HUMAN

Name: Jessica Klejka

Age: 28

Occupation:  Dog musher 

Iditarod role: Dog musher

Residence: Wasilla, Alaska

Current Location: Ophir, Alaska

Date of Photo: March 12, 2020
Temperature: 20F/Outdoors

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

I got involved with Iditarod back in 2014. I was in junior high racing out in Bethel where I’m from and the Seaveys had come out to run the Kuskokwim 300 and they mentioned that there was a race called the Junior Iditarod that kids could race. I was entering all the local races in town and usually one of the only kids, usually one of the only girls in all the races, and I thought that sounded pretty cool. So the town helped, everybody sponsored us and helped get us into town. And I ran the Junior Iditarod. Then I won the Junior Iditarod when I was 17 in 2008. After that they fly you to Nome. You get to go to the pre-musher meeting and then you’re hooked. So I would say that’s it.

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

I’m here today and involved with Iditarod because I don’t think there’s a way to be closer with your dogs. I’m a veterinarian. I love animals. I don’t think there’s a way to be closer than spending 10, 11 days out on the trail with just you and your team and going through all sorts of obstacles together. I have a new lead dog who just learned to follow markers. I have another dog that I think can read signs. She saw the sign that said five miles to Ophir and started barking all excitedly. So it’s the experiences I have with the dogs. Never do you have 24 hours of adventure with your dogs like we do here.

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

One of my most memorable Iditarod experiences was… I have two both involving Lance Mackey. Number one I always say is I was so scared to run my first Iditarod and go through the steps in the gorge. That was going to be big moments of terrain for me. When I got to the bottom of the steps, I was at the bottom and Lance Mackey was there and he said, “Yay, you did it,” and “high fived” me. That was pretty cool. Then the other most memorable experience with Lance Mackey, again – great legend – was right here in Ophir. We were stopped here for probably, I think, a four- or six-hour break, and the checkpoint of Ophir said, “We’re having Thanksgiving dinner.” It was me and Lance Mackey… had a huge feast here and I think Robert Redington. There were three mushers and all the checkpoint crew. That was pretty epic and awesome to be here.

What do you know for sure?:

What I know for sure in life is that sled dogs are born to run.