| THE RIDE OF OUR LIFE |
The Not-So-Ordinary Story of ABQ Trolley Co.January 1, 2009 In 2007, my friend Michael Silva and I sat down to put some form to an idea we had been pondering; and as the initial inklings began to take a more concrete shape, we realized our idea was destined to become a grand enterprise. On that warm April afternoon, we took our first steps on the road that would lead us to form ABQ Trolley Co. Mike and I first met in 2003 while working for the Albuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB). We soon discovered a shared love of Lobo athletics, music and a deep passion for Albuquerque. While working together at ACVB, we repeatedly remarked on a gap we had noticed in the Albuquerque tourism industry. Why, we questioned, was there no company that offered city tours of Albuquerque? This service was desperately needed and would add value to the overall Albuquerque tourism package. A few years later, we decided to fill this gap, ourselves. With the idea that we would be creating something amazing, we set off to determine exactly what our tour company would be. We were easily able to determine what it would not be: ordinary. We decided that Albuquerque was a unique city and deserved to have a unique tour vehicle to proudly show it off. The vehicle was key, and our ideas went through several iterations as we pondered the possibilities. Initially, I toyed with the idea of using little yellow school buses. This notion seemed almost destined at first; as I told Mike my school bus idea, no fewer than four school buses passed the restaurant patio where we were sitting. Eureka! I was convinced it was a sign, but Mike just pointed to his watch and argued that it was not written in the stars; rather, school was just getting out. Oh. Needless to say, we did not pursue the school bus idea, but we were still faced with the dilemma of choosing a not-so-ordinary kind of vehicle. I'm almost embarrassed to admit that I also brought up the idea of a completely-custom, uniquely-Albuquerque....lowrider! But, we would need one that could safely carry 30 passengers while still maintaining the unique ability to bounce up and down at traffic lights! I was 0 for 2. Still, I knew that we would find the ideal vehicle, one that would represent ABQ perfectly. We would later discover that our perfect tour vehicle would be a completely-custom, uniquely-Albuquerque, open-air trolley. It's been almost two years since Mike and I decided to pursue this endeavor. With the arrival of our custom (non-school bus, non-lowrider) vehicle only a few months away, we are overwhelmingly excited about the start of ABQ Trolley Co. We can't wait to see what changes and challenges the next year will bring. This has truly been the ride of our life...so far. It's going to be a good year. Sincerely, Jesse Herron
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