The Restart

Yesterday was the ceremonial start for the Iditarod in Anchorage.  The real start of the race is tomorrow in Fairbanks.  Fairbanks is not the normal starting point, but due to poor trail conditions, this is the third time the restart has been moved to Fairbanks.

The Iknitarod begins during the ceremonial start on Saturday.  It's not a ceremonial start...unless you are me...who should have tested the invisible provisional cast on ahead of time.  I could have learned a few things...without wasting several quite a few hours of race time.

I finally got my dogs out of town and onto the open trail this afternoon.  We made slow but mostly steady progress and when the wind died down, I packed up my "sled" and headed for the official Iknitarod perch, The Grahaminator.  

Here are a few scenes from the trail...

It's always nice to see a little wildlife :-).

Finally getting somewhere.

Look - it's Liddy!  And Levi. Levi has a bit of a thing for Liddy ;-).

Hank, resting up for a long night keeping everyone safe in the barn and on the trail.

A couple more rows.  I'm loving the yarn.  It's knitting well, feels good and is showing the stitches nicely.  I think it was a great combination and I'm so relieved.

Instagram photo

I've worked hard all evening and am four rows to the end of the first repeat.  I'm posting this blog, making the night barn check and then I may push on for the first check point.  My eyes are getting bleary though and I'm starting to look like I need a nap ;-).