HUMAN

Name: Rae De Ley
Age: 63
Residence: Alaska
Occupation: 

Years involved with Iditarod: Since the late 80’s
Iditarod Role: I do people food.
Current Location: AIRLAND TRANSPORT WAREHOUSE – ANCHORAGE
Date of Photo: FEBRUARY 21, 2020
Temperature: 64 F inside

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

First got involved with the Iditarod in the late 1980s. I worked with a guy named Thomas and his wife and his car Molly. So Phyliss and Tom and Molly got me involved in the Iditarod. They were trail guards. They had a spot over there by Tudor, by – when we cross the road at the.. across traffic. So they were trail guards and they asked me, “Hey, come on out and have big pot of chili. Bring some corn bread. Join us for the day. It’ll be fun.” And it was the late 1980s. I have since gone on to more involved roles. I’m still involved with Iditarod. I do people food. I no longer load airplanes ’cause I’m getting old, man. I still do start work and I still do people food, I do foot ointment. And I get involved with the Iditarod ’cause it’s nice to give back to the world. It’s good to be useful.

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

I get involved with the Iditarod ’cause it’s nice to give back to the world. It’s good to be useful.

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

My most memorable experience was at the start. I was a dog handler. They were looking for someone to take this guy from the lower 48 and his dogs to the start. And nobody really wanted to do it ’cause they all wanted the big name mushers. And so I was like, “Hey, you know, I’ll take this guy.” And so the three of us, we raised our hands. We went and we reported. They put us on the team and that was the year I walked the winner to the start.

What do you know for sure?:

What do I know in life? For absolutely for sure I know that life is short. I know you make choices and you decide what you’re going to do with your time on Earth. Make good decisions.