HUMAN

Name: PETER BASILIDES
Age: 58
Residence: COLOGNE, GERMANY
Occupation: I’M A NAVIGATIONAL OFFICER, MERCHANT NAVY
Years involved with Iditarod: 5
Iditarod Role: TRAIL CHECKPOINT CREW. SO PREPARING ALL THE CHECKPOINT STUFF FOR THE MUSHERS TO COME, LIKE SORTING THEIR FOOD BAGS AND ONCE THEY PASS THROUGH, CLEANING UP.
Current Location: RAINY PASS CHECKPOINT, ALASKA
Date of Photo: MARCH 5, 2019
Temperature: 19F / OUTDOORS

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

WELL, YOU PROBABLY WOULDN’T BELIEVE IT. YEARS AGO I READ A FANTASY STORY ABOUT SHAPE-SHIFTING HUSKIES. THEY COULD BE EITHER HUMAN OR HUSKY SHAPED. IT WAS A REALLY FUN, SILLY THING. AND IN THE STORY, IDITAROD WAS MENTIONED. AND I’M QUITE CURIOUS, SO I LOOKED IT UP ON THE WEB. AND I FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A GREAT THING, GREAT RACE WITH A BIG TRADITION. AND I WANTED TO BE PART OF IT. I FIND OUT THAT THEY ARE USING VOLUNTEERS, SO I APPLIED YEAR AFTER YEAR, AND EVENTUALLY THERE WAS A SUDDEN OPENING FOR THE RACE. I GOT OUT ON THE TRAIL FOR THE FIRST TIME.

Tell me about your most rewarding experience on Iditarod?:

THE MOST MEMORABLE WAS PROBABLY WHEN ONE OF THE VILLAGERS IN ONE OF THE VILLAGES WHERE WE WERE WORKING, HE DIED AND WAS BROUGHT BACK ON THE SNOW MACHINE FOR GALENA. AND THE GENTLEMEN IN THE VILLAGE STARTED DIGGING A GRAVE. AND I LEARNED THAT DIGGING A GRAVE IN THE WINTER IN ALASKA TAKES A COUPLE DAYS AND A COUPLE OF NIGHTS. AND WE COULD HELP THEM A LITTLE BIT, SORTING THIS, WITH MAKING A FIRE TO THAW THE SOIL A BIT AND THEN DIGGING OUT A BIT AND MAKING FIRE AGAIN AND ALL THAT… AND I THEN GOT INVITED BACK AGAIN, AFTER THEIR AFFAIR, FOR THE POTLUCK. AND IT WAS VERY REWARDING TO SEE HOW IT’S DONE AND BE INVOLVED FOR THE LOCAL PEOPLE.

What do you know for sure?:

WELL, WE ALL HAVE TO DIE, SO MAKE THE MOST OF IT UNTIL THAT DAY COMES. WE NEVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL BE, SO EVERY DAY COUNTS.