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Camping Spot Night two of our Alaska Trek was in a friend’s driveway with great food, always an excellent choice when traveling. Night three was at our first Harvest Host’s stop. We were in Hudson, Iowa at the Hansen Dairy. This is a same family owned 155 year old farm starting their seventh generation of owners. Wow. Beautiful spot and even better people. We enjoyed a peaceful night next to a small pond & ate wonderful ice cream fresh from the dairy. We also bought milk and cheese curds that my wife pronounced “delicious.” The site had showers in the tour building available. Nice, hot, longer shower! In the morning we took a neat tour of the dairy. All in all an amazing stop making Harvest Hosts a great investment.

Hey Everybody It was me who developed the health situation-driving home from the rally, I developed a lesion in my stomach and experienced a significant bleed. Apparently a developmental issue-it came out of the blue. I was able to get help, and am now home recovering. It was close. But the real story starts at the rally. The night before we were getting ready to head home, I noticed that my Dexter had 'flipped'. Lee very kindly came over the next morning and fixed the Dexter so we could be on our way. Then, driving home, the medical emergency happened, and I was wisked off to the hospital. This happened right in front of REI in Chattanooga. REI staff rushed out and administered first aid, called EMS, took our cat into their staff break room (where she stayed for several days) and let Kim park our Ollie in their staff lot. I was out of the loop so Kim put a few calls in and the Oliver flood gates opened! We had numerous Ollie people that were arranging services, calling, emailing and even offering to drive for several hours to actually drive our Oliver somewhere. Rick and Vickie Lepore, Topgun2, Tom Polite and many others, including the Oliver Service Department coordinated a 'rescue'. I was patched up at the hospital, released after a few days and we were able to slowly make our way home. I really can't express how much everyone's help and support meant. Please everyone, accept my deep gratitude for helping us. Having an Oliver is certainly special, not in owning an RV, but in being part of a group of people that are so kind. Let me know if there is ever anything that I can do to return the kindness! David

9300 ft Silverton CO

Here's another approach to bike rack carriers for Oliver Travel Trailers. Before going any further, I must say this might not be ideal for folks with a desire for maximum rear clearance ... and I've seen a post where an owner scraped one the rear cross supports. With 12-inches clearance on level ground, we haven't had that problem even with a steep driveway. Our old Airstream did drag when we attempted parking in that driveway. I'll acknowledge some folks may need more clearance, so for those folks I recommend going with an above bumper mount or tongue mount. We've been toying with ideas for a bike rack receiver for Dickens (OLEII 397) since the day of our factory tour last summer. At that time, Oliver had discontinued the model previously sold and we wanted a way to securely carry bikes outside the pick-up truck bed. After looking at ways other folks approached this and thinking about receiver hitches on various vehicles, we came up with essentially what you see in the attached photos. A big difference from the prototype ready for installation the weekend before the 2019 Rally is that the frame attachment points are inside the frame rails instead of outside. Once I had the diamond plate cover off it became evident that we could mount the support plates up between the sheet metal pan and the frame rails. That would shorten the receiver cross member (making is stronger) and much more importantly preclude cutting the diamond plate thereby improving the outward appearance. So, I reinstalled the diamond plate and prepared Dickens for the trip to Alabama ... without bikes. I should say that my original desire was to fabricate this receiver from aluminum to be consistent with the awesome Oliver frame. However, since my bike rack (1UP-USA.com) uses a 2-inch tube I needed a 2-inch receiver. Unfortunately, my metal supplier wasn't able to locate the necessary stock. We could have had it machined from bar stock but decided to just go with readily available steel. I have the design drawings in both aluminum and steel, with both analyzed to ensure adequate strength. While my intent is to remain below Oliver's limits (even with two bikes), the analysis shows the receiver can withstand far greater weights. By the way, you may note there are no safety chain attachment points on this receiver! Last point, for those possibly concerned with license plate visibility, 1UP-USA racks have an accessory for mounting the plate. We haven't gone that route because the tag is visible through the bike frames. If we decide to put a cover on the bikes, we'll get the plate holder. Okay, enough typing. Take a look at the pictures and please feel free to comment or PM me if you'd like more information. Thanks for your interest. Update: Attached is a copy of the design drawing from which the receiver was fabricated. It is offered for information only; therefore, no guarantee or warranty, either expressed or implied, applies. The receiver was drawn to measurements taken from our OLEII. Anyone using this drawing and photos for fabricating one for their Oliver travel trailer are advised to take their own measurements and use them accordingly. Dickens-Hitch.pdf

What a great photo! I’m thinking about Harvest Hosts, looks like some interesting stops. Mike

So I arrived here after seriously looking at the Northwood products. The Northwoods are much better than your average travel trailer, but still not at the level of an Oliver. Northwood's frames are better than the Lippert trash on 90% of the market's trailers. Oliver's frames are even better being made of aluminum with beautiful welds. A house is only as good as its foundation. While Northwood does build and insulate better than most, the only trailer of theirs that I would buy is the 22G travel trailer - no slides to break/leak your heat/let dust in. PROs for the 22G: fully featured kitchen with microwave, range, oven, double sink, and big fridge with freezer. Dry bath. CONs: if anything on the outside leaks, there is a lot of wood to rot. The space comes from being 8'6" wide and 11'2" tall vs Oliver's 7' wide and 8'6" tall (9'7" to AC). Lower carrying capacity (even the fifth wheel 5L has only 2945 - but it will be easy to fill it with clutter that takes you over gross. Two tiny windows on the street side. PROs for the 5L: pretty much all of those for the 22g plus: fifth wheel is more maneuverable for the length, all the comforts of home and then some. More fresh, gray, and black water. CONs: 13'3" height is now pushing it for overpass and tree clearance - especially on the East Coast. You now need to plan your routes in advance. 95 square feet of frontal area. Slides to keep working, keep sealed, not break (I could feel drafts in a new trailer). Now your setup and teardown has to involve moving them (and clearing anything out of their way). Because of slides, you now have carpet. How long is cleaning that vs a wipe down of all the fiberglass/linoleum in an Oliver going to take? Hitching up to a fifth wheel is a little more involved than a receiver (gate down, hitch, gate up). Fifth wheel means you can only pull with longer bed trucks or risk RV/cab interference on turns, or you need to get a sliding hitch (more $$$, more maintenance). Because of length, you are now barely under some of the best parks' limits, but will over many others. Crosswinds? no thanks. Also it has heat registers in the middle of the floor, nice thing to step on barefoot or stub your toe on... Oliver PROs: fairly seamless interior and exterior means easy to keep clean and sealed. Small size is maneuverable and easier to tow (even the standard f150 mirrors are wider than the trailer). 60 sq ft of frontal area should translate into 30-40% less drag than the Northwoods. Well insulated and fairly simple. Excellent resale thus far. Quiet inside. Can be towed with some SUVs and full-size vans. CONs: less featured, less space, more expensive, wet bath, floorplans might not be what you want. I have neighbors with a big fifth wheel, they might take them out for a long weekend a couple times a year, but the mostly sit parked. The logistics of moving something that big doesn't seem relaxing to me. Plus the decor of the Northwoods (and their friendly neighbors Outdoors RV) and most of the stick builds reminds me of my grandparents house 30 years ago.

I'm on the opposite track. I'd load up on solar, cost effectively. But, you seem to think you will be primarily in rv parks.. so, solar there is no big deal. My issues would be storage. Even in a 32 ft sailboat, you'll have more storage. Empty bunks. Etc. You've seen one, now. I would likely not do the van. Go for a truck. With a topper. I loved my van, but, compare towing capacities carefully. Extra fashion forward clothes can always be kept in bins, imo. Honestly, I always envy the younger folks who can arrange their lives to get out on the road, and see the country while young. I'll look forward to your blog. Sherry Ps The truma combi looks great. If I had a II, I'd look at it. Freezer in the truck, great. Think about deleting the microwave, get a toaster oven, and look at our huge kitchen storage space after removing our microwave. Our dog sleeps on the dinette seat.

I also tow an LE II with an Audi Q7, and it is a great tow vehicle. @DonnaDuane are correct about the WDH hitch. On page 98 of the Audi Q7 owners manual, it says: Never install a "weight distributing" or "load equalizing" trailer hitch on your vehicle. The vehicle was not designed for these kinds of trailer hitches. The hitch attachment can fail, causing the trailer to tear loose from the vehicle. You could have someone weld on a piece of metal that connects the receiver to the frame, and provides strength and permits a WDH. It probably voids the warranty. I have a neighbor that tows a 23 foot Airstream with an Audi Q7, and he had one installed. I did not like it because it really reduces the ground clearance. He had his installed by an RV shop in Ontario Canada called Can-Am that pioneered this solution. Having seen it, I think any good welding shop could copy the design. A bunch of discussion on forums HERE, and HERE, and HERE. The owner's manual also says: With a factory-installed or an aftermarket trailer hitch, the maximum permissible load on the ball hitch may not exceed 770 lbs (350 kg). It is recommended to use the maximum permissible load. What safety features are being disabled? On several occasions I have had an error message stating that the "ACC is not working, see the owners manual." The ACC is the adaptive cruise control, a fabulous feature. The owner's manual was no help, and the Audi service department was also no help. However, I have had this message while towing, but also without the trailer, and I conclude that the error message is not caused by the back end being lowered. Sorry, I do not know what is causing your problem, or how to fix it. I get this error message intermittently, which makes it hard to diagnose. On a couple of occasions I found road dirt and debris on the front sensors, and cleaning them off resolved the problem. Sometimes re-starting the car solved the problem, what I call the Microsoft solution. Sorry I cannot be of more help. Good luck with it.

Wow, that was fast, Overland, and a lot of info. TPMS- tire pressure monitoring system Sticky - a. A travel trailer constructed with wood frame and panels. b. A topic "pinned" to the top in a forum so it can always be seen Sherry

Hz stands for Hertz, as in 120 volt, 60 Hz AC power. Your Progressive Industries remote display will show “60H”. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utility_frequency

Another one seen on fiberglass trailer forums: MFG meaning Molded FiberGlass, as in an MFG camper.

Here’s a whole romp of abbreviations for you: 4X2 or 2WD - 2 Wheel Drive 4X4 or 4WD - 4 Wheel Drive 5er or Fiver - Fifth Wheel A/C - Air Conditioning AC - Alternating Current A - Amp or Ampere Ah - Amp Hours Al - Aluminum AS - Airstream ATF - Automatic Transmission Fluid ATS - Automatic Transfer Switch AWG - American Wire Gauge BC - Brake Controller BLM - Bureau Of Land Management BTU - British Thermal Unit CCC - Cargo Carrying Capacity (payload capacity) CG - Camp Ground COE - Corp of Engineers CW - Camping World DC - Direct Current DEF - Diesel Exhaust Fluid DS - Dump Station Egg - Fiberglass Trailer FG - Fiberglass FHU - Full Hook Ups FT - Full Time FW - Fifth Wheel GAW - Gross Axle Weight GAWR - Gross Axle Weight Rating GCVW or GCW - Gross Combined Vehicle Weight GCWR - Gross Combined Weight Rating Gen - Generator GTW - Gross Trailer Weight GTWR - Gross Trailer Weight Rating GVW - Gross Vehicle Weight GVWR - Gross Vehicle Weight Rating HP - Horsepower LE - Legacy Elite LEII or LE2 - Legacy Elite II LED - Light Emitting Diode LFP or LiFePo - Lithium Iron Phosphate LP - Liquid Propane LT - Light Truck (tires) NCC - Net Carrying Capacity (payload capacity) NPS - National Park Service OTT - Oliver Travel Trailers OTTO or Otter - Oliver Travel Trailer owner OTTOR - Oliver Travel Trailer Owners Rally PU - Pop Up PSI - Pounds per Square Inch RV - Recreational Vehicle SP - State Park TPMS - Tire Pressure Monitoring System TS - Transfer Switch TT - Travel Trailer TV - Tow Vehicle TW - Tongue Weight V - Volts VA - Volt Amps (Watts) VIN - Vehicle Identification Number USFS - US Forrest Service W - Watts Wally World - WalMart Wh - Watt Hours WDH - Weight Distribution Hitch WES - Water/Electric/Sewer

Seadog, As a moderator can you see what can be done (or who has the ability/authority) to create an actual index of terms? It's nice that we are getting input but unless it's put into an organized, updatable, table of some sort, it will become ineffective in very short order. There should be a standard template used so that submissions are easy to find and understand. Example: BLM (Bureau of Land Management) A U.S. Department of Interior Agency responsible for .....(TBD) COE (Corps of Engineers) A U.S. Army agency responsible for....TBD) SOB (some-other-brand) A term used by Oliver owners when referring to other brands of trailers. OTTO (Oliver Travel Trailer Owners). Submissions (for the actual listing) should be acronyms or abbreviations that are already commonly used. For example: suggestions for new terms such as what to call a bunch of Oliver trailers traveling in a group, would only be added if and when a consensus is agreed to and the term is commonly accepted and used. Suggestions for new terms could be vetted through a different thread. I think this is a great opportunity to provide assistance to new and potential Oliver owners as well as some of us who have been around a little while but might be a little slow on the up-take (me). I would be glad to help organize and maintain such a database but I don't have the ability to create it or the permissions to make changes. I suggest too, that the list be monitored to some degree by moderators to ensure submissions are actually legitimate, commonly used terms used in the industry (or at least within the forum). This shouldn't become a creative thinking and writing forum. Let me know what I can do to help. Hobo

We had the Dometic electric awning our Escape. It can be deployed out to any point and then stopped. The problem we had with ours was it would not tilt in the rain so water would pool in the middle and would sag the fabric. It was suppose to have a dump feature but we never saw it work. There were a few that bent the arms from water weight of pooling water. Escape finally put out a notice to only deploy it 3 feet in the rain because at that point the arms would bow up the middle and allow the water to run off. The wind sensor did work but it had to shake for 6 seconds before it would retract. If it was a quick guest of wind it could be a problem. We probably used it more then we do the manual awning but never left it out unless we were siting under it. I am curios to see how they hold up on the Oliver's. My opinion of the new awning is I would get the electric because it does have the retract feature that the manual does not. The electric also has a LED light strip. The new manual awning is the same as the electric and is self supporting and does not have support arms like our older ones do.

So with the power awning, can you roll it out just a few feet to keep rain out of the windows or is it an all or nothing deal? And if you can, would it just roll back in if there’s wind or rain? The ones at the rally did seem pretty sturdy.

I was/am a firm believer in the manual awning. I felt/feel that I didn't need another motor in my life nor did I need the expense of the optional motorized awning. However, just prior to this options introduction last year I had a conversation with Scott Oliver about this and he was so positive about this "new" awning and its benefits that I now find myself sitting on the fence about it. With the wind and rain sensors that provide at least some measure of protection against these potential hazards I just might find myself using an awning more than I do presently. However, I still like the simplicity of the manual one which is not difficult at all to deploy or retract. I'm guessing that the real answer to your questions comes down to money and how and where you plan to camp. I would think that no matter how good that wind sensor is, a sudden burst of wind would be very expensive. Therefore, it is still safe to retract any awning if you are not right there using it. Bill

Thanks Bill. We did have a great time with our micro rally last year and look forward to do it again. We just need to get the May Rally food service done and we will be planning one again. As far as helping anyone who would like to do this in the west or for that matter anywhere, Mirna & I are happy to help you plan one. It all about a plan and working the details. We know the details and are happy to share them. Feel free to PM us.