Rob A.'s SURGE Story
Rob shares his childhood memories of SURGE and how they all recently came back to him:

I was only 7 when Surge was released back in 1997. I was your typical kid loves soda and sweets and had parents that didn't want me having too much soda. I first discovered Surge at the local deli in town (Deli Works). The green bottle and strange logo attracted me to it. Ever since that first sip, Surge was my favorite soda. The taste was like no other soda, nothing even came close. As I mentioned earlier, my parents didn't like me having too much soda and my mother was against me having Surge will all that caffeine. I still find my ways to get Surge, even if it was only once a month. Luckily, my older brother played football for the high school, so during the games I would ask my dad for a dollar, telling him I was going to the snack bar, when I was really going to the Coca-Cola vending machine on the other side of it, which had my beloved Surge. I really started drinking Surge more when the new logo was released, as that is what I remember more from my childhood. When I went with my father to Deli Works I would grab myself a Surge as he didn't mind me having one. If I went with my mother some where, I would grab my other beloved soda, Citra. Citra was great as well, but without the caffeine, so my mother let me have it. Around the year 2000, I started to drink Citra a little more than Surge, as it was a little more available and I didn't have to sneak around to get my hands on one, my parents didn't mind me having it at all. But Surge always came first for me, and I would have it whenever I got the chance. I lived right down the street from the high school, so when my parents were out, I would sneak out and ride my bike to the high school and go to the vending machine, which had Surge and Citra. Of course, my soda of choice was always Surge first, Citra second. I was living the good life, with my 2 favorite sodas.

Then it all started to change. In 2001, Surge started to disappear from all the stores and delis. Deli Works no longer carried my beloved surge, I began to drink more and more Citra, as it was all I could find in stores. Then vending machine at the high school still had Surge, but after a few months, I repeatedly got a 'sold out' flashing light. The Surge was never refilled, I was confused and at that point, was only drinking Citra. But after a few more months, Citra was gone from the vending machine and stores as well. I will never forget the day I rode my bike to that vending machine to see Surge replaced with a Sprite sticker and Citra replaced with a Coke sticker. I was crushed, everywhere I looked, no Surge and no Citra either. In 2002, I convinced my family to go Fuddruckers, as I remember them having Surge there, my family hated Fuddruckers so it wasn't easy to convince them. When I got there, I saw it. The Surge sticker above the fountain, finally Surge! I enjoyed it, not telling my mother what I got from the fountain. I tried to convince my older brother to bring me to Fuddruckers every once and awhile, just to feed my Surge craving. But in 2003 as I walked into Fuddruckers where the Surge used to be, it was gone, replaced with Root Beer. I felt strongly disappointed, knowing that my beloved Surge was now gone for good.

A few years passed, and I eventually got over Surge. But then one day Surge came into my mind, I was thinking to myself "Hey, whatever happened to Surge?" So I searched it online to come across savesurge.org, I was amazed at all the dedicated people that were trying to bring Surge back, finally some hope was brought to me! Then I noticed a link on the site to vaultkicks.org. I thought to myself "What's Vault?" Upon further research I saw that it was supposedly the new Surge. Of course, I was skeptical. But I saw Vault nowhere, so I just carried on as usual. Until February of 2006, when I spotted Vault while skiing at Mtn. Creek. And from the first sip I was down memory lane. I'm currently a freshman in high school and one of the vending machines have Vault. I now have a Vault (or 2 or 3) daily and it is my new favorite soda, the taste I was longing for so many years is back.

Well that's my story. Thanks savesurge.org for fighting for Surge all these years and winning the battle in the end getting Vault on the market.

--Rob A

Thanks Rob! Enjoy the Vault and I hope it continues to bring back great memories.