Tidbits I learned from listening to the banquet:
- Larry Daugherty is running Jason Campeau's dog (mentioned that he'll be mushing with Jason in his thoughts for a "safe and speedy recovery", but didn't give any further specifics).
- Ray Redington is running some of Paul Gephardt's dogs, because he's down with cancer (Paul is undergoing stem-cell treatment)
- Meredith Mapes is the youngest musher in the field
- Scott Janssen says this will be his last ID for the foreseeable future (I think he said he wanted to travel?)
- Dee Dee is also retiring from ID after this year
- Mitch read a poem (of sorts?) from Dallas
- Jessie Royer got a sponsor - Living Well Essential Oils
- Lev Schvarts is hoping to have a competitive team next year
- Charlie Bejna is hoping to have a competitive team this year
- Anna B dedicated her race to their dad who passed away last summer
- Kristy B has "an amazing new husband Andy" (Andy Pohl, who's also running this year. They met in Ophir, apparently)
- Anja Radano (who's German) - picked #24 which is what she wanted - said it was "awesome" and she was "really excited"
- Michelle Phillips will be taking a bunch of the dogs that Ed just brought through the YQ
- Emily Maxwell is running Nic Petit's dogs
- Peter Fleck from England is running a Mitch Seavey puppy team