HUMAN

Name: MICHAEL DEVITT
Age: 80
Residence: ANCHORAGE, ALASKA
Occupation: RETIRED
Years involved with Iditarod: 25
Iditarod Role: ONE OF THE SHIFT SUPERVISORS FOR THE CALL CENTER HERE IN THE LAKEFRONT HOTEL
Current Location: LAKEFRONT HOTEL, ANCHORAGE
Date of Photo: MARCH 16, 2019
Temperature: 68F / INDOORS

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

I’VE BEEN SORT OF ADDICTED TO ALWAYS BEING WITH THE RACE. IT’S BEEN THAT WAY FOR ALL 25 YEARS. MOST OF THE TIME I’VE BEEN HERE IN THE PHONE ROOM. I’VE DONE OTHER JOBS ON THE TRAIL. SUCH AS, ONE YEAR I WAS AT KALTAG WORKING FOR THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT HERE. AND THE OTHER YEARS I’VE BEEN HELPING WITH THE DOGS, GETTING THEM TO STARTING LINE AT DOWNTOWN ANCHORAGE OR BEING A SECURITY GUARD ALONG THE FENCE LINES FOR THE IDITAROD. BUT MOSTLY IN THE CALL CENTER BECAUSE I KIND OF LIKE BEING INDOORS WHERE IT’S WARMER THAN OUT IN THAT COLD.

Tell me about your most rewarding experience on Iditarod?:

THE MOST MEMORABLE WAS WHEN I WAS WORKING IN COMMUNICATIONS AT THE KALTAG CHECKPOINT BECAUSE I WAS THERE FROM WHEN I WAS FLOWN IN BEFORE THE FIRST DOGS GOT THERE; I WAS THERE WITH THE SETUP OF THE COMMS; I WAS THERE THROUGHOUT THE RACE WHILE IT WAS GOING THROUGH KALTAG AND THEN I WAS HOLDING SOME DOGS IN MY LAP AS WE WENT BACK TO THE PLANE TO LEAVE THERE. SO I GOT A PRETTY FULL EXPERIENCE FOR THE SEVERAL DAYS. AND I DON’T THINK IT EVER GOT ABOVE 20 BELOW ZERO THAT WHOLE TIME. THAT WAS KIND OF A COLD YEAR.

What do you know for sure?:

I KNOW THAT THERE’S A LOT OF EXPERIENCES IN LIFE. AND I’VE HAD A WONDERFUL LIFE WHERE I’VE BEEN A LOT OF PLACES. I’VE BEEN AROUND THE WORLD. I’VE BEEN IN A LOT OF FOREIGN COUNTRIES. I’VE BEEN IN EVERY STATE IN THE UNITED STATES. SO I’VE HAD A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF EXPERIENCES OVER THE YEARS, AND I DON’T REGRET ANY OF THEM.