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Bosker sleeps so well in The Wonder Egg that sometimes he just doesn't want to get up.

Dolly at the start of the day then after a day of camping!

Its been in the 20s the last few days and it seems to be working like it should. What a difference it has made and it was a relatively simple fix for the cost of a $5.00 switch, a $35.00 batterie operated thermostat and a little bit of wire. Bill

I would not paint any aluminum part unless you have extensive experience with aluminum coatings. Coatings which will work are expensive and difficult to apply. Rattle can sprays from your local hardware store will shortly fail. Go to any marina and you will find uncoated 6061 aluminum masts, booms, etc. living very happily in a marine environment The surface will oxidize over time which provides a degree of protection. If you find yourself up to your frame in saltwater give the trailer a good hosing off in fresh water. After a winter of road salts it is good to do the same. Otherwise, don't worry about it. Waxing the hull is a good idea but even left unprotected modern gel coats are extremely durable and will easily outlast anyone old enough to be able to afford an Oliver 🙂

We are glad to hear that you arrived home safely, albeit without power. We also heat with a wood stove in the Sierra Nevada. We keep a couple of big pots of water on it, which helps heat and humidify the house. More importantly, having been through a number of power outages over the years, it provides hot water for bathing, and we keep a pot of beans going on it! Here's hoping you get your power back soon. In the meantime, the Ollie is a nice alternative.

Our Oliver has been outside, 24/7/365 since purchase, in February, 2008. At least half its life is in a coastal saltwater environment, 30 feet from the bay. We wash it when dirty, wax twice a year. Florida sun is brutal. Might be overkill, but we have the Ollie on the same schedule as our fiberglass boats (40+ and 20+ years old. ) That hefty aluminum frame we saw in the factory 15 years ago , and the marine grade gelcoat, are all doing great. No worries about an Oliver at the seashore, imo, if you take care of it.

We will be launching a branded store in the upcoming months. Our obstacle is finding the right partner (supplier) that can offer quality merchandise and dropship for us. We really don't want to inventory apparel here. We have tried a few vendors and one is promising but not happy with the embroidery yet. We are just getting our Rewards Program finalized and will be launched probably tomorrow. Once that project is underway, we can get back to our store project!

That pup is simply going to have to go back to school to learn exactly how to relax!😆

Great to hear that the aluminum frame is standing up to marine environment so well. Guess that makes plenty of sense. Even with lots of exposure over last winter to the hideous stuff they apply to winter roads here in NE, my frame looks pretty good but, you can bet, I'll be watching as that mystery stuff is a different animal from ocean salt. The overly wordy descriptor (apologies) I offered above about Fluid Film is very worth considering for those of us exposed to winter roads for both our trailers and vehicles. Perhaps not for the frames of the Olivers but my trailer axles and suspension parts, LP tank trays - which were heavily corroded - all looked old beyond their one year of exposure. I used a spray can of FF being careful not to contaminate the brakes. After my truck is a couple of years old will have that sprayed stem to stern too. Really stops rust dead. Let a little surface rust form first for something to adhere to, wash and apply. If you have flaking rust, hit it with a wire brush and paint scraper just to take off big bits, wash and apply. Stops all undercarriage squeaks and cuts new rust growth to zero.

I totally get that. On our remote NC property, we've loved living remote, without hookups, sometimes half the year. (We do have spring water for outdoor showers. ) With storms in any place we are, it's really great to be self contained, in the Ollie. Knowing we can be warm, we can cook, and deal with extended power outages.

Vest are great and useful. A fleece light jacket is popular. Coffee mugs look good in photos and around the campfire. Polo shirts look good on the golf course and that might be a good place to talk to future owners?

Yep. I feel a lot better having our Ollie at the beach than our previous fifth wheel with its steel frame.

That's really odd regarding hull# and vin delays. Josh White is our salesman and he told me as soon as our 50% cleared the bank the camper would be scheduled in the production schedule and the vin and hull number were assigned. Within about 4 days of dropping off the check Josh emailed the information to us. I was able to get my insurance quote with the vin in hand. And of course we registered for the rally as owners.

We live and travel mostly in coastal environments. Do quite a lot of winter trailering too. The stuff they put on roads nowadays is murder on vehicles. I used to have a film lighting business and had a number of trucks. Historically, rust related problems ran me thousands of dollars. Did some homework and found that plow guys often undercoated their gear with Fluid Film as did maintenance folks working on bridges in marine environments . It's a natural based fluid, sprayed on undercarriage (with options of spraying into rocker panels, etc...) which acts as a penetrant and lubricant. Used if for years on work and personal trucks and absolutely swear by it. Lots of folks apply every year. I used to clean my vehicles, coat with fluid film, repeat again the following year then do every other or 3rd year depending on how much use the vehicle sees. Commercial applications at garages is about $20/running foot but, if you have a compressor, you can buy the kit to do it yourself. A garage should discount as there is only frame to do on our trailers as opposed to the entirety of an average vehicle. Stuff goes on like viscous fluid then absorbs dust and firms up a bit. I used to go right from garage to drive on a dirt road. Turns into a brown, rubbery coating. You can leave entirely alone till next application or spray with low pressure but will wash off with high pressure and soap. I put on a 5 year old box truck which I had another 10 years with absolutely no new rust growth. You hit rusty spots with a wire brush - lightly - apply the film and that's it. Unlike standard undercoating, will not trap moisture and cause further rust creep. Penetrates into nooks and crannies really well. There is overspray which gets on exterior of vehicle but is easily cleaned with a hose and whatever cleaning soap you use. Have to be careful not to get on brakes. I always had the tech steer clear of them and I would follow up with canned spray Fluid Film which you can get at auto stores/amazon to hit spots they missed. I have not applied to my entire Oliver undercarriage yet but have done the axles, trays that LP tanks sit on, base of the tanks themselves and suspension bits. Our trailers have so little metal in undercarriage that it would probably be easiest and certainly less $ to just buy a few cans and apply by hand. Will do a test by coating a cross member under the Oliver and checking progress in the fall before doing the whole frame. My f150 is just a year old so will wait till the fall before having it done. Some folks say it's best to wait for a bit of corrosion before applying so there is something for the film to stick to.

Thank you, topgun2! You have "waxed eloquent" on the subject.

Wax, wax, wax. And, did I say, wax? Bill

I heard Oliver was working on a website to purchase parts, apparel, Oliver branded gift items, etc. Not sure if that was a rumor or not but it sure would be nice to be able to shop online rather then call directly, most often then not you have to leave a message and wait for a callback to order anything. I would love to see some apparel, hats, tees, sweatshirts, jackets, joggers in both men and women styles.

Isn’t that the original filter tucked in there on the right in your picture?

I do not own the truma so I know only a little bit about them. It is my understanding that if the filter is removed it should be stored inside the compartment to the far right between the unit and the wall. That would be where I would expect them to put it after the exchange. Sometimes my expectations are greater than reality.

This is all valuable and reassuring advice, and I thank everyone for the contributions. My conclusion for the moment is: 1. Fluid Film on steel components, especially the undercarriage of my aging, but still chugging, 2008 Ford F350 TV (plenty of rust to adhere to on that one), but also the hitch, stabilizing jacks and axle on the Ollie) 2. Regular wash and wax on the fiberglass 3. Hose down (but not pressure wash) aluminum with water periodically I can assure you that none of this has deterred us from using our Ollie: with the exception of a few days here and there, we have been full-timing in it since November 4! We really enjoy it. The beach experience has also made me a fan of lithium grease on moving steel parts (hitch, door lock, stabilizing jacks).

I know a lot of us travel with our pets. Would love to see pics of your pets in or near your Ollie. I’ll start

Correct me if wrong, but with a good website; could you not get parts from one place, screen printed items from another, and embroidered items from another? All seamless to the purchaser? Except maybe the merchandise might arrive in separate packages. No big deal, Amazon has made that a way of life and a normal everyday reality. Not to "gum up the works", but IT should be able to make it happen with a click of the mouse.

Last update... raced to get home and !#!!, not power. Just got PG&E update. It will BE 10 DAYS BEFORE WE GET POWER at our home... the good new is we heat 100% with a wood stove. the bad new is not running or hot water without running a generator. It's what we both love and dislike about living remote.

Since we have a Nature Head compost toilet we only dump grey, we have a 28 (which is way too big) and a 15 gallon tote which we love. We haven’t found a good place to put it so it just goes in the back bed of the truck. There are some great suggestions in this feed, thanks for sharing them.

We did do that, but later in the season we put the tote on top of our Diamondback tonneau cover and used the space in the rear cargo carrier for a ground bike rack (for parking bikes at the campsite).

I can see using an anti-corrosion spray on the ferrous metal which makes up the axle framework. That makes sense. I was referring to the 6061 aluminum trailer frame. I built and own a 35" sailboat with a 6061 mast, boom and other components and, after 40 years living in saltwater, there is essentially no corrosion on any of the aluminum parts (the mast and boom is painted with AwlGrip). I spent the last 30 + years of my professional life as a sales manager with an aluminum extruder where we annually punched many millions of pounds of extrustions of all types using many different alloys including 6061 - it is remarkable stuff. The one compound I do use religiously is an anti-galling gel on fasteners. You must also protect against contact with dis-similar metals ... mounting say a bronze winch directly against an aluminum mast or boom is a sure route to serious corrosion of the aluminum. I am not against the use of waxes on gelcoat. It does help with aestetics and can extend the number of years your Oliver will have that brand-new look. My point was that a good gelcoat will put up with a lot of abuse and can be brought back to as-new appearance with surprisingly little effort. Take care of your Oliver but don't be afraid to use it ... they are tough little trailers and built to be used and enjoyed.

I got a Rewards folder almost eight months ago. And have not heard more about it until today, and that is that it might be coming. I have not had a referral in almost two years, where I used to get a couple a month? I still wear branded merchandise that I got at a campground more than eight years ago. It is still recognised everywhere I go in the state. (It is getting thin in places). Here I am, watching it snow outside, thinking it might be nice to order some new "stuff" for the coming season. The choices out there are actually pretty plentiful. Maybe Perfect Stitch in Norway, Maine has something with a state logo, or something that matches my decal on front?

You are right about aluminium in marine environments but that is different then the effect of whatever scary material they are spraying roads with. That said, while the metal on the axels and suspension on my trailer is certainly beat up, the frame still looks surprisingly new which is why Im holding off for no on spraying the Fluid Film. BTW, this stuff is a grease not a paint. Much the same as beeswax that you use to oil leather products. Washes off with water and soap. I sincerely doubt there is any chance of it having anything but a positive protective effect on the frames of our trailers. Easy enough to find gory details on the website. https://www.fluid-film.com/

I now carry a small waste tote (empty) in the bed of my truck. But, with an RV I owned prior to seeing the light and getting my Ollie I constructed a storage rack for this tote which I attached to the rear bumper via two slightly larger square steel tubes such that the rack could be inserted into those two tubes and secured with four pins. I think that a similar system could be used with the Oliver but I've never had enough interest to work on it.

We love to Storm watch off the Oregon coast. No Leaks so far. I just hate walking in 1-2" of water standing around the curb side of the trailer, then end up dragging wet muddy junk in the camper. Moisture inside is also an issue. Between days of 100% rain, and wet clothes and shoes, It takes constant work to keep condensation off the walls. The wind storms will still buffet the trailer, but nothing that moved the trailer. I worry more about limbs falling on the Oli and crushing the Oli and us.

all really great stuff. thanks to everyone. we got a break in the weather mid-morning and decided to pack up and head for home. the wind was our biggest concern. Crossing the Golden Gate Bridge was reasonable. This made us feel a lot better about our decision to travel. Lots of small slides, standing water and raging rivers but we have just arrived at home.... and lots of down trees and the power is out here. One more night in the trailer will more comfortable than our home... glad to be home after 7 weeks. thanks all

We routinely tow in windy weather across west Texas on I-10. I slow down and pay attention! We’ve never had to pull over, but I would if I felt things were unstable. I think it’s the unexpected gusts that get big rigs on their sides.

Don't give up on Xantrex. They are normally better with customer service. I'd send them another request or call them. Bill

IWBIWISI I will believe it when I see it. John Davies Spokane WA