HUMAN

Name: Lee Morgan

Age: 54

Residence: Washington DC

Occupation:  Veterninarian

Years involved with Iditarod: 8

Iditarod role: Trail Checkpoint Veterinarian 

Current Location: Unalakleet, Alaska

Date of Photo: March 16, 2020
Temperature: 35F/Outdoors

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

I got involved with the Iditarod after reading Paulson’s book, Winterdance. It was a lovely poetic book about a musher’s very first rookie year. The book was spellbinding, adventurous, and mystical, and all the things that I enjoy in life. And I wanted so much to be a part of it. One time, literally sitting in my office, I saw an advertisement for the Iditarod and for the rookie veterinary seminar. And, somehow, I got in and I was able to go out on my very first year, as a trail, and it was truly amazing. And every year I feel tired and sore and I say that’s going to be it, and every year I come back. So it does sink its fangs into you. I think that the most important things that I’ve gotten from it is the bonding amongst the veterinarians, the sense of accomplishment when the race goes well, the sadness when things don’t. The dogs, how happy and friendly the dogs are, and how friendly the mushers are. And it is an adventure above all others.

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

My most memorable Iditarod experience was, I was in Shaktoolik. And I was in Shaktoolik for two days. And it was loud, it was noisy. We had an indoor toilet that didn’t work, so it smelled. And I literally could not sleep at all for two days. I was becoming irritable. I was frustrated I couldn’t sleep. I had insomnia really bad. I decided that even though it was negative 20 outside, I would go out and I would sleep in my bivy sack outside, I was so frustrated. I walked outside, a gust of wind caught my belongings and blew them out onto the Bering Sea. An eight-year-old Eskimo boy came up to me. He said, “Do you need some help Mister?” And I looked at him and I just remember saying, “Yeah.” He ran. He scampered out and he collected all my belongings. And he helped me build a fort out of the hay bales to block me from the wind. He climbed up on top of the hay bales and he brushed off some snow. It landed in my face and we both started laughing. And I fell asleep, like that. And I was so comfortable. And I got up and the stars were out and the Aurora Borealis. And Devin had gone home. And I was able to sleep. And I went back in the trailer and I slept. I was so pleased with his generosity that my brother had given me a Swiss army knife that I carried everywhere on every fishing expedition I’d ever been on. He gave it to me as teenagers during a difficult period in our lives. And I asked the elder if I could give it to Devin, and he said, “Yeah.” He came in the next day and he goes, “I saw you sleep last night.” And I said, “Yeah, I know you did, Devin, and I want to give you something for that.” And I gave him my pocket knife that my brother had given me. And his eyes lit up, like I’d given the keys to a Porsche. And he spent a whole day sharpening and cleaning 20, 30 years of fish guts and scales out of the blades and in between it. And he was so proud of it. And I was so pleased with that whole thing. And I’m sorry that I’m getting emotional. I’m sorry. Jesus, I didn’t expect that to happen. That’s it.

What do you know for sure?:

I know that I love my wife Chris, and I know that love my son Spencer, and I know that they love me.