The anticipation is building for the start of Iditarod 2013. Here in the lobby of the Millenium Hotel, supervised by moose, caribou and all manner of taxidermic Alaskan mega fauna, clusters of people are moving and mingling, buying souvenirs and chatting about the race. Volunteers, race officials, mushers, and spectators are flowing in and out.
Last night was the famed musher's banquet which was a huge event in the cavernous convention center here in town. It was unlike other banquets I have attended. I will try to post some photos later today.
Today at 2pm I am to find out from the Logistics Team when my little group of vets will be heading out to Skwentna the first check point I'll be stationed at ( and the second check point on the race). It is my understanding that we probably won't be there for long before we get sent further up the trail. The teams got through those first couple check points fast- they don't want to waste a lot of time while the teams are fresh and amped up. Although I'm not sure the dogs are ever not amped up throughout the race. During our seminar one of the lecturers showed a video clip of a team standing hitched up. the dogs were jumping and barking and pulling, wagging, clearly ready to get this show on the road. The camera then panned back to the structure behind them- the finish banner in Nome. You would never have known they had just run 1000 miles.
The ceremonial start to the race is saturday in downtown Anchorage, but the clock doesn't start until sunday for the official start from Wasilla (yes, Palin country). It is snowing lightly outside right now- boding well for a snowy start tomorrow!
(Correction- the Sunday start is in Willow which is near Wasilla)
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