Rice Shoe Garden

After California, I flew back to Iowa for a few weeks to catch up with friends and pick up some more of my belongings. Following this, I flew back out to California to retrieve my car and start the long drive to Miami. Like always, I took more side roads than interstates and stopped at various places along the way. The first “attraction” I encountered was on a nearly empty, two-lane road in the Mojave Desert. Here, in a town formerly known as Rice, I saw a “shoe... Read More

California Wrap-Up

A lot of things have happened since my time in Palm Desert and the Salton Sea (for one, I’m currently living in Miami), so it is probably about time to move on to more recent happenings. Some final photos from Bombay Beach and Slab City: Palm Springs: My posts: Salton Sea Bombay Beach Bombay Beach, Part II Salvation Mountain Slab City “The Range” in Slab City Salton Sea in other media: Rusko’s “Everyday” Music Video Bombay Beach Documentary... Read More

“The Range” in Slab City

As I alluded to in the previous post, Slab City features a “nightclub” made by some of the residents. “The Range” boasts a stage positioned between a bus and an RV, a wooden bar, and numerous couches and chairs for seating. The stage lighting is created from large Christmas lights and buckets. I visited The Range on a Saturday night during a local talent show. I was completely surprised by the talent. Many single acts performed, along with newly formed... Read More

Slab City, California

After passing through Salvation Mountain, I drove deeper into the desert through an area known as Slab City. Slab City is named for the many concrete slabs and pylons that remain from an abandoned WWII military base. The area is now used by squatters and snowbirds. The area is mostly uncontrolled, and there is no charge for parking or camping, giving it the reputation as “the last free place in America”. In popular culture, Slab City was featured in Jon Krakauer’s... Read More