Capitol Tree Is Cut, Loaded Onto Kenworth T680 for 4,000-Mile Journey
James Edward Mills/Choose Outdoors An 80-foot Englemann Spruce tree, chosen for its perfectly cylindrical shape, was loaded onto a Kenworth T680 truck Nov. 2 to begin its 4,000-mile journey to Washington, D.C., where it will serve as the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree.
The tree was harvested from the Payette National Forest in Idaho and is being driven across the country, with stops in 27 communities, by Gary Amoth, owner of Twin Falls, Idaho-based Gary Amoth Trucking. (See Idaho Trucker Chosen to Deliver Capitol Christmas Tree)
The Kenworth T680 features a 76-inch sleeper, 485-horsepower Paccar MX-13 engine and an Eaton Fuller Advantage 10-speed automated transmission.
The tree is scheduled to arrive at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, on Nov. 27, and the lighting is expected to occur in early December. SkyBitz provides an interactive map that traces the tree’s journey; go to trackthetree.com.
