HUMAN

Name: SUSAN SMITH
Age: 62
Residence: TAKOTNA, ALASKA
Occupation: PE TEACHER, ELEMENTARY TEACHER, LIBRARIAN, PRINCIPAL
Years involved with Iditarod: SINCE 2010. ON MY FIRST TRIP TO SUMMER TEACHERS’ CAMP
Iditarod Role: I’M A CHECKER AND WE HAVE THE KIDS MAKE ALL THE ART WORK FOR THE COMMUNITY CENTER AND FOR WHEREVER WE NEED TO BE DOING SOMETHING.
Current Location: TAKOTNA, ALASKA
Date of Photo: MARCH 7, 2019
Temperature: 24F / OUTDOORS

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

I’M IN TAKOTNA TODAY BECAUSE MY JOB IS HERE. AND WHEN I GOT OFFERED THIS JOB AND WAS TOLD IT WAS TAKOTNA, I WAS SO EXCITED BECAUSE I KNEW THIS WAS THE BEST CHECKPOINT ON THE ENTIRE IDITAROD TRAIL.

Tell me about your most rewarding experience on Iditarod?:

THAT’S A TOSS UP: IT WOULD HAVE TO BE BEING AN IDITARIDER FOR MATS PATTERSSON ON SATURDAY, OR MY FIRST CHECKPOINT EXPERIENCE LAST YEAR HERE CHECKING IN THE MUSHERS THAT I’D ALWAYS TAUGHT ABOUT, BUT NEVER MET.

What do you know for sure?:

THAT IF YOU DON’T WAKE UP BREATHING, YOU’RE NOT GOING TO BREATHE ANY MORE.