HUMAN

Name: Michael Doppler

Age: 20
Residence: Takotna, Alaska
Occupation: I work as a janitor here in Takotna.

Years involved with Iditarod: Most of my life.

Current Location: Takotna, 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 The Iditarod when I was younger pretty much as a community member, just everybody coming together as one and helping. It’s fun.

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

I’m here today involved with the Iditarod because I’ve done it for years. Everybody comes together. And it’s fun because everyone socializes instead of not socializing and whatnot. It’s just fun. It’s everybody… it’s a sense of being part.

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

One of my most memorable, Iditarod experiences was about seven years ago, eight years ago when I was living in Nikolai when Lance Mackey’s dogs stopped in front of my house and started mating. It was a pretty memorable, I’ll tell you that. It was totally unexpected and heart and love for one another. And I lost myself right there. But being one, being family and family’s my favorite thing. Yeah. I love being with my family all the time. But I especially love when everybody gets together almost as a family and they treat each other nicely and everything and respect each other and all of that. I think it’s just really a sense of family that’s a sure thing in life. Everybody just, I don’t know.

What do you know for sure?:

What I know for sure in life is that everyone just wants to have family and be part. Well, that doesn’t sound right. Everyone wants to, for sure in life love is a sure thing. And because if it weren’t for that, nobody would even come together probably. This the whole thing about having family is love. That’s the main principle, the primary thing. To me, I think that’s a sure thing in life.