HUMAN

Name: Leanne Bell

Age: 46

Residence: Fairbanks, Alaska

Occupation: Veterinarian

Years involved with Iditarod: 2

Iditarod Roles: Veterinarian

Current Location: McGrath, Alaska

Date of Photo: March 8, 2022

Temperature: 25 F Outdoors 

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

I first became involved with the Iditarod when I got a letter from Stu [Nelson, Iditarod chief veterinarian]. That was my first exposure to the Iditarod. I had been treating off season sled dogs. I kind of knew a little bit about the race. I knew about the race from history, but I knew about the race from some of the mushers and things like that, and I thought it was kind of interesting. And then, I got that letter from Stu, and I was like, “Heck yeah, let’s do this. This sounds like something that’d be really fun and really educational,” and I’d get to travel all over Alaska, and I love Alaska.

What is your Why? Why are you here TODAY and involved with the Iditarod?

I’m here today and involved with Iditarod, because I like the sense of community I experienced when I was first here. It’s just great. Everyone comes together, everyone working together, seeing the dogs, working with the dogs. It’s just an experience that you can’t really explain to anybody. The feeling of helping these dogs, helping the people and the communities that you see, it’s just amazing. Tell me about just one of your most memorable Iditarod experiences.

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

 One of my most memorable Iditarod experiences wasn’t a great one, but it is one to tell. So I came to McGrath, flew commercial airline, and I was supposed to fly out to Rohn. We got delayed, and then, the next morning, we’re going to Rohn. I packed up real quick, got in the airplane, and he tells me we may not be able to land. I don’t usually get air sick, but we’re flying through the mountain pass. We’re about three feet from landing. And then, the plane twists to the right and the wing almost hits the running strip. So we lift right back up, and then we kind of were tilting back and forth. And then, I leaned over to the pilot, and I said, “What if I have to vomit?” And he quickly grabs me a bag, and my lunch came up, and I returned it to my lunch lady here in Nikolai. But yeah, it was one of the… I never vomited on a plane ever, but this was a rough ride into Rohn. Now I understand what they mean by all the currents going through Rohn.

What in life do you know for sure?

What I know for sure in life is you have to stay positive. You have to stay happy. You have to smile. You have to take the bads with the goods and turn them all around and make them all a good experience, because one day you’re going to look back and you’re going to be like, “That bad experience is now going to be hilarious.” So every experience that you have, no matter bad or good, can always be turned around to be good, even later. So, it’s just be happy.