Hmm*, the Iditarod started today - the "ceremonial start", in Anchorage; the "restart" aka actual start is tomorrow. Some pics:
raring to go
and we're off!
many people on hand to watch
just like bike racing, anyone can stand by the side and spectate
such beautiful animals
Iditarod royalty
my favorite Mille Porsild and team ... bib #4 means she will be near the front
In other news, I was able to restart the Iditarod Flow Tracker after a couple of years off. This is IMHO the best way to follow a race which takes place over a week+, you can see the ebb and flow and runs and rests and truly follow the race. Watching the Iditarod's GPS tracker is all very exciting but it only shows points in time, and you need the first derivatives to actually follow the race.
 This *is* always a tough event to follow; the Alaska's News Source Live Blog is a good starting point. As of course is Twitter! (But there you have to dodge all the virtue-signaling PETA-people who want you to know the Iditarod kills dogs.... I view this as, sure, just like car racing kills people.)
 Wired suggest Climate Change is making Alaska's legendary Iditarod harder to run. Hmm. An attempt to explain why there are only 33 participants in this year's race, fewest ever.
The Iditarod themselves have a different take: economics. It's become more expensive to run the race, and many would-be mushers are unwilling or unable to afford it. The organization are thinking maybe the race moves to an every-other-year cadence. For me, I wonder why there aren't more sponsors involved. For a major sports event, it remains pretty "minor league"; part of the charm, for sure, but the times are a changing...
Onward! (And go Mille!)
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