HUMAN

Name: Riley O’Connor

Age: 26

Residence:  Anchorage, Alaska

Occupation: Loadmaster

Years involved with Iditarod: 6

Iditarod Roles: COMMS

Current Location: Yentna Station, Alaska

Date of Photo: March 6, 2022

Temperature: 31F Outdoors

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

I first became involved with the Iditarod back in 2017. I had moved up to Alaska. And when I was growing up, my mother was always teaching the Iditarod. So having grown up with her and teaching the Iditarod in South Florida of all places, I kind of fell in love with it. And once I moved up here, I’m like, “Might as well start volunteering.” And sure enough, I’ve kind of jumped into the deep end. Here I am, year six, doing COMMS.

What is your Why? Why are you here TODAY and involved with the Iditarod? 

I’m here today, involved with Iditarod because I enjoy the dogs and the race itself, and also meeting the amazing people that we work with. I never thought I’d be able to spend so much time with veterinarians and pilots and other people that you really don’t get to be around with in my normal life.

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

One of my most memorable Iditarod experiences was last year in McGrath, in between, we had 24 hours or so between our last musher going up to Iditarod and then musher coming back down to Deshka. The Northern Lights were out and they were out, purples, white, greens throughout the entire sky. And with our scratched musher team, just kind of sitting there in negative 50 degree temperatures was pretty beautiful and awe inspiring with all the stars. And it was one of those experiences.

What in life do you know for sure?

What I know for sure in life is life isn’t fair, but sometimes it’s unfair in your favor. Therefore, don’t whine about things you can’t control.