,come on turn into MOJOS , nope. So he can see how a real camp is run or The Range the hot spring and last but not least EAST JESUS which you would have to get out to fully enjoy. Next time bro take a chance . I stayed there last year for four months and made memories for a life time .However to be there with no skills or money or support would suck but the community does come through for those who are going thru tough times. GOBEBLI TEPI
@wanderingjeepsy just did some great interviews with a few people in this town. Check her out too. She's very comfortable in these areas, and it shows :)
Thanks for making these videos Joe I love em not able to travel now for quite some time. And you’re doing exactly what I would love to be doing. And on another note I live all the stats you give about these places and all the research you put into it. Especially love the quirky oddities about these places and you showing them to us. Best to you and the wife and keep making these videos cause we’ll keep watching.
Wow! Always looking forward to your videos...very interesting..l've never been out west, and do want to go to desert sometime, thanks for sharing all those sites, it definitely would be a "get away" place, Safe Travels"...God Bless.🌼
You, like Lord Spoda, have an expansive sense of beauty if you predicate beauty to any of the three communities shown in this video. Interesting, yes. Beautiful? Well, I wonder.
Whoopee! a Slab City Kitty! LOL This place has intrigued me for years. I'd like to stay there long enough to meet some of the people, but no way would I live there! The nearby towns are sad. Gotta research Calpatria. It looks interesting too. Thanks for the visit!
I think it would be very interesting if you would talk to the residents of the towns or locations you visit. Driving by is interesting but talking to the people would so much more interesting.
I guess you had to be there to catch the " beauty " in Slab City ? I've actually seen 3 or 4 RV channels visit the place and I believe seeing it via my laptop is as close as I would care to see it. Did you go out and take a look at the nearby Saltan Sea ? The whole are is a bit less than desirable as far as I'm concerned ! LOL. Happy Travels Guys . Motel 6 looks like the Ritz after that place ! LOL.
As the USA collapses and people lose their homes and money and everything else, we will see more places like this showing up. The people of Slab City are leading the way!
Just got to live within your means maybe people don't need that big of a house or two car payments or eating out all the time or a fancy coffee house Etc
Really interesting tours I've seen at least 30 of your tours of different places and I think this one might be my favorite I've learned a lot from all of your videos and most of what I've learned from them I would never learn in any book you always do your research and make it interesting for us I know there are a lot that I haven't seen yet and I look forward to those
People like to paint slab city as an easy going safe place for nomads, but it's quite the opposite. The people who've been there longer seem to consider themselves the rulers of those lands and will do whatever they can to intimidate and show the new comers who's boss. Theft, as you might imagine, is very high there.
I felt safer in slab city than in the city. As long as you watch your stuff, and don't cause problems you'll be fine. Being a good person will get you friends that will help watch your camp.
@@trishbidweptomshkodeosterh3885 the people who think they own the place don't care if you're a good person or not. Seasoned rvers have tried to stay there an extended period of time and ended up leaving because they were getting their things constantly stolen.
Extremely high. Kindness is weakness here. Since Red Cross no longer pays the 500.00 per trailer anymore burn out are constant. True old school Slabbers do not rule here. They have been robbed o much they keep to themselves.
Great video very informative. A soon as you said they Barter in Slab City, I immediately thought of Barter Town in Mad Max beyond thunderdome. Quite an eclectic mix of professions there, I wonder how many fugitives are there 🤔 😉 That was an interesting place with the flag pole. I thought the lowest place in America was Bad water basin in death Valley. I look forward to your next vlog. 🙂👍
I live in the Coachella Valley near Palm Springs, I've never been to slab City or Salvation mountain. I'm planning on taking my sister there when she visits from Phoenix AZ in the spring of 2025. in
I've always thought Slab City was really cool. It might not be my cup of tea to live there, but more power to those who do. When I was younger, there used to be a really awesome artist commune in my city that had a similar yet much smaller vibe. Lots of cool art, great live music, and interesting people to mingle with. I have happy memories hanging out there. Sadly they got pushed out, the city claiming safety reasons. But anyone who knew of it felt that was BS and they should have left them alone. The buildings weren't unsafe or fire hazards, they were actually kept up quite nicely. And the community was safe, it wasn't like there was crime. Just a collective of people who were part hippie, part punk rock, and liked to walk a different path than most of society. Glad places like Slab City are still around and going strong.
As shown in the Academy award Movie " Nomadland " featuring featuring Francis Mc Dormand and Bob Wells, who i've followed for years on UA-cam for a few Years now . Interviews from that Movie give you much insight on Slab City life . California might be hesitant to kick them out, because so many areas in the cities have Homeless. These folk aren't Homeless. Just Houseless as Nomads say !
Probably also because the land is virtually useless to the state currently so the expense of evicting these people would gain the state nothing afterwards.
The one thing I noticed the most about that flag pole was the big, juicy chemtrail in the sky. How ironic. A flag depicting freedom below a toxic chemtrail polluting our air and water.
@@LrngMn Nah. Contrails dissipate quickly. Chemtrails stay in the sky longer in an attempt by the government to modify the weather by spewing toxic chemicals in the air,
You still there Jack? I watched a video recently and you gave your channel name and I couldn't find you on that, but now I see you in the comments, guess you changed your channel name. Lol
Imperial County native here (from Brawley). Really cool to see you shine the light on some lesser known parts of the US. A few tidbits from a local: a couple of years ago Niland had a bad fire that burned down many homes and that may account for the sudden population drop. That new fire station is badly needed. I remember lots of people around town were taking donations of clothes and things out to the families. My mom grew up here in the 60s and 70s and said Niland used to be known for its tomato farming and had a sizable Filipino farmer population. Not sure why the tomato farming stopped. We also have geothermal activity here in the valley because we're right at the end of the San Andreas fault in a "pull apart" zone. We get earthquake swarms from time to time and out by Niland are "mud pots" where gasses come bubbling up from the ground. I've never been out there, but might be cool for tourists. About Calipatria: Locals generally refer to it as "Calipat" for short. No idea why. We have two prisons in the county, Calipatria and Centinela. Both account for a lot of employment in the whole county. Lots commute out to Calipatria and work at the prison. About the below sea level thing: much of the valley used to be submerged under a prehistoric lake called Lake Cahuilla. It dried up sometime in the late 1600s. Some of the local Native Americans mention it in their myths and legends. Really interesting. It would have been cool if you visited Brawley and El Centro and drove down their main streets. Most of the buildings date back to the 20s and when my mom was growing up it was all downtown mom and pop shops, but then the big box stores killed America's downtowns. Brawley and EC have such cute historical downtown buildings, but they're just dying. People can't pay the high rents there and then they sit abandoned and in Brawley at least in the last 10 years or so we've had a bad string of fires and arson. There are just vacant lots downtown where things have burned down. Our large historic hotel fell victim to arson back in I want to say 2007. Some of the old buildings suffer earthquake damage as well, as we are on a fault line. It's so sad to see the old buildings in disrepair.
FYI: Niland Post Office was a victim of arson too. Sadly it can't be restored. Apparently , Earthquake reinforcement hasn't been done so they can't rebuild. One of the most beautiful buildings in Niland is the old Bank of America building. Someone purchased it and started renovations but they had to stop because it isn't Earthquake reinforced. In my opinion if the buildings are older than the Policy and have withstood several heavy Earthquakes for decades they deserve exemptions. Brawley has amazing old buildings and I wonder if new tenants are facing this same rule?
@@alonawhalen oh no! I didn't know that. So sad. Maybe it just cost too much to earthquake retro-fit it? I think probably anything can be fixed with enough money.
I might be moving out there because I lost my home due to California flooding we’re living at the lake right now till the eighth have nowhere else to go most likely be living in a tent. I have nothing else lost everything.
Your videos are so good , I love your humor , it just makes me laugh with the things you come up with. Its great to know all about these places that exist in the USA and you bring them into our living rooms with all the great videos you do , I actually think you could put some kind of movie together with all the good finds you have , keep up the good work ,love it, and give Nicole a hug for me , from Harleysville Pa
Thought quite different in construction, Slab City made me think of Kowloon City, another city that grew up without larger planning. I'm a teacher, so I immediately wondered about their education system. Do they use the local public school, or do they cobble something together themselves? You answered the question: they use the local public school. As for Mad Max: the impression I got there was that people would band together into small "tribes" and became quite insular. This looks like more a group of individualists who found a place where they could live in mutual distrust. And it is funny that these rugged individualists live on the tolerance of the state of California. A very interesting place, and I'm glad you shared it with us. It's something unique, and I'm glad I saw it!
I wondered that Niland schools the children from Slab City, but pays no taxes. Is there no way to get internet or can you get internet with generators? Are people digging their own outhouses?
Very interesting, my friend . You open America for me from different sides all the time. I like your videos and leave a comment sometimes, but I'm watching all your videos. Wow, slab city is exactly place, where Hollywood can make American version of Mad Max without any prepares. Towns around this place also very interesting. Flagpole under 184 feet of sea level fascinated me. Thank you again for your work. Video is very informative and helpful. This is why your subscribers count growing up so fast. Good luck and all the best to you and your wife.
Seen some videos on Slab City before, but your video is by far the best. I feel like I'm a passenger in the car with a history teacher that did a good bit of research on the society.
Wow, thank you!
😂😂😂😂😂
I really like your videos because you report the facts and are neutral on the subject matter.
Visited slab city and areas a couple of time. Thanks for doing all the driving! Regarding Salvation Mountain, it's too bad that you weren't able to explore further back. There are all sorts of very surreal painted rooms that were created in and around the big rocks. It's a real experience! But, very much, finding your travels everywhere very informative. These are places most people would not think to go to. Thanks to you and your wife for the videos you do.
Keep in mind when walking through there that those tree branches etc were not in an engineering plan Just saying
Another great video! Surreal. When I saw the house/compound/etc that is surrounded by half-buried tires I remembered the ranches in rural parts of Latin America where the people bordered their property with tires. Painted tires. Someone's trash is someone else's treasure. Safe travels. Thank you.
That is true, last summer I experimented with tires and made frogs with top hats smoking a cigar sold a bunch of those, made owls planters, made tea cup and pot planters and swan planters. Now I have a bunch of people wanting me to make roosters.
Fascinating video! I could not live in Slab City. All of the trash and lack of amenities would be issues for me. I like the bartering concept, creativity and art. Love the tire fencing. The flag 184 feet below sea level is very cool with the anchors. Thank you for the eye opening visit!
I've watched all of your videos and thoroughly loved them all. Slab City is pretty sketchy but very interesting. I'd be scared to live there though.
Recently found your channel. Have watched a number of video's. Great formula with historical content, and just stating the facts. This is the best video I have seen! Very educational!! Just Subscribed!
Lord Spoda. The best slab city documentary yet!
I have traveled on both sides of the Salton Sea, on trips back and forth to the Quechan Reservation for years and I have never heard of this town, let alone go by it. It is out of the way which seem to fill the needs of the people who live there. thanks again for the ride along.
I can understand how people live like that. When I was a kid my Grandparents had a cabin at a small county lake. We did have electricity but no trash service and no plumbing. We had an old time outhouse and a shared water well 2 houses down the hill. When we had extended stays we had a wash tub that took several trips to fill and we bathed in it on Saturday night so that we could go to church on Sunday. I always thought that must have been how the pioneers lived. By the way this was in the 60s and 70s.
I would hope the water source would NOT be downhill from the outhouse.
I can't believe Slab City doesn't have a Dollar General. 🤣
They’re everywhere, right!! 😀
Give it time....
Ya have to have a dollar to spend there.
or at least Family dollar.
Calipatria does
A great place for a madmax movie.gets a lot of nomads.
Wow, Slab City was a real eye-opener. I've never seen anything like that before, very post- apocalyptic looking. The people there must be very resourceful and seem to have thought of everything, in order to live out there. It looks very flat and dry there, so the water they have delivered would be precious. I love that they have a library and a church, and of course, at least one cat !! The neighbouring towns were very interesting, too, a lifeline for the people in Slab City. I really enjoy your videos. Thanks so much. 😊
It's a lot of work to live like this!
In summer time population drop as low as a couple hundred when its so damn hot Winter time population can swell to several thousand
@catlover614
The rest of the country is going to look like this in the near future.
There were actually 5 or 6 cats, but I didn't catch them all! :)
@Hydroponic RAT I figured that The slabs are on my bucket list lol
Thanks for this one Mr Spoda very much enjoyed 'cheers from Sydney nsw.
I have seen specials on slab city before. I remember one woman said she got tired of supporting her kids and left everything to them and just took what she wanted and up and left. Lol absolutely awesome video. U did just as great as the specials I saw on a major network years ago.
Interesting.
Joe I automatically thought of Mad Max too. Before I saw that yiu visited here i was watching other videos on Slab City and then I saw oh my favorites Joe and Nic have their own video on Slab City. Sweet. 😊
Of all your videos, so far this is my favorite ❤Shows us something very different from what most of us will ever see in person. Gotta admire those people’s grit, if nothing else!
Wow, thank you!
Admire peoples grit? or sht?😂
Thanks for the tour.👍
I so much like the way you talk to us as though we are right there with you! That IS how we feel too!
That's my goal, so you just gave me the best compliment!
Vanessa and I have watched hundreds of videos from slab city. Great tour. They have a few youtubers there too. It gets rowdy at night. When they get mad at each other they burn each other's houses down. 🏘
My wife and I lived in outback Australian opal mining town of Lighting Ridge in the 90s. We lived out of town in the semi arid desert with no power, water, services
But the local council still charged us .
What a wonderful life it was.
Very similar to this.
A true to life Bartertown? Fascinating!
My grandparents lived in a farmhouse in rural Ohio with no running water and a one hole outhouse well into the 1970s and their 80s. They had a pump well in the kitchen which was their only source of water. The water was high in iron and Sulphur and it smelled and tasted horrible. My grandparents were fit and hardy people right up until they sold the farm and moved to the city, after which their health rapidly decayed. It can be hard to imagine life without flush toilets and hot and cold water on tap but those conveniences are only a little over a hundred or so years old. Before then people drank water from questionable sources and dropped their waste in shallow holes not too far from where they slept and ate. The folks in slab city are ready for the next Carrington event or whichever disaster befalls mankind. It's not a matter of if but when.
Yea but they still accept a goverment chq every month.
Yup, same here. Grew up in Missouri, Ozark region, a house hidden way off Maries Road, Vienna, Missouri. That house was built by us using rock surrounding the local area as foundation. Our driveway was 1/2 a mile off the main road and rocky to boot, but you could hear anyone driving down it. Also had a good well , garden pony, and was able to hunt in the woods surrounding our house. Outhouses may actually be better for your health in the long run, imagine when the mains burst in large cities , so much so that your wading in it. I prefer living out in the country with good neighbours more than an arm's length away, say at least two miles away but able and willing to come to your assistance as and when.
They are not ready. They're supported by the neighboring towns with food and water. If that goes, so does the slabs. Food don't grow in the desert. You're grandparents would have done better. I think the Amish are fairly self sustaining, they'll do alright.
@Chilly Willy
Just like Glorified Welfare Recipient Politicians and bureaucrats
Politicians really need welfare money, it go's with their large bank accounts and rents they charge on many of their homes and commercial buildings.
Your grandparents' health might have appeared to deteriorate when they moved to the city. My wife and I lived in outback away from all the city businesses.
But we had to move to the city to be closer to medical treatment after many years of good health in the outback.
It would appear that moving to the city was the problem, but it was a necessity to be there...all good things come to an end, unfortunately.
Ive been there a few times with my family and met some great people. Fun little day trip!
Love your videos I'm getting to see things that I would never be able to see thank you
I'm glad you're here, Carol. :)
Watch all your episodes, this is my favorite.
Cool!
Funny 🤣 I looked at the video four months ago thankful you made it out right 👍 LoL 😂 awesome video as always enjoyed it
Thanks for this very unusual tour. Slab City does look post-apocalyptic. You would really have to like roughing it to live there. They are creative, to say the least, with how they use their trash. It wouldn't surprise me if they barter a lot, too. Interesting place...
Thank you for giving us a look into a truly unique place that probably could only thrive in the US (in the Western world).
That was really entertaining! At one point I was half expecting Charlie Manson to jump up from the behind the tire fence..
I'm glad you did a tour through Slab City and Nyland. I followed a few bloggers from here, but never got the sense of where they lived in here. Thank you for the thorough tour. Makes much more sense to me and better understanding, now.
Thanks! been looking forward to this video!
Thank you so much for this video! I have been wanting to move near there and help to maintain Salvation Mountain by donating my time. I think it is very, very important now that Leonard has passed that we keep this the way he intended it. This world is such a messed-up place now and people to know that they are loved by God and not care about what the world thinks of them. Sometimes encouragement and a hug and the Lord's message is all that someone needs to completely turn their lives around.
You are the absolute best, sooooo cool u actually hit the slab
Yep!
I've driven past here a few times before knowing of it's existence. I came across a documentary about it also on UA-cam about 5 or 6 years ago. It's not widely known about here in the UK, but I think I'm going to try and visit it when I'm next doing the Phoenix to San Diego run in September.
Love your videos. Makes me want to be in the US ALL the time!
Curious. What part of the U.S.? Slab City?
@@daviddecelles8714 the documentary was about Slab City.
Definitely not a place to visit.
Do you really want to be in the US all the time and risk losing your life to some random gunman?
I stayed in that motel, it is nice. I went to the store, it is like a trip back in time 50 years. Restaurant was closed so I had to make my own dinner.
One thing I never see is people in the yard s or walking down the street in most of your video , Where are the people ? Love your video sure learn a lot thanks
Lord, Bob Wells Did A Visit/Tour Of Slab City Some Years Back, It Has Changed Much Since Saw It Then. Less Than More. I Am Wondering If The Corona-19 Virus Had Impact On Slab City & The Towns You Went Through? Glad You Have A Good Run'n Vehicle To Get You'al Around. Great Tour. Safe Travels. always, Tommy🤠
You must have been there really early--I've never seen Salvation Mountain without any people wandering around. It's truly one of the greatest desert folk art installations, too bad you didn't have time to explore it a little more.
I've driven through Slab City several times since the mid 80s and I have to agree, it's always had a Mad Max vibe (with maybe a hint of The Hills Have Eyes 🙂). The ruins around the Salton Sea have the same kind of feel, great for photography.
I agree. I will be doing a tour around the Salton Sea soon. Really looking forward to it!
@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip If you get a chance, try a date shake!
@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip I remember Salvation Mountain on Rare Visions and Roadside Revelations on PBS. The man that built it showed how he made flowers be pressing (lightly punching) his fist into the wet cement. He had a very creative mind. In GTA 5 they call Slab City "Stab City" which is indicative of the tongue-in-cheek humor throughout the game. I always thought it was funny. I guess you could say there is an element of anarchy, not really mayhem though. Probably best described as an an autonomous community.
@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip be sure to tour East Jesus, a fantastic and huge sculpture/art installation at the far left corner of Slab City!
fantastic finally, you got your tents and sleeping bags.
Hi Lord Spoda
That's very unusual. And therefore interesting too, though bit thought-provoking. The flag pole and an anchor nearby give ideas about the geographical location of the area.
Your videos are always informative, educative and entertaining too. You must be doing a lot of homework before selecting the locations.
Thanks for the video. Enjoyed and learnt something new.
Thank you for the great comment as usual, Rajeev. Always one of my favorites.
I grew up in Brawley. My uncle was the Niland fire chief for many years.
I have watched many vids related and this is by far the best detailed version of all !! Love your videos thanx for them !!
Wow, thanks!
Thank you for sharing this very positive video about slab city. I think that settlements like this are a great model of a solution for the homeless situation clogging our cities. Unfortunately slab city is riddled with crime and drugs, much like any other homeless encampment. With the right services and resources such as sanitation, mental health support, medical and law enforcement, slab city could be a shining example of a permanent solution to this country's homeless crisis.
Seems every youtuber makes the pilgrimage to this place.
Another great video! Thanks!
Thank you, Laura! 👍😀
have you ever seen the channel "ghost town living"? you're not that far away and its an old abandoned mining town that Brent Underwood is rebuilding, very interesting and he does an awesome job dealing with the history and reconstruction of Cerro Gordo. a trip out there would make for a great LS video:)
Wow, slab city was a trip. Can't believe I've never heard of it considering I live in southern California.
Your comments are always so objective. I really enjoy your videos. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you, Martha!
Thanks for showing this interesting part of America
I can't believe you didn't visit East Jesus, in the back corner of Slab City, on the left side. Unbelievably creative sculptures! You really need to go back. And also explore the cave rooms behind Salvation Mountain. Fascinating!
I also can't believe that he didn't get out and talk to anyone. Almost turned into the library nope ,come on turn into MOJOS , nope. So he can see how a real camp is run or The Range the hot spring and last but not least EAST JESUS which you would have to get out to fully enjoy. Next time bro take a chance . I stayed there last year for four months and made memories for a life time .However to be there with no skills or money or support would suck but the community does come through for those who are going thru tough times. GOBEBLI TEPI
@wanderingjeepsy just did some great interviews with a few people in this town. Check her out too. She's very comfortable in these areas, and it shows :)
An insight into our future.
Thanks for making these videos Joe I love em not able to travel now for quite some time. And you’re doing exactly what I would love to be doing. And on another note I live all the stats you give about these places and all the research you put into it. Especially love the quirky oddities about these places and you showing them to us. Best to you and the wife and keep making these videos cause we’ll keep watching.
C EST VRAI, les gens ne send rend pas compte que certains on le cul dans du beurre whaooo
MERCI DE NOUS OUVRIR LES YEUX
We need a running tally of how many cats have been successfully/unsuccessfully petted.
Wow! Always looking forward to your videos...very interesting..l've never been out west, and do want to go to desert sometime, thanks for sharing all those sites, it definitely would be a "get away" place, Safe Travels"...God Bless.🌼
Thank you, Jenny.
I stayed there for a week several years ago. One of the best experiences of my life.
I'm in Australia Joe and have to say all of your videos are great to watch. They're so informative and well filmed. America is beautiful ❤️
You, like Lord Spoda, have an expansive sense of beauty if you predicate beauty to any of the three communities shown in this video. Interesting, yes. Beautiful? Well, I wonder.
Awesome, thank you!
Whoopee! a Slab City Kitty! LOL This place has intrigued me for years. I'd like to stay there long enough to meet some of the people, but no way would I live there! The nearby towns are sad. Gotta research Calpatria. It looks interesting too. Thanks for the visit!
I think it would be very interesting if you would talk to the residents of the towns or locations you visit. Driving by is interesting but talking to the people would so much more interesting.
I talked to three different people in Slab City. They all said "no" to being on camera.
I guess you had to be there to catch the " beauty " in Slab City ? I've actually seen 3 or 4 RV channels visit the place and I believe seeing it via my laptop is as close as I would care to see it. Did you go out and take a look at the nearby Saltan Sea ? The whole are is a bit less than desirable as far as I'm concerned ! LOL. Happy Travels Guys . Motel 6 looks like the Ritz after that place ! LOL.
As the USA collapses and people lose their homes and money and everything else, we will see more places like this showing up. The people of Slab City are leading the way!
Doomsday prepers.
Exactly! 💯🎯
😂
Just got to live within your means maybe people don't need that big of a house or two car payments or eating out all the time or a fancy coffee house Etc
Bulshevic revolution was really bad. That's what this country is looking at soon.
Scary as hell.
Wow ! I have lived in CA my entire life ….70 years …..have heard of this town ! I am in the Bay Area
Really interesting tours I've seen at least 30 of your tours of different places and I think this one might be my favorite I've learned a lot from all of your videos and most of what I've learned from them I would never learn in any book you always do your research and make it interesting for us I know there are a lot that I haven't seen yet and I look forward to those
People like to paint slab city as an easy going safe place for nomads, but it's quite the opposite. The people who've been there longer seem to consider themselves the rulers of those lands and will do whatever they can to intimidate and show the new comers who's boss. Theft, as you might imagine, is very high there.
A lot of people gloss over the massive and increasing drug problem as well.
@@-Ricky_Spanish- drugs are not a problem.....you can access anything at anytime. And at a discount
I felt safer in slab city than in the city. As long as you watch your stuff, and don't cause problems you'll be fine. Being a good person will get you friends that will help watch your camp.
@@trishbidweptomshkodeosterh3885 the people who think they own the place don't care if you're a good person or not. Seasoned rvers have tried to stay there an extended period of time and ended up leaving because they were getting their things constantly stolen.
Extremely high. Kindness is weakness here. Since Red Cross no longer pays the 500.00 per trailer anymore burn out are constant. True old school Slabbers do not rule here. They have been robbed o much they keep to themselves.
Slab city was amazing thanks for doing this..These vids are like ASMR to me I listen at night.
The thought of staying there overnight is frightening. Has a Wrong Turn vibe!
Cat looked hungry ... Maybe bring a small bag of Treats. I can only imagine a group (Gang) collecting rent to be parked in some of those areas.
Very interesting place yes.
Great video very informative. A soon as you said they Barter in Slab City, I immediately thought of Barter Town in Mad Max beyond thunderdome. Quite an eclectic mix of professions there, I wonder how many fugitives are there 🤔 😉
That was an interesting place with the flag pole.
I thought the lowest place in America was Bad water basin in death Valley.
I look forward to your next vlog. 🙂👍
It is. Calipatria is the lowest town, but not the lowest spot.
@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip Great, thanks for the clarification, thank you. 🙂👍
I should have been a bit clearer on that. :(
Since the sea level is rising- does that mean they’ll need a taller flagpole? 😁
I live in the Coachella Valley near Palm Springs, I've never been to slab City or Salvation mountain. I'm planning on taking my sister there when she visits from Phoenix AZ in the spring of 2025. in
The lack of power and plumbing is remarkable, but in the 1800s and early 1900 there wasn't anyone that had power and water.
I’m sure the kids do just fine .so long as they are fed.😐thanks for sharing this interesting place.
No child should have to live in that environment!!
I've always thought Slab City was really cool. It might not be my cup of tea to live there, but more power to those who do. When I was younger, there used to be a really awesome artist commune in my city that had a similar yet much smaller vibe. Lots of cool art, great live music, and interesting people to mingle with. I have happy memories hanging out there. Sadly they got pushed out, the city claiming safety reasons. But anyone who knew of it felt that was BS and they should have left them alone. The buildings weren't unsafe or fire hazards, they were actually kept up quite nicely. And the community was safe, it wasn't like there was crime. Just a collective of people who were part hippie, part punk rock, and liked to walk a different path than most of society. Glad places like Slab City are still around and going strong.
Interesting analysis.
Thank you.
As shown in the Academy award Movie " Nomadland " featuring featuring Francis Mc Dormand and Bob Wells, who i've followed for years on UA-cam for a few Years now . Interviews from that Movie give you much insight on Slab City life . California might be hesitant to kick them out, because so many areas in the cities have Homeless. These folk aren't Homeless. Just Houseless as Nomads say !
Probably also because the land is virtually useless to the state currently so the expense of evicting these people would gain the state nothing afterwards.
What a fascinating place.
Nyland looks like an extension of Slab City.
I love the sign on that truck Do Not Touch! Lol. It should add Without a Tetanus Shot!
Slab City and Salten Sea sure has been getting a lot of attention in last few years. UA-cam vloggers have been all over the place.
Excellent presentation! One Madmax land at large!
The one thing I noticed the most about that flag pole was the big, juicy chemtrail in the sky. How ironic. A flag depicting freedom below a toxic chemtrail polluting our air and water.
Actually a lot of military air traffic in the desert round there, probly contrails, not "chemtrail".
@@LrngMn Nah. Contrails dissipate quickly. Chemtrails stay in the sky longer in an attempt by the government to modify the weather by spewing toxic chemicals in the air,
Welcome Back,, Glad your staying safe, Lots of storms,, Be safe,,this was an eye opener,,
Airbnb has invaded Slab City. It's done - goodbye Slab City, it was fun while it lasted.
Another fine video about a town that is lost in time. Take care and be safe guys. See you on your next video.
Looks like a Mad Max movie! Can't imagine what it's like living there! 😮
You keep adding to my bucket list. Please don't stop.
Home sweet home for 12 years now 👍✌️🙂🖖🌞🌵
You still there Jack? I watched a video recently and you gave your channel name and I couldn't find you on that, but now I see you in the comments, guess you changed your channel name. Lol
Very interesting video
Imperial County native here (from Brawley). Really cool to see you shine the light on some lesser known parts of the US.
A few tidbits from a local: a couple of years ago Niland had a bad fire that burned down many homes and that may account for the sudden population drop. That new fire station is badly needed. I remember lots of people around town were taking donations of clothes and things out to the families. My mom grew up here in the 60s and 70s and said Niland used to be known for its tomato farming and had a sizable Filipino farmer population. Not sure why the tomato farming stopped. We also have geothermal activity here in the valley because we're right at the end of the San Andreas fault in a "pull apart" zone. We get earthquake swarms from time to time and out by Niland are "mud pots" where gasses come bubbling up from the ground. I've never been out there, but might be cool for tourists.
About Calipatria: Locals generally refer to it as "Calipat" for short. No idea why. We have two prisons in the county, Calipatria and Centinela. Both account for a lot of employment in the whole county. Lots commute out to Calipatria and work at the prison. About the below sea level thing: much of the valley used to be submerged under a prehistoric lake called Lake Cahuilla. It dried up sometime in the late 1600s. Some of the local Native Americans mention it in their myths and legends. Really interesting.
It would have been cool if you visited Brawley and El Centro and drove down their main streets. Most of the buildings date back to the 20s and when my mom was growing up it was all downtown mom and pop shops, but then the big box stores killed America's downtowns. Brawley and EC have such cute historical downtown buildings, but they're just dying. People can't pay the high rents there and then they sit abandoned and in Brawley at least in the last 10 years or so we've had a bad string of fires and arson. There are just vacant lots downtown where things have burned down. Our large historic hotel fell victim to arson back in I want to say 2007. Some of the old buildings suffer earthquake damage as well, as we are on a fault line. It's so sad to see the old buildings in disrepair.
FYI: Niland Post Office was a victim of arson too. Sadly it can't be restored. Apparently , Earthquake reinforcement hasn't been done so they can't rebuild. One of the most beautiful buildings in Niland is the old Bank of America building. Someone purchased it and started renovations but they had to stop because it isn't Earthquake reinforced. In my opinion if the buildings are older than the Policy and have withstood several heavy Earthquakes for decades they deserve exemptions. Brawley has amazing old buildings and I wonder if new tenants are facing this same rule?
@@alonawhalen oh no! I didn't know that. So sad. Maybe it just cost too much to earthquake retro-fit it? I think probably anything can be fixed with enough money.
I've delivered cattle to the feedyard in Calipatria. Had no idea that this was even in that neck of the woods.
Excellent video, so informative, thank you!🎉
Imagine it would be pretty scary at night being totally dark outside.
Not that bad. You learn to adapt
I might be moving out there because I lost my home due to California flooding we’re living at the lake right now till the eighth have nowhere else to go most likely be living in a tent. I have nothing else lost everything.
Well, at least Slab City looks like it does not have an HOA to mess with you!
Nope, LOL!
I was really hoping you’d go to the slabs . I’ve seen quite a few videos on this place it’s really interesting to me
Your videos are so good , I love your humor , it just makes me laugh with the things you come up with. Its great to know all about these places that exist in the USA and you bring them into our living rooms with all the great videos you do , I actually think you could put some kind of movie together with all the good finds you have , keep up the good work ,love it, and give Nicole a hug for me , from Harleysville Pa
Thank you so much!
Leonard lived in one of those trucks that’s parked in front of Salvation Mountain.
Thought quite different in construction, Slab City made me think of Kowloon City, another city that grew up without larger planning.
I'm a teacher, so I immediately wondered about their education system. Do they use the local public school, or do they cobble something together themselves? You answered the question: they use the local public school.
As for Mad Max: the impression I got there was that people would band together into small "tribes" and became quite insular. This looks like more a group of individualists who found a place where they could live in mutual distrust. And it is funny that these rugged individualists live on the tolerance of the state of California.
A very interesting place, and I'm glad you shared it with us. It's something unique, and I'm glad I saw it!
I wondered that Niland schools the children from Slab City, but pays no taxes. Is there no way to get internet or can you get internet with generators? Are people digging their own outhouses?
@@Neilsowards The whole thing brings up a lot of questions. I'm glad Lord Spoda showed it to us, but he definitely left a lot of unanswered questions!
Omg, Didn't realize it was so huge....
Wow....
Very interesting, my friend . You open America for me from different sides all the time. I like your videos and leave a comment sometimes, but I'm watching all your videos. Wow, slab city is exactly place, where Hollywood can make American version of Mad Max without any prepares. Towns around this place also very interesting. Flagpole under 184 feet of sea level fascinated me. Thank you again for your work. Video is very informative and helpful. This is why your subscribers count growing up so fast. Good luck and all the best to you and your wife.
Thank you for the great comment, Alexandr!
@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip My pleasure all the time. Cheers, my friend.