Tom Roig, 57, was born in Ohio. He graduated with a degree in Landscape
Construction and Contracting from Ohio State/ATI in 1991 and has since been a landscape contractor as well as a wilderness canoe guide. He is the owner of T & B Landscapes and Valley Road Outfitters. For twenty years, he was involved in marathon canoe racing. After a long distance trap line trip with Wayne Hall out of Eagle, Alaska in 1995, he went back to Ohio with a new appreciation for Alaskan sled dogs. “I was hooked and it all started from there – recreational, spring, mid distance and maybe the Iditarod. I made it to the 2003 and 2004 rookie meetings, but stumbling blocks got in the way of my getting to the start line those year.” After four training winters in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with over 6,000 training miles, qualifiers completed and the guidance from many Iditarod veterans, Roig decided it was time to drive the dogs to Nome. “I realize many challenges are ahead and it will not be an easy journey, but I have always considered it a privilege to be able to drive dogs with the best across Alaska. My team will be made up of older dogs, so it will not be a fast trip, but I’m sure it will be memorable.” He thanks his sponsors past and present and says that is their generosity that has kept his Iditarod dream alive. “And as we always say – last but not least, to my dog handler (my wife, Brenda), who has given up more than I know for the last four winters to make this project a reality, I say, THANKS!” Brenda and Tom are the parents of two adult children, Melissa and Rebecca and grandparents to Darren and Alyssa. He lists his hobbies as canoeing, fur trapping and wilderness trips.