Five members of Crew 15, David, Jody, Derek, Tim, and I met at breakfast at the Comfort Inn and divided up to look at the 1983 blue Ford F350, which has been cranked only with great effort and jumper cables so far. After checking fluids, adding oil, and discussing the situation, the crew got the truck started at last.

The crew's mission of the day was to buy provisions at Wal-Mart to take to the Hab and to pick up Kim Binsted at the Salt Lake airport, then arrive at the Hab around 4:00 p.m. Tim and David made quick purchases, then headed off to retrieve Kim, while the other three split up the grocery list and madly dashed about finding goods. In the process, I was pleased to introduce my new Irish friend, Derek, to Moon Pies, hummus, and animal crackers. Before long, the two grocery buggies were overflowing, and we were ready to check out.

The goal had been a noon departure for the Hab from the hotel. This goal proved to be impossible, however, as the unfortunate grocery team could not crank the truck at the end of our Wal-Mart shopping spree. So I accosted a man driving a large Dodge truck, saying in my best Southern drawl, "Would a man driving a new Dodge truck be willing to help some folks driving an old Ford?" He grinned and pulled around to give a jump. The F350 finally turned over, much to our delight.

That delight turned to dismay, however, when Jody's foot slipped off the gas, and the truck gulped once and cut off. And then it wouldn't crank again. Out of nowhere, a surly Samaritan pulled up in an enormous new F350 and began to hook up his battery to ours. After much hassle but little conversation, we three were on our way.

After a flurry of catch-up packing at the hotel, the crew was on its way to the MDRS. But every time the blue truck was turned off, say to fill it with gas, it had to be jumped. At last, it simply refused to start, though David tried over and over to jump it from his Explorer. At last, after forty-five minutes of trying, Crew 15 had given up. But suddenly, nosing up to the hood was the nose of an eighteen-wheeler rig. The driver hopped out and said, "I thought you might need more power!" In a minute, the F350 was running, and the group, after resolving not to cut the engine again till reaching the station, was on its way again.

Derek and I kept a careful photo record of our first day with a complete crew, but most of our pictures are of the group gathered around the open hood of the truck, just with different settings in the background.

It was a tired and hungry crew who finally reached Hanksville, at 7:00 p.m.-after a 6- hour trip. After conferring with Don Foutz, our local support person at the Whispering Sands motel, we decided that supper at the Chevron's restaurant was in order before going to the Hab. Stomachs satisfied with buffalo burgers and mint shakes, we felt our way in the dark to Cow Dung Road and finally to the Hab.

Instead of reaching the Hab at 4:00 p.m.as we had planned, it was about 8:00 before Crew 15 met Crew 14.

After a flurry of introductions, Crew 15 met the remainders of Crew 14--Nishi, Steve, Matt, Graham, and Rocky--as well as Anna and William from the University of Michigan Mars Rover project. We toured the Rover first, as Anna and William were departing for Michigan soon after completing the repairs on the Rover. After seeing the lab space and learning about setting the Rover up for traveling, we saw the cots set up and learned about how to lock down the equipment for traveling mode.

Once back in the Hab, Crew 14 worked to familiarize Crew 15 with the living quarters, the generator and toilet issues currently causing problems, and the general running of the station.

At long last, we all tumbled into staterooms or the Everest Rover for a short night's rest before the transfer of the station to Crew 15 in the morning.