IDITAROD TRAIL INVITATIONAL 2012
The following is my highly fictionalized account of my recent adventure in Alaska. A more accurate accounting of the event will be forthcoming from my faithful manservant Andy. How did I get to this point? I’m at the 210 mile checkpoint at Rohn and I’m coming to the realization that my dream of getting to McGrath is coming to an end. I’ve just seen a picture of my frostbitten face and know that to continue would risk some serious long-term injuries. I then slept for 6 hours before pulling the plug but the reality is that I was hoping for some kind of fairy tale miracle cure that wasn’t about to happen. The event had started 6 ½ days earlier in the town of Knik on Sunday the 26th at 2 pm. The day started with loading our bikes in a van to be transported to the start and then a 1 ½ hour bus ride to the start. At Knik, we all gathered in the bar & grill and it seemed to be a part of the right of passage that most of the racers had a big greasy burger and fries as our pre race meal. Not the norm but then again most races don’t last any where from 4 – 10 days. It wasn’t going to be a mad sprint off the line. In the days before the start I’d met a number of the other competitors. There was a pre race party on Friday evening sponsored by Greg Matyas at Speedway Cycle. Greg is the owner and designer of Fatback Bicycles as well as an outstanding racer who came