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First, I'd like to say thank you to all the forum posts, videos, etc...both here and the Facebook group - your input helped us make what we think are the best choices for our Elite II configuration. Based on our needs and what we learned from you we placed our order this morning and have a tentative delivery date of 9 April 2018. The options we've included in our Elite II twin bed model are: AGM Batteries Solar 30 amp connection 2000 Watt Inverter Omni Directional Antenna Wifi & Cell Booster Flooring -still undecided Fiber Granite Mattress upgrade - gonna purchase separately from Southern Mattress in Rocky Mount Basement Access Cabinet Compost toilet - still undecided (monitoring forum for comments from current users - comments welcome) Truma Water Heater Anderson Hitch - opted out - don't think I need with a 3/4 ton diesel truck (comments welcome) 30 lb propane Propane Quick Disconnects A/C Easy Start Storage Basket Bike Rack We still have a bit of time (about 10 weeks before production starts) to fill in the blanks on the undecided options and pick our colors. We look forward to joining the group at the rally in May of next year. Darrell & Kathy

I just got back from a week in the Midwest. Basecamp, northern Missouri at Mom's house. Driving miss Daisy, we went on to Wisconsin to celebrate her birthday with her twin. I wish I had more photos. We followed the great river road ad much as practical. It's an amazing, beautiful drive. Whether the Mississippi is to your left, or your right, it's just beautiful. I can never get enough. Sherry

This weekend my daughter and I boondocked in Kennewick (Tri Cities) WA. She is a member of a jousting club that performs at medieval faires. She does not ride, thankfully, she is a "squire" who assists on the ground, handing up new lances and picking up broken shards after the knights impact each other with a splintering crash. This is the spot I picked at Columbia Park, where the hydro races are held each summer: Here is the view out the back window, most unusual for a boondocking site! The List was about 200 feet away. Here is her group, they will be performing in Spokane in two weeks. https://www.facebook.com/joustalliance/ If anybody is in the area Oct 7 or 8, consider stopping by for a visit. It's a little silly but lots of fun. Look for my Ollie in the Actors camping area, near the horse paddocks and field. https://www.spokanerenfaire.com She also participates in another group called Combat Corps. She does sword fighting displays, Hollywood style. https://www.facebook.com/combatcorpsspokane/?ref=py_c Mouse is a wonderful help to her. Previously she was sleeping in the back of my Ram pickup or her Outback. John Davies Spokane WA

Spike and Randy - If you are REALLY into fireflys then you have just got to see the blue ones. Yes, blue instead of the normal green/yellow. Google it. Bill

Well, unless you enjoy winter camping, and cross country skiing, ice fishing, and snowmobiling, Minnesota is probably off the radar... My friends had their last sailing regatta last weekend in the freezing temps in the twin cities. The frostbite regatta... The lakes aren't frozen yet, but it won't be long. Sherry My sister's garden a few hours after the first snowfall last week. Pretty, isn't it?

The beginning of the road, lined with miles of smiles, I hope. Travels with our Oliver, and rentals overseas, had opened our eyes, and extended our world. Camping is truly the way to see our beautiful country, meet new people, and just get out and get a new attitude. We're never happier than on the road in our Ollie. Sherry

I've not had the chance (yet) to do a bunch of cold weather camping in Twist. However, the one trip that I did do last year, I left the Oliver winterized, heated water on the stove for bathing duties. I do not have a composting toilet, but I do have a collapsible "seat" that holds plastic bags. I purchased a product (https://www.amazon.com/Reliance-Products-Double-Doodie-Toilet/dp/B0024O0W94/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1509663133&sr=8-11&keywords=camping+toilet ) at either WalMart and/or Amazon that absorbs moisture and reduces odor. My Mr. Buddy heater takes care of just keeping the chill off when I don't want to run the full furnace. Finally, I use 8 gallon plastic water containers that I got from WalMart. I keep one in the bed of the truck 3/4 full and the other I keep inside the Oliver (on the toilet seat). Bill

Watch out for bridges.... Funny story.. we had a Huey go down in Philly, had to flatbed it back to base, route all planned scheduled transport for middle of the night, everything perfect until a bridge knocked it off the side of the truck, turns out they repaved the road didn't grind it down the same amount and didn't update height clearance as a result, all for 2 inches, pretty costly repair bill for the paving company

Hi Alex! Welcome to the family :) As far as Solar, I would get it prewired for the Blue Sky and spend the extra money on that system adding as many pannels extra that Oliver allows. The Zamp is a low budget $1100 system that doesn't cut it for me personally and there's no way it's worth over $1800 installed. They're definitely screwing the pooch with their $2800.00 price tag on that run of the mill low budget solar system... I would definitely get the battery upgrade to 4 batteries of your choice and have them put the auxiliary solar plug in on the curb side if it's possible. Propane upgrade, extra port on the back, and see if they offer a propane regulator upgrade because the stock one's howel when you're using outside accessories. I've heard that a lot of options are now standard and that's good :) Reed Edit- You should also get the inverter, this is probably the wife's most used option. We use the batteries when we can to run an induction burner or cooktop when cooking and this really saves on the propane that we basically use for hot water and heat when needed. We boondock most of the time, so saving on propane is a good thing. The 30amp front connection that you have listed is also something that we have to use quite a bit because we got stuck with the Zamp Solar and it doesn't keep up, even at the beach, so last night, I had to charge the trailer with the generator again... The nice thing about the front port is that Oliver also gives you a short 3' x 30amp twistlock cord for it, so hooking up the generator is easy. Another option that hasn't been talked about is the choice of flushing the toilet with gray water, it's something that would be worth while to ask about. We love the Dometic toilet and being able to flush it with gray water would be a great option, if they will do it. We shower and do everything in our trailer and the listed curtain rod option works well as a grab bar when standing or sturdying yourself in the shower. I would not bother with a wrap around curtain, it's just not needed. We don't have a curtain on the shower rod, we use it for hanging wet towels and clothes. No water gets behind the toilet when showering. Also, you should look into rear cameras, there are better options available and it's nice to see who is behind you at all times when driving. Another option that isn't mentioned is, it would be nice to have a light on the front that can be turned on from inside, and it would also be nice to have one of the outside LED lights in the storage compartment, facing the back, so that you can actually see to the back of the compartment because the one that comes stock just points down and shines no light to the back at all, so I have a flashlight sitting there that gets used every day... Personally, I would also get the rear rack holder and set it up to hold chairs, bikes, etc... If I think of anything else, I'll be back :) Reed

A big part of my fascination with the Midwest is probably my upbringing on the Minnesota farm. Seeing and hearing the corn grow, eating tomatoes and peas fresh from the plants in the huge garden.Riding the tractor with Dad, tending chickens with Mom. The amazing smell of new cut hay. Riding my pony, and the odd calf... Fording the usually shallow creek between us and nearest neighbors, chasing butterflies, finding tiger lilies and lady slippers in the woods.. The barn dad built from lumber he cut and milled himself still stands. He always told me I helped, but all I did was paint very low boards, and pull nails for him... I was six.but I sure loved being there with Dad. Life on the farm was pretty simple, but rich. We depended on each other, our family, and our neighbors. None of us had a lot, but we all had about the same...as my childhood friend Rose says, we had no idea others had more, so no big deal Those farm years, before we moved to "town", gave me a huge appreciation for life, green, and simple. I'd love to go back to those days. Easy, no. My parents worked unbelievably hard. Satisfying, certainly. And that big prairie sky... I remember laying under the oak in the pasture, watching the clouds. Imagining the rest of the world on the cloud figures. Since then, I've been lucky enough to see a lot of the world. But, you know, those cornfields are pretty darn amazing, too. Sherry

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" I have not been in a state or a Providence that I have not found places that were interesting or that we have not enjoyed. Now I do pick and choose the time of year to visit Death Valley is far more attractive to me with a Feb. superbloom that July heat wave. Now Big cities and traffic are not my thing so I will drive miles around Chicago , New York etc. we do enjoy the differences. Thanks Gary