HUMAN

Name: BERT HANSON
Age: 67
Residence: ANCHORAGE ALASKA
Occupation: I’M RETIRED AS AN AIRLINE PILOT
Years involved with Iditarod: 36
Iditarod Role: DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS FOR THE IDITAROD AIRFORCE
Current Location: WILLOW ALASKA
Date of Photo: FEBRUARY 16, 2019
Temperature: 10F / OUTDOORS

What is your Why?.. Why are you here today and involved in Iditarod?:  

WELL, THE REASON WE’RE HERE TODAY IS WE’RE TRYING TO DO THE WILLOW FLY OUT, TO GET THE STUFF PUT IN ALL THE WAY UP TO PUNTILLA LAKE, BUT THE WEATHER IS NOT COOPERATING. AND I JUST LOVE THE IDITAROD JUST BECAUSE OF THE CAMARADERIE. EVERYBODY’S HERE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BE HERE AND NOT BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO BE HERE.

Tell me about your most rewarding experience on Iditarod?:

WELL, ONE OF THE MOST REWARDING AND MEMORABLE ONES I HAD WAS THE FIRST YEAR I RAN THE RACE IN 1990. GOING DOWN THE DALZELL GORGE, THE DOGS TOOK A LEFT TURN AND I ENDED UP GETTING DROPPED INTO THE RIVER THERE. AND THEN THE WAY WE GOT OUT WAS BASICALLY THE DOGS – I HAD TO PULL THE DOGS OUT OF THE HOLE, GET THEM UP ON TOP, AND THEN I HAD TO BREAK THE ICE SHELF DOWN SO I COULD GET OUT OF THERE. BUT IN THE MEANTIME, MY SLED HAD TURNED SIDEWAYS, AND FILLED UP. IT BECAME A DAM. SO THE WHOLE THING FILLED UP SO THAT WHEN I GOT OUT, I WAS NOT ONLY TIRED, BUT I WAS ALSO VERY WET. AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE MOST MEMORABLE THINGS I CAN THINK OF.

What do you know for sure?

WELL, I DO KNOW FOR SURE THAT LIFE IS SHORT AND WE NEED TO LIVE IT TO THE FULLEST. AND IT’S—ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT THE IDITAROD IS, IT’S JUST GREAT BEING AROUND FRIENDS. AND EVERYBODY IS JUST – THEY’RE JUST WONDERFUL TO BE AROUND.