HUMAN

Name: DOROTHY OLMSTEAD
Age: 36
Residence: KODIAK, ALASKA
Occupation: I FLY FOR AN AIR TAXI SERVICE
Years involved with Iditarod: THIS IS MY 5TH
Iditarod Role: I AM A LOGGER AND TRANSCRIBER FOR INSIDER. IN THE PAST, I HAVE ALSO DONE WRITING FOR THE WEBSITE AS WELL.
Current Location: TAKOTNA, ALASKA
Date of Photo: MARCH 7, 2019
Temperature: 25F / OUTDOORS

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

I CAME TO ALASKA TO KIND OF JUST HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF ADVENTURE AND I FELL IN LOVE WITH DENALI NATIONAL PARK. BUT ONCE YOU’RE ON THE ROAD SYSTEM THE DREAM IS “WHAT’S OUT THERE”? JUST PUTTING SOMETHING MATERIAL TO THIS BLANK VOID TO THE WEST OF THE ROAD SYSTEM. AND IDITAROD IS A WAY TO DO THAT. IT ENCOMPASSES EVERYTHING THAT IS UNKNOWN WHEN YOU’RE LIVING ON THE ROAD SYSTEM. IT’S THE ADVENTURE. IT’S THE RAWNESS. AND I JUST WANTED TO EXPERIENCE SOME OF THAT, EVEN IF I COULDN’T BE A MUSHER. JUST LIVE VICARIOUSLY THROUGH IT AND SEE SOME OF IT.

Tell me about your most rewarding experience on Iditarod?:

KICKING VETS OUT OF A CHECKPOINT, THAT WAS A PRETTY FUN ONE. MORE MEMORABLE AND A DEEPER MEANING: I WAS WRITING ABOUT BEHIND-THE-SCENES VOLUNTEERS, KIND OF LIKE FACES OF IDITAROD IN A WAY, BUT ALSO CULTURAL ASPECTS. AND ONE THAT COMES TO MIND WAS IN KALTAG: HAVING THEM TELL ME ABOUT A SPECIFIC DANCE THAT THEY DO TO HONOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE PASSED. AND HOW PRIVATE IT IS. I FELT VERY LUCKY TO BE BROUGHT IN TO THAT SCOPE OF THEIR CULTURE AND TO HAVE THE CHILDREN TELLING ME ABOUT IT AND WHAT IT MEANT TO THEM. IT’S NOT SOMETHING YOU CAN PHOTOGRAPH OR BE PART OF, BUT THE FACT THAT FOLKS ARE WILLING TO OPEN UP TO ME IN THAT REGARD WAS…. THAT’S THE STUFF WHEN I TALKED ABOUT WANTING TO SEE WHAT’S OUT THERE BEYOND THE ROAD SYSTEM AND THE TRUE MEANING OF ALASKA, THAT’S IT.

What do you know for sure?:

THIS IS THE ONLY QUESTION THAT I KNEW EXISTED AND I DIDN’T THINK ABOUT IT ALL. BUT I WILL SAY THAT IF YOU’RE ASKING FOR PROFOUND LATER ON, YOU WILL HAVE A PROFOUND ANSWER WHEN THERE’S NOT A RECORDING DEVICE IN FRONT OF YOU. BUT I WILL SAY, THAT IF YOU DON’T GO AFTER WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU RIGHT NOW, YOU WON’T MAKE TIME FOR IT LATER.