This morning started as a simple attempt to investigate Vibriaâs growing off-grid desert den project⊠but the dogs clearly had other plans đđŸ
The mission quickly turned chaotic:
Lurch started kicking sand directly toward the den
Dreugan blocked the camera carrying a toy
Vibria pounced before a clear view was possible
At this point, the underground build feels completely top secret.
đ CURRENT VIEWER THEORIES
Some of the creative theories viewers have suggested include:
đ” A doorway to an underground city
đ A hidden desert pool
đŸ A canine cave system
đ An underground dog party getaway
Now we want to hear YOUR theories.
đïž OFF-GRID LIFE AT KA-HOON CAMPGROUND
This ongoing desert dog build series is part of life at Ka-Hoon Campground & Event Center â an off-grid creative community in the New Mexico desert.
Off-Grid Living Reality: What People Donât See Behind the Quiet Views
Off-grid life is often pictured as peaceful sunrises, quiet evenings, and a slower pace. And in many ways, thatâs true. But thereâs another side to living on rural land that doesnât always make it into photos and short videos.
The work is constant. The responsibility never pauses. And when health changes unexpectedly, the entire rhythm of life on the land has to adjust.
This is a look at what that season really feels like.
The Physical Reality of Homestead and Off-Grid Work
Living off-grid means:
Hauling, lifting, building, repairing
Long hours outside in the elements
Solving problems without quick access to help
Constant maintenance of land, furry kids, and structures
Itâs rewarding workâbut itâs demanding work. Over time, that physical demand adds up in ways you donât always notice right away.
When Exhaustion Isnât âJust Part of the Workâ
For a long time, itâs easy to assume fatigue is simply part of the lifestyle. After all, off-grid and homestead living isnât meant to be easy.
But sometimes:
Fatigue becomes deeper than normal tiredness
Recovery takes longer than it should
Symptoms start to stack instead of fade
Thatâs when you realize something else may be going on beyond the workload itself.
The Hardest Part: The Unknown
Doctor visits, tests, imaging, and waiting for answers create a different kind of strain.
Not knowing:
Whatâs connected
Whatâs temporary
What needs to change
âŠcan be harder than the physical symptoms themselves.
Especially when your entire life is built around physical capability and daily hands-on work.
Adjusting the Pace Without Giving Up the Life
One of the biggest lessons in this season has been learning that slowing down doesnât mean quitting.
It means:
Prioritizing energy carefully
Choosing what truly needs to be done each day
Letting go of the idea that everything must be done at once
Accepting a different pace without losing the purpose
The land is still here. The life is still here. It just looks different right now.
Off-Grid Life Is a Love-Hate Relationship
Thereâs deep love for this lifestyle. But thereâs also honesty in admitting:
It can be physically overwhelming
It demands more than most people realize
It exposes health limitations quickly
It requires constant adaptation
And thatâs part of the reality rarely talked about.
Still Moving Forward, Just Differently
This season isnât about dramatic change. Itâs about quiet adjustment.
Still living on the land. Still building. Still moving forward.
Just at a pace that matches what life requires right now.
đ” Real Off Grid Living at Plateau Hame de Colquhoun
At Plateau Hame de Colquhoun, also known as Ka-hoon Campground and Event Center, every day is hands-on. Itâs not just a placeâitâs a working off grid campground where everything you see is built, maintained, and lived in real time.
From early morning setups to late night resets, this isnât curated contentâitâs real desert living.
real desert living.
đ§ Campground Life Is More Than Content
Running an off grid campground means:
Maintaining land and infrastructure
Hosting guests and live events
Managing bookings and daily operations
Solving problems on the fly
This is campground life in New Mexicoâraw, unfiltered, and constantly moving.
đ€ AI Content Creation Meets Real Life
Content creation used to take hoursâfilming, editing, and trying to make everything perfect.
Now, AI helps speed things up. Itâs not always flawless⊠but thatâs not the point.
Using AI for content creation allows more focus on:
Building the campground
Creating real guest experiences
Growing a sustainable off grid business
Living the lifestyle, not just filming it
AI didnât replace the workâit created space to focus on what actually matters.
đ Desert Living in New Mexico
Thereâs something different about living off grid in the desert.
Itâs quiet, open, and honest. No distractionsâjust land, sky, and the work you put into it.
At Plateau Hame de Colquhoun, visitors experience:
Off grid camping in New Mexico
Unique outdoor events and live music
A welcoming, authentic environment
Freedom to disconnect and reset
This isnât a resort. Itâs a real place built for real people.
Why are the free-range cattle obsessed with our @Blink doorbell? đ€ They keep ringing it, trying to eat it, and even find it when we move it! Maybe they just want their 15 minutes of fame đđžđ
Living off-grid isnât easy â especially when essential equipment like your truck breaks down. For us, hauling water is critical, and when the truck is out of commission, it means no water at home. Recently, that meant relying on Planet Fitness in Los Lunas for showers. At first, showering at the gym seemed like a convenient solution. But thereâs a catch: to get a hot shower, the water system requires another shower to be running or at least someone to wash their hands in the bathroom. These systems often share the same hot water source, so one running helps maintain the temperature.
However, this creates an awkward dilemma. Itâs common to see extra showers running even if only one person is actually showering. Personally, Iâm uncomfortable turning on another shower while Iâm using mine â I worry someone might want to use it and assume itâs occupied. Hereâs the thing â when the bathroom is busy, you expect people to wash their hands after using the toilet. I always do. But one Thursday, while I was the only person showering, I kept hearing toilets flushing but no handwashing. It wasnât until I was nearly done with my chilly shower that someone finally washed their hands, and only then did I get some hot water.
This experience was surprising â and honestly, a bit unsettling â because it made me realize just how many people skip washing their hands even in public spaces where hygiene is critical. Living off-grid means adapting to challenges, big and small. From truck repairs impacting water hauling to navigating the quirks of public showers, itâs all part of the journey. If youâre considering off-grid life or are already living it, these moments remind us that patience, creativity, and a bit of humor go a long way.
đ Truck Update: Brakes, Water Runs, and Salvage Yard Hopes
We finally got the parts in to repair the truckâs brakes. Unfortunately, I wasnât able to get any photos of the parts or the guys doing the work. After the repairs, they took it for a test drive into town, and everything seemed fine⊠at first.
Feeling confident, they decided to take it on a **water run** â thatâs when the trouble started. The brakes began acting up again, sometimes locking up, sometimes not working at all. Not exactly the kind of surprise you want when youâre hauling water through rough desert roads.
Today, theyâre planning to take another look. The biggest concern? The **caliper** might be bad. From what Iâve been told, thatâs a pricey repair. More than likely, weâll be searching local **salvage yards** for the part instead of buying new.
—
### The Silver Lining
On the bright side, they *were* able to haul out **one load of water** before the brakes started misbehaving again. We never run full loads â usually around **100â120 gallons at a time** â to protect the trailer on these bumpy roads. It usually takes two loads to fill up the IBC tote completely.
Since they managed to get that first load home, it means one very important thing⊠**the shower is functional again!**
Life off-grid is full of challenges, but every small win â even something as simple as a working shower â feels like a big victory out here.
**You Wonât Believe What Happened at Ka-Hoon Campground This Morning⊠Desert Drama with Two Bulls!**
Living off-grid in the New Mexico desert definitely has its perksâpeace, open skies, and plenty of spaceâbut it also comes with its share of *wild* surprises. One of those surprises? **Free-range cattle.** Yep, real-life, unsupervised cows just roaming the land like they own the place.
Here at **Ka-Hoon Campground**, weâve come to a sort of âunderstandingâ with these four-legged locals: they stay out of our main event and camping area, and we let them graze in peace. Unfortunately, **this morning, that agreement was broken. Again.**
While heading out to encourage them back where they belong, **two bulls decided it was the perfect time for a desert showdown.** With no phone on me (of course!), I had to move cautiously between two full-grown bulls *going head-to-head*âright where our guests usually enjoy their morning coffee.
After a tense few moments, they moved out of our main zone and continued their standoff across the way⊠for over an hour! Once I made it back to the RV, I captured some of their ongoing match from a safe distance.
**Itâs not every day you witness a bull brawl in your backyard,** but out here in the wild west of New Mexico, itâs just another morning.
Want to experience the beauty (and wild drama) of the desert for yourself? **Come camp with us at Ka-Hoon Campground**âwhere nature doesnât just surround you, it *includes* you.
—
**Follow us for more real-life desert adventures:**
**Surviving the High Winds and a Stubborn ColdâDesert Life Edition**
Weâre on **day two** of relentless high winds, and while weâve learned over the years how to secure just about everything, thereâs always something we forgetâlike an entire **trash bag**, a **clothes hamper full of laundry**, or even **part of a car seat** left behind by a camper. That last one has taken a few trips across the yard, courtesy of Mother Nature, and now itâs on our ever-growing list of things to haul off.
If thereâs ever a âperfectâ time to be sick, I guess this would be it (though Iâd gladly skip the sick part). Both of us have been battling a coldâ**negative for flu and COVID**, thankfullyâbut itâs still draining. No fevers or body aches, but plenty of **sore throats, low energy, and overall crankiness**. And letâs just say my voice is practically nonexistent at this point.
So, how did we spend this windblown, sickness-induced lockdown? **Benadryled up, buried under blankets, and binge-watching *Stranger Things*.** Sometimes, you just have to embrace the forced downtime and let the storm passâboth the one outside and the one raging in your sinuses.
Hereâs hoping for **calmer skies, better health, and fewer runaway objects in the yard** in the coming days!
We lived alongside the unexplained, finding peace amidst the paranormal.
Let me take you back to the late 1970s, to a remote corner of Central Minnesota where my childhood home stood. Tucked away down two miles of dirt roads and 14 miles from the nearest small town, this house was isolated, weathered, and steeped in mystery.
When we moved in, the house had been abandoned for at least a decade. There was no plumbing, and the yard was so overgrown that the weeds reached the windows. An old two-seater outhouse stood at the yardâs edge, a relic of another time. My family spent countless hours restoring the house: hand-digging water lines, converting an old bedroom into a bathroom, and rebuilding the barn into a functional dairy barn.
But the history of the house was as wild as its surroundings. Built by two bachelor brothers, the property carried a dark storyâone brother, it was rumored, died on the property after being kicked in the head by a horse. Locals whispered about hauntings and refused to set foot near the house.
For us, those whispers became reality. Over the 13 years we lived there, we encountered countless unexplainable events.
—
### Encounters with the Unseen
One of the most vivid memories involved a family friend. He had briefly lived in the house years before but moved out due to violent experiences. During a visit, he went to use the bathroom, and as he exited, a cup flew from behind him, striking him on the head. The source of the cup was a mysteryâit wasnât stored in the bathroom, and the dishwasher was usually rolled into the kitchen.
Another time, I was having a slumber party with my best friends, Nikki and Sharla. As we sat on my bed laughing with the bedroom door open, the door suddenly slammed shut and locked itself. My friends were terrified and left immediately, cutting the party short.
—
### Voices in the Night
Noises were a common occurrence. Footsteps echoed through the house at night, so often that my older brother decided to record while we slept. On one recording, he captured not only footsteps but also the faint sound of two men conversingâthough no one else was awake.
—
### A Helping Hand?
One of the eeriest moments came one evening while tending to the dairy farm. My mom asked me to open a newly fixed gate outside the barn. I struggled with the latch until I heard what I thought was my dad explaining how to open it. Grateful, I turned to thank him, but no one was there. When I went inside to tell my mom, she informed me my dad was still at work.
—
### Living with the Unknown
While some locals warned of danger, we never felt threatened by the strange happenings. The unexplained became part of our daily lives, and we grew accustomed to the eerie sounds, objects moving, and uninvited whispers in the dark.
After we moved out, another family tried to make a life there but left, claiming the hauntings were unbearable.
This house remains a piece of my past, filled with both the hard work of rebuilding a home and the spine-tingling memories of living alongside the unexplained.
**Have you ever experienced anything like this? Share your story with us!**
Our Journey to New Mexico: From a Victorian Home to Building a New Life Off-Grid**
For many years, we lived in a charming but challenging 2,000-square-foot 1880s Victorian house on a large lot in a small town in Minnesota. Alongside our time there, we spent weekends, holidays, and summers at an 8×16 fish house we converted into a cozy cabin while managing the Environmental Education Center. It was a beautiful dual lifestyle, balancing the history of our home with the serenity of cabin life.
### The Turning Point The Victorian house, though beautiful, required extensive renovations far beyond our budget: a new roof, windows, insulation, rewiring, and more. When the roof began leaking, we explored loans but quickly realized the house’s value wouldn’t support them. Faced with this reality, we made a family decision to let the house go. Instead, we planned to live in the cabin while saving to purchase land near the Environmental Education Center where we could build our dream life.
Then, an unexpected opportunity arose. A friend from a yearly event at the center invited us to stay at her ranch in New Mexico over the winter to help restore it for future events. Before committing, we asked our kids to try online school for one semester. If they didnât like it, they could return to in-person school the following year. They were excited about the adventure and agreed to give it a try.
### Falling in Love with New Mexico We closed down the center for winter and headed to Ruidoso, New Mexico. Our original plan was temporary: spend the winter working, save money, and return to Minnesota to purchase land. But New Mexico changed everything. The ranchâs rich history (I love history!), mild weather, and stunning landscapes captured our hearts. We started looking for our own piece of land nearbyâsomething affordable, remote, and suitable for hosting events and camping.
Despite initial doubts, we found several options within our budget. One piece stood out: it was close to a major city, had breathtaking views, and offered privacyâperfect for our dreams. The only challenge? It was Christmas, and buying the land would leave us with no money for presents or even gas to return to Minnesota. After discussing it as a family, we decided to take the leap. The kids agreed to forgo Christmas gifts for the opportunity to build our future.
### A Christmas Miracle Just as we finalized the purchase, a little magic happened. Brent and I decided to have a rare date night at Billy the Kid Casino, where they were offering free play. We registered and learned they were drawing one lucky person to play a giant game of blackjack for a chance to win 500 play credits. My name was called (much to my horrorâIâm shy and terrible at blackjack). But to my surprise, I won!
Not knowing much about slots, I asked Brent to handle the winnings. After a few tries, we hit $400, then $500, and cashed out $900. The next day, we took the kids shopping in Ruidoso for Christmas presents and used the rest for gas money to return to Minnesota, knowing weâd come back to our land in the fall to start our new lives.
### Building Our Dream This January 3rd marks five years since we bought the land. Looking back, taking that risk was one of the best decisions we ever made. Weâve worked hard to build a life off-grid, creating a space where nature, community, and individuality thrive. It hasnât always been easy, but itâs been deeply rewarding.
### A Note on Education One of the biggest surprises was how much our kids loved online schooling during this transition. They thrived in the flexible environment, improving from occasional Ds and Fs to consistent As and Bs. Both graduated at the top of their classes, proving that sometimes, stepping outside the norm leads to incredible results.
### Lessons Learned As we approach this milestone, weâre reminded of the importance of taking risks and trusting in the journey. Whether you call it faith, fate, or the power of nature, sometimes you just have to leap and let life guide you. Weâre excited to see what the future holds and grateful for how far weâve come.
Ka-Hoon Campground and Event Center 