Storm Chasers

I’ve always been intrigued by people who chase storms and tornadoes. I often wonder what it would be like staring at a twister only miles away. I may never know what it is like first hand, but an A.R.E. truck cap has been experiencing it first hand for the last five years!

That’s right; A.R.E. has been spotted chasing storms on The Discovery Channel’s Storm Chasers. A.R.E. itself is not chasing storms, but a storm chaser, who recently was featured on the show, is using one of our caps.

Tim Samaras purchased an A.R.E. cap five years ago from Suburban Toppers in Denver, and since has been featured on the show numerous times chasing and tracking storms. Samaras uses the cap to protect his gear from the traitorous storms and torturous weather he encounters.

If you want to check out the show check your local listening, Samaras and our cap is featured on the show quite often. For a quick glimpse into the life of a chaser and their vehicles just click on the link http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/storm-chasers-tims-missouri-twister.html.
Ryan - 12.16.2009

The Hunt of a Lifetime

There are so many things in life that can make people happy. It can be family, friends, work, sports, food, and I could go on and on. For a recent A.R.E. customer, Ron Murphy, hunting with his dear friend Paul Whitley was one of the things that made him truly happy.

When Paul was diagnosed with cancer in September 2009, he called Ron to see what they could do about setting up a hunt in the near future. Paul had his doubts, but called around and found an outfitter RedBluffRanch.com who was willing to work with Paul and Ron. November 7, 2009 was set as the day they would embark on a trip from Bend, NC to Red Bluff Ranch in Texas.

However, Paul needed a truck cap for his Toyota Tacoma for the trip. He searched for over a month and couldn't find anything until he called A.R.E. Dealer Crossroad Campers in East Bend, NC. Owner Mark Boles told Paul about A.R.E.'s Express Shipment Program and they placed the order.

On the morning of the day to leave Paul went into Crossroad Campers, and not only had the truck cap arrived, Mark had cleaned it and was waiting to get it installed. The cap was on before 12 noon, and Paul was ready to go. A.R.E. decided not to charge for the express shipment and Mark passed along the savings and sent Paul and Ron on their way to Texas for the big hunt!

This just goes to show what people are willing to do to help someone else out. A.R.E. was NOT the reason for this success story, we were just a willing bystander. The good people in this story made it a success, and A.R.E. was glad to be a part of it all.

Now, we at A.R.E. fully expect both Paul AND Ron to be entering our annual Big Buck Contest after their amazing adventure!

Andy - 11.20.2009

The Joy of Fishing

Wayne Van Burger is a member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. No one gets into a Hall of Fame without hard work and dedication. Wayne's hard work and dedication transferred from coaching wrestling to film making. This was clearly evident, and when Wayne approached A.R.E. with a partnership idea, we jumped at it.

Not only does Wayne have the desire to achieve, but he has surrounded himself with an outstanding cast who emulates his ideals. The Joy of Fishing will now be featuring an A.R.E. MX Series on the main truck. Not only that, but we got Wayne to do a testimonial piece on his new cap and it came out unbelievable.

Watch and enjoy...

Andy - 11-11-09

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Holiday Road

When you think of going on vacation, and have a lot to carry, a many-passenger vehicle with room and comfort for the family, but not this Baja.

When I first saw the Baja I swear I heard Holiday Road playing in the background. For those who don't know what I'm talking about, it was the song played in the original Vacation movie starring Chevy Chase. If the car were only green it would nearly be a perfect match, although smaller than the station wagon in the movie.

After seeing the Baja I started thinking how could so much fit in something so small. I mean it literally has everything but the kitchen sink in it. It's truly amazing if you sit and think about how small the Baja is, and yet it has an A.R.E. truck cap, a dual Thule luggage carrier, a bike and a back full of miscellaneous items I can't even begin to describe.

Just thinking about the Baja going down the highways makes me want to laugh. It makes me think of how many kids in the back seat of their family's cars find it amusing and what their parents think. It's definitely something that makes you go hmmmm . . .

Ryan Knight - 9.9.09

Making the Band

Growing up everyone wanted to be something or someone famous. One of the more famous childhood dreams was to become a rock star, but for most that’s all they really were, dreams.

Through the years the dreams may have changed and the realization of real life have set in for most of these people. Sure you have the thirty-something still trying to rock out with his high school buddies or playing Guitar Hero, but most have accepted life the way it is.

I wrote earlier about the fact that I am always looking at fiberglass caps and tonneau covers in movies to see if they are ours, but was blown away when I saw our product in a rock video. Yep, that’s right, we made the band.

An A.R.E. truck cap was used in Nickleback’s “If Today Was Your Last Day” video, and it looked great. There simply isn’t anything better than seeing our finished product on good-looking vehicles, especially when they are in a rock band’s video shoot.

For anyone interested in seeing the video, or simply checking out A.R.E.’s cap in a rock video, simply click on the link below.
http://www.nickelback.com/index2.html

Ryan Knight – 9.8.09

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40th Anniversary

Forty years does not seem all that long ago, but if you stop and think of everything that has occurred in the past forty years you will realize how far we’ve come and how much we have achieved.

1969 began with the Ohio State Buckeyes defeating the USC Trojans to win the National Championship, and who can forget the infamous guarantee of a Super Bowl victory by Joe Namath? We were still in the midst of the Vietnam War and Cold War with Russia, while Richard Nixon became president. We also made the first successful trip to the moon, while Dave Thomas opened the first Wendy’s restaurant in Columbus, Ohio.

It brought something else that is very important to me - A.R.E. Now I know what you’re thinking, and yes I am not old enough to remember, but I am thankful for what A.R.E. has provided for me through the years.

For many of us whom have worked at A.R.E. for many years it is like a home, but for some it is simply a new beginning. We can take a look back at the memories and look forward to the many more years of good service and quality we have driven toward in the past 40 years and thrive to continue to improve and prosper for another 40 years.

What do you remember, if possible, about what happened 40-years-ago? What were some special moments in your life? I like thinking back and remembering the many great memories I have had, but it’s looking to the future that strikes my curiosity the most.

Ryan Knight – 8.11.2009

Loyalty / The Good Old Days

Loyalty is defined as the state or quality of being loyal, or faithfulness to commitments or obligations. Most good people believe they are loyal, or at least they can hold up their end of a commitment, but so do businesses and the people who run them.

Mike Gardner, owner of Hillwood Sales, has been a loyal A.R.E. dealer for nearly 20 years. He recently sent us some pictures (see the one above) of his family’s business from 1970! Mike has been in the business just about his whole life, but says it is his loyalty to not only A.R.E., but to his community as well, which makes the business a success.

Mike says A.R.E.’s commitment to his business has given him the opportunity to explore other markets that have been a success, but the quality of our product brings people to Hillwood because of the loyalty and commitment we have shown to our dealers and customer base.

Mike’s philosophy for success is to never look back, but move forward and remain loyal to those who have helped you get where you are today.

Ryan Knight - 6.2.2009