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标题：Holiday tree gets city send-off
作者：Anslee Willett
期刊名称：Gazette, The (Colorado Springs)
出版年度：2000
卷号：Nov 26, 2000
出版社：Colorado Springs Gazette

Holiday tree gets city send-off

Anslee Willett

Jim Fike knows how it will play out when he helps deliver the 65- foot Colorado blue spruce to the U.S. Capitol next week.

"When we get to D.C. and they take the tree from us, the tears will come. It's just like taking a child away," said Fike, a Mack truck veteran of Uniontown, Pa. "It gets very, very emotional."

Fike should know. This is the third holiday tree he's delivered to the Capitol. This time, Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, R-Colo., will accompany him.

"There's an erroneous assumption in the crowd that I'm a senator. I'm a truck driver - at least for the next week," Campbell told a crowd of hundreds Saturday at the Pioneers Museum in Colorado Springs for a Millennium Tree celebration.

The event gave people a chance to sign a holiday card that will travel to the Capitol with the tree. "Stand TALL & Strong," one person wrote.

"Happy New Year" was Ethan Miller's message. "I liked signing it," the 6-year-old said.

The tree was cut Monday from Pike National Forest near Woodland Park. The tree should arrive at the Capitol on Dec. 4, with a lighting ceremony on the Capitol lawn set for Dec. 13.

The nine-vehicle convoy, led by the Colorado State Patrol, will stop in towns along the way. The 2,000-mile journey along the Santa Fe Trail to Washington, D.C., began Friday.

Saturday, Mona Costley was snapping photos of the tree, covered in plastic wrap designed to look like a long covered wagon. "Pikes Peak" was crossed out on the back, followed by "Washington, D.C. or Bust."

"We just wanted to see it," Costley said. "After all, this is history in the making."

Jokes were made about Campbell driving the truck. "We know he can drive a motorcycle," one man said.

Campbell drove trucks during college. About a year ago, he renewed his commercial driver's license. And "once a truck driver, always a truck driver," he said. He assured the crowd he could handle the 88-foot rig.

"If you look in your rearview mirror and see me driving that truck, not to worry," he said. "I got eyes like an eagle. You're safe."

Follow the tree

The truck carrying the Millennium Tree is equipped with a Global Positioning System satellite receiver so its movements can be tracked on the Internet at www.holidaytree2000.org.