MDRS-88 sol 0: Grand conjunction

[davidlevine]

I'm not quite all the way to Mars yet. This is as planned. Currently I am safely ensconced at the charming Best Western Sandman Motel (which Diego, from Colombia, calls "a road motel like in the movies") in Grand Junction, Colorado.
Kate dropped my Monster Bag and I off at the airport at 5:45 this

Comments

[jimvanpelt]

Hi, David. That Best Western is about five miles from where I live.

Best of luck on Mars!

[davidlevine]

::waves::

[kalimac]

Good beginning. Buy a box and mail some of your smaller, heavier stuff home when you return to Earth.

Yeah, judging by my memories of midwestern winters, 0° F is 10-15 degrees colder than I'm comfortable with, even with wool and without wind. Hope your space suits are toasty. (Are they actually airtight with oxygen packs, or is that sim?)

[davidlevine]

Not airtight, no. Will know more details soon!

[birdhousefrog]

Wow. You're not even on Mars yet and I'm riveted to the story. Envy, envy, envy.

Oz

[threeoutside]

I think the only way I could be more excited would be if I was going myself. I do hope you have a wonderful Mars experience - complete, of course, with things like non-functioning showers and below-zero temps and stolid dependable back-up batteries! I mean, ya gotta have those Martian challenges, right?

Enjoy, report, enjoy, and report some more. Your Earthbound friends are rooting for you!

[magentamn]

Be glad you aren't in Minneapolis, where it hit -14 earlier, and is still around -8. I'm sure it's colder north of here. Layers of clothing, many, many layers.