a few more from the ceremonial start day, iditarod

 for some reason this picture almost doesn't look real, not sure why.  it is real.  iditarider, musher and tag...all smiles. i really loved this shot.  tossed in the rest of the favorites from the ceremonial start day here in anchorage.  i have loaded many from todays restart in willow, but i'll start on those after.  it was yet another beautiful day out there.  i have decided it's like the rose parade..for some reason the sun always seems to shine on this day.

 katie and i left as scheduled and i hoped i'd have time to wander around as they loaded the sleds, but the folks at the first lake were a bit of the "i'm in control" sort.  the guy at long lake was cool, but i didn't want to get stuck coming back.  probably should have just made a run for it.  perhaps i can try to get there even earlier next year.  traffic is always fun out there. not a biggie, just often there is just the one lane going in either direction and a few rare signals past wasilla always slow stuff up a bit.  eventually we all made it out there.

 lance below with his iditarider and tag sled.  not really sure what the purpose of the tag sled is?  anyone?  weight it down?  oh well...it will remain a mystery.

 the second lake, long lake, that we went to today is a little less crowded than the first lake.  easier pictures.  i admit i was a bit lazy and never really changed camera's.  i just kept with the 300 zoom.  like to get at the dog level.  a few teams went a bit off course....i think it was those reindeer dogs cooking on our fire!!

 one musher stopped for a second and put her brake down. it was a bit sad and funny to watch her attempt to get her brake back up.  i suspect it was nerves, but at first it seemed like she was kicking it in further. it took her a long time to get that brake back up and go.  another team passed her as she mussed with it.  some guy came out to try and help her and she told him he couldn't help her.  rules.  after watching that i see a scratch in her future.

 loads of family and kids out both days this weekend, enjoying all the festivities. i'm sure the mushers will be happy to be out on the trail more as the crowds disperse and it's just them and their teams.

 the jamaican musher rides again. not too many international mushers this year, but always a few.

 i'll go over the names of the mushers starting with the postings of the restart pictures.  i like to recap stories and events that i read about from various sources.  if you like to follow the race, kttu and anchorage daily news are good as is the official iditarod site.  i pay a fee for the iditarod insider. that gives you access to pictures and video clips and the gps tracker.  all the sleds have a gps on them.

 people along the route in anchorage often have treats and goodies that they hand out...and the occasional beer.

 mostly people just want to cheer on their favorites and get a hand out for a high five!!

 it's always fun going through the pictures and seeing what develops, happy to be in the digital era at times.  so much easier to play with the camera knowing you can take endless shots and just toss those that are crap.

 just a lot of dogs really.  saw them all today.

 last years winner. i'm hoping for a winner with a bit more pizazz.  dallas and the winner before him baker, both seem to lack that quirky, fun side.  they are probably fine 1:1. but in interviews they were both a yawn to some degree. i'd like a bit more personality.  really i think we are due for a female winner. i vote for allie!! she was dang close last year and her husband won the quest this year i think so how cool would that be!

 up on the bridge over tudor for many of these.

 a different angle than i had today.

 deedee always wears her distinct outfit.  she's done this thing like over 30 times.  that seems so wild.

 this is how i'd probably be if i was an iditarider...hanging over the sled getting as many photo's as i could...i may sit back though as there could be more than fur flying and i don't want no poop in my face!!  i risk that enough at my regular job.

 the all white dog team...well except the one dude in the back.

 liked how this one of the kid getting a high five from the tag sled guy came out.  so many happy kids out there on the trails.

 there are a few mushers not running that often do and then there are also the rookies giving it a shot.

 this is allie, my choice to win..go puppies!!

 one of the twins...a set of identical twins is again running the race.

 these are backwards...another high five...this kid got lots of em.

 i am sleepy and have lots more pictures to load so i will keep my chatting brief tonight.

 starting to think this one was in yesterdays as well.

back to the fun work of looking at my restart pictures.  enjoy these pics and sorry for the lack of words though perhaps nobody reads them anyway.  seems like i'm getting a buttload of spam comments of late...where are the real people...? i can't take all this spam!!  good night