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Okay, we're now among the old timers here. I have to tell you, it's an amazing community to live in. We have met the most interesting, and nice, people on this forum. Tom, Karen, Pete, Aubrey, Larry, Betty, Chuck, Geri, the Keifers, Lois, Herm and Kim, Stan and Carol, Steve/tali and so many, many more. We're excited to be an "old'timer", at the same time, yikes, does that mean we're old? Hope you don't think so. We love this space, and the people here. We've met folks we've never thought we'd meet. The camping life is a great denominator. Our camping friends come from all different backgrounds and occupations. Our little Olivers, and our camping life, is the medium for great friendships. When we are in the neighborhood, we drop in. When they are in ours, likewise. It's an amazing connection of people, and I love it. . Those friendships,we will always cherish. To all my Oliver friends, old and new, all our best, Sherry and Paul

We camped last week at Linville Falls Campground on the Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina. This campground has restrooms, but does not have electricity or water at the campsites and no showers. This campground has a dump station. The area offers cooler temps to get away from the lower elevations heat, plenty of places to hike, Linville Falls, Linville Caverns, Linville River, and the Blue Ridge Parkway. The regular camping rate is less than $20 per night and half of that if you have a Senior Passport (Golden Age Pass). The campground sites have paved parking and roads throughout the campground are paved with several sites that can handle RVs larger than the Ollie. This camping trip gave us the opportunity to use the Ollie on-board systems for the first time without a water and electricity connection. Also tried out a 100W suitcase solar panel system connected to the 7 pin trailer connection. It's not the most efficient way to use this solar system, but had plenty of 12V power to run everything need after the sun went down every night. Only one way to say it, the Ollie is very pleasant to camp in! :) NC Rt. 181 on the way to Linville Falls: Duggers Creek: Campground: Blue Ridge Parkway:

Paul and I have spent many of the best months of our married life camping. It's a complete release from the daily life. Yes, even retired, there is "stuff" that hangs around your head.r We both agree that the best thing that we bought in our retirement planning was the Oliver. It has taken us, many times six to eight weeks at a time, to places we've either not been, or not explored the way we'd like. Most of the eastern US and Canada have seen the Ollie, and the strip states on the west side of the Mississipi. Camping is the best (not the only) way to see North America. You are in control, can take your time, move as you please. Reservations not required, when you're willing to go to the road less traveled. Sherry PS Our Oliver is not our only camping vehicle. We have rented around the world. Last year, in a minimal camping van, we met some of the nicest people in our rented camping van in Australia. A special greeting to Jenny and Kevin Harrison in Tasmania. We hope we'll see you again, soon. S

I suspect, with a few modifacations, the black tank might be easily modified to take the sink water. The shower water would likely be another story, though much more possible, than, say, retrofitting the kitchen sink to flow uphill to the black tank.... The problem is, the Ollie has a "marine bath." Like most marine baths (even the large head in our sailboat, with a separate shower compartment), there's a curb to create drainage, and a stepup to the toilet to allow some space for the black tank. And, the inlet to the black tank is directly beneath the toilet. Who wants another nonfactory inlet, subject to leaking? In many of the big stickbuilt rvs, (actually, all the ones I've owned and rented over the years), the toilet is floor mounted, and the shower is elevated. The shower water could easily be diverted to the black, and maybe is, in a few cases. The composting Nature's Head is, from my conversations with the reps, much more popular so far with boats than rvs. Why? Finding a legal pumpout station is much more difficult with a sailboat/houseboat than finding a dump station with an rv, in my humble opinion. We never have a tough time finding a dump station with the Ollie. Special trip (raise the anchor, go to a marina, etc.) with the boat is another story... It's true, most of us who have purchased Olivers are likely to be lifetime owners. I suspect we are. But who knows? We're in for eight years so far... but? If our trailer were not plumbed for a typically desired toilet, and we wanted a Nature's Head instead, we'd be forced to sell to a really narrow market in today's world if we decided to sell. Not ideal. I think Oliver is wise right now to "duplicate" systems with extra plumbing and a black tank, inoperable, or perhaps linked only to the sink. At least you'll never be stuck with a really narrow resale market if you order the composting toilet. By the way, when we looked at the Nature's Head, I think it was about $950, install it yourself. If that's still true today, I think Oliver is offering a great price at $800. Sure, you don't get the usual Thetford. But you get everything else, and a complete, pro installation with your new Nature's Head. My 2 cents, and probably only worth that much. Sherry

Sherry, as new Oliver owners we appreciate the willingness of the old timers to help and give advice/assistance online (and in person - thanks Steve/Tali and neighbor Pete). I hope as the "community of Oliver" grows it stays that way! Might need to have an Oliver Rally sometime....