Category: Blog

Ruined Mine in the Nevada Desert

Posted on by cahlen

Ruined Mine in the Nevada Desert

As a nomad, I’m always on the lookout for new and interesting places to camp and explore.  During my migration back to the Southwest United States for the Winter I came across a ruined mine in the Nevada desert while browsing freecampsites.net, and knew I had stop there for a few nights.

Continue reading “Ruined Mine in the Nevada Desert” →

First Night in the Nevada Wilderness

Posted on by cahlen

I’m on my way back South for the Winter. Seattle is great during the Summer, but it’s hard to resist the call of the Arizona deserts when the rains of the Pacific Northwest set in.  One of my first stops was in the wilds of Nevada. A lone road stretches for miles through the middle of nowhere. I pull off into the brush to rest for the night, and do a little exploring before I retire.

Cahlen Lee

Cleaning Water with Chlorine Dioxide

Posted on by cahlen

Water is a daily necessity for us all, and when you’re living nomadically you often have to get creative about where you’re finding it. My favorite spot is from streams or other running water sources, but there is still the problem of microbes to deal with.

There are a lot of good camping filters which do the job, but they’re tedious… and I’m pretty lazy. Chlorine Dioxide had been used by backpackers for decades as a safe way to disinfect their water, and it’s my preferred method. At the right doses it may also alleviate various health conditions. To learn more about that, do an internet search on “MMS”.

Cahlen Lee

Ketogenic Vegan Hot Chocolate

Posted on by cahlen

I’ve recently adapted my Ketogenic Hot Chocolate recipe to be Vegan as well. This is done by replacing the ghee or butter with a can of coconut milk, and adding a little sunflower lecithin to aid in the mixing.

I’m loving it so far, and am still enjoying the natural health effects of being in ketosis – stable energy and a clear mind is a great way to start the day!

Cahlen Lee

Chemo Effects and Other Options

Posted on by cahlen

I’ve had several people in my life find out they had Cancer, and I’ve seen the devastating effects of one of the standard treatments called Chemotherapy first hand. This led me to do a fair amount of research on my own to see if science really supports this treatment and to investigate other options that are traditionally unsupported by western medicine.

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Hauling Cargo with a Rad Rover eBike

Posted on by cahlen

I recently gave my motorized bicycle to my good friend Jeremiah the Nomad Man, and picked up a Rad Rover electric bike (eBike) as my secondary vehicle. Come along as I use the bike to haul a large heavy object 8 miles back from town, while still having over 3/5ths charge in the battery after 16 miles round trip.

This was up and down steep hills so it’s pretty impressive in my book… I hope to convert this bike and trailer into my primary transport for cross country nomadic traveling. No licensing, registration, insurance or expensive maintenance, and it’s powered by the sun… Yes!

Cahlen Lee

Visiting Mount Saint Helens with the Nomad Man

Posted on by cahlen

In this episode I visit Mount Saint Helens in Washington state with my traveling buddy Jeremiah the Nomad Man. This volcano last erupted in 1980 and was the biggest eruption the United States has seen, at least as far back as we’ve been tracking that.

I was born only a few miles away 18 months later, so it was always something people were talking about. I’m glad I finally got to finally visit it for myself! This is the last stop before reaching the Seattle area where I’ll be staying for awhile. In the next video I’ll explain why I’m here and my plans for the future.

Cahlen Lee

Visiting Crater Lake with the Nomad Man

Posted on by cahlen

On this episode I visit Crater Lake in Oregon with my traveling buddy Jeremiah the Nomad Man on the way back home to Washington. This lake is the crater of a volcano that erupted 7700 years ago. It’s nearly 2000 feet deep making it the deepest lake in the United States.

Definitely an amazing view, though car camping isn’t really an option in the park itself. Luckily there were plenty of places in the nearby National Forest. In the next video we’ll be visiting Mount St. Helens in Washington which erupted 2 years before and near where I was born. I’m looking forward to it!

Cahlen Lee

Tics, Tow Trucks and Bears (Oh My!)

Posted on by cahlen

It’s been awhile since the last update of my journey back home to Washington state with my buddy Jeremiah the Nomad Man. This is a quick video update on some of our adventures since you last heard from us, which includes an earful of baby tics, the 4Runner saving the day after a tow truck broke itself trying to pull Jeremiah’s van from a sand pit, and 3 bears circling our camp as we huddled around a campfire near Yosemite.

Next video will be our visit to Crater Lake in Oregon. See you then!

Cahlen Lee

Visiting the Bodhi Manda Zen Center

Posted on by cahlen

Today I’m giving a tour of the Bodhi Manda Zen Center in Jemez Springs, NM. I stayed here for almost a year about 15 years ago with the intention of becoming a Zen Buddhist Monk. Life had others plans for me, but since it was nearby I decided to drop by and see how things were going.

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Ketogenic Hot Chocolate for the Nomadic Lifestyle

Posted on by cahlen

Today I will be sharing how how I make Ketogenic Hot Chocolate containing 1500 calories of fat every morning while living nomadically in my truck.

You may be asking yourself why in the world am I drinking 1500 calories of fat for breakfast. Well, there are several reasons:

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Blue Moon over Indian Bread Rocks in Arizona

Posted on by cahlen

Tonight is a very special moon that I get to experience at Indian Bread Rocks in Arizona.

First, it is a Blue Moon which means it’s the second Full Moon in the same month, a very rare occurrence. Second, the moon is at the closest it gets to Earth, meaning it looks bigger than usual. This is called a Super Moon. And third, right before the moon sets there will a Blood Moon which is an eclipse where the light from the sun passes through the Earth’s atmosphere filtering out the blue light leaving only red.

Quite the combination wouldn’t you say? I’m told we won’t experience this again in for decades.

Cahlen Lee

4×4 Advantage While Living in a Truck

Posted on by cahlen

Today I’m sharing the advantage of having Four Wheel Drive (4×4) while living out on public land in a truck.

Most camping or boondocking locations tend to have a heavy concentration of RVs and Vans right near the entrance from the main road. This is because those vehicles have a difficult time on uneven roads and terrain. So even though there’s miles of land that you’re allowed to drive to, hardly anyone goes out there… unless they have a vehicle with power to all 4 wheels!

I’ve really been enjoying this advantage so far because it guarantees me some privacy and some peace and quiet. It’s also really fun to drive into the mountains on an old bumpy dirt road.

Cahlen Lee

Exploring Saddle Mountain in Arizona (LIVE)

Posted on by cahlen

On my first Live Stream I went exploring Saddle Mountain in Arizona.

I am parked out in the desert on BLM land and living in my truck.  I decided to go on a little adventure into the mountains and bring you all along.  I saw cacti, mysterious animal holes, crystalline rocks, and even discovered a cave in the mountain!

Sadly the 4G signal seems to have dropped out right when I reached the cave, so only I got to experience the glory… and it was truly glorious! I think someone could live in that cave if they wanted to.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed the first episode of The Wizard Live, and I’ll see you next time!

Cahlen Lee

Morning Routine for Body Awareness

Posted on by cahlen

In this episode of The Wizard Life I’m going to be sharing with you my morning routine for body awareness.

I’ve been doing this routine for several years now, and it’s primary goal is to create symmetrical awareness of the body to increase moment-to-moment comfort in the long term and improve physical and energetic performance for the rest of the day.

It’s been extremely helpful for me and I hope my sharing of it with you serves your life for the better.

Cahlen Lee

The Sun as an Energy Source

Posted on by cahlen

The Sun is so amazing! I’m able to run all kinds of energy intensive things while living in my truck in the desert off of a single 100-Watt Solar Panel and a couple of batteries. The Sun also powers the life of the plants on this planet and even animals like us!

Continue reading “The Sun as an Energy Source” →

Giant Spider Visits the Camp

Posted on by cahlen

A giant spider crawled out from underneath my truck while I was getting some water in the camp! Well, it’s big compared to the spiders where I come from, though when it comes to tarantulas, this one is pretty small.

I used to be freaked out by spiders when I was younger. I was forced to be exposed to one regularly for a long period of time and the fear just wore off eventually. I’m not sure it’s worn off so much that I’d want this thing crawling on me though…

Cahlen Lee

Living in a Truck in the Desert

Posted on by cahlen

I recently quit my job as a Producer in the Video Game Industry, put the Yurt into storage, packed everything I needed into my truck and drove out to the Southwest Deserts of the United States to soak up some sun! This is probably the best think I’ve ever done for myself… sweet sweet freedom!

There’s tons of BLM land out here owned by the government which you’re allowed to hang out on for 14 days at a time. Once that time is up you need to move to another location where you can stay for another 14 days, and you can just hop around like that forever!

I’ll be making more videos about the specifics of my living situation, but if you’d like to learn more about something or have questions, please let me know in the comment below.

Cahlen Lee

Heating the Yurt in the Winter

Posted on by cahlen

I wasn’t able to have a Wood Stove in the Yurt this Winter, so I put together a makeshift Propane Stove which heats the Yurt up to 70-Degrees inside while it’s below freezing outside!

Cahlen Lee

Installing a Battery Management System

Posted on by cahlen

Watch as I demonstrate how I installed a Battery Management System, or BMS, on my custom Lithium Ion 12-Volt Battery Pack.

Cahlen Lee

Prevent Mold with Essential Oils

Posted on by cahlen

Cahlen Lee the Modern Day Wizard demonstrates how he applied essential oils to the cloth walls of his Yurt to prevent mold from growing during the rainy season. Here are the oils I used:

Cahlen Lee

Watch a Mealworm Molting

Posted on by cahlen

I spotted one of my Mealworms molting and made this quick video to show you the process. They normally have an brownish-orange color to their skin, but they’re bright white right after molting. I think they darken in color pretty quickly afterwards because I rarely see light colored mealworms in the farm and I’m pretty sure they molt regularly.

Cahlen Lee

Waterproof Yurt Roof from Used Billboard Vinyl

Posted on by cahlen

The long wet Winter is on the horizon, and I needed to waterproof the Yurt’s roof to prevent moisture from seeping inside and mold from growing on the cloth. I purchased some cheap Billboard Vinyl which was once on one of those big advertisements you see on the side of the road, and cut it in a big circle to serve as my new waterproof roof. It’s working great so far!

Cahlen Lee

Fixing the Yurt’s Leaky Roof

Posted on by cahlen

When the first rains came this year, I noticed that a single specific location in the Yurt was leaking: The Stove Jack! Upon further inspection I discovered that the water was seeping in through a strap that extended both outside and inside.

I decided to try sealing with some old tree sap we have lying around, but that was too brittle once it cooled. Instead I used a Turpentine, Beeswax and Coconut Oil mixture, and it worked perfectly!

Cahlen Lee

Keeping the Yurt Warm with Bubble Insulation

Posted on by cahlen

Last Winter the Mongolian Ger I was living in was insulated with a thick layer of wool which worked very well as long as the fireplace was actively burning wood. Now that I’m in a simpler and lighter Yurt which didn’t come with its own insulation, I needed to find a way to trap heat inside, ideally with a material that is light and compact so that the Yurt remains easily movable.

I settled on what is essentially Bubble Wrap surrounded on either side by Aluminum Foil: http://geni.us/EcoFoil

This stuff works primarily by reflecting any radiant heat that comes in contact with the aluminum. My makeshift propane stove heats up several firebricks which radiate heat into the yurt, and that heat is bounced around inside the yurt rather than leaking through the porous cotton fabric which was the only thing there before.

It was really easy to install along the walls by sliding pieces I cut between the cotton cloth exterior and the wooden supports inside. It feels like the Yurt was designed to make this as simple as it could possible be! I thought the ceiling was going to be a challenge due to the non-rectangular angles, but discovered that it worked perfectly if I cut a diagonal line down each rectangle of insulation.

So far it’s working out beautifully! I am easily able to get temperatures 30-40 degrees Fahrenheit higher than the temperature outside. I’ve been able to keep it in the 70s in here when the temperature outside is nearing freezing!

I’m really looking forward to the challenge of temperatures dropping another 20 degrees in the Winter. I’ll provide updates on how well the insulation is working once it’s starts getting really chilly.

Cahlen Lee