The Birth of El Buscador

I can't remember a time when I wasn't in love with VW campers.  I was the young girl on family road trips that would get so excited whenever she saw a VW camper.  I spent years prior to getting my drivers license trying to convince my dad to buy me a VW bus as my first vehicle.  Obviously my skills in persuasion weren't enough because my dad bought my sister and me a Buick Century (a.k.a. Thunder Putz).  On a side note, some 20ish years later Thunder Putz is still putzing around the town we grew up in with its maroon body and matte grey bumper.  Rock on Thunder Putz, rock on.

Fast forward those 20ish years...the VW camper dream never died.  Apparently my skills of persuasion have improved since I was a pre-teen because in early 2016 my partner, Aaron, got excited about the idea of us owning a VW camper. In September 2016 the dream came true!  We became the proud owners of a 1995 VW Eurovan camper (a.k.a. Thunder Putz II).

We settled on the Eurovan over the Westfalia because we thought it would be more mechanically sound and allow us to live out our dream of van camping adventures.  That became farthest from the truth.  Two years later, thousands of dollars, and lots of calls to roadside assistance we no longer have the VW Eurovan.  After literally leaving blood, sweat, and tears on that van we only ever had ONE successful overnight trip in the VW.  The rest of the time was spent either at the mechanics or failed attempts at traveling followed by tow truck rides back home.

Thunder Putz II - After the new lift kit, heavy duty shocks, wheels, tires, and Hella Fog Lights.  Isn't she purty?!?

This was our one successful overnight.

This tow truck driver actually remembered us the next time he gave us a tow.  Making friends.

Pablo is our captain

Development of equations while trying to decide whether to keep or sell the VW while lusting over van life.

After selling the VW in the summer of 2018 we became empty van nesters.  The wound of a dream realized followed by crushing defeat still stung deeply.  For about a month Aaron and I didn't dare discuss camper vans.  It was too painful.  We now knew the true monetary cost to have a camper van that we could rely on and that was outside of our reach, especially as a third vehicle.  One night Aaron pronounced "I'm going to sell my Tacoma and buy a cargo van."  I immediately laughed out loud at him.  The Tacoma was his dream truck.  It took him 20 years to afford one and he put a lot of custom work into it.  He then told me he had given it a lot of thought and he was serious.  His dreams had changed.  He rides his bike to work most days and the truck was doing anything for us.  The thought of us being able to jump in a van and seek adventure became the dream. Almost exactly two years from buying the VW we sold the Tacoma and purchased our RAM 2500 Promaster "El Buscador."

El Buscador