counting my steps..

 finally the pictures that i selected for today all loaded.  really liked this one above as it shows the steamboats and the dog looks cool.  rohn buser.

 i am counting my steps...fun keeping track. i guess the goal is generally 10,000 steps/day. i may not always get that, but i have averaged well over it.  so not bad. it will help me to not be a slacker on those days i work. i will never have a 20 year olds body back but i don't have to settle for a 50 year olds body either.  steps must be taken....literally!!  how many steps a  day did these little guys take getting to Nome... they need a doggie app!!

 Hugh Neff is always a character out there.

 the crowds thinned out pretty quickly out there with the low temps.  i started walking back towards the hotel for the last 5 teams at least i think.  my friends are much more social than i am and took up the offer to come warm up in the house on the corner.  the woman had recently moved to Fairbanks from California and found herself with a front row seat to the Iditarod.  pretty funny.  she opened up her home and had drinks and turkey i guess.

 another cool looking team.  love these dog shots.  was thinking i should blow up a few of my favorites for my wall...i may run out of wall pretty soon though.  between cool art i like and photo's i like.

 i have averaged over 10,000 steps/day this week  have hit the pool as i have wanted and i'm still fat...it takes time but i am impatient.  hopefully i can create new habits again and lose a few pounds.

 enjoy having those fitness apps on the phone.  i think that really helps me.

 this guys face above is super cute!!

 had an ultrasound on my leg today to check on progress.  the main vein they closed is still closed so that is good.  there is another vein that seems to be causing a few varicosities that aren't covered by the one he treated so he said to return in a month and he'll just give that an injection.  quick in/out thing.

 love the boats in the background...so cool!

 DeeDee always in pink.  she's completed 30 runs...seems like an awesome experience if you are willing and able.  it's a labor of love really. she loves mushing and she loves her dogs.

 the ultrasound had the added bonus of showing that i have fluid in my knee joint, no surprise for me i guess, i have suspected as much.  gives me that added incentive to hit the gym more and hopefully between that, ice, elevation and rest at appropriate times i can help that fluid move back to where it belongs. my knee and the swelling always feel better after a swim so my sense is this should help.  if not i'll return to the ortho office i guess.

 did a nice slip on the ice today.  hit hard again with my knee folded underneath me.  exactly how i fell the last time i fell.  sliced open my finger...LS happened to have a little baggie with bandaids!!  way to be prepared!! it's a decent little gash.

 when i fell i felt it but i think mostly it just scared me...there is that moment where you are waiting to see if you are injured from the fall...then L helped me get back up and i carried on.

 oddly, within a few steps by knee felt great and i was able to do the rest of the walk no problem.  part of me wonders if this fall snapped some scar tissue that needed to be snapped.  one thing i read encouraged you to move your patella around while you are resting.  said that could help prevent the scar tissue. or i guess i could try my luck with falling again.  not!!

 tongues!!

 below is Lance Mackey...always a favorite.  he had a bad and rough year.  at the banquet he was given a mushers award...sportsmanship award.  he was being helped by his brother but that didn't stop him from helping others.  he rescued another mushers dog team and was always willing to lend a hand.  his brother, Jason, gave  up his competitive race in order to run with Lance and help him care for his dogs.  mushers can help each other but cannot get outside help.

 the mushers gave Jason Mackey the most inspirational award.

 Nicholas Petit of Girdwood probably got the most prized award among the mushers...the award for excellence in dog care... the Leonhard Seppala Humanitarian award

 awards were also given to Huslia for being the best check point and Dallas's dog "Reef" for being the dog MVP basically.

 and here comes Aily Zirkle!! she ended the race in 5th place.

 the first 30 in get prize money in diminishing amounts.  after 30 each musher gets $1049 for finishing.  i think that is the number of miles in the serum run?  the actual miles of the race vary each year, depending if they take north or south route...or in this case leave from Fairbanks.

 i was thinking the gym tonight closed at 11pm but it was 10pm so i had to book it out of there.  now it's after midnight already. tomorrow i shall start getting taxes together.  best to just make an appointment, then i have  a deadline, i do best with deadlines.

 did get a few things accomplished today.  it was another 50 degree day once the sun was up and out.  i let the dogs/cats out onto the front deck while i took all the winter gear out of the car and brushed it out...step one.  there is still a lot of dirt in there, but you gotta clean that car in layers.

 these dogs are with another Norway team.  Yvonne Dabbakk.  she finished 53rd.

 decided to cease the Monday walks for the season.  will give me freedom to wander to different trails.  the one today was still all ice the entire 4.1 miles of it.  breakup is coming early so it's easier to wander to trails and find the ones that are safer to walk.  always miss the Monday walks but i will try to just do group texts and invite for other things...see who is around.  everyone likes the coffee so perhaps we could find another way to "do coffee" over the summer.  once the real summer hits though the people of Alaska really start to rush in different directions in order to enjoy every second of sun and warmer weather.

 love these husky teams!!  i think they tend to run slower than the alaskan sled dogs, but they sure look pretty out there.

 it at least felt like i was getting a few things accomplished this morning.  cat litter, car, dog poop...the usual laundry and dishes.  Blossom is still dropping some mud and sand today.  Rio was enjoying her outside deck time so i was a wee bit late to the walk.  hard to convince her to get on the couch .happy i was able to, way too much ice for her.

 she's in dang good shape overall, but ice and her joints could be a bad combination.

 nice to just relax and enjoy the day.  hopefully i can get my deck furniture out soon and enjoy that.  love sitting outside in the summers and just reading.

 noticed my neighbors were all doing the same.  clearing out winter and airing out the houses.  nice to open the windows for a bit and let in some fresh air.

 i think it's actually supposed to start raining later this week.  hopefully when i am back to work and can sleep through it. sleeping on rainy days is the best.  can't sleep through snow...way too excited.

 #34 is Ray Reddington Jr.  another family of mushers.

 an entire family, including the family dog vanished from the Kenai last May.  they believe they may have found the remains.  who killed them all?  very sad...

 on a brighter note...loads of Wood Bison were moved over the weekend in preparation for the release in the wild soon.  it's been a long time coming and is finally going to happen.  the conservation center will be a much quieter place this summer.

 apparently there are communities throughout US and Canada where forced marriage happens.  a brave young girl escaped arranged marriage and is now taking up the battle to outlaw such practices.  she couldn't find a shelter that would take her in..she wasn't actually being abused...just being forced to marry.  our laws have not caught up with these new cultural norms that come with other cultures moving here.

 Ellen Halverson is #35  she is a psychiatrist.   that girl from Norway.  studied physics and has a PhD in plasma and space physics.  lots of well educated folks running this race each year..also an at least equal mix of more of a blue collar sort. i have always loved that about this race.  old/young, male/female, well educated/blue collar...it's a level playing field.

 ready for another glass of water.  4 mile walk, 25 laps...you get thirsty...gotta hydrate up.

 a few black and whites and then on to a bit of scenery to round it out.

 these are from the drive back from Fairbanks.  i cruised into Denali at some point...feel like you always should if possible..it's right there.

 some are just along the way.  clear skies as you can see.  that is how it was here today as well

 water and some chocolate...i can eat a few little chocolate bits no problem.  i was telling my sister yesterday that chips are tougher for me to limit myself on. not that i eat the whole bag in one sitting, but it's easy to eat way more than you should without realizing it.

 the easter chocolate is out...after easter there is no more chocolate holidays until next fall and Halloween.  enjoy the treats!!  bought a bag of cadbury eggs...always good for a camping trip!!

 the scenery on todays trail was less spectacular.  it's that break up time of year.  thankfully, i have loads of photo's to share before spring really gets over.

 thankful for:  A.  warm weather and being able to sit and relax on the deck for a few! B.  fresh spring air in the house  C.  a slightly cleaner car...it's a start!!