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'Turbo the Cat' highlights ITD’s Christmas Tree move

A cheetah can go from 0-60 mph in just three seconds, and is the fastest land animal, reaching speeds in excess of 70 mph. But on Tuesday morning (Nov. 19), "Turbo the Cat" staked a claim as the fastest tree animal.

Turbo’s blinding speed was evident when reacting to a chainsaw used to bring down Idaho’s State Christmas Tree (a 50-foot-tall Blue Spruce) from just off Five Mile Road, south of Overland Road, to the statehouse.

The donated tree, approximately 60 years old and weighing 12,000 lbs., contained a bunch of dead needles and one very live cat, which reportedly challenged the land-speed record in leaving the protection of the tree. When the buzzing began, the panic-stricken cat shot out of the tree like a bullet and wasn’t seen again. It might be hiding somewhere in Nevada.

Crews from the Idaho Department of Lands looped chains around the top of the tree, cut it down, and used a crane to lower it onto the ITD transport truck for the trip to the capital building.

Until his retirement in September, Elden Dormeier had always volunteered to move the tree. Skip Dean stepped forward this year to assume the mission.

District 3 Maintenance Coordinator Dan Bryant said there are a few things that District 3 would like to look into before next year’s move, like a careful inspection of the intended route, which was unknown to Skip until he was under way. But Dean said he would like to do the transport again next year.

Crashes and blockages on the route likely can’t be anticipated, but construction closures can be determined ahead of time.

“From my viewpoint, Skip did a great job and was very professional,” said Bryant. “He was a good representative of the department.”