At a spectacular site in Northwest Colorado, volunteers gathered to build a new group camping area on the Yampa River. The BLM, Geo cachers and Cowboys worked beneath gathering storms, and completed there agenda just ahead of the arrival of gusty high winds and driving rain that flattened and shredded tents.

When the winds rain and possibly hail ended, there was Trickster Projects red sails flying and freezer humming with Ice Cream sundays, sherbert cups and klondike bars–temperatures had dipped but many still enjoyed the cache of treats

Trickster under storm skies beneath Duffy Mountain

Passing out the frozen goodies on the Yampa River

Lactose free icy-pops, and childhood favorite ice cream pies are among the rewards for volunteers who discovered trickster waiting in the remote canyon 9 miles off Colorado Hwy 13

A German tourist who came to Nevada to visit Ryolite Ghost town near Death Valley was surprised to come upon Solar powered oasis complete with free ice cream

Trickster Project cameras catch German Photographer shooting Spanish couple at a remote Nevada desert site near Beatty Where trickster project paused to instigate ice cream social. Tourists from Detroit, Maryland, Las Vegas, and Belgium were also present, as were a variety of local characters.

As part of an effort by the BLM to improve the camping area near Duffy Mountain on the Yampa river, The Trickster Project with its sweet treats will be on hand for a volunteer work day on August 15th

visitors to trickster enjoy ice cream treats from the solar freezer

Ice cream cooled by solar panels, 4 circuits of night vision equipped cameras, and adorned in red –the Trickster project will be at the Yampa River State Park in Colorado the 15th of august.

Picture: Trickster in wyoming earlier this year

all said to be places the trickster project will pass through in the coming weeks–but

reliable sources say that the BLM and Yampa River State Park in the Northwest of Colorado will provide the next substantial opportunity to cross paths with the solar ice cream serving sculpture.

Reedly California, August 3rd

A couple visiting America’s natural treasures from Brittany in Northern France reported seeing a large robot in the foothills of California. The couple who had spent a week in the Kings Canyon area of Sequoia National Forest camping and exploring the “Big Trees” was heading for San Francisco when the urge struck them to take a short walk towards a bluff to view the sunset.

The couple excitedly claim that they then came upon a ‘robotic ship from the fairyland’.

“It was really incredible I have never seen anything like it” said Francois Mollet who is a mechanical Engineer. His girl friend Paulette Viallat added “We came to see the big trees but this was better, it was draped in gowns that sparkled and its shape shifted with the wind”. Mollet nodding said, ‘It was lovely but more it was mysterious”.

The couple tried to find a way to reach the vessel to prove it was not a mirage but were obstructed by both cliff and thorny plants that slowed them down enough that darkness fell before they reached their destination.

“we could see through the cameras telephoto the people were nearby, but we could not negotiate our way through the terrain” Paulette said.

The couple insisted that this sighting was a highlight of their trip “We will keep this experience with us all our lives, it was a fully unexpected encounter–quite marvelous”.

Trickster provides free icecream and computer archive along remote stretch in Sierras near the sequoia natanal forest yesterday.

the tricksterproject finds new foot holds as it brings its solar powered social prompting vehicle into the Sierras above Fresno California. Many were surprised to come upon the elaborately attired platform for ice cream giveaways along a trail in the golden grasses of the Sierras–high temperatures and bight sun made the cool treats especially welcome to the weary along a dusty trail.

July 27th Bakersfield CA

Missing artist emerges today from detention for having wandered onto test grounds.

Artist Duane Mcdiarmid who was considered lost in the Mojave for nearly two weeks spent part of his ordeal explaining himself to officials. McDiarmid was questioned regarding why he had entered a restricted area and about the technologically laden solar powered contraption he was found with near Edwards Air force Base.

Speculators were correct in their assumption that the solar powered Ice Cream sharing vehicle that failed to arrive at a check point in Mid July had technical troubles in the desert following encountering dust storms.

Trickster Project lead Artist Duane McDiarmid revealed: “The navigation and communication systems failed to operate normally almost as soon as I departed.” By the 13th it was all I could do to upload anything McDiarmid said at a poorly attended press conference. McDiarmid said without GPS he knew he was badly off course and would not be able to navigate directly to pre arranged check points. The experimental artist said until progress stopped I remained confident an intersection with a hwy or town would be inevitable if I pressed forward. “In truth I didn’t have a lot of options, with navigation out our project protocol would have forced an abort but with no way of communicating my position to the Crew a mission abort would amount to the same predicament as a total breakdown so I pressed on towards the west.”

Lengthy questioning regading the operational functions led Mcdiarmid to explain:

“What I didn’t realize till too late were two things, the first was that the same computer glitches that were shutting off communication was affecting the computer controllers on the cable take-up system. These use small electric servo motors to real and release cable to constantly adjust the position of solar outriggers and maintain the alignment of the Trickster Projects 21 wheels. “Without the computer to run the reels—keeping the outrigger wheels aligned with the vehicle’s becomes impossible as the outriggers are adjusting to sun align. The result was the outrigger wheels kept ending up at ever worsening competing angles adding stresses breaking the carbon fiber and by the 15th you simply couldn’t move.” McDiarmid said.

McDiarmid waited stalled in the desert 3 days prior to being rescued by military personnel who detained the artist for questioning. It was all very professional McDiarmid commented, “Kinda like being at a hotel for a three day interview.” The Artist in good humor stated t “It didn’t surprise me that they had questions the Trickster Project is an autonomous power source and is equipped with a variety of imaging systems including a sophisticated IE thermal video camera. I’ve known a long time that this camera is something that has military applications and that you can’t export the technology, so its no wonder they don’t want it recording. I mean we are out here quasi Dr. Seus and they are doing serious stuff like flying drones half way around the world.”

McDiarmid said he was treated for dehydration and that he was now feeling very much better. McDiarmid ran out of water early and utilized ttrickster’s on-board solar powered freezer t to create enough condensation to have a little to drink each day. “It was a bit scary I was worried the freezer or solar might fail and then I would have been in real trouble—maybe it was a good thing I violated military boundaries, I think it hurried up my discovery and rescue—and lets face it those guys really know how to grab you up out of the desert.”

McDarmid is now resting at the Artists Colony Stone House in Miramonte CA. The Trickster Project vehicle (minus the thermo-graphic camera still detained) will be available for viewing and be providing all with Ice Cream at the Stone House Open Studio Sunday August 2nd. McDiarmid and Trickster Project will remain operational on the Stone House grounds till august 6th. Then the Project travels in The Yampa River area of Colorado. McDiarmid said of the Mojave ordeal ” It was worst for those concerned for me, it was really not excessively problematic for myself. I was really sorry I couldn’t have relieved people of their concerns earlier, but right now I am focusing again on upcoming events and what needs to happen to achieve success.”

Hit by rescue lights–then ut oh….

Th July 11/12 good bye photos of artist Duane McDiarmid hugging his son shortly before the Death Valley departure that resulted in the mysterious loss of contact with both artist and craft, is foreshadowed in the intensity of the child’s fairwell.

Also appearing on the camera recovered by a California based Geo-Cacher’ who had joined the search are pictures from near the Furnace Creek Visitor Center and a number of shots of a Sidewinder Rattle Snake.

A Trickster project operative said encounters with Rattle Snakes were not a rare event throughout the projects summer excursions. “We seemed to see or hear snakes everywhere we went, and Ranger’s at the Thunder Basins Grasslands in Wyoming (where the project spent over a week ) told us –It’s a good year for snakes.” None the less the individual we spoke to said it was doubtful that a snake had any role in the fate of the missing artist and vehicle.

Operatives Nina Caporale and Cara Romano from Trickster Project help ready and launch the craft from a remote Mojave location–reportedly in Death Valley

McDiarmid Expectant and in High Spirits entertained on lookers with tales of the Projects adventures in Texas, Wyoming, and New Mexico prior to his final goodbyes at the Death Valley Launch Site. One tale involved a rain storm followed by a subsequent shower of potato sized stones that “were falling all around us” as the project passed through Diablo Canyon outside Santa Fe New Mexico. “There are rocks striking the sand all around you in the dark, and that’s when you really think about the litter of stones from house to microwave size that you have been maneuvering around all through the canyon.”

Perhaps fittingly McDiarmid was wearing a T-Shirt picturing a hand of poker fron a Las Vegas Hotel…

Those closely associated with the project include: Lori Esposito, Jonathan Blakehorn. Patric Dunham, Heidi Bender, Courtney Mink, Marin Abel, Sundanzer, Spinergy, OUCOFA, Goldwell outdoor Museum, SFAI, Spiro Arts, Russ College of Engineering, @lab–and many others…