Our mission started off with a challenge: how to fit 5 people, all their experimental gear and personal gear for the 2 week mission, along with food for 8 people for the mission duration into a 1991 Plymouth Voyager (which was missing a back windshield due to a previous accident but had very decorative packing tape along the back). For someone who has never shopped for that many people for that long before, the sight of 4 Costco carts full of food is rather stunning, especially when you get it all back to the van and realize that somehow it's all got to go in (and tying a crew member to the roof rack is not an option…). Somehow our amazing engineers Seth, Brogan, and Anna along with help from the scientists (Cassie and Adrienne) made it happen with a packing job that could probably not be replicated. With a healthy fear of bottoming out on speed bumps, we set boldly out to go where no Plymouth Voyager loaded with that much weight should. We left the comfort of Salt Lake City for the MDRS station, completely encased in food and gear with just enough room for bodies but not to move. It was like a Soyuz flight with form- molded seats! Along the way we were grateful for a crew stocked with hardy mountain folk who were willing to drive through some intense snow conditions through the mountains of Utah, and slowly we made our way to Hanksville, arriving at midnight to our new desert Hab home.

Crew 55 gave us a warm welcome and helped us disengage ourselves from our crammed positions within the van as we stretched limbs that hadn't moved in 6 hours. The Hab was an impressive sight for those of us who had never been here before. It's really amazing to see this Martian terrain full of amazing red geological features and have nestled in amongst it a Hab that comfortably holds 8 people with a full geological/biological lab, engineering station, and crew quarters along with a greenhouse and observatory. You really get the sensation that you are on a different planet and that feeling doesn't go away. Crew 55 helped us settle in and showed us the ropes, and we were united with the other half of our team (Ryan, Liz, and John), who had driven in separately from Colorado.

Our crew has now bonded through the experience of the van (which was a game-day player!) and is excited to get started on our mission. We have an incredible mix of backgrounds and experiences, with everyone swapping stories of favorite travels and expeditions along with sharing our love of all things space related. It's hard to describe the camaraderie amongst those who have a passion for space, but it's most like having an extended family you've never met but you are instantly close to through that shared bond. We've had our first EVA now (check out our reports to see what we were up to) and now our minds are firmly entrenched on all things Martian. I can't wait to start up the science! Keep checking for our daily reports on our activities and photos of what we have been doing. It's great to be on Mars!