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This is such a very sad case. I read about the wife climbing the hill with her walker, to scoop snow with her mask, for water. My heart broke, thinking of my mom and her limited mobility, using a walker. So incredibly sad. And, dangerous, for her. Also extremely dangerous, to abandon the rv with no supplies in the little car. I would agree, they'd have been better off in the rv. Advice on abandoning ship is always to stay with the boat, if it's floating, even if it's turtled. Tough to spot people bobbing about at sea, as well. A friend of mine learned that many years ago, when their boat rapidly sank. They huddled together (6 people, three life jackets grabbed as the boat went down) around an igloo cooler. No epirb. They all survived, after 14 hours in the water, but several boats passed them, not seeing them in the distance. They had no "float plan" with friends or relatives. No one looking for them. Cell phones destroyed by immersion. No waterproof lights, no flares, no mirror, no waterproof communication, no ditch bag, no life raft, nothing. They were just going out for an overnight trip. Finally their group was rescued when a palm frond floating by was grabbed, a t shirt stuck on top, and a fishing boat in the distance saw them waving desperately. Their story still makes me shudder. So, don't blindly trust gps directions. Look ahead on maps. Think it through. Carry enough stuff to keep alive for awhile. And, consider emergency waterproof beacon/communication gear. These incidents don't have to end in tragedy. And they shouldn't. But, sometimes they do. I know others have talked about emergency evacuation strategies, for fire and storm. That's important, too. If you want to camp in the boonies, you do need strategies. And a satellite communication device can be a big help. At the least, file a plan with a friend or relative. Heck, I have orders from my mom to call her when I get home, 6 miles away. It's not unreasonable. And, its about the love, and safety.

This is one of my worst nightmares! I am so happy you and your loved ones are alive! I have noticed in recent years how many people are distracted and crossing the centerline. I see it and am on the lookout all the time, even within five miles of my house! I can't even imagine the terror of rolling with camper in tow. Blessings to you and your search for a new Ollie 🙂 ♥️

Congratulations and happy travels. We were there for pickup a few days before you. Glad you survived the first night under the very intense glare of the factory lights. Despite the intense illumination, we really appreciate the on-site camping. Made our pickup much easier and less stressful.

Whatever! Just get it done so you can get on with your life! If mama ain't happy ......... 😇

Had a thought.... If you have not found this guy yet. You might want to post on the Oliver FB group and ask members who live in the area this happened in to post and share the crap out of the photo of the driver. Give the PD information / phone number / case number. Someone in that area will know this guy and just might drop a dime on him. Again, very glad you are ok. Best of luck in finding a new Oliver and getting out there again. Scotty

Frank: I like your approach of having two safety supports at the tire change side. In addition, I only jack up my OE2 ATTACHED to my truck. Parking brake set of course. So, should something upset the apple cart, I'll have three safety points. Nothing like having a 6,000 pound truck as an anchor. 🙂 GJ

John, For what it is worth, we have the paper towel holder version of the last one you have mentioned and it has stayed attached for almost three years with only one suction cup. We have been happy with it. Andrew

We did a live aboard dive trip in 2010 on the Great Barrier Reef. One of the requirements was that every diver have a "safety sausage". An inflatable tube about 8 feet long by 6" in diameter. Easy to blow up and hold vertically above the water. One pair of divers came up a long way from the boat (after I was aboard) and inflated it and it was so easy to see. Without it.. not so much. The zodiac picked them up. I never... never.. go diving without one now. Safety equipment is a must. This is a sad story and I will admit that after the first reports of them being found I was sure it was foul play. I hope others will learn from their mistake.

Yes, I was referring to the orange blocks. We put those under our tires instead of one of the ramp products like the Anderson.

A very sad story. Definitely a lot of lessons here for anyone traveling in remote areas. And a good reason to travel with a full fresh water tank and some basic non-perishable food/canned goods in the pantry. With the 30 gallons of fresh water in the Ollie, and some basic food supplies you could go for a month (or more) in survival mode with water rationing. Maybe I’m overly paranoid 🙂 but every one of our vehicles in the family has a very complete kit of survival basics, plus I usually have a bug-out bag as well when traveling anywhere. Too many sad stories like these folks, or even just the winter snowstorm back in January that had people stuck on I-95 in Virginia for over 24 hours. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/01/04/winter-storm-power-outages-interstate-95-virginia/9087146002/

I will add that you should contact a news tv station in Alberquerque, usually the bigger city stations have a consumer advocate reporter that might be happy to post a story with your dash cam picture and very dramatic rolled Ollie images. The odds are VERY high that the guy is local, and somebody will see the pic and notify that news station. Nobody likes hit and run drivers, especially the ones that flee a potentially fatal accident scene without even stopping... By getting away, he most likely will re-offend, meaning the high likelihood that he will kill some people. Have the police made any progress, or have they given up? It is time to get mad about this, and actively pursue leads. Did you see this story from exactly a year ago from Idaho? Unfortunately, dramatic crashes are newsworthy. I think yours is too. Good luck. John Davies Spokane WA

Congratulations! 🙂

We love these gutters as it has solved the perpetual battle to clean (with nominal success in the battle to prevent water ingress) the weep/drainage holes and channels for the windows. I applied in summer so the temps were warm/hot and adhesion was good. Also, as John mentioned, having a decent length of straight run beyond the curved section helps anchor things.

We'll be covering over 12,000 miles this summer. I figure that with all that is going on in the world, to delay our Canada/Alaska trip may result in a lost opportunity... forever. My recommendation is that if you have the means to do so, roll your Ollie's this summer and do that trip while we still can.

The Grumman Goose of the RV trailer world. I was almost expecting station codes for all your destinations. Standing by in PUW, waiting for our September delivery date.

So glad you are okay. Must have been horrifying for sure. As people have mentioned, stuff can be replaced. Really hope you are made whole by the insurance companies and that you're able to get back to camping as soon as reasonably possible. Your concern for the family that was traveling behind you speaks to the kind of people you are. And you are handling the whole thing incredibly well given that you can laugh about people that mentioned your boat not faring too well.

Others may disagree but we have stored our Elite II with 4 lead acid batteries over long Montana winter months with no issues for 7 years now. All I have done is to make sure they are fully charged, then turn off solar, and all parasitic battery drains. Once I bring the camper out of storage they still maintain a charge of 12.8 volts ± a fraction. If you leaved them plugged in and continually charging you will most like boil the water out of them doing more damage in the long run than disconnecting. Note this includes solar charging as well. After over 7 years our 4 batteries are just now starting to diminish a slight amount as of this past winter. Hope this helps.

Wow! What a nightmare, so glad you came out without any serious injuries or worse. Unbelievable.

First of all... so thankful that you are physically ok! Everything else pales in comparison. That said I have also wondered why states (Ohio included) have done away with the requirement for the front license plates? Good luck on your search for a quick replacement. They aren't easy to find... but I've a sneaking feeling that the same God that protected you in that crash... will bless you in your replacement search as well. You will probably find yourselves in a late model LEII all tricked out with the best mods, improvements and gizmos... all ready to hit the road again....but hardly used! 🙂

That's terrible...it is amazing you are all ok!!! What a blessing! Thoughts and prayers are with you, as you deal with this and begin to start your new camping journey.

Wow! That is a terrible accident. Glad you are ok. Hope you are able to find a replacement trailer and can continue with your travel plans in the future. And I hope the video is enough to help the police identify the other vehicle & driver.

I forgot, you both really need to get checked out medically, you can have all sorts of whiplash injuries from a high speed rollover, better make sure those aches are not broken bones or worse. I guess this may sound a little morbid, but can you post the full video of the accident? John Davies Spokane WA

Mark and Cyndi, Oh , wow. I am so very thankful that all of you, including the couple and baby behind, survived. Angels were watching over you, I am sure. As I fight back tears, I'm so very happy no one was seriously injured. What a difference seconds can make.

I am looking for non-permanent (no drill) racks for shower sundries (shampoo, body wash, tooth paste, face towel) and also pill bottles and contact lens solutions in the galley, high up behind the range. There is 24” wide x 9.5” tall space there (with the range cover lifted for use, which we rarely actually use.) I haven’t measured the bathroom walls, but there seems to be plenty of room. None of the racks would be loaded while traveling. There are a bunch, here are three I found. Any comments or other suggestions are most welcome. I am leaning toward the last one, because it doesn’t rely on a big adhesive sheet of clear plastic. And I only want 304 stainless, not “chrome metal” or plastic. My wife has been bugging me to get this done. Thanks. John Davies Spokane WA

I have a broken Anderson Leveler (the red ones) and it has a crack in it cross ways. I was going to check with Anderson, but the company says I need a purchase receipt to get a replacement, of course I don't still have it. So am I out of luck. Any ideas of what to do as far as a replacement. This is the second one that has cracked, I am using them correctly and do not run up or off then incorrectly, that is I just roll up and then back off the correct way. I may go with something else, as this is getting expensive for no more then they get used, I may just build them out of wood, the ones I have at home that I use there are some 40 years old and work great. Any ideas from you out there. trainman

I found my receipt for the Anderson Levelers, got online with Anderson and sent them the pics of the receipt and the broken leveler. I purchased the levelers from Walmart online and they were shipped to me direct from Anderson, I have the shipping box they came in and the shipping label tells the story. Now I'm waiting to hear from them. trainman

There are simply not all that many ways for the bowl to fill. 1 - pour fluids in from the top 🙄 2 - fluids come up from the bottom 🤢 3 - fresh water fill valve is defective. 4 - foot pedal is either defective or stuck (as SeaDawg suggests). #'s 1 & 2 are not very likely. # 4 is a bit of a problem in that how would one "un-stick" it other than playing around with it (i.e. operate it numerous times and see if that cures the issue). # 3 is the most likely cause- I'd try opening the valve by fully stepping on the pedal a number of times as there just may be a small piece of debris in the line that might clear. Past this its off to YouTube to learn how to replace the valve and possibly the foot pedal which operates it or take the camper in for service. Good luck! Bill

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10695961/Indiana-woman-rescued-Nevada-mountainside-reveals-husband-got-LOST-following-GPS.html I have been following this for a week. They made a WHOLE lot of very simple mistakes that added up to personal disaster. They were not even able to backtrack properly in their TOAD, and that also got stuck on a side track…. Please, don’t follow your gps blindly, and never venture into the remote boonies without a satellite communicator and adequate emergency supplies. This spot is truly remote. John Davies Spokane WA

I don’t believe that I said I broke a ramp 😁 and I’m not sure if Trainman did either, although I do believe he did. That’s why I ask the question. Mossey

Please indulge my question as I often become confused when reading the original post and then the responses make me question my thoughts: Are you referring to this Andersen product? Because I think Steph and Dud B are referencing this product. Andersen has replaced 3 different products that I have broken, but I did have my receipts. Mossey

Pulled Tail #1052 out of the Ollie hangar on 17 March, stayed on the OTT ramp that night. Day 2 we departed for a Harvest Host winery about 15 miles east where we spent the night, then a Harvest Host brewery on night 3 in Alabaster AL, before landing back in the FL panhandle on Sunday. Trip went well, love the camper. Thanks to all the awesome forum members whose knowledgeable contributions went a long way in helping us prepare for our delivery. Still much to learn, but so far so good! BTW, I'm not smart enough to figure out how to rotate the pics left or right...

We've used the Lynx Leveler lego blocks for years. No issues and they can be used for leveling other things around the campsite. Used them once to build a higher ramp so my stinky slinky would drain better. Use them under the jacks. Used them to level a picnic table leg, etc. etc.

I’ve been using the Beech Lane Camper Levelers for about 2 years. So far they have been good, seem very durable, and lower cost than Andersen. If you check their website for details, they emphasize their nylon construction is stronger than competition. Marketing hype? Maybe.

p.s. If you decide to make your own, you might want to take a look at THIS THREAD which references a YouTube video on making these levelers out of wood. Bill

I recently saw a YouTube video for this leveler that seemed to say that they are built a bit stronger as compared to the Andersens. Having said that - I'm now on my 7th year of using my Andersens and have had zero issues with them. But, back to the original problem of not having a receipt. If you purchased them on Amazon then they will still have or can get you a copy of the receipt. Or, if purchased from another source can you contact them in much the same way? If none of that works then I would phone Andersen and explain what a longtime loyal customer I have been! Good luck! Bill

Great driving! We are thankful that you are both OK. Our best wishes to you both.

What a nightmare! Bless your hearts-thank goodness ya'll are ok.

Wow, that is quite an accident! So glad you are okay!! I have a dash cam that I don’t use much…. looks like yours provided key evidence. It’s interesting that the trailer separated the way it did, just leaving the bottom outer hull. There’s another Oliver out there waiting for you - hope you can get back on the road soon!! Mike

We live in Oregon where it's required to have both front and rear license plates. I think it's crazy to not have both ends with license plates. The dash cam would catch the number on the plate in this case and make it easier to catch the guy. Now all they have is the truck appearance and if the driver had his mouth open, then maybe the images of his surprised wide open mouth would help identify him through dental records.

1. And certainly by far this IS #1 - Glad everyone is OK! Given the pictures, the alternative(s) could have been sooooooo much worse. 2. Given your description - that Ford and that Oliver did remarkably well. Can you imagine what a stick built camper would have looked like after that accident? 3. Big props to the responders (let alone those traveling behind you) for all the help. Obviously this was not simply another case of them just doing their jobs as they went well above and beyond. 4. When things get settled a bit you might want to forward any pictures you have of the truck and camper to Oliver. I'm certain that the entire Family would be interested but, in particular the engineering staff would want to see a real life destroyed Ollie. Its interesting to me how the top three shells separated from the bottom outside shell. 5. If there is anything that I can do for you - please do not hesitate to let me know! Bill

Glad you're ok, best of luck finding your next Oliver! John

Hello Mark and Cyndi, I am glad that everyone (including the cat) made it through uninjured. I hope that they put out a warrant for this person! Best of luck in finding an Oliver replacement. Dale & Sara

So glad you and your cat are unhurt. So sorry your current travels ended that way. Best of luck as you regroup and get back to your lives.

Higher fuel prices should dampen a lot of the new RV enthusiasm. Folks that have been at it a while will probably just suck it up and drive on. I’ll be driving a little slower to bump up mileage, but we will still be on the road. Mike

johnwen- Let me see if I understand - Bad storm coming with potential for very serious issues. You decide that it will be safer to make a run for it. Result is that no one was injured (in your family) and only minor damage was incurred in doing it. You took care of the important things and the rest will sort themselves out. Sure does sound like a success story to me! Bill

It concerns me... but I'm at least blessed enough financially to be able to afford to travel despite the increased fuel charges. So I'm just ball parking some numbers here, but if I get about 14MPG and use somewhere in the neighborhood of 165 gallons on that 2300 mile trip it means that it's going to cost me another $165 each way (round trip it's $330) MORE than fuel was just a year ago. The last time we traveled extensively it was spring of 2022... we were in a tear-drop camper and because of it... we tended to almost exclusively go to KOA's for the shower/bath house facilities... and pay anywhere from $45 ~70 per night depending on the locale. Why? We needed those nicer facilities because we didn't have them in our little tear-drop. Now when we get in our Ollie... we expect to be staying in state parks, Core of Engineers, maybe a even a few Harvest Hosts or even the occasional Cracker-docking (love that word!). We even expect to stay at least a few times on BLM. All told, even considering the higher cost of fuel (say $500 more).... we will easily save that now that we can choose places that I might not have wanted to stay in before. All that and we are going to be obscenely comfortable in our new Ollie! And let's not even talk about all the great campsites that will be opened up to us going forward. The other off-set is that our house is going to be virtually shut off while we are gone. Typically our travels have taken us out for 6 weeks or so at a time but when we leave this time... there is no telling when we are going to make it home again! 🙂 So we are going to enjoy life while we can and be grateful to God for every day we get! And no looking back! I'm also reminded of how fortunate we are in this country to only have to worry a bit about the current cost of fuel.

Thanks everyone for your incredible input. Yes, we have the smaller Legacy Elite, (Hull #799), which doesn't have the contortionist tool, er...access port. Being that we want to be able to use a filter when filling the tank, space is a big issue for us and most importantly, I'm just a lazy bum, we're going to give the drill pump method a try. PS: I would have responded with my thanks earlier, but we've been too busy enjoying life on and off the road! Rob K

It was Amber Falls Winery...very good wine and nice people. Narrow road going up and coming down, but we had a great time. Thanks for flipping my pic SeaDawg!!

Hi John, Seems like this original post went off in a fun direction but I wanted to throw my two cents in regarding the original question, and I'm looking at it from a different direction. The Oliver LEII is expensive, no question about it. It took me three years of delay before I finally laid down the money. The delay was to get confident that it was worth the money. I told myself that I could very easily get a Jayco for half the cost and be done with the whole matter. But, I was working hard at my job, saving my money, and continuing to look at other companies. When the time came to order, I went with the options I wanted (including the Lithium Pro) and tried to ignore the price. The way I figured it, I'd already decided to get one of the most expensive trailers on the market and didn't want to have any regrets down the road. So, if you want the Lithium Pro, go for it. I love my setup and it's worked very well.

We bit the bullet and rented an enclosed garage nearby. They added an electric outlet so we can keep it connected to shore power to keep the batteries charged. This worked for us since we can't store RV's in our neighborhood. Decades ago, we used RV covers. They are HEAVY, especially when wet. At the ages we are now, there is no way I want my husband on a ladder to do this task. In fact, I recently removed the ladder from the front closet for this reason. Please consider the safety factor when making your decision.