HUMAN

Name: Kim Bender

Age: 56

Residence: San Diego, California

Occupation: Management Company President

Years involved with the Iditarod: 8

Iditarod Roles: Volunteer/Communications

Current Location: Unalakleet, Alaska

Date of Photo: March 13, 2022

Temperature: 68F Indoors

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

I got involved in the iditarod because of a trip to Alaska, and we did an expedition where we were going to learn how to mush and do the first leg of the iditarod trail to the first checkpoint. And unfortunately breakup had happened and the river was too warm. So we couldn’t do the mushing. So we found a person that had a snow machine and they allowed us to ride with them on a snow machine, to the first checkpoint of the iditarod. And it had just finished. And I knew nothing about the iditarod. And we had lunch with that lovely family that’s there and I forgot their name, but they’re a lovely family. And we spent three or four hours just talking about the iditarod. Of course the straw was out there. It was very cool. And I’m so fascinated. I dogs, love competition, love the Alaska landscape. And so just fell in love with it in that four hours. And so following that, I just started researching it and seeing what it was about and found out, oh my gosh, all these people are volunteers and you could actually do it. And so I put a little tickler for the next year to reach out to them and see if it was something I could get involved in or get accepted. And the rest is history. So started out doing trails and now I’m out on the checkpoints.

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

I’m here today and involved in the iditarod, probably because of the dogs. I love dogs. I love seeing the dogs here. I love the fact that they’re athletes and the competition and just watching them, you know, come in… 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, that’s easy. It was in Unalakleet and Martin Buser was the musher and he was getting ready to booty up his dogs to lead. And I had the pleasure. It was like three in the morning or four in the morning. And I had the pleasure of being out there and it was just me and one other person. And he goes out there and he starts booting up the dogs and he starts singing a song. He sings a song and I’m sure it has to do… I forgot where he’s from, but it’s a native song of his… Switzerland. And it was the most beautiful sound ever. And the dogs were just laying there and they were just asleep and you could see, they were kind of starting to stretch. And he was just very, it was very monotone at the beginning and it started snowing and it was a beautiful night. And as he got further along and booting them up, he escalated the song and it just kept kind of getting louder and louder. And as he almost finished, like the very last dog and booting up the dog, he kind of got to an escalation in the song. And I swear to you all the dogs just started singing with him. They all started howling and singing with him. And I’m like, can you believe this is happening? And it’s snowing. And it’s just beautiful out. And he’s just loving all over them.

What in life do you know for sure?

.What I know for sure in life is that it’s short. So enjoy.