My first full day back at MDRS was challenging and a whole lot of fun. Spent the morning getting shanghaied aside many times with questions on how does this work or what is buried under here, and doing Air Lock Operator & Photographer for Guido's first "in sim" (as an out of sim camera person, but I'll let William and Guido tell that story as it was their adventure).

It was not until mid afternoon that I was finally able to tear myself clear and head for the second MAST EVA of this rotation. Cactus Road was one of the few places that I was unable to locate with ease my previous three visits to MDRS.

However, the track following capabilities of my new Garmin GPSMap 60cs made finding the most elusive place (for me at least) at MDRS a breeze. One I was on Cactus Road I was very easy to find my way to the Candor Chasm access ATV parking place. Then I back tracked and took the left fork and headed out Cactus Road itself right to the eastern end. What a spectacular canyon system awaits the Geologist at the end of this road and the variety of plant life I observed will keep any biologist busy for ever.

Just before the end Cactus Road as shown on the map, I discovered that it actually branchs into a north east part and a due east part. Both of these branches end up looking over the same canyon system, just from differerent view points and both of those tracks showed signs of heavy travel and usage.

Please remember that NGS Topo and other maps, both paper and electronic, have their data's accuracy is based on the 1980 surveys.

This is why "roads" and 4WD trails shown on Topo and other programs have been downgraded to "unreliable" for the MDRS area. Too much has changed in the past 20 plus years. So I will be replotting Cactus Road as a part of my on going updating and maintenance of the MDRS Roadmap, as Cactus Road is rather different from what the old maps are showing us.

I was able to photograph both branchs of the eastern end and work my way part way back towards Lowell Highway before I had to stop MAST photography, landmark the spot in my GPS to find it again and head back to the HAB before daylight turned into night.

Over the next few days, (weather permitting) I hope to complete the data acquision of Castus Road and with local expert Don Foutz's capable assistance, make another attempt at reaching and documenting the northern end of Hubble Highway. We at the Mars Society are very lucky to such a capable outdoors man/business man as our local representitive here in Hanksville. His assistance to my project has helped to make it a success. Until the next EVA...

Hugh S. Gregory
Crew 45 Surveyer for Project MAST