This time, a Fan

The Last Great Race officially started today! The 37th Iditarod is on its way to Nome, and for the first time I saw the Restart in Willow, around 30 miles north of Wasilla. I joined my photographer friend, Rod, and is wife Barbara for the big husky show. Only 67 mushers starting this year and also for the first time, I'm not interviewing any of them. It's kinda weird.

Lots of these trucks seen on the highway lately as mushers from all over arrived in our territory:

I didn't have any "credentials" to enter the limited access area of mushers, that is, until Rod borrowed a musher handler's badge for me! I thanked that handler and he gave me this 3 1/2 month old puppy in return...The two-colored eye puppy belongs to this four-time Iditarod Champ, Jeff King!

Definitely a Fan, not a Reporter this time!

Then the mushers took off. Here's my bud and contender, Paul Gebhardt:

And now a crowd favorite...this video clip is dedicated to my Grandparents...

(read with building drama) Will Lance three-peat? Will Jeff give his runner-up revenge? Will Hans Gatt pull off his big expectations? Will Paul G.'s new lease on life give him a boost? Will Bjorner Anderson get his time representing Team Norway? Will Sven Haltmann bust a move as a non-rookie? Will the Zirkle/Moore kennel finally taste victory? Will Mitch Seavey conquer the Nome trail again? Will the deep snow lengthen this run? Will the coastal trail ever be storm free?!

So much to learn in the next 9+days...Happy Trails!

*Amy