Andy Pohl, 43, may be listed as a rookie, but not to the Iditarod Trail. His experience includes riding a bicycle two different years in the winter to explore the trail. In 2014 he set out on a self-supported adventure to follow the Iditarod race riding his Fatback snow-bike, from Willow to Galena. He returned in 2015 with unfinished business, and followed the length of the Iditarod trail to the finish from Fairbanks to Nome along the alternate route. Along the first journey he met Kristy Berington at the Ophir checkpoint. Little did he know then how his life would be changed. Andy a lifelong Alaskan born and raised in Palmer, Alaska, is now married to Kristy. With the help of both Kristy and Anna Berington of Seeing Double Sled Dog Racing he started learning to train for sled dog racing and raising puppies in Knik. The entire family has now become involved. Vicki Pohl helped get the new kennel established and designs and sews much of the needed mushing gear, and Raymond Pohl runs support and helps behind the scenes. Andy’s primary race experience includes many years of racing bikes on the Speedway Cycling Team, in Anchorage, specializing in ultra-distance cycling events, like 24 mountain bike races, Susitna 100, Soggy Bottom 100, and the Fireweed 400. Dog sled racing experience includes Willow 300, Northern Lights 300, and Gin Gin 200. His other resume lists him as a University of Alaska Fairbanks graduate and Mechanical Engineer working on building projects in all regions of Alaska from Ketchikan to Utqiagvik.