Iditarod Musher Profile

Cindy Gallea, 57, grew up on a farm in Minnesota where she experienced the pleasure of the outdoors and the good feeling of interacting with animals. She began mushing in 1987 and moved to Montana in 1990 to mush dogs, enjoy the beauty of the State and for work. After seeing the 1996 finish of the Iditarod, she knew she wanted to run the Race. A graduate of St. Olaf College with a BS in Nursing in 1973 and from the University of Washington with a Master's in nursing in 1990, she now has been a nurse practitioner for 18 years. "This will be my 9^th Iditarod. I feel very fortunate to be able to run the Iditarod. It is a very special part of my life. I love working with my dogs and spending hours and hours and days and nights with them. I so appreciate their abilities and their big hearts. The dogs and Iditarod have taught me many lessons about myself, other people, and what matters most to me. I also love and appreciate the beauty of Alaska and the goodness of the villagers and all of those involved with this great event." She is a member of the Montana Mountain Mushers and says she enjoys hiking, exercise, peace & justice and family. Cindy has two adult sons, Jim, 28 (and Iditarod veteran) and Brian, 24.