Dan Seavey, 74, was born and raised in Minnesota. He brought his family to Alaska in 1963 to teach at Seward High School. He’s been retired from there for 28 years. He began mushing when he got to Alaska and will be the only musher in this 40th Iditarod to have competed in the first Iditarod. Dan says, “I admit to being a hard-core Iditarod Junkie. My interest in the historic trail began in 1963 when I was assigned to teach Alaska History. I was taken with the trail’s importance to Alaska’s early development and Seward’s vital role in that development. The result has been my active role in all things Iditarod. This includes helping to stage the first (1973) Iditarod, running the first two races, founding the Seward Iditarod Trail Blazers, serving on the Iditarod Trail Committee’s Board of Directors and on the Board of the Iditarod Historic Trail Alliance. I am running the 2012 Iditarod to emphasize the Iditarod National Historic Trail’s Centennial, 2008-2012.” Dan and Shirley are the parents of three, Darian, Tracie and Mitch, also an Iditarod musher and a past Iditarod champion. Three of his grandsons have also competed in the Iditarod. This year, three generations of Seavey’s will be on the trail, Grandpa Dan, Mitch and Dallas and grandson, Conway, will be running his second Jr. Iditarod. Dan says his hobbies are writing and history research.