Journalist's Report

March 1, 2008

Chris Ostafew



Steps to achieving a successful day:
Step 1: Gather pen and paper. List all required tasks, preferably
organized by relevant area.

Step 2: Open laptop and select appropriate jig music. Preferably
something that gets your heart pumping and smiles thumping.

Step 3: Cut to the chase and git 'er done! Amend list with lunch prep
if required.

Step 4: Pile into V'ger II, carefully counting heads as they enter so
as to not forget anyone, and set your course for Capitol Reef National
Park.

Thus, right from the get-go, the hab was busy with soap bubbles,
vacuuming and dust storms in the lab and elsewhere as the crew
meticulously cleaned the hab from top to bottom. The task did in fact
end up taking longer than expected and lunch, freeze dried spaghetti,
was in fact amended to the aforementioned list.

With housecleaning chores out of the way, the crew merrily donned their
uniforms - long sleeve t-shirts with ExEpsilon Patches on them - to
pose for a set of group photos outside the hab. And with the sun
bearing down on them, they opted to pose just as Guy had in their
safety demo to soak up as many morning rays as possible.

Bump bump bump - went the van as it slid over cow dung road's
protruding rocks. By my tally, there should be eight scrapes on
exactly the same cross member from exactly the same rock. On our
return, since we had so consistently hit the same rock, I imagined we
would be adding the second last iron canyon before the crew packs up to
make their way to Salt Lake City. Our parting ways has been on each of
our minds all day but rarely has it slipped from the tongue.

By the time we'd arrived at Capitol Reef Park, I had long fallen asleep
- the night before, I'd tried to savor the experience of living at the
hab and ended up staying up until 3 AM. Nonetheless, from the looks on
the fellow faces of crew 67, I could tell it was yet another fantastic
and enlightening trip into geologic history. Among other things, we
ended up driving down a slot canyon (constantly watching the mix of
clouds and blue sky for flash flood conditions) and viewing some more
excellent examples of aeolian cross bedding.

The return to the hab, although arriving 30 minutes later than planned,
was shorter than hoped. As people, we ventured into discussions on
secondary career options - the ones that show hidden dimensions and
dreams in our lives - and our failed attempts at being stand-up
comedians. As expected, crew 68 was already at the hab by the time we
returned. With fleeting remaining moments as a crew together, a
photographer would be at home capturing their glances and inaudible
smiles that radiate stories of trials and tribulations, adventures and
games, and first-times and (ideally) last-times (like the joint
plunging on a toilet that fails to flush every so often). :)

I ran off at that point to pump water before the pipes froze. Crew 67
- Signing Off.