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An American truck driver has embarked on a cross-country journey in honor of a special Yuletide delivery.
Arizona native Michael Porter is bringing holiday cheer to Washington, D.C., by transporting the annual Christmas Tree to the U.S. Capitol — just as two truckers, Alaska natives John Schank and Fred Austin, did last year.
This year’s tree was selected from Nevada’s National Forests. It’s traveling nearly 3,000 miles from Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, plus making 12 stops along the way — all so that Americans have a chance to see “the People’s Tree.”
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The 53-foot-tall red fir tree, nicknamed “Silver Belle,” is being carried by Swift Transportation in a 101-foot flatbed truck.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Porter said he found out two weeks ahead of his departure that he would be transporting the tree.
Arizona truck driver Michael Porter is shown embarking on an epic 3,000-mile journey to deliver the Capitol Christmas Tree, named “Silver Belle,” from Nevada to Washington, D.C. (Swift Transportation)
“I left to go to Reno to pick up the tree, and I found out exactly what I was going to be doing and how big of a deal it was,” said Porter.
“It’s definitely a huge honor to represent Knight Swift and just trucking in general with a project of this size. It’s an honor to do something like this.”
“It was amazing to see everyone come together and create this.”
Porter has been driving trucks for seven years.
“Behind the scenes, there was a lot of work — planning the route, planning the stops, our permits. Just everything that makes all of this happen without a problem,” he said.
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He added, “It was amazing to see everyone come together and create this.”
He said his ultimate goal was to “not mess it up” — sharing that there have been a lot of people watching, so he’s felt the pressure.
Michael Porter has been driving trucks for seven years. (Swift Transportation)
He said there was a “a really big turnout” at a lot of the stops he made. He said he was “pulling into these whistle stops and having the big crowds — and everybody was cheering, smiling and having a great time.”
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Porter said he’s seen people standing on bridges along the route to see the truck pass by. While he’s on the highway, he’s had passersby honk at him and give him a thumbs up.
He listens to a lot of ’90s country tunes, he said, to help the time pass.
“We had plenty of Christmas music at the event,” he said.
“So I stayed away from the Christmas playlist,” he joked.
The tree will make a stop at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland before its arrival at the Capitol’s West Lawn on Friday. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
The 55-year tradition of the Capitol Christmas Tree began when then-Speaker of the House John McCormack, D-Mass., placed a live Christmas tree on the Capitol lawn, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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Each year a different national forest is selected to provide “the People’s Tree,” all part of an annual campaign to celebrate national forests.
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The tree will stop at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland before its arrival at the Capitol’s West Lawn on Friday.
