10-4 Magazine March 2022

10-4 Magazine / March 2022 15 Taking most of our pictures on Sunday, it was another perfect day. Getting finished around 1:00 PM, we headed over to Ron’s shop to get a few final shots hooked to his trailer. After that, it was time to hang out, relax, and have a few celebratory beers. Times like these are my favorites – when the work is done and we just chat and get to know each other better. Life is about people, and forging lasting relationships with the folks in our 10-4 family is paramount to what we do. A big thank you to Ron Beer and his longtime friend and best buddy from high school Chris Markley for getting the truck ready and allowing us to hijack their weekend. When asked about the future, Ron likes being a one-truck operation, with a few owner operators available when needed. He does not want the stress that comes with trucks and drivers! Ron’s wife Joan helps run the business, and she has a grown daughter from a previous relationship that lives with them. This daughter brought a grandchild into their lives in 2007 – a daughter named Hailey (14) – which Ron says was the best thing that ever happened to him. He loves being a grandfather and adores Hailey and the amazing relationship they have. Wanting to give a special thank you to his wife Joan, I asked, “For what, exactly?” To which he quickly and emotionally replied, “Everything!” He also wanted to thank his mom and dad for not only instilling a great work ethic in him, but also for passing their love of trucking to him. They were always huge suppor ters and helpers to Ron, along with Joan’s parents, Mama and Papa Quizon. Unfor tunately, Ron lost his mom in 2002 just a few months before his dad passed away in 2003. That same year, he also lost his grandpa and a brother – it was a tough time, for sure. Ron also wanted to say thank you to his nephew Steve Jackman who, among other things, helps him get ready for truck shows and such. Winding down our long interview, I asked Ron what the most impor tant thing to him was, and he said, “Good friends and bad ass rides!” This is sor t of a moniker he lives by. Trucking is ever-changing, and there’s nothing we can do about that. However, we can focus on the good stuff – like real friends and cool trucks – and keep that old-school trucking vibe alive. If you hang out with like-minded people with cool rides, like the ones mentioned in this article (Arlyn, Tony, Danny, Dane, and Chris Governo), and focus on having fun instead of all the bad stuff, that is what will keep you motivated and moving forward. And if Ron Beer comes to the party, you always know there will be “Deluxe” accommodations for you to enjoy! n