The Story Behind the Flylow A-Team Van

If you hear of a Chevy Cobra you re probably thinking of some American muscle sports car, but in this case we re talking about the Flylow A-Team van, our signature vehicle that you may have seen at movie premieres, ski area parking lots, or caravanning up I-70. We picked up the van in the middle of nowhere Michigan four years ago from a dealership we found after hours of scanning autotrader.com. Turns out it s pretty hard to find a four-wheel drive Chevy Express van, so we had to fly halfway across the country to pick it up, then drive it back to Denver. As Flylow s Dynamic Individual, it was my job to go collect the van. When I arrived in Michigan, the van wasn t exactly how the photos looked and it didn t have working air conditioning. It s nice to buy a van with some character, but it was mid summer and from the dealership to Denver the average temperature was 105, maxing out at 112 in Minneapolis. Pleather seats and no AC meant I was driving a 15-foot long sauna for 10 hours a day. Once back in Denver the Cobra quickly went over to Mad Graphics 303 to get the A-Team paint job, as many of the names of our gear stem from 80s TV shows and movies (see, for example, the Magnum Pant, named after Tom Selleck and that amazing mustache). With the addition of a big ol roof rack, red rocket box, and a dream catcher hanging from the rearview mirror, Flylow s Chevy Cobra was reborn. Over the years we ve put a little over 40,000 of snow drive miles on the big girl. She drives like an old Chris-Craft. With every bump in the road, the whole van will drop with the shocks, like one of those fancy hydraulic seats truck drivers have. From industry events to the migration to Salt Lake City for the Outdoor Retailer show, to going on movie tours with Powderwhore Productions and even tailgating at Broncos games, the Cobra has been a true work horse. Beyond the A-Team exterior, the Cobra came with all the accouterments. A drop down 13-inch TV with a DVD player that has never worked, wood trim, mood lighting, shades on all the windows, four captains chairs, and even a remote operated bed in the back. (The bed has since been removed to make more room for our party supplies and seems to take a little bit of the creepiness away from the bearded guy driving a huge van.) Now as the temperatures are starting to drop, we can see a little life coming back to the big rig as she s been dormant for most of the summer since no one can comfortably drive it once it gets above 75 degrees. Be sure to keep an eye out for the Cobra this winter ripping up I-70 chasing one of many hopeful pow days coming this winter. Ben Hitch