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Driving from Hohenwald an hour away on an interstate doing 70 miles an hour I hit a lip on the road and my f150 showed a “electric malfunction “. I thought that my 7 pin might have come out but I looked back and the yellow lights on the side of the Ollie were on. So I continued on and suddenly a Good Samaritan flagged me and told me there was smoke coming out from the back of trailer. I pulled off and sure enough there was smoke coming from under rear tires. The tires looked good and could not see where the smoke was coming from. I took out my infrared temperature gauge and it showed that the tires were showing a readout of 150 degrees. I waited for about 15 minutes waiting for the temperature to come down. As I proceeded to start again I realized that the brakes were locked up. I then thought that the safety brake away had come loose. Nope it was in. So I had to get off the interstate and luckily there was an exit about 3 minutes drive away. So I limped off the interstate with smoke still coming out the back. At the end of the interstate there was a fire station and I was able to get there. With the help of the firemen we determined that the brakes had locked up. When we pushed the the safety brake plug we could hear the brakes release but as soon as I would try to start rolling they would lock up. So I called for a flatbed to take the Ollie back to the factory. I also called Jason and was lucky to be able to speak with him. He told me that if I disconnected the seven pin it would eliminate electric to the brakes and they would release. Did that but didn’t work. So he said that on the passenger side bed there was a pink wire that also provided electrical current. When we disconnected that wire and disconnected the seven pin the brakes finally released. So we had the flatbed pull the Ollie and I went behind to avoid anyone from hitting the back of the Ollie. The diagnostic from Oliver was that the black brake release was full of junk and had failed. So we had it replaced and had the drums resurfaced. The brake pads were still good. We also had them repack the bearings since we had the tires were off. There is also something that is important to know. If you take the black plug out it has to be put back in a specific way. If not you might find that it will at some point fail

To test the system before a trip, it is highly recommended. You can use the opportunity to blow some compressed air inside the cavity to remove any junk or grit.... don’t forget to put the plunger back in ASAP so it doesn’t overheat the brake magnets. They are getting full 12 volt current, unlike from your controller which is normally way less. I don’t normally move the trailer to see if the brakes lock up, you can hear the magnets make a loud clunk. That tells you that the switch is OK. If you have a digital clamp on ammeter, you can hang it around one wire and easily read the total current going back there, very nifty! It shows if you have a failed magnet (each draws about 3 amps). John Davies Spokane WA

In Glacier, we've stayed at Apgar, St. Mary, and Bowman Lake. Avoid Apgar - nothing but loud kids, generators, and mosquitos. St. Mary was pleasant, and well located for seeing the east side, though I've heard that Two Medicine is better. There's a scenic road to St. Mary with signs telling you your trailer is too long. Don't read them. Though we prefer the east side of the park, Bowman was our favorite campground - almost empty, with a gorgeous view across the lake. Had a big grizzly come through the campsite one morning. It's a trek to get to, and the road was awful at the time though they've regraded it since. If you go there, be sure to stop by the general store at Polebridge for breakfast or lunch. There's also a place just north of Glacier called Canada, which has nice places to camp. At Yellowstone, we stayed at Fishing Village, which was a parking lot, but it was our only choice and far better to stay at one inside the park than to fight traffic coming and going. There's a little jewel of a campground in Lamar Valley, called Slough Creek. It's first come, but worth a shot. It's quiet, with campsites along the water. As a bonus, there's usually a resident wolf pack that dens on the hillside across the creek. Bring a spotting scope. The little campground at Lewis Lake looks nice, too. Buffalo Bill SP in Cody has nice campsites if you're going through there. At Teton, I like Lizard Creek and Gros Ventre over the busy marina CG's like Signal Mountain and Colter Bay. We didn't drive through Headwaters when we were there, but from the aerials, it looks nice and would be well located for both Teton and Yellowstone. If the park sites are full, then there's a free USFS campground here. The sites on the upper loop road (30340) are better than the lower sites. Primative, but probably the best views of the Tetons to be had.

I purchased this from Amazon, https://www.amazon.com/TORIS-Stainless-Rodent-Insect-11-8X8-2/dp/B07QSJSM9B/ref=sr_1_151?crid=3BTWSYR7B9KP7&keywords=rv%2Bbug%2Bscreen&qid=1563833845&s=gateway&sprefix=rv%2Bbug%2Caps%2C169&sr=8-151&th=1 I did get the 2 pack approximately 24" x 24" each, it's enough to do four trailers. The wire is stainless and is very stiff for it's size and cut well with a pair on small metal sheers. For ten dollars it was a bargain and will probably use the rest around the house someday, do note the shipping date is incorrect, I got my order in 4 days, not 4 weeks. I did the 2 refrigerator vents, and the hot water heater 2 vents, I will post pics if you want them, just let me know. I did use the Camco bug screen on the furnace as it would not be easy to cover with this wire, but just didn't like the other vent screen they offer and how they look and fit. I attached the bug screens with stainless wire, just pushed it through the screen and twisted together on the back side of the grille plastic ribs. trainman

No concerns about the road apart from it being super bumpy at the time. But as I said, apparently they regraded it the moment we left. We were able to pass a couple other, wider, campers coming the opposite direction with no problem. At the start of the road, there were a few climbing twists, and maybe if you met someone there it might be tricky, but I really don't remember. The road was also dry, though I don't remember it being rutted, only bumpy. The lake was about as calm as that photo the whole time we were there. There were some morning kayakers each day, but no motorized boats. The only thing we saw fishing were ospreys. No bugs at the campsite, but the two hiking trails we took were pretty buggy. We were there third week of May, so later in the summer I'm sure it's more crowded and buggy.

This is a very useful navigation tool, and they keep adding more features. Now there is a Current AQ overlay, and a Next Day AQ overlay. There is really no way to calculate much further ahead with drifting wildfire smoke, but this can help you figure out where to go, or NOT to go, camping in the short term. All these extra visual layers require a good cell (data) or wifi signal to work, so in the boonies you are on your own.... John Davies Spokane WA

For those of you looking for a cheap way to increase your usable counter space the following will cost about $10.00. Sam's Club is selling a half inch thick 15 X 20 cutting board for $9.00 . The width was perfect for my sink so I cut it to length and notched it for the faucet. I used a table saw and jig saw to make the cuts but you could use hand tools. I then used pieces of the cut off mounted with stainless screws on both sides and the bottom to help hold it in place. Total time of the project was less than an hour.

EDIT 12/10/23. Useful link: https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/6720-natures-head-compost-toilet-troubleshooting-user-guide/ EDIT 06/06/23. This is an Oliver factory installation, not mine. One member has assumed that I did this. There are a number of threads asking about this toilet. I hope we can gather up a lot of the talk here in one place. I think there has been one other installation in an Ollie but there have been NO published pictures of any kind, that I have been able to find, even from the factory. This is baffling to me. I really wanted to cut the dump station umbilical. We routinely dry camp and finding an open station during a busy holiday weekend or off season is not something I want to face. With the NH toilet we can get rid of our grey water with a 3/4 inch garden hose. In many western states it is legal and encouraged to run a hose out to a nearby shrub and let your water trickle into the ground. The black tank, drain plumbing and vent system are all completely retained. The factory folks are extremely reluctant to delete these parts, since they are part of their certification. If you wanted to reinstall a regular toilet, it would be a very minor job. The fresh water line is even in place, next to the wall. You could sell the used NH for $400 and that would pay for the replacement conventional RV toilet, with a lot left over. An RV toilet is less than $200.... I chose to charge the base with coconut coir rather than peat moss, since it is a renewable resource and doesn't damage the environment. https://smile.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=coconut+coir I made the mistake of just dropping a dry 2 pound brick into the bottom, adding water and then letting it hydrate. I ended up with WAY too much material. You need to do this in a bucket, outside, and then transfer the expanded stuff into the base, and the leftovers into gallon zip bags. The correct height is even with the internal agitator centerline. Any higher and it becomes difficult to turn with the handle. It takes about two gallons, I did not measure. There are many online sources with info. To summarize: Sit to pee, everybody, so there is no splashing. The trapdoor stays closed and your pee goes forward, and then down into the reservoir. Which you pre-treated with a half cup of vinegar, to kill the odor. That part is easy. To poop, open the trapdoor, finish the job, wipe and close the door. Give the agitator handle two or three turns. The poop and paper will decompose rapidly once the natural process gets going, which may take a few days. The fan keeps a steady flow of fresh air into the reservoir and out of the trailer through the existing roof vent. I never noticed any bad odors except the first days, before I figured out that Oliver had installed the wrong fuse, a 1 amp, which had blown. Once I installed the correct fuse (2 to 5 specified, I used 3 amp), the fan worked as designed. The fuse is located in the main distribution panel under the dinette table, right row, bottom position (UN-labeled!). It is best to put only the absolute minimum amount of RV toilet paper into the base. If you put a lot in, it wraps around the agitator and makes it harder to turn. Only stinky paper goes down - the rest (damp with pee) goes into the small covered waste can to be disposed of weekly. The can came from Walmart, $10 I think. Cleaning is simple: spritz the area lightly with a dilute vinegar spray and wipe down with a disposable baby wipe, toss in can. Done. The residual vinegar and wipes control any odor from the can. The pee tank is big but it will fill up faster than you can believe if you have four people using it! Empty when it gets to within an inch or two from the top: Flip the two side latches, carefully rotate the top off the base, remove the pee bottle and cap it. Dump it in any approved location - a pit toilet or a rest stop restroom. Rinse with fresh water a couple of times and recharge with half a cup of vinegar. Reinstall into the toilet and close and latch the top. The pee will eventually form crusty yellow deposits. The fix, I have read, is to add gravel and water and shake it hard, then rinse several times. In two weeks of use I never noticed any significant deposits. The longer you let the poop decompose the better. If you can leave it over the winter, dump it out in the spring and it will be totally benign. If you need to empty it mid-season, remove the pee bottle and vent hose, unscrew the two hold down knobs and lift out the entire unit. Carry it outside and put a 13 gallon or larger trash bag on top, flip it over and empty the compost. Refill with clean coir to the centerline. There is NO need to clean it out. Any residual material will just help the next batch get started. The organic waste you can double bag and put in the trash, or if fully decomposed, it can be spread out in the woods, but not near a potable water supply or garden. The way to keep the smell in control is to keep the pee out of the main reservoir. It's the urine that makes a pit toilet smell so bad.... If you throw up or have a messy poop, you can add a little more fresh coir to help absorb the extra fluids. I keep a gallon bag of the hydrated stuff in the overheard cabinet (along with a quart of vinegar) and haven't had to add any extra. The fan has a dust filter that is supposed to be checked every few weeks, by removing two Philips screws. I think that is way too often in the clean environment of a fiberglass trailer, unless you have a dog that sheds. You can put your hand over the left (inlet) opening and feel a light suction. If that isn't present, you need to clean the filter. The pee bottle sits in a sealed cavity to catch overflows, This is a problem since when you take a shower, a bunch of fresh water gets trapped there. I intend to drill a couple of small drain holes in the bottom. I don't care if the pee bottle overflows onto the floor of the head, at least that way I will notice it! unless it is dark, and I am barefooted.... that would be bad 😉 This is why you want to empty the tank before it gets too close to the top. Agitator handle: ours fell off right away, the shaft has a set screw with lock nut. It is very easy to tighten correctly. I am not sure why the factory guy couldn't do it successfully. Spares: I intend to purchase a spare pee tank ($40), spare lids, and a fan.I already have extra 3 amp fuses. ... http://store.natureshead.net I intend to wire in a small LED in the wire harness to show that the fan has power. You can probably hear it running, faintly, if you are in a very quiet area and don't have bad tinnitus, as I do. The Nature's Head is a cool device, but it is really just a fancy bucket. A solidly built, very expensive bucket. I wish the price were about $250 instead of $800. That seems about right for what you get. OTH it is very rugged, and long time users seem to love it. My wife still has some reservations about using it, and we need to get a short step stool since it sits so much higher than even a tall toilet. This one might work well, and it might fit in close to the base with a bungee cord around it for travel: .... https://www.squattypotty.com/shop/poop-better/classic-ecco I am still learning, but I have no regrets at this time. Questions? John Davies Spokane WA

At the end of August we are heading north. Going straight to Roosevelt NP, then over to Glacier, down to Yellowstone then over to Badlands/Wind Cave. Any thoughts or advice on places to stay, places to visit, things to see, routes to avoid, etc.? We haven’t camped in the Dakotas, Montana, Idaho or Wyoming. We are planning on being home early to mid October. Weather issues up there in September? Thanks. Mike

I would like to here the pros and cons from members that have the natures head toilet. Thanks! Jason

Krunch and I visited this area in our pre-RV days on multiple occasions while staying in cabins and lodges. The Custer, SD area is beautiful even if you don’t like motorcycles and there are usually a lot of them in the area. We really liked Custer SP and if Wind Cave is closed, try Jewel Cave National Monument. It’s a different type of cave and didn’t have an elevator when we visited. There is a mammoth dig site it Hot Springs, SD that we thought was pretty cool in 1996 and I hope it still is. And don’t forget Devils Tower NM. I think Dave and Cindy recently posted about camping there. We really enjoy the town of St. Mary on the eastern side of Glacier NP for the smaller crowds and be sure to stop at the Park Cafe for a meal or a slice of pie. The Many Glacier area of GNP has great hiking is just north of St. Mary and is on the way to Waterton Lakes NP in Canada. Watertown-Glacier International Peace Park was the first of it's kind and any visit to the area should include time for both parks. We have taken the boat ride on Watertown Lake and there is a drop off for the Cript Lake hike. It is a pretty strenuous hike, but worth the effort. Or you can take the boat to the south end of Watertown Lake and exit at the American ranger station and walk back to Watertown Township on the west side of the lake while crossing the International border. There is a loop road through Yellowstone and we like the eastern route and the NE entrance to the park goes through Lamar valley which is great for wildlife viewing. Look for people set up along side of the road with telescopes, looking for bears, wolves and their prey. The Tetons are special and it sounds like Don has a good camping spot there. Safe travels, Mossey

Sounds like fun, but we can't make it. It would be useful if rally threads would include a map showing the location, I had no clue where this is. Texas is fairly big.... How are the nearby National Forests for dispersed camping and recreation? John Davies Spokane WA

Mike, We camped at Buffalo Bill State Park North Fork, twice, it's between Cody and Yellowstone. Some of the sites have electricity/water and showers cost about 50 cents, very clean. Cody Laundromat on Beck Ave will wash & fold your clothes by the pound for a reasonable price, we found a nice place to eat while they took care of our clothes :). We like camping at Custer State Park Game Lodge Campground while visiting Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, and Sylvan Lake. Their restrooms are clean and they have a nice laundry, too. Bill

I did mine on our Casita that way, worked out ok. I did our new Oliver by putting them on the outside, the fit was much easier to do and the looks are very professional. I will send pics later today of the install. Putting this wire on the inside would be more of a problem bending the wire as it is very stiff and harder to bend, do note on the Casita I used window screening which is much more easily bent. trainman

Mike and Carol, I just returned from a week in Custer NP, Black Hills, Wind Cave area of South Dakota. Stayed at Stockade Campground South; highly recommended. Many other, well kept, well maintained campgrounds to choose from; all good. Take your pick. I parked Oliver at the campground and toured with the truck daily. Wind Cave is closed due to the elevator being broken. Iron Mountain Hwy. and Needles Hwy. are a definite must in Custer NP! Leave Oliver behind though! Some of the tunnels, switch backs and pigtails are pretty tight. They warn you before you get started. The "Wildlife Loop" is some beautiful scenery and, yes, saw quite a few buffalo, wild donkeys, etc. Rushmore and Crazy Horse are something to see. Didn't have time to get to the Badlands though. The Black Hills north of Custer are pretty unique. The secondary roads in eastern Wyoming are easily traveled and well maintained. More fun than interstate highways. No issues with getting gas. It's some vast, green, lush countryside up there. This area is a special place. You'll love it. Enjoy. Best, Bob

Sully Creek Park has a nicer campground than Cottonwood Campground at Roosevelt NP and it's very close to the NP. You didn't mention Grand Teton NP. Don't miss it. I love a boondocking spot there. Upper Teton View Dispersed. * Campground Address, Directions, and GPS: Forest Rd 30310, south of 191, Moose WY 83013 GPS: 43.762492, -110.553995 * Forest road 30310 is about 12.5 miles north of Moose, WY. It’s about 5.6 miles south of Moran, WY. You take highway 191 from either Moose or Moran to get to the forest road. The road is a bit rough as you drive from the valley up to the ridge, but once you arrive, you have a great view over the valley and of the mountain peaks. Wonderful spot. After visiting the Canadian Rockies, Glacier, Yellowstone and Grand Teton NP last fall, I've decided to avoid fall trips to these mountains. The fire season usually starts in July and can continue well into October. The fires and smoke make this an unattractive place to visit. Last September is was so smokey in the Canadian Rockies that I only spent one night there. Fires drove me out of Glacier after a couple of days. Grand Teton was ok when I was there, but still smokey. I don't know if fires have been an issue so far this summer, but I'd advise you to keep an eye on fires in British Columbia, Alberta, Montana, etc.

September in Yellowstone and Tetons would be good, the crowds are thinning and the trees are turning.... https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/visitationstats.htm Your worry in Fall is smoke, the last few years wildfires have been a huge problem when camping starting around August. Be sure to bring a good HEPA air filter to make your nights less stressful. There is no way to predict where the smoke will be, but you can try to camp up high when it is a problem. Avoid the basins (cities) where it stagnates. If you have any interest in firearms, the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody WY is a must see, you will spend at least a few hours there. RV parking is abundant with shade. The town itself is very touristy but nice. In summer it is a zoo since it is the main route into Yellowstone from the east. For camping, there is Buffalo Bill SP ten minutes west of there, on a reservoir (busy) or an hour south, you will find a superb free boondocking area on Upper Sunshine Reservoir (not the lower one) west of Meeteetse, a quiet little town with gas and a chocolate shop. Wide open dispersed sites, lake access, fishing, views of the craggy Teton mountains and wandering elk herds. The star gazing is great. What do you like to do - touristy stuff, ghost towns, high mountain passes, golf, rail-trails, shopping, remote deserts? Got an offroad capable 4wd TV? If you will elaborate we could give more specific advice. That is a pretty huge area to discuss.... John Davies Spokane WA

Thanks for the report! One question - why would you need to unplug the black brake release plug?

If you can’t get any power out of that outlet, you could test your Ollie by moving to another site temporarily, if there is one open. If it works there, there is a problem in your site wiring, not in your trailer... You could ask a neighbor or the camp host for help. There is a little disable (over ride) switch on the onboard surge suppressor. You could switch it off but that puts your trailer at great risk if the campground wiring is screwy. I would NOT recommend that step unless your hookup has been verified to be 100% correct. Good luck .... how hot is it? John Davies Spokane WA

I've been to this rally several times and found the folks to be welcoming and just plain great. Alas, I cannot be there this year because I'll be in Canada, but would encourage any Ollie owners to go and meet other molded fiberglass trailer owners. Look at how great their 20 and 30+ year old trailers can look, learn the fine art of Dutch oven cooking, make new forever friends, and just relax and have a great time. You can't go wrong. Sign up! Over the last 11 years, I've learned the fiberglass owner community is a family. It is wonderful to meet friends, catch up on their lives, and share your recent adventures. Go . . . enjoy . . .

Some more pics! This is the floor under the toilet, after cleaning the area. It gets a little dirty under there since it isn't sealed in any way. You can see the black tank, which has no hole or flange for the regular toilet. I am surprised at that, all it has is a small hole to one side, capped with a translucent pvc plug...???? You can also clearly see the unused fresh water tap that needs to bypassed by blocking the hose to it, for winterizing. The toilet emptied of its, uhmmm, contents and stuff, ready to be refilled. The old stuff was very benign and did not smell at all, I just secured it in a heavy leaf bag and added it to the trash. You are NOT supposed to clean out this area, leave the remnants behind to help kick start the new batch of good bacteria.: A fresh batch of coconut coir hydrated for about 45 minutes. The toilet is filled just to the agitator center line (no higher or it gets hard to turn!), and there is enough left for another fill. I bagged and labelled that extra material and set it on a garage shelf with my other RV supplies, so my wife would not pot a plant with it: Not shown is the pee tank receptacle. I drilled three 1/4 inch holes right at the bottom facing the center of the bathroom, so any accumulated shower water would naturally drain out instead of getting trapped there. We are both liking the toilet. It does take a little regular maintenance but it's in no way hard, just different from a black tank system. We like being free from dump stations, tho we still have to deal with the gray water. But that is not a big deal out West. John Davies Spokane WA