Mush! Mush!

Straight after breakfast I walked to the Avis depot and collected the 4WD SUV that was to be our mode of transport for the next nine days. After we had loaded up the first stop was a Walmart to stock up on "car food". Then we hit the road for Willow, about an hour and a half north of Anchorage where the "real" Iditarod race start was to begin at 2:00pm.

Sam with one of the husky pups

We followed the traffic into the specially prepared car park by the highway and then crossed the road to the frozen lake, with the real race start less than two hours away. As we exited the car park there was a couple with four adorable husky puppies for sale that we couldn't resist stopping to pat.

We managed to secure a spot close to the start of the iconic race, on the side of a fenced track that crossed the lake and ran up into the woods on the far side. As with the ceremonial start yesterday the dog teams set off at two minute intervals - but this time there are no "Iditariders" on board and the race clock is running.

Rearing to go!

The dogs were evidently keen to be on the trail - as each team lined up on the start line it took up to half a dozen handlers holding back the dogs and two or three others holding on to the sled to stop the dogs taking off  before the countdown reached zero.

We gave a big cheer to Ali Zirkle as she started in position #7 and to the lone Aussie in the field, Christian Turner, when he started in position #21. As we did yesterday, we then chose to move up the line and view the starting teams from different points on the course. The start was a very festive occasion, with a lot of people having picnics and barbeques on the frozen lake under clear blue skies. We continued a little way up into the woods on the far side of the lake where there were still dozens of spectators lining the route to cheer the mushers on their way.

Another team hits the trail.

After we had seen off the last of the 69 mushers to start out on Iditarod 2014 we joined the throng heading back to to the car park, where we were lucky to get a good run out. Thereafter we had the advantage of heading north - rather than back to Anchorage like most of the other traffic - so we had a good run. Not that we had far to go, the run up to the Talkeetna was only half an hour and it was only about 15 miles off the highway.

Our lodgings turned out to be very nice with each room having a loft and views out over the frozen river. It was still light and there were views of the distant Mt McKinley (North America's highest mountain) from out on the river. There was still a trickle of water on the middle of the river but it was interesting to walk around on the snow covered ice - with only the occasional spots where your foot suddenly sunk into a knee deep "moose hole".

A view of Mt McKinley from the (mostly) frozen river.

In the quaint main street of Talkeetna we found a nice eatery for dinner. It was very busy and the service was a bit slow, but the manageress compensated us by making one of our four meals free and shouting an extra round of drinks. A nice end to an iconic day in Alaska.