HUMAN

Name: Larae Gray

Age: 55

Residence: McGrath, Alaska

Occupation:  School cook

Years involved with Iditarod: 11

Iditarod role: I work in the kitchen generally

Current Location: McGrath, Alaska

Date of Photo: March 13, 2020
Temperature: -6F/Outdoors

What, who or how and when did you first get involved with the Iditarod?

I moved up to Alaska about 25 years ago, and I would say that I got involved the first time with Iditarod – I answered phones from people that were all over the United States, and they wanted to know what the status of the musher was and where they were. So that happened in Wasilla about 25 years ago. That was the last time that I was involved in Iditarod for a long time. And it wasn’t until I moved out here that I got involved every year. And since then, it’s been basically kitchen help and stuff like that. And my husband, he works out here cleaning up and all of that.

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

I’m here today and involved with Iditarod because it’s spring break at the school and it gets me out, and it’s too cold to really do much else. It’s just a nice break to break transition of stuff here. It gets me motivated, keeps me getting up, something like a routine. So that’s what happens.

Tell me about just one of your most memorable Iditarod experiences?

One of my most memorable Iditarod experiences was, when I lived in Spokane, Washington, before I even moved up here, I followed the race on the radio. So that would have been about 40 years ago. And I had heard about it and I said, “Oh, that’s neat.” And my aunt lives up in Alaska, so Alaska never seemed very far away even though, probably I was 25 before I came up here. And I listened to it and I go, “Oh, that’s nice. That’s neat. Dogs racing.” And then when I did move up here, I was a handler, just holding them at the airport. And in Wasilla, they said that they needed somebody to hold the dogs before they said “go”. And, and I said, “okay.” I thought that was pretty neat. And so, if I had time, I’d volunteer. I always like to volunteer and do stuff. So I just learn different things.

What do you know for sure?:

Only for sure as life goes on, I have seen so many different things happening here and changes. This year we have so much snow. I have heard of floods here, heard of peoples’ amazing lives, and I just know that life goes on.