Alright, so the Slabs?

[LoisLane23]

This may sound a little ridiculous since I've been traveling off and on my whole life, but seriously I need advice. And with as little sarcasm as possible please. I have a small RV and need to winter somewhere after January 1. (Currently housesitting in Taos NM). My road dog doubles as my (autistic) 16-year-old offspring. We also have a rescue pit bull that I keep on a leash & I fucking hate breaking up pitbull fights. I'm not even 5 feet tall, a single mother, and don't want to deal with creepers. But we used to live in the 7th Ward of New Orleans and can handle our shit. And we want to give the RV an overhaul. Plus I'm self-employed.

I would appreciate y'all's opinion: Should I avoid the Slabs? What do I even do when I get there? Where do I park? What's the possibility of assholes letting their untrained dogs roam free? All advice appreciated.

 

[Barf]

Use the mother fucking search engine please.

You see that magnifying glass in the upper right corner?

Please use it.

 

[Jerrell]

Searching for that info here is needle/haystack shit.

As someone that's using Slabs for my homebase for a 3rd straight season, here is some of what I know...

There's always the possibility of a rando dog. The local dogs that do roam free are pretty chill so far this season. Sometimes travelers passing through's dogs get offleash and lost and do the whole scared and growly thing. It's rare, but I've seen it.

Thank you for leashing your pup btw.

Th outskirts of Slabs has plenty of open space where people can isolate away from others if that's what you're feeling. At least until you acclimate yourself a bit.

 

[LoisLane23]

Use the mother fucking search engine please.

You see that magnifying glass in the upper right corner?

Please use it.

Fuck off. Why the fuck do you have to be so rude to people?

 

[LoisLane23]

Searching for that info here is needle/haystack shit.

As someone that's using Slabs for my homebase for a 3rd straight season, here is some of what I know...

There's always the possibility of a rando dog. The local dogs that do roam free are pretty chill so far this season. Sometimes travelers passing through's dogs get offleash and lost and do the whole scared and growly thing. It's rare, but I've seen it.

Thank you for leashing your pup btw.

Th outskirts of Slabs has plenty of open space where people can isolate away from others if that's what you're feeling. At least until you acclimate yourself a bit.

Thank you very much. The other answer on this thread make me just want to give up even trying with the fucking vagabond community.

 

[japanarchist]

Another thing I've heard from talking to someone who's been there is to stock up on food & water before you go. Apparently its pretty isolated there and no food sources nearby? Can anyone verify and speak on this?

 

[Swirly]

Niland, CA is a short drive from the Slabs and has a store with all your basic needs, there's also services on the slabs that will deliver you supplies. Go to Slab City Internet Cafe in the morning for free coffee and meet some people, get oriented. It can be rough out there with some rifraf, keep your wits about you

 

[Coywolf]

Now, now...everyone take it down a notch...

Use the mother fucking search engine please.

You see that magnifying glass in the upper right corner?

Please use it.

While I myself constantly remind people of the search feature, asking nicely does the same thing. No need for un-pleasntries.

Searching for that info here is needle/haystack shit.

As someone that's using Slabs for my homebase for a 3rd straight season, here is some of what I know...

There's always the possibility of a rando dog. The local dogs that do roam free are pretty chill so far this season. Sometimes travelers passing through's dogs get offleash and lost and do the whole scared and growly thing. It's rare, but I've seen it.

Thank you for leashing your pup btw.

Th outskirts of Slabs has plenty of open space where people can isolate away from others if that's what you're feeling. At least until you acclimate yourself a bit.

I mean...searching for 'the slabs' really isint that hard. But I know what you are saying, using the 'advanced search feature's takes some getting used to.

However, we do have entire articles on Slab City. Mainly in the 2017 and 2018 Dirty Scouts Jamboree threads.

As far as my little experience in the slabs has gone ( @Jerrell is a way better encyclopedia on the area), dogs do roam around slab city. I've seen dog fights, people get threatened/bitten, and random aggro dogs sometimes show up from out of nowhere....HOWEVER its random. And not common, from what I've seen. Management of your camp/dogs will aid in avoiding any negative interactions.

And as Jerrell said, the outskirts of slabs is probably a better option than trying to join a camp in SC itself. Like west/south of Slavation Mtn, East of the Canal, or South of the Slabs proper. Just keep in mind there is an active millitary gunnery range/base on the other side of the canal....make sure you know where the boundaries are if you go that way. That's where I tend to go when I go down there.

When people talk about the slabs being 'the last free place on earth' that isint all peaches and cream. It also comes with the downsides of Anarchistic culture, tons of meth/heroin addicts, and unpredictable people. But also the upsides....it can be one hell of a good time/creative space.

Dont hate on me, slabbers, I'm just giving this user what you would like to say to other new people migrating to the slabs.

Thank you very much. The other answer on this thread make me just want to give up even trying with the fucking vagabond community.

Please dont 'across the board' with this community. Its diverse, like most other ones.

My overall advice would be to go and check it out. Drive around SC (get a feel for where you can/shouldn't go, camp boundaries, vibes, social areas), then drive around the outskirts to see if you can find a good camp.

If it isint for you, you will probably know pretty quick, especially if you show up on a weekend/holiday or the dead of winter....but then again it is COVID...so theres that.

Yet again, this advice is from a *LIMITED* experience with SC.

 

[Barf]

@Coywolf

I did remove the poop thing and replaced it with the clover.

I was having a shitty night last night.

 

[Matt Derrick]

Searching for that info here is needle/haystack shit.

Respectfully, I disagree, it's really easy to do a search, and at last count there are over 200 thread results for 'slab city'. So people need to take the time and do their own research (i.e. read the threads in those search results). I am also getting very tired of seeing 'what's the deal with slab city' or 'please explain everything i need to know about slab city' threads here.

that said, as @Coywolf mentioned, there's no need to be rude. but yes, please use the search.

I would appreciate y'all's opinion: Should I avoid the Slabs? What do I even do when I get there? Where do I park? What's the possibility of assholes letting their untrained dogs roam free? All advice appreciated.

to address the OP's questions:

• what's your interest in going? that will kind of determine what you do when you get there.
• there's plenty of places to park, just don't park in someone's 'yard' i.e. areas marked off with tires or rocks, it's pretty obvious.
• as for free roaming dogs, there's no guarantee, there are idiots that let their dogs roam free, but it's not super common.

if you have more specific questions, use the search and then let us know if you need more details.

 

[SigNuL]

This may sound a little ridiculous since I've been traveling off and on my whole life, but seriously I need advice. And with as little sarcasm as possible please. I have a small RV and need to winter somewhere after January 1. (Currently housesitting in Taos NM). My road dog doubles as my (autistic) 16-year-old offspring. We also have a rescue pit bull that I keep on a leash & I fucking hate breaking up pitbull fights. I'm not even 5 feet tall, a single mother, and don't want to deal with creepers. But we used to live in the 7th Ward of New Orleans and can handle our shit. And we want to give the RV an overhaul. Plus I'm self-employed.

I would appreciate y'all's opinion: Should I avoid the Slabs? What do I even do when I get there? Where do I park? What's the possibility of assholes letting their untrained dogs roam free? All advice appreciated.

Well if you're going to slabs, chances are you gonna run into some creepers so it's decent that you got a pity with yuh.

Here's my two cents
* Cars, especially RV's get eaten the fuck up in slabs especially in the summer. But the winter is bad on cars too bc the roads will FUCK your suspension to hell. Make sure your vehicle is tippy toppy and bring atleast two spare tires if you're coming in an RV. Nd make sure to have a basic tool set for minor repairs. You dont wanna br stuck in slabs without a vehicle. You really. Really. Dont.

*If you go to the Range, Karaoki on the weekends or Oasis in mornings there are usually unleashed dogs. Dog fights that gotta be broken up, that shit is normal. Nd people that have agro dogs arent always competent. So yeah, there are dumb assholes there with more responsibility then they can handle. Slabs honestly, in my opinion isn't the best place for a dog. My sister and I's dog Crake got traumatized in slabs bc of the loud explosions or fires that happen there occasionally. Now he can't even handle fireworks or gunshots without having a ptsd episode.

*Good place to park in my opinion is past the internet cafe. On the road towards the canal and library, thats where some decent outskirts are if you take a right when the path splits before the canal. You wanna be near the canal but not too close bc it gets pattroled. There are way more cops there these days that profile and arrest people which is why I'm never going back. That being said, I wouldn't park in town or anywhere near it unless you got a camp with comrades.

Anyways, good luck. Slabs ain't for everyone but its a good winter spot to hang out at if you're down with doing basically the same shit everyday till the weekend comes around nd you can go to the range.

Dm me if you need any advice or resources.

Nd if yuh meet Lurch or Light tell em Signal says hi.

 

[Jerrell]

Just an update...Pirates run the Internet Cafe since last season. It's fine in the daytime, but it can loud at night. Also it's right next to the Red Rum Room (formerly Katamari 2.0 last season) and that is a bar that can get loud.

 

[Matt Derrick]

Cars, especially RV's get eaten the fuck up in slabs especially in the summer. But the winter is bad on cars too bc the roads will FUCK your suspension to hell. Make sure your vehicle is tippy toppy and bring atleast two spare tires if you're coming in an RV. Nd make sure to have a basic tool set for minor repairs. You dont wanna br stuck in slabs without a vehicle. You really. Really. Dont.

This is very paranoid and not really true. Just don't drive like a dumb ass and you'll be fine. I've driven several cars, one RV and one school bus to the slabs and spent several months there with no problems, which makes me wonder what you're doing to your cars out there. Seriously, TWO spare tires? Get out of here with that shit.

Also, you don't need a vehicle in the slabs. Period. Been there plenty of years without one, and the vast majority of people out there don't have one.

 

[SigNuL]

This is very paranoid and not really true. Just don't drive like a dumb ass and you'll be fine. I've driven several cars, one RV and one school bus to the slabs and spent several months there with no problems, which makes me wonder what you're doing to your cars out there. Seriously, TWO spare tires? Get out of here with that shit.

Also, you don't need a vehicle in the slabs. Period. Been there plenty of years without one, and the vast majority of people out there don't have one.

Wow you seem like a fucking elitest prick, which you probably are.

Yeah, alot of people do have cars, if you don't want to be relient on people than have your own vehicle. Lotsa cars break down. The terrain is hard on most vehicles especially the terrain by the hotsprings.

 

[SigNuL]

Anyways, good luck with your shityy fukkin website matt derrick the douche tool king.

 

[Matt Derrick]

Anyways, good luck with your shityy fukkin website matt derrick the douche tool king.

Ya know, I'd like to point out that I didn't call you names or generally be shitty to you, I simply disagreed with you. Maybe I disagreed with you pretty hard, but I didn't start cursing you out because I have a different opinion.

Your post just makes it glaringly obvious that you can't handle someone calling you out on something that might not be as true as you think it is; that's a pretty strong indicator of an insecure personality, so you might want to work on that.

Also, my opinion posted earlier is based on nearly a decade of visiting the slabs every winter, usually spending around 3-6 months at a time, so... I kinda know what I'm talking about.

You also need to keep in mind that what you say here is going to be read by others; that being the case, I feel like it's important to call out stupid posts saying you need to have a vehicle with two spare tires to survive in the slabs. That's ridiculous.

 

[Jackie 4321]

Think I like to check out slabs

 

[Odin]

Anyways, good luck with your shityy fukkin website matt derrick the douche tool king.

::hilarious::

Is it just me... or I mean. Have you looked at your avatar???

You look like the guy running for president against this guy ...

AND YOUR LOSING.

Ok... scrotus

 

[Dmac]

If the slabs end up feeling wrong for you, you could check out Quartsite Arizona. Lots of RV’rs go there too. It costs $80 for the season, where the slabs is free. Lots of videos about it online. It’s about 129 miles from the slabs, so moving from one to the other wouldn’t be to bad or time consuming.
Good luck with your travels.