Pulling the World Together
Day 3 on the road with a Saskatchewan trucker who joined the Freedom Convoy.
read Part 1 of this series here: Fireworks & Applause previous installment: Awake in the Parking Lot
It’s Wednesday, January 26th. Not quite 48 hours since Ted and Sally left their home in Saskatoon. They’re on the road before 8:30 am, headed for Dryden, Ontario where more trucks are waiting to join the Freedom Convoy.
The prairies are behind them, and the Hutterite hospitality of the previous evening continues to nourish them. Breakfast is ham-laden, muffin-sized quiches courtesy of the Hutterites. Sally places them over the heat vent on the truck’s dashboard, turning them occasionally to dispel the chill.
“This is a tough day,” she explains on the live video she’s recording, “I don’t even have my coffee.” So far, there has been no opportunity to grab one. “Dang, it’s cold outside,” she says. “My legs were stinging.”
On the outskirts of Kenora, a woman waves from the side of the road. She’s holding an infant and a Canadian flag. Over the radio, the truckers talk about a convoy-related Facebook page with 600,000-members. Someone says it got shut down overnight. Someone else thinks it has been reinstated. Similar conversations have taken place regarding the GoFundMe campaign.
After some traffic assistance from the police, all the convoy vehicles are now on the move. “OPP, if you’re on the radio, thanks for your help. We really appreciate it.”
The radio chatter continues. “Are we tightening up back there, yet?” Shortly afterward, important instructions are relayed: "We’ve got a big intersection coming up here. We’ve got an off-ramp onto Highway 17…This is beautiful country.” Sally agrees, “I’d love to see this place in summer, oh my goodness.”
The video she’s recording will run for nearly three hours and will be viewed live by more than 8,000 people. Some leave comments, which she reads aloud:
‘Watching from England’ - hello England!…Love seeing where you guys are all from. Vancouver Island. Saudi Arabia. Wow…We got some languages in here I don’t understand, but thank you…Just love how this is actually pulling the world together.
next installment: Kenora to Dryden
Donna I was wondering, do you have information on how many truckers lost their rigs, paid massive fines or are still troubled with banking or work restrictions? It is difficult to find accurate news as to what is the costs these heroes continue to pay in this country where so many people think Covid restrictions are behind us.