Twin Mojo takes a breather

Last night's banquet was chalk full of mushers, volunteers, race supporters and organizers, all displaying different but equally intense emotions about this year's Iditarod. There was a lot of excitement, some nerves, a bit of grumbling about the warm weather in Anchorage, and fond reminiscing about prior races. Toward the end of the event, there was the all-important drawing by mushers for their bib positions. The twins always hope to draw positions close one another, making it easier to run the bulk of the race side by side. But, as with so much of the Iditarod, things didn't go quite as planned. Anna was on stage first, drawing bib #23. Mushers draw their number in the order in which they signed up for the race, and as Kristy signed up well after her twin, she didn't make the stage until much later. Their twin mojo must have taken a breather, as Kristy drew bib #83, which means she'll be 60 teams and 2 hours behind Anna off the start. That is by no means an insurmountable gap in a race of 1,000 miles, but it will take some time for positions to settle out and the two Berington GPS units to find one another and start leap-frogging down the trail as we've become so accustomed.

Another change everyone will need to get used to? An abbreviated start on Saturday. Due to the nearly snowless conditions around Anchorage, this year's ceremonial start will only be run 3 miles, instead of the usual 9 to 11 miles. That promises to make for some harried dog handlers rushing trucks and trailers from the starting line to where teams will need to be retrieved just 3 miles later. And I suspect more than a few dogs will be perplexed by the short run. But it is what it is, and everyone will make due. We're all just happy the race is on!

Kristy (left) and Anna, at the banquet.