HUMAN

Name: Mack Boyd
Age: 62
Residence: Ennis, Texas

Occupation: Veterinarian

Years involved with Iditarod: 2

Iditarod Role: Urine collection team; veterinarian

Current Location: Nikolai, Alaska

Date of Photo: March 11, 2020
Temperature: 5F/Outdoors

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

I got involved with Iditarod because a friend of mine named Larry Caroll, who’s a hunting guide on Kodiak Island says, “Hey, you’re a great veterinarian. You should go volunteer on the Iditarod. He was a former musher on the Yukon Quest. He encouraged me to come try it. I put it off for a couple of years and finally said, “You know what? I really do want to do that. So here I am.”

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

I’m here today, I’m back again this year for a second time, because I really met some incredible people here last year. I enjoyed the comradery. I loved working with the dogs and I just had to come back. Really love it.

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

One of my most memorable experiences was last year. I got to McGrath and was told to find a place to sleep. So I go and unpack all my baggage, get all my bedroll set up, and I found a great place to sleep. Come back downstairs and the lady says, “You’re going to Takotna tomorrow, right?” And I said, “Yeah.” She said, “Can you go in five minutes?” I said, “I guess.” I had to get packed up again and here we go.

What do you know for sure?:

What I know for sure in life is, people are inherently good. I love to work with people. I love to see people that wrap their lives around animal life and make a living with animals and support things .