We officially delivered the People’s Tree to the United States Congress today.  Our morning began at about 3:00 am, or at least it was supposed to!  For some reason, my handy travel alarm rebelled at the thought of another early wake-up call and did not go off.  I was roused by Capitol Christmas Tree Coordinator, Rick Davalos with a phone call wondering where I was.  Horrified by the thought of being left behind, I threw my things into my duffle bag and bolted out the door in the dark of night.  Our caravan was lined up, their exhausts belching out puffs of white in the frigid morning air as I jumped into the truck that has been my chariot for the past 4,600 miles.  Maryland State Police escorts with their flashing lights led us through meandering streets and into the hands of Capitol Police where were taken up to the West lawn of the Capitol.

As dawn bloomed we began the arduous task of preparing the giant Christmas tree for delivery.  Cold wind blew throughout the morning with rain threatening us along the way.  I was amazed by the number of folks who strolled past our parked caravan to inquire about the tree.  One woman stopped to chat had ties to Arizona with family as well as a D.C. neighbor who was actually from Alpine, the tiny White Mountain community where the tree came from!

A critical part of this project has been law enforcement.  From the security of the actual tree to the safely escorting two giant semi-trucks, a variety of additional Forest Service vehicles and a hybrid Prius, this is a daunting task.  Our LEO – Law Enforcement Officer – is Chad Scussle.  This second-generation Forest Service member has been the mighty force keeping us safe, on track and moving in the right direction.  A young man, with a passion for his trade, Chad has left his wife and two small babies at home in Snowflake, Arizona for the grinding duration of this expedition.

I have never spent any amount of time around law enforcement professionals and this new friendship has become one of my fascinations.  Chad has given me tremendous insight into the process of law enforcement, complete with humor and amazing compassion.  He along, with the other members of this intrepid team, has instilled a great degree of pride and confidence in the process and stewardship of the Forest Service.  Jason Mangum has nicknamed Chad “The Bulldog” and it seems perfectly fitting.

Thanksgiving has always been my most treasured day of the year.  Today we are in Roanoke, Virginia with blustery weather and Christmas just around the corner.  It was November 3^rd when I left my home and family to embark upon this once in a lifetime journey.  I will not return until about December 12^th.  When I left Phoenix it was still hot and the holidays seemed like a million miles away.  Cooler weather, let alone gloves and a wool coat seemed like a fashion folly.  Now, I find myself chilled to the bone on a daily basis.

I have never been away from my child and husband for such an extended time, nor have most of my traveling companions.  However, we are a merry lot and crafted a family of our own, complete with patience for each other’s annoying habits.  Of course, as with any family we have our running jokes, enjoy poking fun at each other and are now starting to complete each other’s sentences.  I tag-team dinner with my new best friend Jason Mangum the City of Show Low Parks and Recreation Director.  He is the perfect foil for sharing a dessert after a hearty meal.

A big bear of a man, always quick with a smile, Jason is quick witted, completely fun and lives in the moment.  He has reminded me the value of searching for the joy in every moment.

James W. Payne is my brother in crime.  As the Forest Service PIO – that’s Public Information Officer for us outside the agency – he is the go to guy for media.  He is a tall, handsome man who has grown a full white beard in the spirit of the season.  Jim is also retiring this year and our journey of the Capitol Christmas Tree 2009 has become one giant farewell event.  Forest Service staff, active and retired, have visited our event stops along the way to bid him adieu.  It has been a marvelous thing to witness.

Jim has been able to manage the flurry of media activity that swirls around the tree.  He is adept at gathering media outlets to our event sites and making each newspaper, magazine, radio and television station feel as though they are getting the best “scoop” of the day.  He is never without his phone, laptop and notebook – always furiously working on behalf of this project.  I have enjoyed working with him and learning how the Forest Service communicates with the media.

We are moving through the South with the tree.   Along the way, people stop on the side of country roads dotted with red barns and tangled ribbons of concrete freeways.  They whip out cell phones to photograph the caravan and enjoy our friendly waves.  I can often see the slight confusion on their faces as they wonder if Arizona could really provide the U.S. Capitol with such a majestic tree.

Our massive trucks proudly herald the entrance of Arizona’s Gift from the Grand Canyon State.  We are frequently asked if this year the tree is a cactus!  We all seem to love the bragging rights we have of delivering a blue spruce that was 85 feet tall at harvest.

An important part of our tour crew has returned home and we are all so sad.  Brenda Jensen, Jerry Sullivan and Craig Shepherd worked tirelessly on the transportation and sales of our commemorative merchandise.  The trio of Forest Service pros spent their days and many late nights inside a small trailer amidst boxes of t-shirts, hats and mugs.

At each of our 29 Arizona event stops they jumped through hoops of fire to connect with the scores of folks who came to greet the Capitol Christmas Tree.  Wanting to leave with some type of memento, our “Emporium Team” filled sales orders as fast as they could.  After the first two days of the tour we began to see our inventory dwindle at an unplanned rate.  By the time we hit the mid part of our tour entire groups of items were completely sold out!

Brenda, Jerry and Craig became an integral part of the process and such a wonderful part of our journey.  But having said that… they sold out of all the fabulous Christmas red ceramic mugs before I was able to buy one!

As we have moved across the state and towards the border of Arizona and New Mexico, we will end the first part of our tour.  The next phase of our travels will take us across the nation and into Washington, D.C. where we will deliver the Capitol Christmas Tree 2009 to Congress on November 30, 2009.  All these months of planning have materialized and I can hardly believe we are actually doing this!

The mornings are turning chilly and this makes our Foresters very happy.  They worry about the condition of the blue spruce every moment and cool, damp weather is what they want.  Imagine your own Christmas tree and having to vacuum up dead needles.  Well… this tree taller than a seven story building could pose a herculean task for even the best Hoover.

Standing on the corner in Winslow, Arizona it dawns on me that our state tour of the Capitol Christmas Tree will be ending soon.  We will have traveled with Arizona’s Gift through virtually all corners of our state and everything in between.  I am proud of the notion that never before has a Capitol Christmas tree journeyed through the Sonoran desert.  It has been a captivating thing to witness – the striking colors and textures of our desert welcoming a massive 85-foot blue spruce from the White Mountains.

Perhaps on my most memorable parts of this trip has been taking the tree to the Hopi and Navajo Nation.  We were welcomed by our gracious neighbors and feted with local foods, gifts and blessings.  Elders throughout the day came up to giant trailer transporting the Capitol Christmas Tree 2009 and placed their hands on it with offerings of safe travels.  I have been humbled by their generous spirit and solemn understanding of how the tree represents our collective history and past.

From school children, families, dancers and tribal royalty to elected officials and law enforcement, all have been welcoming.  I love my Arizona even more when I am included in this rich culture of tribal lands.

I have come to realize that outside of my family, I have never truly been on a team until now.  The Forest Service way is very team oriented and full of structure that supports a group philosophy.  This is a good thing and a lesson that I have been reflecting on daily.  The structure of the agency is efficient and directed, yet I am amazed how the staff works with tremendous kindness and encouragement towards one another.  In my family we call this working with a happy heart and I witness this within the Forest Service crew daily.

One of my favorite people on the tour team is Albert Pena.  A Forest Service staff member out of Springerville, Arizona, Albert is a whiz at all things mechanical.  He is a true people person and always a delight to be with.  He has been charged with keeping the tree moist and is often the person called upon to get inside the giant trailer, which is totally dark and spray a fine mist of water throughout the inside.  This is a messy and somewhat perilous job as you can’t see your way around.  However, the pungent scent of the blue spruce is there to keep him company.

At the end of each morning briefing, where we review our daily schedule, Albert leads us in a group cheer of sorts.  He gives us a word, perhaps the name of our next destination that reminds us why we are on this grand adventure.  This big send off fills me with a tremendous amount of pride and hope for the day ahead.  At the end of our month-long tour when I return home to my real life who is going to lead me in a morning cheer?

I have always been an Arizona flag waiver. Growing up in the Grand Canyon State we all knew the 5 C’s by heart.  But Arizona is so much more than copper, cattle, citrus, climate and commerce.  Traveling throughout my beloved state as we are, I have been astounded and inspired by the people.  I now believe that we should add a sixth C and call it character for the folks that are the backbone of Arizona.

From the smallest mining towns to the large cities, our tour has been embraced by a warmth and excitement I never anticipated.  When the giant truck transporting the Capitol Christmas Tree rolls into town, people of all ages, sizes and shapes stop to welcome us.  In Lake Havasu City as will approached our staging area a swell of applause broke out and I could hear the cheers ringing across the caravan.  The tree is a rock star and along with it I have become a groupie.