Here’s a couple of photos of our first test run on dirt in light winds (13-20 mph) at Ivanpah the other day. Fingers crossed for a bit more of a breeze during the predicted shift in weather system next week.

Now fully set up at Ivanpah. Another day in the hot sun, ironing out any last glitches and fitting a few new systems. No wind forecast today, and until 2pm that was the case, absolutely nothing.

Then, from nowhere, the wind set in blowing 18-25 mph, almost instantly, and I was not ready!

These are not record wind speeds, but very good testing winds. I worked frantically to finish the hydraulics and bleed the system and finally got the wheel covers on at about 3pm.

Pushed it out on to the playa and sure enough, the wind meter was now reading 13 mph, where it stayed till sunset (our self starting threshold is 18 mph of true wind).

Typical. However this is the nature of the desert, sometimes a good forecast does not materialise, and other times a nothing forecast suddenly becomes good for an hour.

There is a better forecast for tomorrow, so hopefully, we will get some runs in.

Arrived today at Ivanpah after the weekend gathering supplies and tools. I did not expect to be back here now, when I left the ice craft up in Montana, so I left a lot of crucial spares and tools with the ice yacht and have had to duplicate a lot of that stuff now unfortunately.

However, I should get my lake permit this morning so setting up this afternoon on the lake. A lovely sunny day and some wind forecast for Friday Saturday so a good opportunity for an initial test.

I have got a 3g card for my computer, so I have fast internet direct from the lake, which will prove invaluable no doubt.

Setting up by myself, so might take a little longer than normal, but hopefully send pics this afternoon.