Finding Connection and Joy with the Old and the New

When Lyn Lee retired, she dreamed of exploring the road by camper van. In the 70s, she adventured in an old Weekender camper VW van and loved the accessibility and comfort it offered. She and her husband, Doug, found a ‘91 Vanagon Westfalia Syncro that fit the bill in August 2015. 

“What I loved about it when I had one in the 70s and wanted to have one again after retiring was the camper van footprint,” says Lyn. “It has everything we need for a great camping experience, and it’s also that second car you could use for anything. You can use the van in the city and transport groceries and grandkids. I mean, it's terrific.”

For Doug, a self-proclaimed “East Coast city guy,” the van was a new way to discover the spiny ocotillo of Joshua Tree or the bubbling geysers of Yellowstone. 

“Just being outdoors in the midst of God's creation, it’s like instant sanity,” shares Doug. “In a national or state park, you're just in a different place.” 

Exploring our public lands by camper van, there's freedom and convenience in these vehicles. Everything you need (and nothing you don’t) is under one roof. 

“The pop-up, the latching, the way everything fits and works together,” explains Doug. “It’s a piece of mechanical genius.”

Traveling around in their Syncro, Lyn and Doug would meet people from all over the country. They’d share tips and tricks, stories and memories—all centered around a love of exploration. It’s a fact: camper vans bring people together. There’s a shared bond around them. They’re conversation starters. And from those conversations, friendships form. 

“With the Syncro, we didn't know it was cool until people started coming up and telling us,” Lyn laughs. “One of the fun things about road trips is meeting different people, sharing stories, and getting info about what people do, particularly with pop-ups. An instant conversation takes place, leading to a conversation about travels, trips, and recommendations. It’s great. Our shared love of these vans goes back to the 60s and 70s.”

Lyn and Doug loved everything about their Syncro, except one thing: the mechanical reliability issue. A 30-year-old car can be unpredictable. They’d come into the Peace Vans shop regularly for mechanical issues, but sometimes those mechanical issues involved being on a trip.

Like a 60-mile tow after a breakdown in Custer State Park or a last-minute repair at the shop the day before a Yellowstone trip—Lyn and Doug never quite knew if their journey would go without a hitch. They’d need to add an extra hour or two of travel time on the road, particularly with the Syncro’s modest power in the mountains. The unpredictability of the Syncro was, in a way, part of its allure.

“You know it's hard, there is something that makes the VW buses so unique,” shares Lyn. “The sound of the engine. The novelty to it. This huge nostalgia to it. The Westy was definitely a cultural statement.” 

But after five years and 15,000 miles, Doug and Lyn started to look into options to purchase a more modern camper van. They loved their Syncro, but Lyn explains they also wanted “drama-free driving.” 

They began searching for something with a similar footprint—versatile and lightweight but with more power and reliability for road trips to their remote destinations. 

As Peace Vans was gearing up with our Mercedes Metris camper vans, Lyn and Doug discovered the modern features they were looking for. It was a match.

They picked up their Peace Vans Modern in July 2020 and spent their first-night camping at Deception Pass State Park. They confirmed it was the perfect spot to break it in. A trip last fall to Mesa Verde and a trip this spring to Joshua Tree followed. 

“Everything we had in the Westy, we were able to find a home for it in the Metris,” says Lyn. “And that’s important. Because it’s our second home.” 

Doug is a big fan of the Metris seats. “I like the fact that you don't sit in the seat, with the Syncro you sit on the seat,” says Doug. “It's firm, and you're not scrunched up like a pretzel, you're high up. If people have back problems, it’s comfortable even for 8 hours or so. It drives really great.” 

Lyn and Doug receive just as many comments with the Metris as they did with the Syncro. It’s still a conversation starter. That piece builds a connection with people. 

“We’re Boomers,” shares Lyn. “You know, we’re of that generation that many of us had VW camper vans. So for us there's that connection, we can relate to a different period in our lives. We meet people our age, Gen X, Millennials. What draws us all together, it's the pop-up. It's the Swiss Army knife van. It's this unique camper van that's multi-purpose and user-friendly.”

Later this summer, they’ll put their new camper van to the ultimate test: a camping trip with the grandkids. The annual tradition is receiving a bit of an upgrade. “It has AC, so they’ll be happy. Really happy,” Lyn laughs.

We’ve loved getting to know Lyn and Doug over the years. Nothing we do at Peace Vans is simply transactional. We take a people-centric approach to our business. We don’t operate strictly in dollar signs—the hugs and smiles keep our wheels spinning. 

“It's like family,” says Lyn. “You don't see them all the time, and when you do see them there’s this connection. When we went to pick up the van, Adam and Harley from the Peace Vans team stopped by. They, along with Keith from Mercedes, really invested their time and efforts in making this happen for us. So it was pretty special to have all of them there when we went to get the van.” 

Road trips for Doug and Lyn are a little less stressful these days. They aren’t worried about breaking down on the side of the road or having to replace another part. 

“You know, when things don't go wrong, life is a lot more boring,” Doug laughs. “We no longer have people smiling at us and giving us the peace sign when we pull up to a stop sign. So that cachet of the Volkswagen van, it goes away. There’s nothing like it. I'll never forget it. It’s a part of our lives. But, the value added in the Modern van makes up for it. There's a lot to be said for just having something that's circa 2020 as opposed to 1991. It’s the best long distance cruiser I can think of, and that includes cars. It just goes—it goes like a freight train.”

While they bring the Metris into the Peace Vans shop less often than the Syncro, we get to see Lyn and Doug on the occasional check-up and it always makes our day. We all share this deep passion for road trips, new sights, natural landscapes, and connection with those we love.  

“For a city dweller like me, to experience the national parks this way—part of it is just getting out there,” shares Doug. “You can’t duplicate that experience. You’re stepping out on this vista; there’s no one else there, and it’s drop-dead gorgeous. It doesn’t matter how you got there; you’re there. And that is its own reward.”