A convoy of tiny, odd-looking Boler trailers made their way through Saskatoon on Monday.
This convoy of 13 trailers is coming from across Western Canada, and their trek is taking them all the way to Winnipeg to celebrate a milestone.
The trailers are joining upwards of 450 at a gathering to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Manitoba-built trailer. The first Bolers were developed by Ray Olecko in 1968.
“It’s the sense of community, they’re easy to tow, they’re so light, they travel great and it’s a nice safe place to sleep off the ground,” Linda Warner said.
Warner is from Kamloops, B.C., and has owned her Boler for just over a year. She has helped organize the multiple convoys of trailers coming from as far as the southern United States.
“It’s exciting,” Warner said. “It’s the 50th anniversary, how could you not get involved? It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
The event in Winnipeg is the brain-child of Ian Giles, a self-described Boler enthusiast. Giles organized the celebration for the trailers and their owners at Red River Exhibition Park Aug. 15 to 19.
The event will be closed to the public, but guests are allowed to come for a look on Saturday to see the different styles, and renovated trailers. There will also be food and entertainment, according to Warner.
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Warner admitted she’s always wanted a Boler, and one of the things she’s looking forward to the most is seeing how other people have decorated and customized their trailers.
Warner has been on the road since Saturday, and said she didn’t know anyone in their convoy when they hit the road.
“I knew absolutely nobody, they’re all strangers, but they’re all friends now,” Warner said.
The first Bolers sold were made by joining two molded fibreglass halves which created a durable, water free shell and a comfortable inside that typically included a stove, fridge or ice box, and sink.
Olecko had a history of working with fibreglass, building septic tanks and eventually designed the trailer after multiple camping trips with a canvas tent that would get rained and snowed in.
The Boler name came from its likeness to a bowler hat.
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