HUMAN

Name: DAVID BRANHOLM
Age: 60
Residence: KNIK, ALASKA
Occupation: RETIRED
Years involved with Iditarod: SINCE 1974, PROBABLY
Iditarod Role: THIS YEAR WORKING WITH TRAVIS BEALS
Current Location: NOME, ALASKA
Date of Photo: MARCH 15, 2019
Temperature: 15F / OUTDOORS

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

I THINK IT’S WORSE THAN DRUGS. YOU JUST GET SO ADDICTED TO THIS. IT’S JUST SUCH A LIFESTYLE THAT WE JUST LIVE. I MEAN, I CAN’T SEE DOING ANYTHING ELSE OTHER THAN BEING AROUND THE DOGS AND THE IDITAROD

Tell me about your most rewarding experience on Iditarod?:

PROBABLY THE MOST MEMORABLE I’M HAVING RIGHT NOW IS A DOG CALLED SPOOK IN 1993 THAT GOT AWAY FROM ME IN THE BURN. AND I CONTINUED ON TO NIKOLAI. I GOT SNOW MACHINES, CAME BACK. LOOKED FOR THE DOG. COULDN’T FIND IT. JOE REDINGTON, SR WAS COMING UP THE TRAIL BEHIND ME WITH HIS TOUR AND CAUGHT SPOOK AND RAN HIM TO NOME. AND THE OLD SAYING, “MUSHER GOES HOME. DOG GOES TO NOME.” AND THAT’S PROBABLY THE MOST MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE THAT I HAVE ON THE IDITAROD TRAIL.

What do you know for sure?:

WELL, I KNOW I’M GOING TO HEAVEN WHEN I DIE. OTHER THAN THAT, LIFE’S BEEN GOOD TO ME. I’VE BEEN REALLY BLESSED THROUGH MY YEARS.