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We know Bill wouldn't hurt a fly and this is an intended joke as we can expect from him. Bill, do you see what happens when you make a joke and you don't use our NEW funny animated gifs? *Inside joke* 😅

Yep - certainly not the first time I've tried to be humorous and have been called on it. Obviously, if one would not want something done to them then just why would they even consider doing it to someone (or something) else? Nature and all animals (to include the human kind) deserve to be treated with kindness and respect. I sure wouldn't appreciate it if one (or more) of those ground squirrels decided to pipe their "grey water" into my Ollie . Bill

These photos are just amazing....thank you for sharing John. So much to see and do, so much to learn.

Found this ....as a past post on that issue.

I am also planning to play before the event too. It is a very nice course. David

Thanks for the feedback, John

Past few years, they've organized a round one morning.

Patriot, thanks for bringing up this post. Definitely worth rereading. Glacier is an amazing visit .

It was a joke, I'm sure I guess he forgot the emojis. Me, I'm one of those who gets cranky when I pull into a site where someone, legally or illegally, has dropped a tank of grey water and left a trail of dinner bits . Not only are they stinky and unsightly, but they attract raccoons and larger 4 legged visitors to my tranquil spot

I wouldn’t read too much into this. Bill has a dry sense of humor and is in no way an advocate for animal cruelty. Dumping soapy water into a hole in the ground isn’t much different than a good hard rain.

We are registered for the rally and looking forward to meeting our extended Oliver family. A special thank you to Bill aka “Topgun2” for helping us along the way on this new owner journey. David & Kathy Austin

Glad to hear that you will be joining us! Bring bikes (if you have them), a good pair of walking shoes, and a camera. It really is a very nice facility and with all the Olivers to look at plus the seminars to attend, you will have a very full number of days. I'll try to make it a point to stop by and say hello. Bill

We reserved our spot today, we will see y'all from site F29!!!

That is a level. I followed @John E Davies's excellent installation instructions HERE. I positioned it so that I can see it in the tow vehicle's rear view mirror. With curved levelers under the wheels, it is really easy to level!

Steve has the Fiamma awning though, and the screens were a kit they offered. Carefree had something similar but not as complete. I don't know of anything that Dometic has, though they might. Maybe you could buy both Steve's awning and screens off of him - make him an offer he can't refuse. 🤪

Here's a link to mossemi's mod. Looks like a good solution: We have a pop up shower/toilet tent for tent camping. It never gets packed now, but it was useful back in the day. The biggest problem with outdoor showers is draining the water away so that you don't end up standing in a puddle of mud. I saw a portable shower pan one time that you could hook a hose to, to drain the water away. It was a good start to an idea, but the pan was solid, so it was bulky and heavy. You'd think something could be moulded from rubber that could be rolled up.

This works for me when needed.

John pretty much covered it. We keep a long hose in the bumper for times when it's OK to drain grey water. Just use your common sense as to when it's OK, and follow the two simple rules that you don't let it drain right into the campsite and that you should let it trickle over time rather than pour out all at once. If we do have a full grey tank and are on gravel roads, we might let it trickle out as we drive (I made a short hose that allows me to drain the tank out of the corner of the bumper as we go.) Camco makes an adapter that will allow you to drain your grey tank into a standard campground dump station. We have one but I've yet to use it.

I say if you're in a place where you need a curtain, you should move. If you have to be in a place where you need a curtain, just don't use one and most other people will move. Let it all hang out.

For the outside one, no, there is no curtain, nor am I aware of any way to attach one. You could use a free standing enclosure, but you would need to extend the shower hose for it to reach. I think that most people don’t use it for bathing, rather for a quick rinse of your feet or your dog’s paws. There are a bunch of “pop open” enclosures starting at about $50. You toss it up in the air and it self erects in the air. Pretty cool to watch. Getting it put back to its storage frisbee shape can be a challenge .... practice at home and do not lose the instructions. I personally would not miss the shower if it were gone. I have only used it a couple of times in three seasons.... John Davies Spokane WA

I think ALL established campgrounds frown upon it. In a primitive spot out west, in the desert or forest, nobody will see or care if you water those starved scrubby bushes. Just let it trickle out gradually, don't empty the entire 30 gallons in a few minutes! A 50 foot 3/4' garden hose attached to a 3" to 3/4" Garden Hose Sewer Adapter works fine. You don't need to use the big stinky slinky hose for this job.... I actually dump my grey tank at home onto the gravel driveway, sometimes. I carry a short section of garden hose and a bucket. In an emergency I could carefully drain some grey water into that and dump it into a grey water disposal grating IF it is not prohibited by posted signs. Never dump your black tank except in a proper spot! .... https://www.newsweek.com/dave-matthews-band-dropped-800-pounds-feces-chicago-sightseers-14-years-ago-1064129 John Davies Spokane WA

Clams are popular. In cold weather a propane fire pit keeps things warm. I’m not aware of anything that ties into the awning on the new Oliver’s. But, depending on your site you could position a Clam or other screen room close by. Keeping the awning deployed can be interrupted by wind and weather. Mike

I live close to to Guntersville, what can i do to help? I'm a brand new Ollie owner hull #126. She's probably seen a lot more country than me.

Trainman - A number of years ago I purchased a fairly large one of these puppies and found that while it held a bunch of "stuff", it was difficult to handle - (read that - it was heavier than sh**). So, I sold it and got a smaller one. I don't remember the exact size, but, it is small enough that in the event that there is no dump in the area, I can simply wheel it into a regular toilet or pit toilet, lift it onto the commode and dump it there. Yes, I might have to make more than one trip but the smaller size is much more flexible with regards to where I can get it emptied. Bill

Denise - I'd go as far o say that it would be a mistake to not attend the Owner's Rally. And, we'd love to have you join us. Besides getting a good look you will also get to see what owners have done to this great camper. From modifications to decorations you will see all kinds of things. These things will help you get your own creative juices flowing and help you with the design of your very own Ollie. Virtually all owners are more than willing to show you their camper - just ask and bring your camera. Hope to see you there! Bill

Hi Denise, David and I went to the rally in May last year but we weren't picking up our Ollie until Sept. It was great to see so many Olivers and meet so many nice people. The sense of community is kind of amazing. We stayed in the Lodge which has a great view of the lake. The campground is quite a trek away so we ended up driving to many events, but other events were right in the Lodge. It worked out fine. Paula

Flathead Lake State Park, West Unit looking east at the Park: http://stateparks.mt.gov/west-shore/ EDIT 04/20/20: I misnamed this park and have corrected the description. The water is crystalline clear. There are no sites at water level, you have to hike down. John Davies Spokane WA

Going To The Sun area: The big red buses are cool. They have a soft top and the tourists pop up all together like meerkats when there is a photo stop. (Not my picture): John Davies Spokane WA

Last year, or maybe the year before, we bought a portable weBoost to test on our mountain property. It was simple. Plug into the 12v cigarette lighter outlet, put the antenna outside through the window. Portable means kind of "deploy every time." Unfortunately. we had zero tmobile signal, anywhere, when I did scans with our tmobile devices, so I returned it. You have to have some very weak signal to boost.... Our Verizon devices already worked fine. But, we did get a boost on the Verizon. That's why we carry devices from two carriers when we travel. Usually, if there's any signal at all, either tmobile or Verizon can connect. Sherry

3M specifically warns agains using alcohol for prep. Right there on the back lable. It inhibits the cure. For other brands, read and follow the manufacturer’s directions. It would be very bad to spend hours on a job, only to have the sealant not kick off due to a stupid senior moment brain fart in the prep work. If I were doing this repair I would certainly use 3M 4000. It is a great product, though expensive. It is suitable for semi permanent repairs, where you hope never to have to do it again, but it would be possible to get the part loose. John Davies Spokane WA

Use a PLASTIC scraper and you will not scratch the gel coat. If you can find a piece of thick plexiglass, that works extremely well. I used this method for many years while working on aircraft. I used pieces of a busted windshield, but you may not be able to find that product ;) .... You can sharpen it with a belt sander or file and it cuts very well but does not damage soft surface. Tip for finding a leak: use a blue paper shop towel folded up under the area. When a drop falls on it, the paper turns dark blue and it is super easy to see that the area is wet. Much much more visible than a cloth rag. This is a great method for finding plumbing leaks, you can leave the towel in place indefinitely and see any water seepage at a glance. Follow the directions on the tube closely if you use a 3M 4000 type sealer. You must use MEK, toluene or a similar solvent to clean, NOT isopropyl alcohol, which will prevent the stuff from setting properly. That would ruin your day. Since you are doing this outside, try to pick a mild dryer day, use a fast set product and allow a few hours at least. If you like, you can secure a piece of plastic over the area before you leave, AFTER the sealant is no longer tacky to the touch and the blue masking tape is removed. If you have access to a canopy, you might be able to rig it close to the trailer and tape a tarp to the Ollie (across the gap) to provide a dry work space. Tip up the nose up if needed to get the top a little lower. Be patient, do it right the first time. Take pictures! Good luck. John Davies

Update.... this has been working really well and I appreciate the ease of getting the trailer close to level just by driving back and forth a few feet. An extra body outside is useful for levelling front to back, but even if you are alone it is helpful to get the best location to park. If a site is fairly level, you often can get the trailer aligned in both directions without ever using the jacks. If the terrain is sloping, look for a site that slopes downward from the entry. Then you can use the rear jacks only to level and raise the back, leaving the hitch connected to the truck. This saves time and fussing twice since you can just drive off the next morning. .... Remembering that your rear jacks are deployed, of course! A short piece of red surveyors tape draped around the top of the front jack, or from the top of your steering wheel, will remind you, if you are the forgetful sort like me... driving away with any of the jacks down would be bad and very embarassing. John Davies Spokane WA

Not only why would you do this but why share it? You're a Moderator?