February 10, 2012 – For the past two years, I’ve written a guide to the American Birkebeiner (which was lauded by several folks and even called “remarkably good” by Johnny Klister) and run the data from the race finishers and posted that on the web. I’ve fleshed out the blog post in to a more-full-blown website, birkieguide.com, which should help new skiers navigate the maze and old skiers chuckle about wave start times and rutted hills.

Birkie elevation profile. © birkieguide.com

In other words, I have a severe case of the fever. And I’m trying my best to be contagious.

As race day nears, I’m keeping tabs, daily, on the long-range forecast and posting the “weather speculation” on the site. (All weather speculation posts go on the home page, but you can view only the weather speculation posts HERE.) I’m also keeping an eye on changes to registration, start times and trail closures and posting them as they come about, as well as anything else pertinent. And after the race I’m planning to run the numbers again, which, given templates from last year, should be a somewhat less arduous process. So keep an eye out for that in early March, too.

Thank you for all your work, do your snow dance (in Cable and Hayward and, this winter, everywhere but Alaska), and happy skiing!