I've experienced Moab before, but never like this. From the backseat of a vintage Volkswagen bus among a caravan of its air-cooled brethren, the familiar red-rock landscape takes on a different character. Split-window buses, Beetles, Vanagons and Volkswagen Things traveling together through the red rock desert create an atmosphere unlike any other I've known.

They’ve come from across the country, not for a car show or parade, but for an annual memorial cruise celebrating the life of Lin Ottinger.

Known as “Moab’s first tour guide,” Lin began introducing visitors to the area’s backcountry in the early 1960s. His story started at Ottinger’s Rock Shop, a destination he founded in 1960 that quickly became a gathering place for travelers discovering the region.

From there, Lin found a new way to share the landscape he loved: inviting visitors to climb aboard one of his Volkswagen buses and experience it alongside him.

Long before off-road tourism became what it is today, Lin understood that Moab was best experienced up close—not simply admired from a roadside overlook.

At the height of his touring business, Lin operated a fleet of 10 bright red-and-white Volkswagen buses, carrying visitors into some of southeastern Utah’s most spectacular scenery. Depending on the season, passengers might encounter colorful desert wildflowers, towering sandstone formations, brilliant golden aspens or snow-dusted canyon walls.

Along the way, Lin shared his passion for geology, archaeology, photography and the natural history that made Moab so fascinating.

The buses themselves became part of the experience. Lin favored the rare 21- and 23-window Volkswagen models, the distinctive skylights and expansive fabric sunroofs of which offered passengers panoramic views. They weren’t simply transportation; they were remarkably well suited to showing visitors the landscape from a perspective they couldn’t get from a conventional vehicle.

And Lin’s tours didn’t necessarily end when the buses returned to the rock shop.

In the evenings, he would invite guests to gather for slideshows featuring photographs he had taken himself while exploring the region. The images revealed hidden landscapes, geological wonders and unforgettable views, often inspiring visitors to seek out those places for themselves.

For many, those evenings became the beginning of their own Moab adventures.

More than six decades later, that spirit of discovery lives on.

While filming a recent episode of On the Move, I joined a group of Volkswagen enthusiasts participating in the annual Lin Ottinger Memorial Cruise. The modern gathering is different from the guided excursions Lin operated from the 1960s through the 1980s, but the idea behind it remains remarkably familiar: Bring people together, share Moab and create memories along the way.

Today, Lin’s son, Sonny, helps carry that tradition forward, leading the memorial cruise in one of the family’s original tour buses.

As the miles rolled by, so did the stories.

Some participants had known Lin personally and remembered riding along on his original tours. Others came because they shared his passion for vintage Volkswagens and wanted to experience the places that meant so much to him.

That’s what makes the memorial cruise feel like more than a gathering of old Volkswagens. The cars are certainly part of the attraction, but they’re really a connection—a tangible link to a man who spent decades showing people why Moab was worth exploring.

Lin Ottinger didn’t simply take visitors through Moab. He encouraged them to slow down, look closer and experience the landscape for themselves.

Riding through Moab from the seat of a vintage Volkswagen bus offered a perspective few visitors have ever experienced, and it was one I’ll never forget.

Some stories stay with you long after the cameras stop rolling. This was one of them.

Come along for the full experience in this episode of On the Move.