HUMAN

Name: Tracy Patton

Age: 54

Residence: Claremore, Oklahoma

Occupation:  Veterinarian

Iditarod role: Trail Veterinarian

Current Location: Ruby, Alaska

Date of Photo: March 13, 2020
Temperature: 10F/Outdoors

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

I got involved with Iditarod because my wife started teaching in Alaska in 2016 in Akiak. And I came up to visit her during spring break, which was winter here and not much to do. You go into the school, the store, or the post office, and we got that done. She went to the school and brought me a book from the library about the Iditarod, and I started reading that. Just got intrigued by the athleticism of the dogs. I do canine rehab work and work with muscular/skeletal issues. And so that sparked my interest. Then over the following years while she was up here working, I just kept reading up on it, and researching it, and decided I was going to do this one day.

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

I’m here today and involved with the Iditarod because I wanted to see the event, and have the adventure firsthand, and get to see parts of Alaska that a lot of people will never, ever see, and in the process, meet other colleagues that are interested and have that driving interest in being outdoors and dealing with the elements and all the unusual things that we encounter in the backwoods of Alaska.

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

So one of my most memorable Iditarod experiences was the first time I got to use an outhouse in 8° temperatures after digging it out from five feet of snow.

What do you know for sure?:

What I know for sure in life is that God grants us all a set amount of time on this earth. We don’t know what it is. If there’s an adventure or something out there that sparks a fire, you need to chase it.