MEDICINE HAT, AB — Boler enthusiasts from British Columbia and Alberta stopped in Medicine Hat today for a pit stop.
The group is on their way to Winnipeg for a celebration the 50th anniversary of the iconic trailer where they will meet like minded individuals from all over North America.
Sandy Kapeller owns her own boler and is excited for the trip.
“Over 600 people are showing up there from all over the place. As far as Houston, Texas in (the) south, east as far as Newfoundland and the island, Victoria and even saw a pin in Alaska. So that’s kinda cool,” said Kapeller.
Everyone is making the trek with their own customized trailer but that’s not what they were originally made for according to Kapeller.
“The original boler was actually built as a septic tank. So a septic holding tank is what it was and the fella Ray (Olecko) decided whoa why can’t we cut windows and doors in here and put some wheels underneath this and turn it into a lightweight trailer,” said Kapeller.
The trailers have now grown in popularity over the years and can cost anywhere from $4,000-$12,000.
Some owners will renovate the entire trailer to match their personality, while others try to refurbish them to their original state.
Kapeller has owned four different bolers in her life and says the community is just amazing.
“It’s like one great big family. When people were rolling in today in here, it was just like, Sandy, glad to see to you. They’re all giving you hugs and it’s just like long lost family you haven’t seen in a while. So it’s a great, it’s just like minded people having fun,” said Kapeller.
Lisa Birmingham joined the caravan in Calgary with her trailer called Sandy the Boler.
She is part owner with her daughter Kaityln and they have both worked hard to restore their 1976 model.
Birmingham is originally from Nova Scotia and she’s incorporated bits of home into her boler.
“We wanted to keep an ocean theme and back to our roots there so blue in the accents that we’ve added has been very personal in that way,” said Birmingham.
After the pit stop in medicine hat today, Birmingham, and others are on their way to Swift Current tonight. The group will arrive in Winnipeg on Wednesday.
