HUMAN

Name: SHARYN GUNTER
Age: 72
Residence: SYLMAR, CALIFORNIA. IT’S 20 MILES NORTH OF HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA
Occupation: RETIRED
Years involved with Iditarod: STARTED IN ’09. I MISSED ONE YEAR WHEN I WENT TO AUSTRALIA ON A CRUISE.
Iditarod Role: THIS YEAR I HAPPEN TO BE AN IDITARIDER. THIS WILL BE MY SIXTH TIME BEING AN IDITARIDER.
Current Location: LAKEFRONT ANCHORAGE HOTEL – ANCHORAGE, ALASKA
Date of Photo: FEBRUARY 28, 2019
Temperature: 65F / INDOORS

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

I ENJOY COMING UP HERE. IT STARTED IN ’09 WHEN I WAS WITH SKY TREKKING ALASKA. AND IT WAS RUN BY LORI MICHELS. AND IT TAKES YOU FROM HERE THROUGH A BUNCH OF CHECKPOINTS, AND THEN YOU END UP IN NOME. I HAD SO MUCH FUN THERE. AND I GO, WOE, NOW I’VE GOT TO DO THE NORTHERN ROUTE. SO THAT BROUGHT ME BACK FOR 2010. AND THE GAL, MY BUNKIE THAT THEY PUT ME WITH IN ’09, SHE’S THE ONE WHO REALLY KNOWS SO MUCH ABOUT THE IDITAROD. SO THEN WE MET IN NOME. AND THEN WE KEPT COMING BACK AND COMING BACK AND THEN OF COURSE I WOULDN’T COME BACK HERE WITHOUT HER.

Tell me about your most rewarding experience on Iditarod?:

AS AN IDITARIDER. THAT’S WHAT’S REALLY FUN. I HAD NO IDEA. UNFORTUNATELY, THE FIRST YEAR I WAS UP HERE, THEY HAD PULLED SOMEBODY OUT OF A HAT, A NAME OUT OF — THERE WAS LIKE, SAY, 15 OF US ON THIS TOUR. AND THE GUY WHO – FRANK – WHO WON THE DRAW, GOT TO BE AN IDITARIDER. FOR THE NEXT 9 DAYS I HAD TO HEAR ABOUT HOW MUCH FUN HE HAD. AND I THOUGHT, THIS IS NOT GOOD, YOU KNOW. SO THAT’S WHY IN 2010, WHEN I CAME BACK, I MADE SURE I WAS AN IDITARIDER. AND I’VE BEEN DOING IT – WELL, NOT EVERY YEAR, BUT QUITE A FEW OF THEM, ANYWAY. THIS WILL BE MY SIXTH RIDE.

What do you know for sure?:

WELL, IT’S NOT FOR SURE, BUT I PLAN TO LIVE TO BE 104. SO I’VE GOT A FEW, YOU KNOW, 32 YEARS LEFT, AND I’M GOING TO BE JUST THE WAY I AM RIGHT NOW.