Two American truck drivers embark on a cross-continental journey to commemorate a special Christmas delivery.
Alaska natives John Shank and Fred Austin bring holiday cheer to Washington, D.C., by carrying the annual Christmas tree to the U.S. Capitol.
This year's tree was selected from Alaska's National Forests and will travel 4,000 miles from the Tongass National Forest near Wrangell, making 11 stops along the way, giving Americans the chance to see the People's Tree.
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The trees will be transported by Linden Transport in an 80-foot flatbed truck with protective packaging and a plexiglass window in the back.
This drive may take approximately 3 weeks to complete.
John Shank (left) and Fred Austin are both from Alaska. They're carrying the Capitol Christmas tree all the way to Washington this year. (US Capitol Christmas Tree)
“My favorite part of this trip is not the driving time, but the show-and-tell time,” Austin told Fox News Digital.
Austin, who lives in North Pole, Alaska, has been driving for Linden Transport for 50 years and said transporting the U.S. Capitol's Christmas tree was “pretty cool.”
Shank said this is the second time the tree has been transported.
“We moved in 2015. We came out to the Chugiak National Forest near Seward, Alaska, and we're looking forward to doing it here,” he told FOX News Digital.
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It is estimated that the two have been driving safely for about 100 years and about 10 million miles.
Shank also said he has been driving big rigs for 50 years and the path he and Austin take is all mapped out.
The Capitol Christmas tree will be transported by Linden Transport, a trucking company based in Anchorage, Alaska. The tree will be transported on an 80-foot flatbed truck covered in protective packaging and a plexiglass window in the rear. (US Capitol Christmas Tree)
“The trailer is 80 feet long and the tree just barely fits in there. We're going to take good care of our precious cargo and drive accordingly,” Shank said.
The 74-foot-tall tree will be decorated with banners, and Americans can leave their names and messages with markers at selected stops.
“You can actually look inside and see the tree…and when we stop, they turn on the Christmas tree lights,” Austin said.
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“John and Fred are a dynamic duo with driving experience, leadership and positive energy that will make this cross-country trip one to remember,” Linden Transport President Paul Grimaldi said in a statement. Ta.
This year's trees were selected from Alaska's national forests, traveling 4,000 miles from the Tongass National Forest near Wrangell. (US Capitol Christmas Tree)
The 54-year tradition of the Capitol Christmas tree began when House Speaker John McCormack, D-Mass., installed a live Christmas tree on the Capitol lawn, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“The tree lived for three years before dying from wind and root damage. In 1970, the architects of the Capitol asked the U.S. Forest Service to provide a Christmas tree,” the news release said.
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A different national forest is chosen each year to provide “The People’s Tree” in an annual campaign celebrating national forests.
The Capitol Christmas Tree makes 11 stops on its way to Washington, DC (Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The tree will make stops in Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Nebraska, Indiana, Ohio and Maryland before arriving on the West Lawn of the Capitol.
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Americans can track People's Tree at: kenworth.com/tree-tracker/.
