HUMAN

Name: REECE ROBERTS
Age: 32
Residence: BETWEEN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND ALASKA AS WELL. I TRAVEL A LOT
Occupation: PARAMEDIC
Years involved with Iditarod: 14
Iditarod Role: COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT COORDINATOR
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?:

WELL, I CAME HERE WHEN I WAS 18 LOOKING FOR A LITTLE ADVENTURE, A LITTLE BREAK FROM MY REALITY AT THE TIME. CAME HERE. JUST FOUND AN AMAZING GROUP OF PEOPLE; JUST BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPE, JUST REALLY AWESOME.  THE RACE, THE WAY EVERYTHING’S – JUST THE COMMUNITY AROUND IT AND THE CULTURE AROUND IT. AND I DON’T KNOW. IT IS LIKE A FAMILY. EVERY YEAR IT’S LIKE A FAMILY REUNION. SO I KEEP COMING UP AND I GET TO SEE MY FRIENDS AGAIN. I GET TO HELP THEM PUT ON THIS RACE AND I GET TO BE PART OF SOMETHING THAT’S BIGGER THAN MYSELF.

Tell me about your most rewarding experience on Iditarod?:

I CAN REMEMBER BEING AT THE IDITAROD CHECKPOINT. I CAN REMEMBER WAKING UP. WE HAD A HEATER IN OUR TENT.  BUT I WOKE UP AND GOT UP OUT OF MY SLEEPING BAG. IT WAS, LIKE, 2 IN THE MORNING AND MY WATER BOTTLE WAS FROZEN. AND I WAS THINKING, “MAN! IS THAT HEATER EVEN ON?” AND MY FRIEND SAID, “YEAH, IT’S ON FULL.” “HOW WARM IS IT IN HERE?” “27 DEGREES” “WELL, HOW COLD IS IT OUTSIDE?” “IT’S -55.” “OH! YEAH, OUR HEATER IS WORKING PRETTY GOOD.”

What do you know for sure?:

OH, I’LL BE HONEST, I DON’T KNOW IF THERE’S ANYTHING I CAN SAY FOR CERTAIN. I COULD GIVE A COP-OUT ANSWER LIKE DEATH AND TAXES, BUT … I DON’T KNOW, EVERY DAY EVERYBODY’S DIFFERENT; EVERYDAY IS A NEW DAY; AND YOU’RE NOT QUITE THE SAME AS YOU WERE THE DAY BEFORE, AND YOU HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE SOMEBODY NEW THE NEXT DAY.