More than 30 Alaskans have joined what may be the largest convoy of big rigs, RVs, cars and motorcycles ever assembled in America.

The historic convoy is picking up hundreds of new participants as it snakes its way across the country, with the ultimate goal of rolling into Washington, D.C. to demand an end to President Joe Biden’s national emergency powers concerning Covid, and to formally petition the government to end all Covid mandates and vaccine requirements.

The official “People’s Convoy” began Feb. 23 with an estimated 150 vehicles rolling out of Adelanto, California. The numbers are continuing to swell as the road trip for freedom thunders across the highways and byways of America.

Randy Jackson, a resident of Haines, volunteered to organize the Alaskans who have traveled south to participate.

Jackson hit the road this past Saturday as the auto train snaked across Texas where he spends the winters driving truck part time and visiting with family and friends. In the summer, Jackson works as a truck driver, barge wrangler and equipment operator for Trucano Construction in Southeast Alaska.

He initially heard of The People’s Convoy through the free-speech social media site, Telegram, and was asked to take the lead for the Alaska group.

Jackson described the convoy, not so much as a single motorcade, but more like a river gathering force as numerous tributaries from across the nation gradually join the main current.

“Northern convoys are jumping on Interstate 90. The central ones are jumping on Interstate 80, and our southern brothers are on Interstate 10,” Jackson explained. “We’re running Interstate 40. And we have Alaskans in every one of those groups.”

A Navy veteran, Jackson’s motive for joining the convoy is to see Congress repeal the national emergency regarding Covid, and to strip President Biden of his extraordinary emergency powers.

Ultimately, these caravans will merge for the final trek into the nation’s capital this weekend.

Jackson said he’s been in contact with more than 30 Alaskans, including 15 or 16 drivers. He is currently manning a Dodge pickup truck, towing a fifth wheel trailer.

This past weekend he departed with about 25 vehicles from the San Antonio area and picked up additional vehicles as the rolling parade passed through various towns.

“We just picked up another 30 and now we’re heading to Oklahoma to meet up with the main group,” Jackson said while on the road Feb. 26.

He emphasized that the reality of the convoy is a stark contrast to many mainstream media portrayals that paint it as a bunch of rabble-rousing domestic terrorists.

“I’ve seen nothing but love and comradery amongst all the people – not just in the convoy but people passing us along the highway,” he said. “They’re waving, honking their horns – people are standing in the rain on the overpasses, waiving their flags and cheering for us.”

Jackson reiterated that the motorcade protest is fundamentally a peaceful assembly whereby American citizens can bring specific grievances to their public servants in D.C.

“This is our First Amendment right to petition our government,” he said. “Unfortunately, we’re seeing a lot of pushback from our government.”

A Navy veteran, Jackson said his motive for joining the convoy is to see Congress repeal the national emergency regarding Covid and to strip President Biden of his extraordinary emergency powers.

“Our primary motivation is to petition to our government – to actually deliver petitions to congressional members – about our displeasure with the use of the Emergency Powers Act,” he said. “We want to have our voices heard peacefully, and our hope and prayer is that the government responds amicably and acknowledges that we are peacefully presenting a petition with some very specific points.”

“What a lot of families have gone through, this goes way beyond just the health aspect,” Comingore said. “There is an emotional and spiritual aspect as well.”

In addition to removing the president’s broad emergency powers, Jackson said the convoy wants the government to conduct oversight investigations and hold individuals accountable for damages that they have caused, not just economic but also injuries from adverse reactions to Covid shot mandates, including jabs imposed on military personnel.

“It’s a danger they don’t need to face when they are already out there standing in the breach protecting us,” he said.

Fellow Alaskan Faye Comingore, of Homer, plans to join the convoy as it comes through Indiana. She was inspired to fly south, rent an RV and do her part to protest what she sees as tyrannical Covid mandates that have caused far more harm than good.

“I believe in the purpose of the convoy,” she said. “From the very beginning of this pandemic, I have been an advocate for natural immunity. Just knowing we can overcome most things naturally, why do we still have these mandates in place – especially since so many people have already overcome the effects of the virus?”

She expressed sorrow for families who have lost loved ones due to adverse reactions to the vaccine, as well as those who have been forced to die alone in hospitals due to overly restrictive visitation policies.

“What a lot of families have gone through, this goes way beyond just the health aspect,” Comingore said. “There is an emotional and spiritual aspect as well.”

Like Jackson, Comingore is concerned that the mainstream media is either ignoring the convoy or portraying it as a bunch of radicals who are only clogging up the national supply chain.

“I have a gut feeling that they are going to paint it with a horrible spin,” she said.

“I’ve never been a standout activist for anything in my life, until now,” Comingore added. “I feel that passionate about it. If we allow this to continue, it’s just a steppingstone to more, and it’s just going to set the stage for worse in the future. The more we give in, the more it is going to continue.”

Jackson echoed many of these concerns, reiterating that the stand for liberty is not just for this generation but for those to come and those who have already sacrificed so much.

“It’s my honor to do this,” he said. “There was one guy who asked us to carry his grandfather’s casket flag with us. His father was a World War II medaled veteran. We’ll be flying his flag. We’re doing this for the sacrifices that have already been made and the sacrifices that we may have to make immediately.”

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