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A couple from Mount Vernon, IA came to look at my Ollie this morning. Heather Oliver arranged the inspection. They've been to the Casita factory and drove to Madison, WI last weekend to see an Escape. They told me about the Mississippi Fiberglass Rally at the Thomson Causeway Corps of Engineers campground in Western Illinois on the Mississippi River. Escape owners are responsible for organizing the rally and the owners of the company that manufactures the Escape Travel Trailers will be there. I think Casita owners also attend. I plan to arrive on Friday, September 30, 2016 and I'll leave on Sunday, October 2. The campground is near the small town of Thomson, IL. It's not far from Sabula, IA, a small town on an island in the Mississippi. Pretty area. It would be great if some other Ollie owners could make it. I can't attend the Oliver rally in Howenwald this year--I'll be at a wedding in California.

Hey Buzzy good questions let's see if I can cover them from my point of view. 1) I bought the 5 panels and should have bought 6 but let me explain the panels go up with velcro and elastic hooks for the corners very easy to do even in the rain but the door does not have the velcro placement for the panels so we have used small spring clamps to hold one on the door way in the few times we needed to with cold or raining winds changed directions toward the doorway. In the really cold weather we also use the gas camp fire ring in the center for heat and have had like in Quartzite 5 and 6 people inside with a small 2 x 6 table watching a movie and having coffee tight but friends and campers don't mind. 2)The Clam will fit in a 6.5 truck bed and a few inches to spare it is fatter at one end than the other cause most of the walls all fold up at one end into the bag. The clam is light as well once you pop it up you can move it around some to fit the area your putting it up on, it is wide so easier with two to move when popped up but u can by yourself. 3) Ok really good question and we just have been camping a lot with Lee & Teri he has the older one without the flaps on top with no panels on both work the same for cooking with the panels on the one I have with the flaps that go over the panels will not let the smoke from cooking go out so in that area you would have to take the panels off at the top of the side you are cooking on to allow the smoke to escape this would only be an issue when cooking in the rain nothing that would stop me from buying the newer one. You know put up a warm or Dry place and they will come, so yes I would go with the size we have it will fit 2 to 4 chairs the fire pit in the middle and a small 2 x 6 folding table nicely we do almost no cooking inside the camper, it has to be late lousy weather and ramon noodles or bowl cereal will do to not cook outside so the campchef would fit just as easily and we have done that. Many times on the Alaska trip we would set up both and one was for cooking the other to relax in but this was two couple traveling together. Well hope that answer your questions best of luck and happy camping. Thanks Gary

Hey thanks Bill, that is ours it is the newer one with the flaps on top with the rain panels on as well and I can see it is mine as for the orange tie downs, my table and Lee's garbage bag holder. Thanks for adding to the post to help them see the Clam. Just for the fun of it I added a picture of our Oliver's, Clam and a Buffalo at the campground in Theodore Roosevelt NP in North Dakota this summer. Take care Gary