HUMAN

Name: Jennifer Howell
Age: 28

Residence: Portland, Oregon

Occupation:  I make costumes

Years involved with Iditarod: 4

Iditarod role: Comms

Current Location: Ruby, Alaska

Date of Photo: March 13, 2020
Temperature: 22F/Outdoors

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

I got involved with Iditarod when my roommate, Reese, who was the comms coordinator, asked if I wanted to come up with him and go to a bar in rural Alaska and sleep on the floor. And he wanted me to go to Safety my first time in Alaska. And I didn’t even own a coat. It was a wild ride. He sent me to Unalakleet, and I just had a great time.

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

I am here today involved with Iditarod doing comms in Ruby because this is just the most exciting experience. I get to go out into places people never see and meet people most people will never get to meet and just have an amazing experience and help out with something that’s historic and has been exciting to me since I was a little kid.

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

One of my most memorable Iditarod experiences was getting to take a snow machine ride out to Yentna. One of the folks who lives out there in Willow and who goes out to Yentna Station all the time, just popped into the Anchorage comms room, because he heard we couldn’t take any flights, and he offered the snow machine that’s out there. His name is Larry. It was a fantastic ride and he sort of saved our bacon.

What do you know for sure?:

What I know for sure in life is, if you’re patient and you just chill out, things will eventually work out. You just got to be chill and be nice to people.