Iditarod Trail Invitational

And they're off!

As of 5pm central time the competitors of the Iditarod Trail Invitational are trudging through the northern tundra in an attempt to traverse the Alaskan countryside.

A fellow riding buddy, Aaron Benetti, has been on the bike for close to 7 hours now (as of this writing) and is anticipating a fast coarse with some record times for this years event.  In an email he sent yesterday, Aaron indicated at "The trail looks to be fast this year due to subzero temps and little snow fall."  In addition to many gear changes and teaming up with a fellow rider for some much needed company, Aaron's expectations of not only finishing but doing so quickly (about 5 days) may be experienced. 

For those of you interested in following the race and keeping up with all the contenders and their positions checkpoint by checkpoint, go to the standings page.

According to the National Weather Service, the current temperature is -24 and should reach a max during the day of -4 to 0 (F).  The night is clear with little wind and minor threat of precipitation.  Overall, the average rate of speed between 5 and 7 miles per hour should be obtained.

Stay tuned for more updates as the race progresses.