Leaderboard

You might want to purchase your used tow vehicle soon after you put your deposit down. Put 5-10k on it to get used to how it rides, blind spots, and take care of any squawks it might have before you hook up to the Oliver.

Maybe it’s generational, but I don’t understand folks that leave trash and waste when they leave. We always try to leave our site (whether dispersed or campground) better than how we found it.

As one who takes delivery of an Elite II in September, I add my voice to the chorus quoted above. I have been driving a full-sized SUV or pickup towing my raft trailer for decades. Backing a trailer took me a long time to "get." And, backing looking over your shoulder is very different than backing using side mirrors. There are blind spots in most tow vehicles that make it impossible to see your trailer at certain angles. A rear view camera mounted on the back of your trailer is extremely useful for backing, but that, too, is a somewhat different skill set that takes time to develop. I recommend you review, several times, Oliver's excellent video showing how to hook up a tow vehicle. As shown in the video, be sure to cross the safety chains. This creates a "cradle" for the trailer tongue to drop onto (instead of the road) should the coupler come loose from the hitch ball. How do I know? Well.......... Towing an Oliver presents new issues even for me, as I have never owned a trailer with its own brakes. Those brakes should be burnished right after delivery, and before you have to make an emergency stop. And, your tow vehicle must have an installed trailer brake controller with 7-pin connector to communicate with the electric brakes on the Oliver. The "gain" on the trailer brake controller should be adjusted once you take delivery on your Ollie, and before you hit the road. This is not a comprehensive list of things you must learn and skills you must develop to safely tow an Oliver trailer. Which is why I concur that it is wise to work up the "trailering" learning curve long before you pick up a tow vehicle "somewhere near Tennessee" on your way to take delivery of your Ollie.

Yep, mounted a WeBoost atop the flagpole. Works good when nestled under trees and better when not. Fabricated antenna mount to fit pole end.

Baxter, our 16 month old Australian Labradoodle, travels with us in the back seat of our Tundra. We have a hammock that covers the entire back seat. He has a dog bed on one end and blankets and toys. He has a harness that is buckled in. Today he stayed in the Kennel a Carlsbad Caverns for a couple hours. Then he joined us at a brew bub. We had dinner. We brought Baxter's dinner and drink with us. He's been to the groomer in Naples, and walked Bourbon Street inNew Orleans. He makes friends everywhere. Here he is as first mate in our summer camper! He is the best! Still learning but just an awesome companion!!

This is what I've been doing -- practicing with a friend's truck and his medium sized landscape maintenance trailer. Practice practice practice.

Have you ever towed anything before? Driven a full sized truck? I would like to repeat and emphasize what FrankC said: Without a doubt, it would be prudent for you to learn to tow a trailer in both directions - backing while maneuvering especially is VERY tricky - long before you arrive in TN. Rent a U-haul or travel trailer, borrow a truck. Practice practice! We have had more than one new Ollie owner who discovered that RV life and handling a truck and trailer is NOT as simple and personally rewarding as you imagine it to be! It did not turn out well in some cases…. Much emotional heartache, wailing and gnashing of teeth, appeals for help and financial loss was the end result. It does not have to end this way. https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/1978-nature039s-head-composting-toilet-installation-in-an-oliver-big-thread/ John Davies Spokane WA

30lb propane tanks are nice to have but they are heavy. I have to stand on a step to lift a full one over the lip of the trailer enclosure. A 30lb tank has about 7 gallons of propane. A 20lb tank has about 5 gallons. An option would be to carry an extra 20lb tank that you could swap out if one on the trailer runs out. I carry an extra 20lb tank for our fire pit and grill (if I don’t use the trailer quick connect). Like BIll says, an important but often overlooked feature on any potential half ton truck is payload capacity. You’ll need to add your tongue weight (around 500-600lbs), people weight, tonneau cover weight and anything you carry in the truck cab and bed. We always run our fridge on propane while traveling. Once we had to pull over to turn it off for a tunnel, there was a pull off space to do that. Most tunnels don’t seem to require that. Mike

West of Albuquerque, New Mexico is the Space Alien dropping off point. Often 18 wheelers and Trailers in Tow spend the evening. If you are not looking... you will miss the exit. I hate to disappoint anyone. Nothing happened after Sunset or Sunrise to wake us up and the Blue Heelers. Another disappointment near Meteor Crater, which is further west from here.

Traveling North on UT 261 approaching the Moki Dugway The Ghost Town Animas Forks, CO Jackson, MS, one of the deadliest cities in America Finally, the way it should be... Old Drilling Rig stuck in the Bentonite in the Backcountry near Capitol Reef NP

Hmm. Much, I agree with. But one point I can't agree on. We don't ever "bathe" or "rinse off " with soap in rivers or streams. Even biodegradable soaps can contribute to pollution and imbalance of fragile ecosystems. We have enough pollutants running into our waterways, imo, from other sources . I don't need to add to it. If you must use lake or stream water to bathe, take it away from the shore in a container, imo. And disperse the effluent where the earth can filter. Another thing, for new campers. Boondocking is a super appealing idea. But, please educate yourself on proper preservation of the environment. In some remote places, your footsteps can crush years, or even decades of growth. If there are established paths, please stay on them. If there are established sites, please use them. I've found so many places cluttered with stuff from previous campers, it's disheartening, and I've spent hours cleaning up behind others . Many of us bought our trailers to get out and enjoy nature. Let's do our best to make sure it's there for the next generations, too. Tread lightly. Pack in/pack out. Leave your campsite as good or better than you found it , please. Use resources wisely, and enjoy what you see and experience. I'm sure @BoondockingAirstreamand I agree on that 100 per cent.

I have the biggest shower, it is located in the campground restrooms, why would you want to shower in a 3x3 area. Ok, I know many would not use the campground shower because they have "Cooties". trainman

Paper plates, paper cups, paper bowls, paper towels when I'm camped where there is no H2O and sewer connection - which is 90% of the time. Besides not having to wash dishes (prep pots excluded when necessary of course) I collect these "dirty" items along with all other paper/burnable items and using an existing fire pit/ring I burn them. Saves potable water, saves time, saves landfill and keeps things clean. Bill

When I got my Oli, I bought a very low millage 99 F250 SD. Tires had great tread, but were 2010. The full size spare was 1998 that had never touch the ground. Needless to say I spend $1400 for 5 tires on a Thanksgiving deal. I got the tires that I wanted, with the tread pattern and hardness that I wanted. Same thing with my wife car. Got a very low milage Camry. Drove one year on the previous tires and then replaced with tires that I wanted. We have tons of rain and some snow. To me all tires are NOT equal. I like to spend time finding the right tire for my driving. My daily driver 08 Corolla has 290K miles. the current tires will last until 330K. I retire in 2.9years. That puts me out at 340K on the car. My last set of tires will most likely NOT be top of the line tires. Even though the car runs great and uses less than 4oz oil in 4000 miles, I will probably get rid of it.

Kim, Folks on this forum are terrific, sincere, and truly offering sound advice. I have greatly benefited from their help and advice. I will also share a couple simple thoughts. Check lists for hooking up and preparing for departure, and a separate one for setting up your trailer upon arrival are really good. Most of us have had difficulty at one point or another, most of which might have been avoided with the check list. Consider storing your heavy items low in your trailer vs high in the overheads. Items like cast iron pots and pans if you decide to use them. We wish you all the best in your experience. I must admit when I read your first post and subsequent post inquiring about the nice Ford F 150 for sale in PA it really reminded me of the person that I believe John Davies is referring to. Folks on this forum went above and beyond to help and offer very good advice. The person had not learned all of the features of their truck which lead to further frustration. That person went all in and didn't get some of the needed experience offered in advance. Folks are trying to help. You are a different person so your experience will be different and terrific. It takes time!! Nothing beats the experience of doing these things. A couple of simple things can help make things go well. Like, getting your truck and trailer lined up perfectly straight make a big difference in attaching and removing the Andersen hitch. The $16 investment l made in the two hitch pins at Tractor Supply were worth their weight in gold!!. I wish I did this 2 years ago. Good luck with everything and take your time. I made a bunch of mistakes, still am, and am learning too. We had the truck, but did have to add a break controller. I had to learn that. I am about to learn more as we head toward the mountains Monday for the next 45 days. I had towed boats 23ft and 5000 lbs was the largest, and work trailers but nothing with electric brakes and nothing using the truck tow/haul mode to help defending steep grades. Towing the Ollie long distances was different. Learning you have to pick gas stations carefully to have enough room to maneuver to get fuel but more importantly have room to leave so you don't hit your trailer making tight maneuvers. I use the back up camera as a rearview mirror when towing during the daylight. (It is too bright for me at night when towing). I am still learning and getting more proficient with the help of this Forum. This will be fun but it is work too! Good luck and have a blast!!! Exciting!!!

Remember those ads with the Native American chief crying about the trash beside the road? It was a problem in the past, it became part of our national consciousness and got better, now this generation has forgotten. Maybe it's time to bring those ads back.

Yes, shorter trailers react to steering input faster and are easier to jackknife than longer trailers. I find our FD's 27' command trailer easier to back than our little boat trailer.

1 - if you plan on doing a bunch of cold weather camping then the 30 pound propane tanks should be seriously considered. If not then normally the 20 pound tank are a bit easier to deal with. 2 - for places where you are not allowed to run your fridge on propane either simply turn it off for a short period of time or place it on DC mode. If using the DC mode be very careful to make sure that you turn it back to propane (or 120 volt) so that you do not run your batteries down. 3 - yes, you can use a 1/2 ton pickup as long as its tow rating is high enough - some can tow up to 14,000 pounds when equipped properly. And, be mindful of your payload capacity. This is important since you will be full-timing and probably will want to carry a bunch of stuff. 4 - since you are normally traveling alone (I think) a rear camera is very helpful. I still get out of my tow vehicle to look at where I'm backing into, but, for things from traffic to animals to kids to that tree or rock to ..... etc. a backup camera is extremely helpful. 5 - you didn't ask but a tire pressure monitoring system - TPMS - is another thing that you should strongly consider. 6 - I don't have a composting toilet. Before buying one be sure to understand BOTH the pluses and minuses of them. That's a bunch of money to handle poop in a different way. Bill

Thanks everyone! John, I do plan on getting the new AC. My sales rep Josh said to plan approximately 1 to 1.5 thousand. Oliver connected me with owner Andrew who was very gracious, patient and kind having me over to see their Oliver Elite II. I visited twice. He was great….. answered so many of my questions. Great showing…Interior and exterior. I’m in San Diego. I’m a New England girl. My plan is to find and purchase a tow vehicle somewhere near Tennessee, then drive to pick up the Oliver, get aquatinted, then drive to the Cape to visit my family then drive back to San Diego. This will be from October to November. I’m certainly going to get to know my TV and my Olie. Dewdev I am going with the upgrade mattresses. Not sure if I should do 30 lb propane tanks d/t stores to purchase them are few and far between. Also I read that it is dangerous and in Some states against the law to travel with your propane open to run the frig. How do you all do it? Any advice on a tow vehicle will be appreciated. Can I get by with a half ton pick up and be safe, to tow up to 10,000 pounds….. gently used with low mileage. and…Yay or nay on the back up camera for the Oliver? And lastly…for tonight anyway, has anyone had any issues with the composting toilet? 😬 again, I appreciate all of your responses, feedback and advice.

I don't worry about Cooties but athlete’s foot is a common fungal infection picked up from a public shower floor. Also, wart viruses and HPV can be present. The most serious common infection that you can acquire from a public shower is MRSA, or methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus. This can cause abscesses in the skin that may require treatment with antibiotics or surgical drainage.

Excellent and interesting signs. This sign is posted in a small town in Nevada, across from a Casino and a Denny's where we spend the evening at the large gravel lot to the East. There is a RV Park with trees a bit north and this sign is to persuade 'campers' to squeeze into a small space, if possible. No facilities, truckers find it convenient, as well. The Double Cheeseburger and Fries is good for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner or a 'snack' for those of us who burn the calories wandering the canyons, mesas, mountains and have a wrist GPS in the event we get lost. The GPS gives us direction to go, distance and if it were not for the canyon walls... the one mile short cut... is closer to 4 miles to access our camp.

On our boat, the one dry bath, separate shower often becomes a sail locker, or storage locker. The original bath becomes a wet bath. Separate shower in rental rvs often gets the same destination. Laundry bags, boots, etc, til we need to use it, then its a mess putting stuff elsewhere. I'm of course really used to wet baths, so take it for what it's worth. I have zero issues with a multipurpose room. I actually prefer it.

I didn't think I would like a wet bath but it is incredibly practical. 1. Sit on toilet to shave legs 2. Toilet gets cleaned everytime you shower - ahem, whether it needs it or not.

My break time is over Sorting Thousands of Casino Dice... but had these signs to add. Montana Forest Service, Zion National Park when you are towing OUT at the South End and pay $15, Nevada (NO Fish at Fish Lake... These are for Lithium Evaporation Ponds and create Sink Holes in the process when drawing the salt brine from deep underground.

A dry bath in a small camper is comprised of some "expensive" real-estate given how much actual time is spent in that shower versus that same space's other possible uses. Yes, I know of a number of people that use the shower as a storage closet, but, of course that means cleaning out the closet/shower each time you would like to use it for wet purposes. The Oliver is my first camper with a wet bath and I didn't think that I would actually be happy with it - but - I am now. The fiberglass is very easy to clean/wipe dry and the space used for the closet is much more practicable. Bill

Tent camping…. I took my camping partner tent camping once right after we got married. We laugh about it now, but didn’t then. After that trip it took 40 years to talk her into looking at a trailer, initially aluminum but ultimately fiberglass. Now she’s an experienced, enthusiastic camper. Mike

Where would you put your coats/ hats/ clothes? There really are not any good alternatives, unless you put up a line and leave them all hanging in the middle of the cabin. I do that with wet towels, but I would never consider it to be a permanent solution! John Davies Spokane WA

You do have an option to have a shower curtain installed such that the side with the toilet is blocked from the shower. We have this and it is really better that a 'dry' bath because the curtain will flex out of your way when you move around giving the functioality of a larger shower.

In that image the closet does look a lot like a shower so I can understand the question. But a closet it is, for better or worse. Oliver could probably turn that space into a separate shower with some clever design work, so you ought to mention that to your salesperson, if only so they can gauge interest. Perhaps in the future they’ll be able to offer options. For the most part, Oliver leans toward the practical when it comes to design trade offs like that. That tendency appeals to some, not to others.

My name is Kim. I am a newbie to camping and the whole enchilada! 😬 But I have a passion! And very confident that I can learn this! 🤓 I have been researching all RV’s, travel trailer’s, 5th wheels, class A, B and C’s for a little while now and I am convinced that the Oliver E II is the one for me. I completed the build list and have my quote. Before I send in my deposit I would like to discuss my plans and hear from others that may have similar plans as myself. This Forum is wonderfully filled with so much experience and knowledge on the art and science of camping and traveling. It’s always been my dream to travel and experience this beautiful country of ours! i’m wondering if there are any traveling nurses out there that work and live and travel in their Oliver elite two that would like to share what they’ve learned their knowledge experience and not just the traveling nurses but anyone. I don’t even have a tow vehicle yet but have been doing my homework. I am open to learn. I don’t know if I need the list of options that I’ve chosen. Maybe I can dwindle it down with the help of all of you out in Oli land. 🤩 I am so looking forward to hearing from all of you. And please be patient with me as I don’t do social media and this is all new to me. Thank you very kindly, Kim Smith

We travel with two Blue Heelers. They travel in Pet Porters on the back seat, with a blanket folded on the seat to protect wear and tear. When loading our Heelers, I extend the Petstep to their Pet Porter and each Heeler is happy to walk up the ramp and into their Pet Porter. The Petstep is also convenient to use for access in and out of our trailer. We raised our trailer with a 3 inch lift and swapped out from the stock 15 inch tires to 16 inch Michelins. This raised the first step higher and the Petstep is good for Human Beans, as well. The Petstep was purchased some years ago, so you will need to search the Internet. It is 72 inches long unfolded, 36 inches folded at the hinge and 17 inches wide. I keep it in the back of the tow vehicle and pull it out at Service Station stops and anytime have traveled some time and we all need to get out and stretch our 8 legs. It will take a few prompts to push the back of your dog to get the idea... and they catch on quickly. I did, myself when adapted the ramp into our trailer. When using the Petstep as a ramp access to your Oliver, I place a small footstool support near the middle of the ramp to reinforce it. If you dog(s) jump out of the Pet Porter, they will step onto the edge of the door frame, first. Then quickly go forward with their front paws to the ground. We do not want to injure the shoulders of either of our 'working dogs'. We may walk miles when we hike to explore areas we chose on a map as a 'places of interest'. Your Dog will quickly adapt and it even works for us. You may notice we have two Solar Panels mounted on the roof of the trailer and I added a portable from Costco (100 watt with Controller included for $99.00) for EXTRA charging. When our AGM Interstate batteries are fully charged, the remote shuts off the power to the batteries... all... by itself. Just a FYI. I am posting this for your Dog. This is not some kind of advertisement. Your dog will lick you when you least expect it... and a ramp.

I tent camped as a kid. We had a big canvas tent that my parents and four brothers camped in for several years until my dad could afford a used pop up camper that we pulled behind our Ford Fairlane 500 station wagon. Boy Scouts too. My camping partner doesn’t like tent camping so we’re in a luxurious Oliver! Mike

Really? Do you have some stats that prove this or is it just your opinion? I tent camped (still do) and moved directly to an RV bumper pull/trailer. Bill

We carry plain white Corelle too, same as we use at home. When we don’t have a water hookup we use paper plates and cups. For cookware, we grill or griddle mostly so there’s not much to clean cookware wise. Mike

I understand that used truck inventory is limited and the prices are higher. Not sure if this is still a problem, but it's been mentioned before that there's a shortage of trucks and vehicles in general.

I've been an avid tent camper for decades, about half of it hiking or biking, and half with a small 2 person tent via automobile. I'm hoping that boondocking becomes the better portion of my use of the Oliver -- I want to get out where I can see the stars (in between the satellites). Water is precious and I was taught to clean dishes while they are still moist, using a scrubby rag or steel brillo with salt or sand or baking soda. Now that I think about it, maybe that's why I have the habit of cleaning my cookware and utensils before I sit down to eat! I've been thinking about this as I assemble (in my mind) what to bring when I pick up my Oliver... the nice folks who allowed me to tour their Olivers all used disposable plates and cups, but I was raised differently, so that just doesn't sit well for me. I have some simple white Corelle dinnerware -- light weight dishes (made from 80% recycled glass) and that is what I plan to bring (plates and bowls). I don't drink anything except water and tea, so my cup is easy to keep clean. It's the cookware that I keep thinking about... I plan on my steel pan (good on any source of heat) and my Futura pressure cooker (also serves as a pot and is good on any source of heat -- it's not electric). I'd be interested in what you and others tend to use the most for cookware while boondocking. https://www.corelle.com/ https://www.hawkinscookers.com/WebPCMain.aspx?cat=FSS

@BackofBeyond, hoping the answer is you come back to the fold, one day.

Hmmm. I think the most important and missing piece of info in this discussion is: do you have an extra parking space for a visiting Ollie? And how close are you to any Colorado "attractions"? 😉 John Davies Spokane WA

Entering Zion from the east requires driving through this tunnel. Last month we purposely drove south to Hurricane, UT and then up into Zion to miss this tunnel. The next day we drove the highway without the trailer and it was well worth the time. The tunnel was one way traffic, so waits are normal depending on which way you are driving and which lane has been stopped. Large trailers have to go down the middle of the road due to the rounded sides of the tunnel. It’s 1.1 miles long if I remember right. Mike

If you have the vent fully open, you are losing a huge amount of heat through natural convection. If the winds are not strong, you can crack the vent hatch an inch or two using the manual knob. Leave the fan off, as you have been doing. Cracking the bath vent the same way and leaving that door open is also helpful. Do NOT leave the Maxx Fan vent partially open if the wind is strong or gusty, it will stress the rain cover and maybe break something. The only time that cover is secure (not flopping around) is when it is fully closed or fully open. If you have the vent cracked and hear loud rattles, that is what is going on, and you need to open or close the vent fully. Video: …. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=k423UiXa7h8 Stay warm. John Davies Spokane WA

We are in cold single digit temps last night, tonight, and tomorrow night. Our daytime high was 25 today. Winds 20 to 40mph. I have our propane furnace is set at 67 tonight, our nightstand basement door is open to the basement with our electric Vernodo heater is set up to blow heated air into the basement. We also have a small 3 inch battery operated fan set up just inside the basement nightstand door to aid circulation. We pumped 1/4 pump of antifreeze into the water inlets. I disconnected the outside shower head and drained some water from the hose and shower head. I placed some bat insulation into a plastic garbage bag and placed just inside the outside basement door to help insulate the basement. We have the Trauma on eco mode all day and night. We are only using water from our tank. So far so good. I know some of my neighbors have frozen water pipes and drain pipes. The remote bathrooms in this park are closed due to frozen pipes. It is supposed to get to 50 on Sunday so I will flush our water systems and refill our water tank as we leave early Monday to go to White Sands National Park then on to a Harvest Host winery in Deming for one night on our way to Karchner Caverns State Park in AZ.

No one is offended, I'm sure. We love talking about camping here. That's why we have trailers . And, we sometimes have different views, on various subjects. We keep it clean, and courteous.

Pretty simply, actually. We treat the trailer, as likely you do, as a hard sided tent. We minimize our impact. We live on solar. We pretty much live the same, at home. Solar powered home. Solar powered boat. At home, we collect rainwater, and filter it for use everywhere. As I think you do, we believe in treading as lightly as possible on our planet. We try to use the fewest resources possible. Mess up as little as possible. Leave a very small footprint, if we can . I don't love the desert, like you apparently do. More power to you. Room for everyone. I love trees,mountains and water. Green and blue are my favorite colors. 😁 well, I like all the colors of the ocean...and the mountains. Last year, we actually counted, and 152 days, camping in our 2008 Oliver. It takes some thinking and planning, as you know. Some years more, some less, probably. Is what it is. Happy camping.

I am more curious how YOU Off the Grid Boondock, as would others with Olivers. Yellowstone Park and the Grand Tetons to many at a RV Park is primitive camping and do not mind bumper to bumper traffic. Most people do not buy their Trailers to enjoy Nature... tent campers do. Trailer owners prefer the comforts of their Trailer over primitive Tent Camping. I have hiked and we did not use Tents at high elevations. I am well versed in Archaeology, Geology, Paleontology, Mineralogy, Hydrology, Underground Water Supplies and other outdoor activities. Man left footprints on the Moon. Without an atmosphere, they may be there for centuries. With the Hydrology Cycle of Water on the Earth's surface... footprints are temporary. Ask the Anasazi Indians... which spent a long time throwing trash, which are now illegal to pickup today and countless footprints that no longer are to be found. I love to debate any issue I have experience. If many are offended, I apologize, and will depart as quickly as I arrived. My intent is to provide some information that is otherwise, not discussed on a Forum of this nature. If people are offended, I understand and would advise that the Moderators discuss my intrusions and eagerness to add to topics I am familiar. If the consensus is that I am too focused on the Outdoors... that is because I spent most of my life... outdoors. Please tell me I am stepping over my welcome and I shall take the... proverbial hike, and happy to do so.

I’ve been reading Ray’s posts over on Airforums for a while now. Always interesting and thought provoking. Mike

About 8-9 years ago my wife and I were hiking/photographing for several days in Guadalupe NP. Cold and wet weather was forecast, so we planned a day at Carlsbad Caverns. The weather outside was miserable, but inside the caverns you would never know. We had a fabulous day taking photos in the caverns when there were hardly any other people there. Highly recommended. The walkways in the caverns are well developed and tight spaces can generally be avoided. I occasionally an claustrophobic, but I had no problems.

A few summers ago we rented 2 class C motor homes for a trip through the southwest. (Our friends and my sister and brother in law didn't have enough vacation time to drive out there with their own RVs, so we flew out.) When we got to Phoenix we purchased everything we needed that we couldn't bring on the plane. After a couple of weeks on the road we returned to Phoenix to return the rental units. But first, we gave our little charcoal grill to a young couple in a van and everything else to a seasonal camper in the last campground. He said the regulars there have monthly bingo nights and our gear would be handed out as prizes or given to campers with a need. Fine with us. (It turned out to be an awesome trip the summer before COVID, so we lucked out.)

https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/2758-how-to-wire-cable-clothes-line-full-cabin-length/ FYI All of my modification threads can be found by clicking the link in my signature, which appears after every post. John Davies Spokane WA

Cool flagpole pictures all. Anyone putting a cell antenna on one of these poles to enhance signal?