He is clearly the brains behind this little community and the glue that holds it together, quite remarkable guy and he chose this lifestyle too. It's what Charlie Manson was doing also in the California desert, but at least these are decent people.
I wish more people would be willing to do it the other way around. When someone says "50 degrees" to me, I think that's quite cool. I don't understand celcius.
@@zendyk don't expect it. They are not very reasonable people and consider everyone on F instead of C to be retarded. They hate it so much they won't even learn conversion nor even swing by Google to get exacts. The funny thing is the C system 0 is freezing temps of water and 50 is our 115. We go from 32-115 in the same span meaning we have more close and relative temp's.
it was really lovely to see rob and that girl start of yelling at each other and end up sitting down, talking about it, and apologizing. Rob seems like such a wise and vital presence in the community
I am heartbroken for the young guy that said so many people have kicked him in his bad foot that he’s used to it. That just breaks me, poor kid. I wish them all happiness, peace, good will, health, and a joyful life in which they’re good to themselves and others.
that and the fact his best friend there is a racist and a big story teller. When they were wrestling and his friend called him the N word. you can see soo many bad things in zack sad thats all the other dude has
As a Mama, I wish I could reach through this screen and hug all of you especially the young men who have suffered so much loss and grief. Thank you for giving us such a transparent and vulnerable peek inside your lives, and for sharing your stories with us. I hope all y'all are still well!
My grandpa was the UPS man for Slab City from the 60’s to the late 90’s, drove there almost daily from imperial valley, never realized how cool of a job that must’ve been!
Sounds awesome. So I was back in winter of last year and it was weird.. There weren't as many people as June of last year. Usually they said more people in winter, but not this time, unless people were indoors hanging out. I got a few games of Magic on their borrowed cards.. I collect baseball cards, pokemon, and used to collect magic before selling them. The lady had some AWESOME cards, but they were all played. The card collector in me was crying inside, seeing that if they were PSA rated 10 cards she had that would have went for 2k-10k easily. She had about 30k or more worth of cards if they were graded 10s. A lot of junk, but I told her that she needs to stop playing with the Mox Ruby ect ect.
I grew up around old guys like the Budweiser guy with the beard. Society treats them as outcasts for drinking, but they truly are usually the most genuine people. It got me in my feelings when he said he likes being alone because I knew what he meant. And then he said I wish I had a woman. I hope he finds a life partner he deserves the comfort of companionship
My grandpa,uncles& a few cousins were exactly like them,some of the best stories/history,they really were smart &definitely living off the grid,b4 their really was a grid😂,T Y 4 ur comment,has me remembering some true blue times 👍🏻👍🏻✌🏻
So absolutely true. The realest, rawest, most legitimate men. And usually so very wise. You can come to them with anything and get the raw honest truth. Every time I see a man like it’s, like the men in my family growing up, I get so emotional and nostalgic. I miss ‘em.
Same. Hate when those chirpy Vice reporters have to pander to us and try to re-word whatever someone just said because Vice thinks we’re as retarded as they are.
I love that he makes coffee every single morning for his customers and he doesn’t even like coffee all people seem like real characters I love them they’re like a little family
It is easy to glorify this existence...especially when Rob is presented as a sort of guru of the desert looking out for community, animals and young people --- all of which is good. There are people who live in modern homes worth a million dollars that barely even know their neighbors, much less would let one come over for a shower. There is something ironic and maybe even tragic about the human condition that only lets us self-actualize when we reduce the crap and noise in our lives. Most of us won't get there, and if we do we won't stay there. We'll visit and return to the traffic jams and working to live mind-set. On the other hand, reality in slab city is hard, violent and uncomfortable too. I'd be very careful to present it otherwise...there are people who are watching this who will think about making a visit. What they are looking for probably isn't there. You can live in the world without becoming a cog in the machine. You can have a job that makes you more you than not, and still love your neighbors and animals. You don't have to live in a tent to know that owning a fancy house and car aren't the joy your human heart is seeking.
gridcaster I agree with you on most levels , happiness is what the person defines as happy or just stuck with what they got to be happy , like somebody said you can live in a tent and be happy , I agree you can live in a mansion , and be happy , it also very unhappy on both sides , you can’t see happiness or even feel it ,, of a person , it’s inside yourself , when you are content , with the situation you are in , that’s what I call happiness , and I’m glad to say that’s how I feel is contentment and at peace , I don’t expect every body to agree with me everybody got they’re own happiness and how it’s expressed , theses people for what ever reason , got or like living there , no place on earth 🌎 is the perfect paradise , only inside you will you find that
I wish yall could get someone to dig you a primary well. You would have an endless supply of free water. Mr Beast did that all over Africa. I wonder if he would do it there?
Honestly, say what you will about these people but they are deeply genuine and earnest. In what we call 'civilized society', most people are putting on some type of an act whether to please their bosses, make a sale, to impress their neighbours, to get social media following, etc. You rarely find people who are exactly as they seem, like the folks of Slab City are. What you see is what you get.
I am selling my Redding, California ranch style home with a large shop Fruit Trees as well as Irrigation every ten feet. I just may take a Trip down to Baker and then head out into Death Valley and squat on some land. I have a big Motor Home, two generators and do know how to make water with an artificial environment water savor. I was a Rain Maker working on a Resort program years ago in the Ozarks.
@@TingTingalingy Thank You Jessica Stein. I wish at this time in my life I could find my last enjoyable place where I could breath without the smell of the City. I wish I was strong enough to live in Death Valley or up in Bodie, Ca. I would drive my Motor Home there towing my 1901 Oldsmobile and that would be where I would melt into the sand. I have one living daughter, and I married my wife 34 years ago and she was our Ring Bearer, and that was the last time she has ever came around. No matter how much money I have gave her and her kids. I am now all alone with the shell of the woman I married 34 years ago. I have to be alert every second of the day and night, She has no concept of time or anything. L was up with her until 01:15 this morning and got to sleep finally and she woke me up at 02:15 with Gun Smoke on the Living room TV going full blast and the Gun fire woke me up.
Eventually they will become an inbreed generation if they keep their circle small. Also it seems like it’s alot of ppl who have no care about reform. They rather live in such a way that shows it. They may seem kind of chill at first but eventually the gasket will blow off. That’s what happens when lawlessness takes over in a place where it’s do as you feel but don’t mess with me kind of attitude.
@@Automedon2 as a guy that lived like that you need to be someone a place needs you to go. You look at those people and see many of them living like they're worried about anyone? You can only help someone if you're beyond needing it, or they'll just drown each other.
These people are mostly drug using people. I had quite the experience. I ended up going back about 7 months ago because I was on the other side of the sea with the real RVers, but I went back to that side and nothing has really changed. It seems that there are travelers there that stop and stay there for a month here and a month there. The people I saw about 6 months prior weren't there anymore. The guy that runs the internet was still there though. But people don't really need the internet cafe anymore. Seems in the last 6 months everyone has the internet now out there. People were still dirty though and the residents in real homes seem to be bother3ed by the transients more than they had used to have been. More cops, so in the last 6 months something must have happened because I saw more police or security there. Sure sure if they were plain clothes or just wannabes. I only stayed one night the second time, and it was winter before christmas when I last went. I assume summer brings more people. The time before I was there in May of 21.
From a film making perspective, I thought finding his dog should have been the last scene. After Rob's wisdom-laden monologue, finally finding Seika alive and well would leave the viewer with a sense of hope and optimism.
This is nice BUT you can still live cleanly👍🏼 trash, dog crap, etc. be organized. Keep your area tidy and neat. that’s what bothers me. You can still take pride in yourself and your environment.
Absolutely. This place has potential but at the moment it's barely living. If they got more organised and had some proper skilled people to help and a bit of State aid money, they could build proper residences from lumber, get more solar panels, build wells, water filtration and pump systems, grow foods etc. Just like the Native American's do on their reserve areas. It's like these people have become modern day nomad's, living just day to day. There's a certain irony there, that the Native American peoples actually live better in a more developed land by their own efforts, but they have State aid and resources given to them.
44:31 Love that rob is willingly to leave slab city once he starts to physically slow down in order to take care of himself no matter how much he loves it there. I really hope he gets that trip to the moon before leaving this earth 🥰🌙
There is something so beautiful about this and yet I suspect these people are deeply damaged. A great look into their lives, showcasing such raw humanity.
A prime example that there 'is' a place for everyone somewhere. Wishing them all good health, happiness, and safety from those who could harm them. Peace. ( from Seattle/Everett )
Praying safety over these young souls. Praying that these people will be blessed in some way. Be kind to folks. You never know when you’ll need that kindness back.
I put this on expecting some gritty American culture. I didn’t expect to be emotionally touched and asking myself questions about where I am in life. Crazy. Thank you
I just feel sad looking at it. All kinds of questions are raised about the place, especially given the contradictory information coming from the residents.
I love how I say my opinion and yall suddenly think I want to live there lol. I just said that there were sentimental parts of the documentary that I didn’t expect. Trolls are too funny these days haha
People have always told me about slab city. It really touched me when that guy said that he felt home there and all he had done in his life was hurt other people and hurt himself. I honestly believe that subsidy is more of a futuristic society rather than one that’s behind times. If humans could learn to live together like this in a functioning society maybe we would be able to grow together in consciousness and love. Maybe one day I’ll find my way out to slab city and I could call it my home aWay from home
Awesome documentary! 🙏🏼 I’m in the Marine Corps, and I’m currently in Niland, CA for 6 weeks for a detachment. I drive through Slab City every single day to get to my working site, and I enjoy the drive through the city. I wanted to learn more about Slab City, so I’m glad I chose to watch this documentary! And I swear I saw Rob the other day lol!!! 😭 Hope you make it to the moon dude! 🌙✌🏽
Buzz Aldrin said in a interview sit in a interview with a nine-year-old I think that we didn't go to the Moon. Well he ought to know because he was one of those that supposedly went there.
Literally lol. I caught that too, wondered why Rob stated it as if it were an interesting point, lol. I didn’t feel we had to be informed of that issue ghm
@Ray West I was there in January 2019 when a meth lab blew up. I donated at the church on the hill. The police drove through twice a day, probably to be close in case of emergency.
I like what he's doing,no hard drugs or alcohol.. Smart move.they need to form a haircut,makeshift government ,keep those tweakers in line it might be ok.
hope he's not there due to alcoholic-druggie father/mother. Yeah, I definitely felt like helping him out too. Give him a safe place to expand his understanding and maybe find some productive goal rather than run to the military. Maybe he could be a software developer, maybe he could be a small business owner, something other than the military option.
@@rubenrodriguez3164 how can I answer your question fully in a RUclips comment space? Hmm.. are you in Salton Sea? Do you have dedicated high speed internet and a PC?
" normal" doesn't exist. I forgot we consider "normal" being bullied, told what we can and can not say even if it's being respectful just because someone feels offended and then people feel it's ok to attack them physically. A normal life of being told we need to spend all of our hard earned money on crap we don't need and work our lives away just to get a couple of days off of work a year and hope we have health insurance or you’ll be in thousands of dollars in debt or go to college and still continue to be in debt when you can’t get a job in your field to pay for all of it lol yeah let’s all strive to live this so called great “normal” life.
Omg. I had an old neighbor that tried to play drums.... the only song he knew was nightmare by avenged sevenfold 😐 thankfully, he moved to another state. Meth & 1 song for the drums 🤣
These people have all been made to feel like they don’t belong because they were different (due to addiction, physical and mental illness, etc. I would imagine) and they need somewhere they feel safe and wanted. I hope they have found what they need.
Sure, but there's better ways to help the mentally ill and those suffering from addiction than sticking them out in the middle of a desert and forgetting about them.
Nathan Witus From what I can tell Slab City residents are there by choice. I don’t think they want anyone to “help” them. Self determination is their right.
@@Stop_Gooning There are, but at this time the .gov has seen fit to ignore the problem. At least on the slabs they are not hurting anyone else, and I would dare say learning to live in a society. Maybe not our "normalized" society, but they are learning, and may one day rejoin and be able to function in our "normalized" society. No matter where you go there is a social contract of behavior, maybe the slabs give them a chance to succeed in a "normal" society. Note the liberal use of quotes, not everything is "normal" nor is everyone, but we all do have to get along. In the end I wish them all well, and was very happy he found his dog, mine help me "get along" every day. Nothing like pure love to make your life better, and dogs have that, thats why I like them better than people.
i feel bad for that girl rob was arguing with about the tweakers, you know she has a good heart when she was crying and apologised, hopefully ends up in a good place
If the had a sitcom of the internet cafe and made Robert lane the star of the show I'd watch it religiously... I keep watching this documentary over and over again and again just too watch these people.. nicely done by the way with this story...
You should visit and it's almost a good time of the year to go. Fall, Winter, and Spring is it. I'd like to visit too, but not really make it a year round stay. I'm definitely keeping the Slabs in mind if the housing situation gets so terrible I have no options. I could do fine going to Slab City with $900 a month and a big car whiteouts a backseat loaded up. I wonder what is around there for resources like fishing and huntin? I could be valuable to the group to bring us fish and game charging them nothing more asking for donation to help e pay for gas, bait, a nd bullets. big car whiteout a backseat loaded up\
I was waiting the whole video for him to find his sweet puppy Shrieka. For a bit I thought maybe he was looking for an imaginary or maybe deceased pup. I cried when she finally came to him and he was so happy to see her! These people have stolen a piece of my heart, because they are a very tight knit family even if some of them are strangers.
@@justinstransky8668 not sure how you came to that conclusion based off of me having compassion for a man and his dog, but you couldn't be more wrong. Good try on degrading someone you don't know tho.
There’s such a strong message and lesson here, we are able to form communities and there will be hierarchies and importantly people who help guide and educate despite the environments they find themselves in.
That's something you know if you know anything about... well, any animal species out there. With exemption of few where they don't live in packs, all social animals will have a hierarchy, roles etc.. and humans have had that even before we were humans
more than ever before people now have chances to educate themselves, cross barriers. lock downs show some that they are more capable than they thought.
"that's the mistake that people do, can't be resting on you accomplishments...keep learning new things" Way to GO Rob from Seattle, you are a good man!
I’ll be thinking about this for a long time. It occurred to me that each person we saw, although they had obviously found it impossible to live within a traditionally structured and regulated community this life was working for them (for the most part) because brokenness was the common denominator, the glue that held them together. Individually they couldn’t be tolerated or held within a “normal” social group, but in coming together being an exception became the norm that allowed them to co-exist. Interesting too how every group throws up a wise man, a mother figure, a rebellious son.
Everyone at Slab City is on their own journey. Be it drug addiction, alcohol issues, mental/physical disabilities, anger management, loneliness, self-reflection, finding their own niche in this world, etc. I could not tolerate the heat, flies, lack of water/electricity, grocery store, medical care, & so on. To each their own & whatever makes you happy. I hope Slab City residents find what they are looking for. Peace....😎💐🌸
That's what I was thinking. why do they choose to live in squalor, where is their creativity , their sense of hope, their sense of respect for one another their violence is out of control VIDEO GAMES ARE THEIR TEACHERS...STOP ALLOW THEM TO GROW UP WITH VIOLENT GAMES..EDUCATE THEM WITH RUclips HISTORY AND SCIENCE AND NATURE AND ART..BE SMART..DONT BECOME WHAT THE SOCIETY YOUR PARENT LEFT. LET NOT THEM JUDGE YOU , YOU ARE NOT FAILURES. WHERE ARE THE TEACHERS AMOUNG THE YOUTH, WHER ARE THE LEADERS? PEACE AND LOVE WAS THE GAOL OF HIPPIES. RESPECT EACH OTHER...PARTIES SHOULD BE HELD 5 MILES FROM A SLEEPING COMMUNITY, love Rodney.. YOU HAVE THE POWER TO STOP IT! He is so right, you have the power to stop any drug including tobacco which causes cancer! Where are the artist I don't see any???? PEACE PEACE. NO ITS NOT BETTER TO SCREAM, ITS BETTER TO HAVE A "TALKING CIRCLE" NATIVE AMERICAN STYLE. GET A STICK THAT HAS BEEN CARVED AND DECORATED WITH SPECIAL BONES OF THE DOGS AND WILD ANIMALS BRING IT INTO A DARK CAVE OR SPECIAL PLACE, EACH HOLDS THE SICK AND SPEAKS THEN PASSES IT ON TO THE NEXT PERSON UNTIL THE CIRCLE IS COMPLETE......PEACE..LOVE...NO WAR,, SMOKE CANNABIS, EAT MAGIC MUSHROOMS...INVITE A PSYCHOLOGIST TO LIVE IN YOUR COMMUNITY. PEACE AND LOVE BROTHERS AND SISTERS .... GOOD LUCK...
I wish they all had youtube channels so I could keep up with them. In less than an hour of video, I grew incredibly attached to them, they are friends who don't know me
10 yrs ago I was going through alot. I ended up in Slab City. Thank God for that place and the people that I still call family to this day. Don't judge a book by its cover.
Considering the Flies: I wish rob would have had a general knowledge of weather. always set up west of the town dump/shithole pit and upriver too...cmon that's basic civil engineering. We love him but for a guy that percolates 700 gal. of coffee every 2 weeks he should know a bit about sanitation. haha we love you man. We know the State bird of slab city tho too. Big supporter, I will get on that marketing thing "good coffee, good concerts, good schools in a close knit community" I have been in that area of the desert you are pioneers doing good work. creating art, please live long. I'm pretty hyped that this series can help you teach others the virtues.
This was amazing just simply amazing. As dark as my life is right now this made me smile and have a little hope the whole video I wish me and my dog could be there and just live in peace and simplicity I can't be in the chaotic environments I am in here and now I need to be out someone alone like this , but a place to also co exist and keep your sanity and socialize and learn from people ... I'd just really love to be anywhere but where I am now ...
The flies and the lack of daily hot showers and or baths at my leisure.. Only available shower is at the older gentlemans trailer who they say is genereous with it which is lovely but just not nearly close to sufficent..
This gives me Gummo vibes in a way, but I love it, it seems like a unique place where people go to reset their lives, create art, be themselves, and embrace the community aspects so much of modern society seems to have forgotten. This was a good documentary, and these seem like my kind of people. Rob saying he'd end up leaving at some point makes me sad, and with the threat of land acquisition by the state, I worry about their future :/
Thank you for your this lovely little movie, it’s nice to see how everyone keeps smiling & is a support for each other. My dad grew up in war times & had eye problems & was clinically blind ,he’s 85 now & is still driving, so everyone be positive you can get your eyes fixed in some circumstances 👀. Y’all keep safe now! 🐾🐾🐾🧘♀️🇬🇧🇨🇦
A rather cast of interesting characters creating their own homogeneous society insulated from the bigger world. They even managed to have wireless connection and a library, ya gotta give them credit for their ingenuity.
I've watched this a few time's already and love it! The community of people there make the Slabs worth seeing and being able to live there. R.I.P to Zack died young but never forgotten!
These people have my heart. I understand... they are where they need to be and they know it. It may seem impossible to imagine this way of life... but that's ok too. What we have no right to do, is criticize or judge them. They're just fine, they've found the peace of mind they needed. Good for them! Many of us will never have what they have.....
Hey Real Stories, I really love your channel, but I have one simple request - it would be really nice to have some more information about the documentaries in the description, most importantly the release or production year, that'd be great
@@RachelDex Yeah I know, but surely it would benefit viewers and the channel itself if they'd put it in the description! It was just a little constructive criticism (the only one I had really), not being helpless :)
Places like Slab City are necessary for an incredibly important reason. Their mere existence proves that even in the most hostile places in the U.S, people can live with only the barest interaction with government. Give it enough years and most of the world will probably look just like this; nothing to fight over and no need for a state. Just people surviving.
I don't think it shows that. There are places in the world where people have even less interaction with the government and they are doing much better than these people.
This is not one of the most hostile places in the US. In fact, aside from the weather, it seems one of the most chill places I've seen. If you want to see hostile, look at some of the inner cities where people don't even let their kids out to play because they're afraid they'll get hurt. Those places have little government interaction simply because even the police avoid it like the plague and those places are definitely NOT the better for it.
35:04 “It’s very hard to get the police to respond out here.” Well, you don’t pay taxes and you want to live off of the grid... so, not having emergency services should be a given.
I don't care how a person lives just so long as it's respectful of others. What concerns me is if these people are keeping dogs, do they have the means to care for them when the fall ill? Veterinarians don't come cheap and I have yet to know of one who makes special dispensations for those who are living hand to mouth.
Doubt they can afford medical care when one gets sick. Sad pups are being born out there too, which means no spay/neuter. Doubt they are all on flea and heartworm prevention too :(
I had to laugh "I feel pretty, oh so pretty" It definitely takes a different kind of person to live in slab city, but I sure am glad its there for them. They are far tougher than I, and most seem to be genuinely nice people. Kind of a shame that we cant all get along as well as they seem to for the most part.
This helped me realize that you might see these gritty-looking people on the side of the road, or in poorer rural neighborhoods; and you will put them in the categories of "hobo, creepy, weird, dangerous, mentally ill". But if you take a moment to hang out with them, you will find that they are really cool people that are just a bit kooky and in a bad situation. Might not even seem bad to them. They could be living a dream.
@@kristineplummer7607 That's basically what I just said. I hope you're agreeing with me and not saying that I said mentally ill people are less than others.
Most of us will always judge others according to our society standards... In our "normal world" we are governed by materialistic wealth....and that is the first obstacle that prevents us from exiting the matrix. We take most things for granted, as if our rules for living are dictated by others...and we don't recognise that until an event or trauma, shakes our beliefs and understating of life. We all have a moral compass inside, we al know what's right and wrong..
This was an excellent documentary. I find Salton City to be very interesting and would like to see Robs Internet cafe in real life some day. Although I dont think I have the guts... I did appreciate all of the people willing to share their lives just a bit and wish them well.
Just drove through today to see salvation mountain, now in a loophole of the slab city people. love, love, love this documentary. told these stories in such an inspiring way
Dont need bullets flying into friendly units but hey we let anything and anyone breed in the us of a the more defects the better we wouldnt want to hurt any feelings lmao
me too military is not in his future i hope he studies and makes good grades and finds a good job. i felt for all the children there, for young ppl thats just being alive thats not living
@@michaellangston0 the schools there are run by teachers with no credentials, no one can read or do math. Derma is the worst at the local high school, no compassion and not qualified at all. No help for the kids from this terribly run place by pathetic ppl. Wish you so much luck escaping.
love tht these people have come together as a community and are ok with the fact its not "conventional". they're happy, surviving and living. how can anyone be mad at that? much better than living on the streets in a big city and being homeless!!
It’s so important that people just be seen. It’s not your responsibility to adjust their path, but at the very least wave or smile. Let them be seen. They are humans having a different human experience than you.
To inject some reality they interviewed a handful of people. There are at least a thousand people there when it’s not summer and they are neither friendly nor welcoming. Mostly mentally ill (often violent) and drug addicts. Local law enforcement have mostly given up on them, not that they don’t care but too many have been injured. I have known the area since the 1960’s when it was empty. The more videos like this causing tourists to try and visit and calling attention to the place the greater the chance it will be closed down. The land is owned by the government.
IKR! I heard about this place before the internet. Maybe a small doc on PBS or something. I just see nothings changed. That is a ROUGH life...the filth and flies from no plumbing is the worst. And damn right that its not a very welcoming place. IDC who they interviewed. There are plenty more. The sad thing is that most these people are misfits of society..I would freak if I had to spend a night there..yikes
This comment should really be appended to the video description. Thre description of some sort of libertarian paradise or burning man type community.... is a complete misnomer.
The guy with the shower place seems like a really nice dude, just being happy because somebody waved at him, grand!
Until he's intoxicated.
@@jedidiah5131 how do you know that?
Dude shut up
Yeah that would be my guy! I don't think I could take the flys!
@@swapmeetsheriffdonknottexp3046 Yes the fly’s are bad there & the smaller the fly the harder they bite!
You know Robert is something else when he has the consideration to convert Fahrenheit to Celcius for those of us who don't undestand.
Mate he said 50 and I melt at 27. Jeezus lol
He is clearly the brains behind this little community and the glue that holds it together, quite remarkable guy and he chose this lifestyle too. It's what Charlie Manson was doing also in the California desert, but at least these are decent people.
I wish more people would be willing to do it the other way around. When someone says "50 degrees" to me, I think that's quite cool. I don't understand celcius.
@@zendyk don't expect it. They are not very reasonable people and consider everyone on F instead of C to be retarded. They hate it so much they won't even learn conversion nor even swing by Google to get exacts. The funny thing is the C system 0 is freezing temps of water and 50 is our 115. We go from 32-115 in the same span meaning we have more close and relative temp's.
😃
it was really lovely to see rob and that girl start of yelling at each other and end up sitting down, talking about it, and apologizing. Rob seems like such a wise and vital presence in the community
Good glue! I truly would love to meet this man! Not enough of people like Rob.
@@merrileelee7858 That's my dad and he's great people :)
Who was the Girl ?
@@maryannlane6393 which mam is your daddy? This is awesome id luv to visit this place:)
@@merrileelee7858 Imagine someone starting a gofundme for his trip to the moon x)
I am heartbroken for the young guy that said so many people have kicked him in his bad foot that he’s used to it. That just breaks me, poor kid. I wish them all happiness, peace, good will, health, and a joyful life in which they’re good to themselves and others.
I wonder if rickets caused his lower limbs to form wrong.
I agree I wish them the same
@@Christina-cm8ze Humans are not nice animals, never have been, never will be.
that and the fact his best friend there is a racist and a big story teller. When they were wrestling and his friend called him the N word. you can see soo many bad things in zack sad thats all the other dude has
@@carculturenation2166
Dude that was phenom saying that to Zack not the other way around. Their voices aren't even remotely similar.
Life can be lived in so many ways. The way we live ours doesn't give us the right to judge other people's lives...
Well to some extent. I don't feel bad about judging Jeffery Epstein negatively for the way he lived his life.
That part !!!
joe smobody touché 😂😂
joe smobody well damn that’s a good point lol
Ah yes, yes it does.
A soldier waved back and made that mans day. Such small gesture made him and is still making him happy. ❤️
What is a solider?
@@davidbooker11 Oops typo
I'm sorry I read that wrong
@@davidbooker11 You were right, my spelling is off. I didn’t even notice it😂 Has been corrected.
@@simplenv4740 I'm so sorry for bothering you about that. I thought I was missing something. I hope your having a good weekend!!
As a Mama, I wish I could reach through this screen and hug all of you especially the young men who have suffered so much loss and grief.
Thank you for giving us such a transparent and vulnerable peek inside your lives, and for sharing your stories with us. I hope all y'all are still well!
hug yo kids when they die. everything bad that happens to your kids is your fault
I hear you. I want to go adopt them all too ❤️
My grandpa was the UPS man for Slab City from the 60’s to the late 90’s, drove there almost daily from imperial valley, never realized how cool of a job that must’ve been!
Sounds awesome. So I was back in winter of last year and it was weird.. There weren't as many people as June of last year. Usually they said more people in winter, but not this time, unless people were indoors hanging out. I got a few games of Magic on their borrowed cards..
I collect baseball cards, pokemon, and used to collect magic before selling them. The lady had some AWESOME cards, but they were all played. The card collector in me was crying inside, seeing that if they were PSA rated 10 cards she had that would have went for 2k-10k easily. She had about 30k or more worth of cards if they were graded 10s. A lot of junk, but I told her that she needs to stop playing with the Mox Ruby ect ect.
Must have some stories
Sure he was.
@@ritzharris1303 uh what
Stop.lying bro
I grew up around old guys like the Budweiser guy with the beard. Society treats them as outcasts for drinking, but they truly are usually the most genuine people. It got me in my feelings when he said he likes being alone because I knew what he meant. And then he said I wish I had a woman. I hope he finds a life partner he deserves the comfort of companionship
My grandpa,uncles& a few cousins were exactly like them,some of the best stories/history,they really were smart &definitely living off the grid,b4 their really was a grid😂,T Y 4 ur comment,has me remembering some true blue times 👍🏻👍🏻✌🏻
So absolutely true. The realest, rawest, most legitimate men. And usually so very wise. You can come to them with anything and get the raw honest truth. Every time I see a man like it’s, like the men in my family growing up, I get so emotional and nostalgic. I miss ‘em.
Kesha pretty much put this place on the map.
Yeah George looks like a cool old dude. I would totally kick it with him.
I love how the dogs names are included in the credits, that made me smile🙂
Same!
… and the cat.
Why does that make you happy? The dog and cat don't care.
@@TingTingalingy because I find it cute and wholesome and I'm not a cold, unfeeling robot.
@@leestaggers2583 you're emotionally broken if you think that makes you caring 😆
Under his crazy nomadic exterior Rob is actually a very intelligent, charismatic person. Seems like he holds that place together.
For real, i bet he's secretly a millionaire or something 😄
❤️
@@JOHNNYREBEL1976 Have fun with the flies.
@@marcelinoperez2926 no problem
@@ashiacameron ,
Rob is an inspiration - his mentioning of his mother and sister is so generous and heartfelt
I like Rob.. he’s cool, generous and a very intelligent man. I wish him the very best.
I wonder if he is still there? I cannot find anything on him.
@@courtneykirk478 I think that's the point.
@@VuULF Hhhmm, what is your point because it did not aid in my question?
@@courtneykirk478 I was curious also, but I do believe he is gone now. I've seen newer videos at the internet cafe and he's never there.
@@courtneykirk478 80jj hu hu joi unni
Best Slab City documentary I’ve seen yet. I like how the only voices you hear are the residents.
Same. Hate when those chirpy Vice reporters have to pander to us and try to re-word whatever someone just said because Vice thinks we’re as retarded as they are.
Below sea level.
@@handelivan9124 thanks for the tip
Robert is a pretty incredible dude. Smart, kind, caring, extremely generous. Cheers to you, sir.
@Loonytoones85 ooh, be careful with that edge kid. You'rea going to cut yourself with it.
@Tanya Mushaney true
...
@@ceoofbrunestud5894m
No he’s a creeper in disguise. It’s my feeling His nice guy routine masks a very bad man. Someone who is incredibly manipulative and smart.
I love that he makes coffee every single morning for his customers and he doesn’t even like coffee all people seem like real characters I love them they’re like a little family
It is easy to glorify this existence...especially when Rob is presented as a sort of guru of the desert looking out for community, animals and young people --- all of which is good. There are people who live in modern homes worth a million dollars that barely even know their neighbors, much less would let one come over for a shower. There is something ironic and maybe even tragic about the human condition that only lets us self-actualize when we reduce the crap and noise in our lives. Most of us won't get there, and if we do we won't stay there. We'll visit and return to the traffic jams and working to live mind-set.
On the other hand, reality in slab city is hard, violent and uncomfortable too. I'd be very careful to present it otherwise...there are people who are watching this who will think about making a visit. What they are looking for probably isn't there.
You can live in the world without becoming a cog in the machine. You can have a job that makes you more you than not, and still love your neighbors and animals. You don't have to live in a tent to know that owning a fancy house and car aren't the joy your human heart is seeking.
That was beautiful. And true.
gridcaster I agree with you on most levels , happiness is what the person defines as happy or just stuck with what they got to be happy , like somebody said you can live in a tent and be happy , I agree you can live in a mansion , and be happy , it also very unhappy on both sides , you can’t see happiness or even feel it ,, of a person , it’s inside yourself , when you are content , with the situation you are in , that’s what I call happiness , and I’m glad to say that’s how I feel is contentment and at peace , I don’t expect every body to agree with me everybody got they’re own happiness and how it’s expressed , theses people for what ever reason , got or like living there , no place on earth 🌎 is the perfect paradise , only inside you will you find that
I like the way you think
Well stated.
Totally agree with uou sir. What i’m looking for may or not be there, but i still wanna visit it someday.
I'm at Slab City watching this and know about everyone in the film. Very well done.
How's the condition now with the covid situation, if I may ask ?
Hi
I wish yall could get someone to dig you a primary well. You would have an endless supply of free water. Mr Beast did that all over Africa. I wonder if he would do it there?
Honestly, say what you will about these people but they are deeply genuine and earnest. In what we call 'civilized society', most people are putting on some type of an act whether to please their bosses, make a sale, to impress their neighbours, to get social media following, etc. You rarely find people who are exactly as they seem, like the folks of Slab City are. What you see is what you get.
Genuine, like me. Are you?
I am selling my Redding, California ranch style home with a large shop Fruit Trees as well as Irrigation every ten feet. I just may take a Trip down to Baker and then head out into Death Valley and squat on some land. I have a big Motor Home, two generators and do know how to make water with an artificial environment water savor. I was a Rain Maker working on a Resort program years ago in the Ozarks.
@@BitterDemo you have quite possibly the most valuable and unique skill set for shtf situations.
@@TingTingalingy Thank You Jessica Stein. I wish at this time in my life I could find my last enjoyable place where I could breath without the smell of the City. I wish I was strong enough to live in Death Valley or up in Bodie, Ca. I would drive my Motor Home there towing my 1901 Oldsmobile and that would be where I would melt into the sand. I have one living daughter, and I married my wife 34 years ago and she was our Ring Bearer, and that was the last time she has ever came around. No matter how much money I have gave her and her kids. I am now all alone with the shell of the woman I married 34 years ago. I have to be alert every second of the day and night, She has no concept of time or anything. L was up with her until 01:15 this morning and got to sleep finally and she woke me up at 02:15 with Gun Smoke on the Living room TV going full blast and the Gun fire woke me up.
Eventually they will become an inbreed generation if they keep their circle small. Also it seems like it’s alot of ppl who have no care about reform. They rather live in such a way that shows it. They may seem kind of chill at first but eventually the gasket will blow off. That’s what happens when lawlessness takes over in a place where it’s do as you feel but don’t mess with me kind of attitude.
Beautiful! Rob is def the pillar of that community. I would love to talk to him and learn as much as possible. Best of luck to everyone ❤️
All the people in this documentary are broken, but aren't we all?
God bless all of the residents of Slab City.
Naw some people are enlightened and strive for the betterment of us all with their indomitable will
#thereisnogod stupid
@@Automedon2 as a guy that lived like that you need to be someone a place needs you to go. You look at those people and see many of them living like they're worried about anyone? You can only help someone if you're beyond needing it, or they'll just drown each other.
These people are mostly drug using people. I had quite the experience. I ended up going back about 7 months ago because I was on the other side of the sea with the real RVers, but I went back to that side and nothing has really changed. It seems that there are travelers there that stop and stay there for a month here and a month there. The people I saw about 6 months prior weren't there anymore. The guy that runs the internet was still there though. But people don't really need the internet cafe anymore. Seems in the last 6 months everyone has the internet now out there. People were still dirty though and the residents in real homes seem to be bother3ed by the transients more than they had used to have been. More cops, so in the last 6 months something must have happened because I saw more police or security there. Sure sure if they were plain clothes or just wannabes.
I only stayed one night the second time, and it was winter before christmas when I last went. I assume summer brings more people. The time before I was there in May of 21.
NO, we AREN’T ALL broken.
I was so worried he wasn't gonna to find his dog alive. Such relief when she came back.
For a lawless place. Rob seems very Mayor- like.
Tough people
From a film making perspective, I thought finding his dog should have been the last scene. After Rob's wisdom-laden monologue, finally finding Seika alive and well would leave the viewer with a sense of hope and optimism.
Way better than the mayor of Schitt's Creek 😆
Man thank you for telling us she came back, I was gonna have to watch something else
I said the exact same thing,mayor rob & yea I was worried about the dog.covid doesn't seem like a problem here,maybe they didn't get the news!
This is nice BUT you can still live cleanly👍🏼 trash, dog crap, etc. be organized. Keep your area tidy and neat. that’s what bothers me. You can still take pride in yourself and your environment.
Yeah, you dont have to keep the place looking a dumpster....
Absolutely. This place has potential but at the moment it's barely living. If they got more organised and had some proper skilled people to help and a bit of State aid money, they could build proper residences from lumber, get more solar panels, build wells, water filtration and pump systems, grow foods etc. Just like the Native American's do on their reserve areas. It's like these people have become modern day nomad's, living just day to day. There's a certain irony there, that the Native American peoples actually live better in a more developed land by their own efforts, but they have State aid and resources given to them.
Don't you think that keeps county and city off them? It's a shithole. would you go there if you do not need to?@@Trikipum
Yuh.... in my pouya voice.
Amen Jo. I thought hippies were supposed to love the environment. Many in slab city seem to be trashing it.
44:31 Love that rob is willingly to leave slab city once he starts to physically slow down in order to take care of himself no matter how much he loves it there. I really hope he gets that trip to the moon before leaving this earth 🥰🌙
There is something so beautiful about this and yet I suspect these people are deeply damaged. A great look into their lives, showcasing such raw humanity.
it seems like it is modern tribalism
@r laze Did you watch the video? The way they interact with the world says a lot. There is trash and filth every where.
@@ljvolpicelli That's irrelevant,I've been in a lot of nice houses that look worse than this place on the inside...
@@PandaCheeks and I would argue that if the inside of a nice house is kept in filth and decay, those people are also damaged in some way.
@@ljvolpicelli Depends who you ask I suppose...
A prime example that there 'is' a place for everyone somewhere. Wishing them all good health, happiness, and safety from those who could harm them. Peace. ( from Seattle/Everett )
Watching right here in Everett with ya! Cheers!
I’m the neighbor coming in from lake Steven’s.
I'm here in lake city way Seattle 🙂💜
NYC in da house 🏘️ Baby!...💯❤️💯❤️
I’m here in rural ARKANSAS ❤
Praying safety over these young souls. Praying that these people will be blessed in some way. Be kind to folks. You never know when you’ll need that kindness back.
Thank you
Amen!
@Mac Mac Neither do you
Enough of that praying nonsense.
@Mac Mac You are nuts
I'm happy to see a bunch of different people getting along well and enjoying life.
Not crying about "micro aggressions", "misgendering", "marginalization" or other made up ways to pretend life is soooo much harder for them!.
I put this on expecting some gritty American culture. I didn’t expect to be emotionally touched and asking myself questions about where I am in life. Crazy. Thank you
I feel the same way.
I just feel sad looking at it. All kinds of questions are raised about the place, especially given the contradictory information coming from the residents.
Right on.
Lmao if you think kangaroo court out in the boonies is the way you wanna live you can go do it for free in jail. You even get 3 meals a day and a bed.
I love how I say my opinion and yall suddenly think I want to live there lol. I just said that there were sentimental parts of the documentary that I didn’t expect. Trolls are too funny these days haha
When Shrieka finally showed up my heart just melted into a puddle, so CUTE 🥺
Same!
I couldn't even. I waited for that moment for what seemed forever.
People have always told me about slab city. It really touched me when that guy said that he felt home there and all he had done in his life was hurt other people and hurt himself. I honestly believe that subsidy is more of a futuristic society rather than one that’s behind times. If humans could learn to live together like this in a functioning society maybe we would be able to grow together in consciousness and love. Maybe one day I’ll find my way out to slab city and I could call it my home aWay from home
Hey maybe ill see you there! 😏
Rob is genuinely a cornerstone of that entire community
...Also an out of work BUM...
Awesome documentary! 🙏🏼 I’m in the Marine Corps, and I’m currently in Niland, CA for 6 weeks for a detachment. I drive through Slab City every single day to get to my working site, and I enjoy the drive through the city. I wanted to learn more about Slab City, so I’m glad I chose to watch this documentary! And I swear I saw Rob the other day lol!!! 😭 Hope you make it to the moon dude! 🌙✌🏽
There's a guy there looking for a nice woman!
Are you still there?
Buzz Aldrin said in a interview sit in a interview with a nine-year-old I think that we didn't go to the Moon. Well he ought to know because he was one of those that supposedly went there.
How did you join the marines ? I would love to.
@@celiomorais6357 I went to my local Marine Recruiting Office! ☺️
"We have a big problem with meth addicts out here". You don't say?
@Ray West And you can fish all nite. Love it.
at what time is this
Literally lol. I caught that too, wondered why Rob stated it as if it were an interesting point, lol. I didn’t feel we had to be informed of that issue ghm
@Ray West I was there in January 2019 when a meth lab blew up. I donated at the church on the hill. The police drove through twice a day, probably to be close in case of emergency.
😂😂😂
I love the guy who has the Internet cafe. Heart of gold!
facts
I like what he's doing,no hard drugs or alcohol.. Smart move.they need to form a haircut,makeshift government ,keep those tweakers in line it might be ok.
Absolutely
Seems these people are happy with what they've got. Unlike most of us who have a lot and are miserable. Maybe they have the answers🤔
@@SuV33358 when u don’t have much, you appreciate everything and all the other noise of the world is minor.
I WATCH IT OVER AND OVER.. BEAUTIFUL WELL DONE..CLASSIC..PART2?
Lil cross eyed boy is heartwrenching. He needs to get out of there. He's got dreams . You can tell he wants a normal life.
hope he's not there due to alcoholic-druggie father/mother. Yeah, I definitely felt like helping him out too. Give him a safe place to expand his understanding and maybe find some productive goal rather than run to the military. Maybe he could be a software developer, maybe he could be a small business owner, something other than the military option.
@@vutEwa How can you start a business in that condition? I live in the town close to Slabs. Would love to know how to get out...
@@rubenrodriguez3164 how can I answer your question fully in a RUclips comment space? Hmm.. are you in Salton Sea? Do you have dedicated high speed internet and a PC?
" normal" doesn't exist. I forgot we consider "normal" being bullied, told what we can and can not say even if it's being respectful just because someone feels offended and then people feel it's ok to attack them physically. A normal life of being told we need to spend all of our hard earned money on crap we don't need and work our lives away just to get a couple of days off of work a year and hope we have health insurance or you’ll be in thousands of dollars in debt or go to college and still continue to be in debt when you can’t get a job in your field to pay for all of it lol yeah let’s all strive to live this so called great “normal” life.
Mom should have hi sd eye operated on. Its sad! America is a third world country
I would blow my head off just listening to Zach play the same guitar runs OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER. . .
😂😂
Omg. I had an old neighbor that tried to play drums.... the only song he knew was nightmare by avenged sevenfold 😐 thankfully, he moved to another state. Meth & 1 song for the drums 🤣
Lol
These people have all been made to feel like they don’t belong because they were different (due to addiction, physical and mental illness, etc. I would imagine) and they need somewhere they feel safe and wanted. I hope they have found what they need.
Sure, but there's better ways to help the mentally ill and those suffering from addiction than sticking them out in the middle of a desert and forgetting about them.
So true,God bless them!
Nathan Witus From what I can tell Slab City residents are there by choice. I don’t think they want anyone to “help” them. Self determination is their right.
@@Stop_Gooning There are, but at this time the .gov has seen fit to ignore the problem. At least on the slabs they are not hurting anyone else, and I would dare say learning to live in a society. Maybe not our "normalized" society, but they are learning, and may one day rejoin and be able to function in our "normalized" society. No matter where you go there is a social contract of behavior, maybe the slabs give them a chance to succeed in a "normal" society. Note the liberal use of quotes, not everything is "normal" nor is everyone, but we all do have to get along. In the end I wish them all well, and was very happy he found his dog, mine help me "get along" every day. Nothing like pure love to make your life better, and dogs have that, thats why I like them better than people.
@@AmandalaRoo This
i feel bad for that girl rob was arguing with about the tweakers, you know she has a good heart when she was crying and apologised, hopefully ends up in a good place
Seems like the place for people who feel, there is no place for them.
This is sad. Totally disenfranchised.
.
For good reason!!
At least there's somewhere for your ugly dog to go the druggies will eat it but
the way we live ours doesn't give us the right to judge other people's lives
I want to move there.
If the had a sitcom of the internet cafe and made Robert lane the star of the show I'd watch it religiously... I keep watching this documentary over and over again and again just too watch these people.. nicely done by the way with this story...
This whole thing needs to be a series 😂
You should visit and it's almost a good time of the year to go. Fall, Winter, and Spring is it. I'd like to visit too, but not really make it a year round stay. I'm definitely keeping the Slabs in mind if the housing situation gets so terrible I have no options. I could do fine going to Slab City with $900 a month and a big car whiteouts a backseat loaded up. I wonder what is around there for resources like fishing and huntin? I could be valuable to the group to bring us fish and game charging them nothing more asking for donation to help e pay for gas, bait, a nd bullets. big car whiteout a backseat loaded up\
So refreshing to find people who bond over the little they have in common, in a world that is determined otherwise!
I was waiting the whole video for him to find his sweet puppy Shrieka. For a bit I thought maybe he was looking for an imaginary or maybe deceased pup. I cried when she finally came to him and he was so happy to see her! These people have stolen a piece of my heart, because they are a very tight knit family even if some of them are strangers.
You CRIED when dude found SHRIEKA??? YOU HAVE A LOT OF TIME ON YOUR HANDS, AND NOT MANY FRIENDS IM GUESSING??😂😅😂😅😂
@@justinstransky8668 not sure how you came to that conclusion based off of me having compassion for a man and his dog, but you couldn't be more wrong. Good try on degrading someone you don't know tho.
I didn't cry but I also thought he was looking for a long lost pet/wife......
@@justinstransky8668 obviously you dont have friends
@@juul6633 I would say your comment is probably accurate if that's the way he talks to strangers. Nobody wants a friend like that.
There’s such a strong message and lesson here, we are able to form communities and there will be hierarchies and importantly people who help guide and educate despite the environments they find themselves in.
That's something you know if you know anything about... well, any animal species out there. With exemption of few where they don't live in packs, all social animals will have a hierarchy, roles etc.. and humans have had that even before we were humans
Well duh, it’s called a country or state. 🙄
@@KafanskaTV “ exemption “
more than ever before people now have chances to educate themselves, cross barriers. lock downs show some that they are more capable than they thought.
"that's the mistake that people do, can't be resting on you accomplishments...keep learning new things" Way to GO Rob from Seattle, you are a good man!
I’ll be thinking about this for a long time.
It occurred to me that each person we saw, although they had obviously found it impossible to live within a traditionally structured and regulated community this life was working for them (for the most part) because brokenness was the common denominator, the glue that held them together.
Individually they couldn’t be tolerated or held within a “normal” social group, but in coming together being an exception became the norm that allowed them to co-exist.
Interesting too how every group throws up a wise man, a mother figure, a rebellious son.
Everyone at Slab City is on their own journey. Be it drug addiction, alcohol issues, mental/physical disabilities, anger management, loneliness, self-reflection, finding their own niche in this world, etc. I could not tolerate the heat, flies, lack of water/electricity, grocery store, medical care, & so on. To each their own & whatever makes you happy. I hope Slab City residents find what they are looking for. Peace....😎💐🌸
That's what I was thinking. why do they choose to live in squalor, where is their creativity , their sense of hope, their sense of respect for one another their violence is out of control VIDEO GAMES ARE THEIR TEACHERS...STOP ALLOW THEM TO GROW UP WITH VIOLENT GAMES..EDUCATE THEM WITH RUclips HISTORY AND SCIENCE AND NATURE AND ART..BE SMART..DONT BECOME WHAT THE SOCIETY YOUR PARENT LEFT. LET NOT THEM JUDGE YOU , YOU ARE NOT FAILURES. WHERE ARE THE TEACHERS AMOUNG THE YOUTH, WHER ARE THE LEADERS? PEACE AND LOVE WAS THE GAOL OF HIPPIES. RESPECT EACH OTHER...PARTIES SHOULD BE HELD 5 MILES FROM A SLEEPING COMMUNITY, love Rodney.. YOU HAVE THE POWER TO STOP IT! He is so right, you have the power to stop any drug including tobacco which causes cancer! Where are the artist I don't see any???? PEACE PEACE. NO ITS NOT BETTER TO SCREAM, ITS BETTER TO HAVE A "TALKING CIRCLE" NATIVE AMERICAN STYLE. GET A STICK THAT HAS BEEN CARVED AND DECORATED WITH SPECIAL BONES OF THE DOGS AND WILD ANIMALS BRING IT INTO A DARK CAVE OR SPECIAL PLACE, EACH HOLDS THE SICK AND SPEAKS THEN PASSES IT ON TO THE NEXT PERSON UNTIL THE CIRCLE IS COMPLETE......PEACE..LOVE...NO WAR,, SMOKE CANNABIS, EAT MAGIC MUSHROOMS...INVITE A PSYCHOLOGIST TO LIVE IN YOUR COMMUNITY. PEACE AND LOVE BROTHERS AND SISTERS .... GOOD LUCK...
Ya sounds like a great place.I wonder who the judge I'd when all those different personalities are together an drinking!!
Hahaha that's what I was saying. Who,s the judge when shi t goes down!! Haha
TheGschultz They have lawyers, dentists, doctors, vets at Slab City 🙄
I think there is propane delivery in Slab
I hope he does get to the moon.
Me Too ☺️
I said the same thing to my friend when i heard that, and i was glad to see this comment saying the same thing!
Maybe we could all post this video on Twitter and tag Musk 🤷🏿♂️.
I'm surprised he doesnt think the moon landing was fake
Good on you for saying so
“They saw me!” That guy lol seemed so sweet
Great documentary. Seriously. These people were portrayed very seriously and accurately.
I wish they all had youtube channels so I could keep up with them. In less than an hour of video, I grew incredibly attached to them, they are friends who don't know me
"The range"has a utube channel on Sat nights 🌙
Are you sad?
@@lenny5456 I am not, but thank you for asking haha
Well said! 💯
You wouldnt want to be their friend, they would steal from you to buy drugs in a second.
10 yrs ago I was going through alot. I ended up in Slab City. Thank God for that place and the people that I still call family to this day. Don't judge a book by its cover.
You just got back home or what
Wait what
I'd love to here some of your story! I don't know how much more I can take of the life I'm living right now
I think this is what my body and mind needs however it scares me to change in my late age. And the heat would do me in after one day. 😢
I loved that the dogs and cat got a mention at the end. lol
this is one of the best documentaries of this entire channel. this is awesome.
Literally looks like a fallout settlement in the middle of nowhere.
Behaves the same way, you can trade anything for some chems.
Lot of flies everywhere.
NewVegas Mojave vibes
wtf
you sound like a discord mod😂😂😂😂😂
32:00 "I smile a lot because I try to hide all the pain that's inside of me"
😢 Feel u bro
R.I.P. Jaylyn Harris
@havecharacternow checkout Mary Star's comment under this video. It said he was murdered.
@havecharacternow thank you! I checked it out, watched the video from the news, and I believe you are right!!
Omg really it can't be him
@davidoffon it is him... www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5605779/Virginia-killing-suspect-town-known-lawlessness.html
The amount of flies would be enough to make me move on elsewhere! I couldn't live with those landing on me all the time!
exactly
Considering the Flies: I wish rob would have had a general knowledge of weather. always set up west of the town dump/shithole pit and upriver too...cmon that's basic civil engineering. We love him but for a guy that percolates 700 gal. of coffee every 2 weeks he should know a bit about sanitation. haha we love you man. We know the State bird of slab city tho too. Big supporter, I will get on that marketing thing "good coffee, good concerts, good schools in a close knit community" I have been in that area of the desert you are pioneers doing good work. creating art, please live long. I'm pretty hyped that this series can help you teach others the virtues.
They were saying people hate the heat in the summer. It would suck but not as bad as those flies on u constantly.
Facts lol
This would drive me insane. Like for fuck's sake we have nets and some solar powered electric devices to keep them away.
This was amazing just simply amazing. As dark as my life is right now this made me smile and have a little hope the whole video I wish me and my dog could be there and just live in peace and simplicity I can't be in the chaotic environments I am in here and now I need to be out someone alone like this , but a place to also co exist and keep your sanity and socialize and learn from people ... I'd just really love to be anywhere but where I am now ...
Spent my summers riding around the Salton Sea on my dirt bike. I can recall when Slab City was part of an active marine base.
The cut from the kid saying he wanted to be a soldier to him falling on the trampoline with the sound of artillery was artful and heart-wrenching.
The sad part is he will never be excepted due to the lazy eye
@@blazed1945 Surgery maybe?
Why heart-wrenching?
@@terminat1 When a soldier bodily slams to his back to the sound of artillery, it's not because anything good happened.
The flies would be a deal breaker for me.
🎯
The flies and the lack of daily hot showers and or baths at my leisure.. Only available shower is at the older gentlemans trailer who they say is genereous with it which is lovely but just not nearly close to sufficent..
I hate flys
The flies and those feet🤢
This gives me Gummo vibes in a way, but I love it, it seems like a unique place where people go to reset their lives, create art, be themselves, and embrace the community aspects so much of modern society seems to have forgotten. This was a good documentary, and these seem like my kind of people. Rob saying he'd end up leaving at some point makes me sad, and with the threat of land acquisition by the state, I worry about their future :/
Gummo?
@@artg6700 It’s a 1997 film by Harmony Korine.
I immediately thought of Gummo when they started wrestling on the trampoline 😂😂😂
I couldn't live there myself, but I can see the appeal. Society is a b**** sometimes, lol!
🤣
sometimes?
If they dont like you out there they will kill you too and they do. Its a bad place
Trust me..... most people... i mean alot of people can't survive the summers there. Let alone the crime. Stay where u are and be grateful
@@love1another393people don't know about the work that gets put in in the desert cuz there is nobody to tell on you there lol
Remember what Janis Joplin said: Freedom is just another word, for nothing left to loose.
Yea but she wouldn’t do it without bobby McGee
Kris Kristofferson wrote Bobby McGee. Janis just sang it.
Yeah man. We are fast losing what freedom we do have and it ain't much....
@@linsioux217 truth be told
Janis was also a rich person who drove a very nice Sports car!
Someone's making a killing selling cigarettes
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Somebody prob rollin cigs all day bc those were def ryos
And weed
Somebody selling some punani
Probably the same person who sells the Meth !
Love the perspective of the residents of Slab City, superb documentary.
That dude thinking he will find a woman on Facebook to do his cleaning and stuff,lol...
that's called confidence lol
😂😂😂
Think of the endless possibilities for her.
@@Madskills-hw2ox there's no where left but up from there. but damn that place looked like a scene out of the Mad Max movie
Joe Flint
Which one 😂
Thank you for your this lovely little movie, it’s nice to see how everyone keeps smiling & is a support for each other. My dad grew up in war times & had eye problems & was clinically blind ,he’s 85 now & is still driving, so everyone be positive you can get your eyes fixed in some circumstances 👀. Y’all keep safe now! 🐾🐾🐾🧘♀️🇬🇧🇨🇦
All you people in slab city, I am sending you a big hug from Ireland this Christmas ☘️
A rather cast of interesting characters creating their own homogeneous society insulated from the bigger world. They even managed to have wireless connection and a library, ya gotta give them credit for their ingenuity.
Idk why I keep watching these docs about people in the middle of nowhere but I cant stop 🙃🙃🙃
Lol….your name is a clue….Maybe you were meant to be a Sixties generation person. 😀
@@bridgetlyons876I think so! Lol when I'm done fixing my van for #vanlife I'm definitely stopping through some of these ghost towns!
Kudos to them. City life exacts a different toll. Humans should have options, and a place they feel at peace.
that option should be forests and nature, not just a barren desert full of drug addicts and mentally unstable people.
@@-Oclock Yes, unfortunately, the rich have bought up all the good land. Slab City exists because no one else can make anything useful of the place.
I've watched this a few time's already and love it! The community of people there make the Slabs worth seeing and being able to live there. R.I.P to Zack died young but never forgotten!
Zack died??? When... how, what happened?
@@talkingwithtangi2914 had a seizure fell into water drowned!
Oh no!
@@talkingwithtangi2914 It happened a year ago in October
What do they do when they find someone who's passed away?
Thanks!
Man, this was so fun watching, I really appreciate this video. Real Stories is the real deal. and Cheers to Rob, he's trully great.
These people have my heart. I understand... they are where they need to be and they know it. It may seem impossible to imagine this way of life... but that's ok too. What we have no right to do, is criticize or judge them. They're just fine, they've found the peace of mind they needed. Good for them! Many of us will never have what they have.....
Hey Real Stories, I really love your channel, but I have one simple request - it would be really nice to have some more information about the documentaries in the description, most importantly the release or production year, that'd be great
Johann Labertaler word!
2017
I would love to see an update
Google is great for information like that! 👍
@@RachelDex Yeah I know, but surely it would benefit viewers and the channel itself if they'd put it in the description! It was just a little constructive criticism (the only one I had really), not being helpless :)
Places like Slab City are necessary for an incredibly important reason. Their mere existence proves that even in the most hostile places in the U.S, people can live with only the barest interaction with government. Give it enough years and most of the world will probably look just like this; nothing to fight over and no need for a state. Just people surviving.
Ya, no. It might work for a tiny group of meth heads but it wouldn't work for a larger group.
I rather live than just survive.
Slab city been there for ever
I don't think it shows that. There are places in the world where people have even less interaction with the government and they are doing much better than these people.
This is not one of the most hostile places in the US. In fact, aside from the weather, it seems one of the most chill places I've seen. If you want to see hostile, look at some of the inner cities where people don't even let their kids out to play because they're afraid they'll get hurt. Those places have little government interaction simply because even the police avoid it like the plague and those places are definitely NOT the better for it.
35:04 “It’s very hard to get the police to respond out here.” Well, you don’t pay taxes and you want to live off of the grid... so, not having emergency services should be a given.
You're still supposed to be protected by emergency services even if you don't pay taxes
Wouldn't need a cop out there. Wild west laws should apply.
You have a long way to go
@@NotOnDrugs I thought the same thing. Laws of their land.
As long as they treat their animals well, these people can and should live however they want
I don't care how a person lives just so long as it's respectful of others. What concerns me is if these people are keeping dogs, do they have the means to care for them when the fall ill?
Veterinarians don't come cheap and I have yet to know of one who makes special dispensations for those who are living hand to mouth.
Doubt they can afford medical care when one gets sick. Sad pups are being born out there too, which means no spay/neuter. Doubt they are all on flea and heartworm prevention too :(
Legend has it that Robert is still wandering the desert looking for his dog, Shreika..
Didn’t know they made a realistic documentary about trevors side of the map
Lame
Was just thinking the same thing ....damn meth hit slab city hard 😆
“stab city”
Not enough meth😆
Trevor??
I had to laugh "I feel pretty, oh so pretty" It definitely takes a different kind of person to live in slab city, but I sure am glad its there for them. They are far tougher than I, and most seem to be genuinely nice people. Kind of a shame that we cant all get along as well as they seem to for the most part.
Real loving people find them living there nice
You might stand out...for awhile...
Every time I drive to Arizona I can see this place. Thanks to this documentary I now know it’s a city, Slab City.
This is such an inspirational video. Thank you so much for posting it. I have Slab City on my bucket list.
This helped me realize that you might see these gritty-looking people on the side of the road, or in poorer rural neighborhoods; and you will put them in the categories of "hobo, creepy, weird, dangerous, mentally ill". But if you take a moment to hang out with them, you will find that they are really cool people that are just a bit kooky and in a bad situation. Might not even seem bad to them. They could be living a dream.
its such an eye opening realisation to have. We are ingrained to judge, when in all reality, we shouldn't judge at all.
@@fart420fart Yesss. I really would love to converse with someone like this after Covid
They all have mental issues. But it doesn't make them any less than anyone else.
@@kristineplummer7607 That's basically what I just said. I hope you're agreeing with me and not saying that I said mentally ill people are less than others.
Most of us will always judge others according to our society standards...
In our "normal world" we are governed by materialistic wealth....and that is the first obstacle that prevents us from exiting the matrix.
We take most things for granted, as if our rules for living are dictated by others...and we don't recognise that until an event or trauma, shakes our beliefs and understating of life.
We all have a moral compass inside, we al know what's right and wrong..
This was an excellent documentary. I find Salton City to be very interesting and would like to see Robs Internet cafe in real life some day. Although I dont think I have the guts... I did appreciate all of the people willing to share their lives just a bit and wish them well.
George is literally the sweetest and i would love to be his friend!!
Just drove through today to see salvation mountain, now in a loophole of the slab city people. love, love, love this documentary. told these stories in such an inspiring way
I feel bad for the slightly cross eyed kid. He wants to be a soldier but they won’t let him
Dont need bullets flying into friendly units but hey we let anything and anyone breed in the us of a the more defects the better we wouldnt want to hurt any feelings lmao
me too military is not in his future i hope he studies and makes good grades and finds a good job. i felt for all the children there, for young ppl thats just being alive thats not living
@@michaellangston0 the schools there are run by teachers with no credentials, no one can read or do math. Derma is the worst at the local high school, no compassion and not qualified at all. No help for the kids from this terribly run place by pathetic ppl. Wish you so much luck escaping.
When I was in the Army in the mid 80 s there was a guy named Matthews in my company who was cocked eyed....not as bad as this kid though....
The military is the best chance this kids got. They'll let him in.
The human spirit is something to behold.Good luck to them, and God bless.
The one that had the least screen time but won my heart the most. Trip the cat 🐈
im really glad to find a shrieka in this video!!❤ im so worried honestly until Rob found her.😢 god bless you ❤
love tht these people have come together as a community and are ok with the fact its not "conventional". they're happy, surviving and living. how can anyone be mad at that? much better than living on the streets in a big city and being homeless!!
Show do people live without running water? Electricity? And bathroom and sewage facilities? Just wondering?.
This is like an oasis for somebody get rejected by society ❤️
[very paraphrased] "1st time anyone waved back in 2.5 years. They saw me, that felt good"
😔
This was so awesome and heartbreaking at the same time.
It’s so important that people just be seen. It’s not your responsibility to adjust their path, but at the very least wave or smile. Let them be seen. They are humans having a different human experience than you.
@@Rick-df7yq 1000% agree. I wish you a day that hopefully includes a moment of wonderment & a smile :-)
Thats the irony in this world.
i love that he said that at the end. never stop growing and learning
To inject some reality they interviewed a handful of people. There are at least a thousand people there when it’s not summer and they are neither friendly nor welcoming. Mostly mentally ill (often violent) and drug addicts. Local law enforcement have mostly given up on them, not that they don’t care but too many have been injured. I have known the area since the 1960’s when it was empty. The more videos like this causing tourists to try and visit and calling attention to the place the greater the chance it will be closed down. The land is owned by the government.
IKR! I heard about this place before the internet. Maybe a small doc on PBS or something. I just see nothings changed. That is a ROUGH life...the filth and flies from no plumbing is the worst. And damn right that its not a very welcoming place. IDC who they interviewed. There are plenty more. The sad thing is that most these people are misfits of society..I would freak if I had to spend a night there..yikes
@@bornwithbsguards it's a bunch of tweakers who act like idiots quite a few killings have went down there
These folks mostly try to escape over-judgemental whining folks like the negative losers here in the comment section..
@@check2000 i don't think so...avoiding the bench warrants most likely. Mostly LOSERS!!
This comment should really be appended to the video description. Thre description of some sort of libertarian paradise or burning man type community.... is a complete misnomer.
Thank you. This was an amazing video!! Some great souls out at the Slabs!! Peace, love and respect