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I’ve had an in reach mini for the last several years and continue to use it when biking or camping out of cell range. I have never been impressed with its ability to send texts in a timely manner. The texting delay is often hrs even if there is not overhead tree cover. At this point I primarily carry it for its sos function which thankfully I have never needed. I also wonder if this device will also be made obsolete by cell phones. The latest iPhone has a sat based sos function, but at least for now it is just a sos sent to emergency service with no way to send details of the emergency or for emergency response teams to reply.

Never go anywhere without my SPOT tracker.

I was curious, I did not see any type of sealer in the end, just more black plastic. I do not recall the brand, it might be the one that came on my trailer years ago. This has been sitting on my workbench literally for years. I think it is pretty cool, but I do tend to geek out on odd things. John Davies Spokane WA

If you don’t travel with an InReach or similar device, the following incident that occurred here in Northeast Oregon is a great example of why you should consider doing so. In addition to reporting an emergency, family and friends can also alert you to emergencies at home. — TREE FALLING ON CAMPERS’ TENTS LEADS TO FATALITY AND SIGNIFICANT INTERAGENCY RESCUE EFFORT UNION & WALLOWA COUNTIES — (Release from Union County Search and Rescue) In the early morning hours of Wednesday, June 14th, 2023, a party of eight rafters was camped along the bank of the Grande Ronde River approximately 5 miles downstream of the confluence of Wallowa and Grande Ronde Rivers in Union County when the top of a large dead tree fell and landed on two occupied tents, impacting and injuring three people. The tree was approximately 14 inches in diameter and broke some distance off the ground, impacting the occupants of the tents with extreme force as it fell and broke into pieces. One of the campers, a 61-year-old male, sustained very severe injuries, with a 54-year-old woman in the same tent sustaining injuries to her legs. A 23- year-old woman in an adjacent tent sustained a head injury that was likely prevented from being fatal only by a camp chair near her head that was crushed and reduced the force of impact. Despite valiant lifesaving efforts immediately initiated by the other members in the party, the male’s injuries ultimately proved to be fatal. While members of the group delivered first aid to the three injured parties, they also activated the emergency function of a Garmin InReach device, which resulted in a notification being sent to the Union County 911 Dispatch Center. The Garmin Emergency Response Center passed messages between the reporting party on scene and 911 dispatchers, and also provided the precise location of the incident. As information about the incident was progressively gathered and relayed to 911 dispatchers, Union County SAR was activated, and the La Grande and Elgin fire departments were notified of the medical emergency. Due to the remoteness of the accident site, which is most easily accessed by 15 miles of river travel by boat, the Union County SAR incident commander immediately requested a hoist-capable helicopter from the Oregon Army National Guard through the Oregon Emergency Management SAR Coordinator, and also requested mutual aid from the Wallowa County SAR swiftwater rescue team. During this time the La Grande Fire Department (LGFD), in coordination with SAR, arranged for an over-flight of the area with Life Flight Network. A local Life Flight helicopter immediately responded and attempted to transport LGFD paramedics to near the patients, but could not find a suitable landing zone near enough to the incident and had to return. While the Life Flight helicopter was performing its initial recon flight, a combined team of Union County and Wallowa County SAR swiftwater rescue technicians and LGFD paramedics responded to deploy down the Wallowa River from Highway 82 at Minam. This team then floated the 15 miles down the Wallowa and Grande Ronde Rivers to access the patients, reaching them approximately 2 hours after entering the river. At approximately the same time as the arrival of the SAR team on-scene, the Life Flight helicopter was able to return to the area and identify a suitable landing zone approximately 1.5 miles downstream from the accident location at an area known as Pine Bar. Due to tree canopy too dense to hoist patients by National Guard helicopter directly from the scene, the SAR initiated transport of the two surviving patients by boat to the landing zone at Pine Bar, and during this time the National Guard Blackhawk medivac helicopter also arrived on-scene from Salem. At approximately 11:30 am, both patients were transferred from a SAR raft to the two medivac helicopters and subsequently transported to hospitals in Lewiston, ID and Walla Walla, WA, with LGFD personnel flying with both helicopter crews to the destination hospitals. The interagency water rescue team then escorted the remaining members of the camping party and the body of the deceased approximately 22 miles down the Grande Ronde River to the nearest take-out at Powwatka Bridge in Wallowa County, where they were met by additional SAR team personnel and funeral home staff. This remote incident presented a tremendous amount of logistical challenges that were mitigated and overcome only due to the professional competence of those responding and the excellent interagency cooperation that we benefit from in Union County. The La Grande Fire Department, Union and Wallowa County SAR teams, Life Flight Network, Elgin Fire Department, sheriff’s office patrol deputies, and the Oregon National Guard personnel all integrated seamlessly to effect a rapid deployment of resources and efficient rescue on the ground, but at the same time many other agencies were assisting behind the scenes. Throughout the incident, a sheriff’s office patrol sergeant was positioned on a ridge above the river to function as a contingency communications relay, a Bureau of Land Management river ranger was in frequent contact with the incident commander (IC) providing detailed descriptions of the area and photos, and several U.S. Forest Service staff were also maintaining contact with the IC and assisting with preparations for contingency rescue plans if that became necessary. Sheriff Bowen and the management staff of Union County SAR offer our sincere condolences to the family of the deceased, wish a speedy recovery to those injured, and express our incredible gratitude to our partner agencies and dedicated SAR volunteers who leave their homes, jobs, and families to respond to incidents.

I always thought that these devices were mainly for those that traveled to risky or wildly out of the way places. However, I finally realized that even though only being 4 miles up a stream wasn't really all that far away from "normal" civilization, it certainly was/is far enough away that a good possibility exists that no one will find you in the event you do need help. All it takes is a sprained ankle, a "widow maker" falling out of a tree, a snake bite, a sharp rock, etc., etc.. So, a few years ago I bought a small InReach Mini. Like John above, I too have not had "issues" with the sending/receiving of messages. And, the "tracking" feature is virtually done in real time such that people (think wife and very good friends) can see exactly where you are located at any moment (as long as you have the InReach tracking turned on). Having said all this - I grossly under estimated the number of times the InReach is used to help people in what I would call normal situations. Examples of this are vehicle breakdowns where you would think there is cell phone service but not so much, sudden illness while out on the road, unexpected traffic jams and/or accidents, bee stings, etc.. Garmin has published statistics on the types of "emergency" calls they have responded to and I was very surprised by the types of things that I had not even considered. These devices aren't what I'd call "cheap" (about $350 for the device and then $35/month for the service) but I recall an old motorcyclist saying - "if you got a $10 head then wear a $10 helmet". In addition, the peace of mind that you can give to those that care about you is worth the price. Or, another way to look at it is to look at the peace and quiet you can get by simply letting someone know that you'll be a bit late due to traffic or from having a late start. Bill

I carry an inReach always, it lives and charges in the Ollie when not in the truck. I send multiple daily pre-set text messages, for example “Routine check, stopped for the night”, and they all go out within a couple of minutes. The roof and walls do not appear to limit the signal acquisition. I did test the location using tape to make sure before installing the charge mount. It was one of my first mods. I also subscribe to the basic $40 Search and Rescue insurance. I am sure that the Oregon rescue mentioned above was an extremely costly one. If I climbed cliffs, I would definitely feel that $300 for the High Risk version was a good investment. Garmin buy SAR ins FYI it only covers one person, the buyer of the policy, if your spouse is with you often, please consider her safety too!!! John Davies Spokane WA

I may look into purchasing the InReach 2, just in case we are ever “out of reach” with normal comm. 👍🏻 Patriot🇺🇸

Back in the day, that's what was referred to as a, "widow maker"... Good to scan your area of operations before you decide to bivouac. We've seen this exact event occur at a campsite in the Sierra Nevadas years ago... Not pretty...

John, Thank you for all your great information and help here on the forum. I've read so many of your posts and really value your considered opinion. I'll be sure to share your ad with friends who are searching -- whoever buys it will be happy campers. Best to you going forward -- I hope you stay active here in the forum community. Toni

On the few occasions that I've had to contact Garmin for help I've found them to be pretty good. Bill p.s. Garmin isn't the only device of this type on the market. Perhaps for a different specific use, there just may be a better unit for that particular purpose at a more attractive price.

I bought a mini a few years ago when I used to camp solo in my van, deep in the middle of nowhere. It comes with us on every trip. I also take it with me on every mountain bike ride (even with friends since we are often quite remote) and every single scuba dive. We have a second one that I only activate occasionally, and it usually goes with my son when he travels to the mountains skiing. There are still quite a few passes here that have no cell coverage, but DO have regular snow and rock slides. I usually keep it on the basic plan, but will occasionally upgrade when I know we will be out for a long time without any cell coverage. It’s inexpensive peace of mind. mb

John: Thanks for the information. I will do the checks you indicate the next time the Oliver comes out of storage. Hull 141. Jeff.

It does weigh 50 lbs. It's from The Laundry Alternative.com and the model is the purifi. They do have other models. They have a smaller one but I thought it was too small. Here are the adapters plus I bought a short plumbing hose.

This is making me sad. I've followed all your posts, read all of your How To instructions and have been amazed at your mods as well as your sage advice to us newcomers. I'd hoped to meet you someday on the road or at a rally to thank you in person for your contributions. You have had a bigger impact on Oliver owners than you'll ever know. I can only wish you well in whatever comes your way in the future.

Good move, Patriot. Adds a layer of "piece-of-mind" into your routine OTT adventures... OBTW: there are many other actions that fit under that category, HA!

100% concur! Been there done that - but never got the "T" shirt for it...

Some favorite books in audio format: The Third Policeman, by Flann O'Brien (as read by Jim Norton) The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (and all the related Radio Plays), by Douglas Adams The History of Tom Jones - A Foundling, by Henry Fielding

really? 😇

I think we are going to store it (only on long trips) in the front basket of the oliver wrapped in thick insulation. TLA does have a cute smaller one that only weighs 13 lbs. We can't haul it in our TV because it's taller than the bed cover.

FYI, a Garmin month to month subscription can be “paused” at any time, then restarted without penalties. Though it is like a fire extinguisher, you never know when you will need it, so I do not recommend this. Under special circumstances it would be useful. John Davies Spokane WA.

I’ve experienced excellent customer service from Garmin. Give them a call and talk through the issues you’re having.

It’s good to hear all the positive reviews of the inreach. Sounds like I need to play around with mine and see if I can improve response time. If anyone has any suggestions I am all in for them.

At about this time of year most of us really get the itch to: https://youtu.be/M6Ggp3TJjuE

You might give the park a call and just see if they might have a list of folks that want to cancel over the next 6-9 months. Unlikely, but it is a small team there and worse case is they say no. Leave your name/number and maybe they'll remember you if someone calls about cancelling...someone that hasn't ready the fine print.

So sorry to hear this, John. You've been so helpful to all of us in the past!

Almost got this little guy with the lawn tractor today. Just a baby. Saw him hop at the last second. Was able to relocate him to a safe spot while I finished the lawn.

When I leave home for the road I always alert the Neighborhood Watch group who perform random walk-thrus of the yard and sometimes stop and have a bite to eat and rest for a while. Anyone who thinks moose are not good security only need surprise and corner a moose once.

Since your springs have the heavy duty hardware, they should last indefinitely with regular servicing, a warning sign that you need to relube is creaks or pops when making tight turns. They should be dead silent otherwise. Keep an eye on the rubber cushions in the equalizers and the shocks, they can deteriorate from sun exposure. (Clean the grease residue off so you can see what’s underneath.) Check all the hardware for correct torque, look for sagging or unusual tire wear. Check for blown shocks, they occur when running too much air in the tires, the LT tires should be set to 50 psi max. Shocks are not expensive and have a lifetime warranty, you should consider just installing new ones, the trailer will ride better. A good degreasing followed by a pressure wash will make them look much better, obviously you must lube them afterwards. While you are underneath with your tools, check the mount bolts for all three jacks, you will definitely find them loose. I have Hull 218, almost as old as yours, here is the belly and suspension after a very intense detail session,on my back, which wore me out 😉 prepping it for sale. Old doesn’t mean bad, on a trailer. The owner is a different story entirely… FYI the equalizer shackles are flipped, that happens after taking off the wheels, they should flip back right away when towing. What hull number? Please add that to your signature. And pictures are always welcome here. John Davies Spokane WA

So sorry to hear of your declining health and seeing this need to sell your Oliver. It is quite obvious your well loved Oliver has been kept in pristine condition and whoever purchases it will be lucky to benefit from the many great mods you did. Wish you all the best and prayers for your health issues.

You have many more state campsites, I think, in Texas, than Florida. Where I live, pretty much straight south on i75 and i95, coastal, is Canadian and northern visitor heaven. Don't get me wrong. We love our seasonal visitors. But, it does stink that we also can't get weekend reservations with kids to introduce them to camping. The times we've camped in popular state parks have been few. Booked ahead, or midweek. For us, not a tragedy, as winter is also sailing season. We don't care so much. But for our daughter, trying to get the little guy out camping on a free weekend is difficult to impossible, without traveling to the hinterlands. There are always places. Just not an hour's drive away. That's important for young families, with limited time.

After first hearing the late, great Michael Hedges play a harp guitar on a 1980’s episode of “Live from Wolftrap”, I was hooked on the unique sound! Or acoustic

Summit Racing is a good place to source genuine Timken bearings.

I'm going to piggy-back on Mike's post. I'm real late to planning, but we leave Emporia/Kansas City Kansas on May 15 and will need to be in Gardiner/North Yellowstone 22 May or a few days later. Is this simple plan reasonable to do: Emporia (2-days Travel) - Custer SP (4-5 Days basecamp) - Gardiner (2 Days Travel) a reasonable plan to explore Wind Cave and other sites above? UPDATE: Looks like Custer SP is full to the brim... Or should I consider a National Park site with hookups, since I get the Senior discount? Could split it between Badlands NP first than near Wind Cave. Still deciding on whether to cut through Kansas or just hit the Interstate north, then west to SD. May try and wing travel day stops, but will reserve if I can work out a plan. Just a bit compressed on time oncoming back from Africa last weekend and then off again.... (First World Problem, but a life event highlight..that and 5000 images to edit. 😉 https://www.ralphmawyerphotography.com/Travel/Africa-2023/Botswana-Africa-2023-Field-Selects/

Not always my favorite but I'm going to miss him.

My wife is going to kill me for posting these but it won’t be the first time.

We recently purchased custom twin mattresses from MattressInsider. They have a showroom in Denver which we were able to visit to pick out the mattresses we felt would be the best fit for what we wanted. We chose the 8.5" custom luxury latex mattress which I believe are less expensive than the similar mattress from Southern Mattress. They have several mattress choices which can all be customized to fit the Oliver. Our choice was based on comfort for sleeping and sitting. We are very pleased with our decision and wouldn't hesitate to recommend MattressInsider. We worked with Jeremy. If you are interested in ordering form them, please let me know, as I believe I have a discount code I can pass along to you for a 5% savings. www.mattressInsider.com

Beyond the national parks, the Dakotas have a number of wonderful state and local campgrounds, and most small cities, by our urban standards, have historic sites and museums. The Dakotas are well worth the time. Imo. Beautiful plains and parks, and nice people. Sherry

As far as skipping a 4 hour side trip to North Dakota , that's all weather dependent. If the forecast is good, and you have the time ... I'd do it. I like ND teddy roosevelt better than the SD badlands. Just don't dig yourself in somewhere without sufficient lp and supplies, at altitude, to wait out weather. At lower elevations, the snow will just melt away in a day or two while you enjoy the scenery... its still early for snow in October... but later in the month it sure can happen. Last year, we had close to blizzard conditions in eastern ND and western Minnesota in late October. On the 26th, in tropical southern Owatonna, MN, we awoke to beautiful 70s, and went to bed in the low 30s with a strong wind. In the morning, the snow was three or four inches deep. I drove south past Osage, Iowa on the 27th, before I could turn off the wipers... some slick spots on 218 in the early morning. We left at 8. I was driving miss daisy ( mom), and had a flight to catch out of St Louis, so not much time to hang around and enjoy the beauty of the first snowfall... bummer for me. I love seeing the first snowfall. Especially since I know it will melt... Sherry