Much earlier, an early wave glides into the Timber Trail (also known as the Mardi Gras) food stop...
...to briefly refresh (and to hopefully not stab anyone)...
...and, just as quickly, continue on. Several teams of patrollers will begin their ski assigment at the Timber Trail food stop, each leaving at a specific time in order to maintain the desired team spacing along the Birkie course.
While skate racers leave the Timber Trail food stop, racers skiing in the traditional style ply the separate classic trail, which parallels the original trail (now the skate trail) from a point just past the start area to a point just past OO.
Meanwhile, at the Kortelopet finish line, _______, Madeline, ________, and Nancy I. await the first racers about to arrive.
...and just in case..., they are ready!