HUMAN

Name: AARON BURMEISTER
Age: 43
Residence: NOME/NENANA, ALASKA
Occupation: CONSTRUCTION
Years involved with Iditarod: 25
Iditarod Role: MUSHER
Current Location: EAGLE ISLAND, ALASKA
Date of Photo: MARCH 9, 2019
Temperature: 34F / OUTDOORS

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

YOU KNOW, I’VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE IDITAROD SINCE BEFORE I WAS BORN SO IT REALLY WASN’T MY CHOICE GETTING INTO IT. BOTH MY PARENTS BEEN INVOLVED SINCE THE FIRST RACE. BUT IT’S SOMETHING I GREW TO LOVE AND I HAVE A PASSION FOR. AND THE EVENT, WHETHER I’M RACING IT OR VOLUNTEERING OR BEING A PART OF IT, IT’S JUST– IT’S ALASKA. AND I CAN’T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT IT. I LOVE THE EVENT AND THE SPORT OF MUSHING AND TRAVELING THROUGH ALASKA.

Tell me about your most rewarding experience on Iditarod?:

YOU KNOW, THE ONE THAT JUST JUMPS TO MY MIND FIRST IS FROM THE 2015 IDITAROD, WHICH WAS THE FIRST YEAR WE TRAVELED TO HUSLIA, ALASKA ON THE IDITAROD. AND IT WAS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AFTER GEORGE ATTLA DIED AND I HAD THE HONOR OF BEING THE FIRST MUSHER INTO HUSLIA. AND I FELT LIKE I WON THE IDITAROD WHEN I PULLED IN THERE. THE VILLAGE OF HUSLIA AND ALL THE SURROUNDING VILLAGES WERE THERE. IT WAS JUST AN INCREDIBLE EVENT. AND IT WAS AN HONOR TO BE A PART OF THAT AND BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE THAT HISTORY AND THAT COUNTRY.

What do you know for sure?:

THAT I WOKE UP THIS MORNING AND I’M HERE TODAY. THAT’S ALL I KNOW FOR SURE.