![Two Rivers musher Aliy Zirkle reached the Yukon River checkpoint of Galena Friday morning. (Photo by Zach Hughes/KSKA)](https://media.alaskapublic.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Screen-Shot-2016-03-11-at-3.11.39-PM-300x252.png)
On Friday, before Aliy Zirkle and her team’s run-in with a person riding a snowmachine who, according to an Iditarod press release, deliberately tried to harm her and her team, KNOM’s Emily Schwing sat down with her in Galena during Zirkle’s mandatory 8-hour layover.
Zirkle has been racing a dog team in the Iditarod for the 15th time. In the last four years, she has finished in second place three times. On Friday, she came into Galena with a newer leader up front.