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Please join us! This morning I counted the number of guests versus the number of members on the Forum. 138 guests versus 7 members! Just think of all the additional information, history, advice, knowledge, interesting stories that exists and could be shared. You can make this Forum so much more valuable than it already is! Joining us is simple, easy and we go to great lengths to not share and protect what little information is needed. Bill

We’ve been traveling from south Texas to Tennessee and arrived in the Memphis area this afternoon. We’re at a military campground on Midsouth Naval Base just north of Memphis. It’s small, but somehow there’s an Oliver parked right next to us. The spot we are in was occupied by another Oliver last night. Small world. Our neighbors just picked up their trailer yesterday, Mike and Barb - Hull 1428.

I added two motorized valves to the water lines going to the outside shower. I also added an air line to each water line with check valves (to prevent water from back-flowing into the air lines) to facilitate blowing the lines clear for winterization. The air line runs to the front of the trailer to a quick connect. I can use either the compressor system in the Silverado or a compressor at home. I also re-built the outside shower and dump valve box. Here is one of the motorized valves with the air connection prior to installation. Here's a look at the control station mounted in the basement.

Base Camp here for few nights…in Colorado Springs, now we will begin plotting and planning and our list is full of more adventures. Thanks for everyone’s input. Onward! After a long travel day….smoked and grilled lemon pepper chicken a top a salad with Old Croc cheddar hit the spot. Cheers! 🥂 Patriot🇺🇸

An Oliver Elite 2 from Tennessee, parked in Loop B with a great view of the Spearfish Formation “Red Beds”!

Here are three mods/aids that have been made on our Ollie. The first was done by the previous owner, it’s a handy way to grab and close the door. Much easier to find and grab. The next was simple and driven by my inability to remember where the fresh water tank drain valve was located. I fastened two bright yellow zip ties onto a water line above the valve. The tails stick straight up and are easy to see. The third was because I like to sleep with minimal sheets and blankets, and when my posterior touched the interior wall, it was chilly. I split one of my old Ensolite backpacking pads down the middle and tucked the halves between the mattresses and inner hull.

Not so inexpensive - but a couple quick and easy modifications installed this morning: 1. We became tired of hassling with the curly safety wires during hitching operations. Found some sturdier chains and hooks on Amazon, a 3/8" steel spacer, a grade 8 - 5" x 3/8" bolt and nylock, and with @topgun2's suggestion some 1" wire comb and a couple zip-ties - voila, new safety chains for about $65.00: 2. The key pad numbers on our keyless "RVLock" started peeling off a few months back. The standard configuration is a thin numbered membrane over the keypad area. For an extra $5 for a total of about $22 including shipping we received an upgraded pad. It should really be the standard pad unless someone wants to regularly replace the thin membrane all the time. The thin membrane before I started peeling it off completely with needle nose pliers: A judicious application of GOOF OFF to remove the residue of both the weather gasket and the thin membrane: The new fully rubberized number keypad neatly replaced the original white gasket: Carefully removing all the residue from the original weather gasket with GOOF OFF, replaced same with provided new weather seal: New rubberized keypad should last awhile longer than the original... Thoroughly cleaned off door surface area and mounted repaired keyless locking mechanism: One and done - good to go: Cheers!

We’ve used quite a few HH. Some say cooking outside is fine, just be sure to ask. Each Host is different! Mike

Good call, Steve! So true! We'll likely chat with the HH folks once we're settled in and find out exactly what they'll allow. We have been allowed to grill at some but then not at others. No biggie - but part of the HH protocol. It may be that we'll be enjoying heavy hors d'oeuvres and a couple cold ones and call it "dinner." We're using this HH stop next Wednesday to break up the drive to Crested Butte, CO - probably won't un-hitch or even put the jacks down! HA! Will follow-up next week with pix of the trip and what we got away with doing at the HH stop. Thanks for the heads-up! Cheers, Art

Yay! Another meetup with Kim & David!

Well, just like in your home’s shower, there is a J shaped trap that stays full of water to keep out sewer odors, if the tank valve is open (handle pulled forward) and the tank isn’t full, there isn’t much left to cause this except a clog. I don’t recommend caustic stuff like Draino, that could damage the seals in the tank valve. Maybe someone else can suggest an “RV safe” drain cleaner. Don’t let hair go down there! And don’t let food go down the kitchen drain either, both will cause stinky odors and problems with the valves. The outside shower is the best way to rinse off a dog…, John Davies Spokane WA

I agree. Matt and I talked at the rally about putting some restrictions in place concerning non members, as well as members who never post.

We went with he 400Amp busbar for the positive terminal connections needed at the BB battery bank. The 250Amp one would likely work but we're dealing with a potential max of 300Amp in the bank so that's why we used the 400Amp option with 4/0 cable all around. The original configuration used 1/0 cables. For an unknown reason, the PO did not tie down the bank. On our model, the strap hard points are stamped into the fore/aft rails of the battery tray. We used 1.5" wide 5-foot cam buckle tie downs which worked perfectly between the BBs. Similar to what you did, we wedged polyboard cut-to-fit in the gap on between the BBs and the tray rails. Any moderate bumps could likely bounce the BBs around w/o the tie downs - the tie-down arrangement provides an element of "piece of mind." Let me know if you need a pic of the tie-downs... We're happy with the mod and a full credit "shout-out" goes to @Geronimo John for his assist in making this mod come to fruition! Good luck with your battery switch install! Be sure to post pix of the project....

Be careful there, Art. According to HH's Code of conduct, you are not allowed to cook outside. Code of Conduct While each Host has its page detailing where to park and what they expect from you, Harvest Host has a Code of Conduct that you must follow. It is mandatory to have a self-contained RV with a water tank, an indoor kitchen, and a toilet. You cannot cook outside or use a tent. You may also have to show proof of liability insurance, so make sure you have it handy.

We've been HH'ing for years and like many have mentioned, they're great - all different. We're using one next ween near Pagosa, CO en route to Crested Butte. The theme of this HH is a USDA-certified organic non-GMO beef ranch. We'll be firing up the grill on this one, for sure. Yumm. Pix to follow....

We've stayed at Harvest Host locations a handful of times over a period of a couple of years. At first, we were limiting our stays to cooler weather (when we didn't need the air conditioner) but two of the locations we've been to recently had hookups for a fee. We've done honey tasting, a shooting range, a plantation, a historic property/farm and a museum. All our experiences have been favorable and we will continue to maintain this membership. The reviews usually give a good idea of what to expect at a site. I've always booked in advance so have no experience with more immediate requests.

Leadville is worth a stop. The highway in and out is enjoyable and scenic. If you want to do Highway 550 (Million Dollar Highway) through Ouray and Silverton a good place to camp is at Ridgway State Park near Ouray. You can also visit Telluride from there. Durango is also worth a visit (our son and family live there). Rifle Gap State Park is good for a few days of relaxation, it’s just a few miles from Rifle Falls State park, with a nice waterfall to visit. Steamboat is another nice town, you can stay at Yampa River State Park, it’s only about a 30 minute drive into Steamboat. If you want big city camping, Chatfield State Park is nice, just outside of Denver (Littleton, CO). Oh, the possibilities!

Scuba RX, We're not alcohol drinkers either but stay at HH quite often. We especially like the museums and farm stands. Probably my favorite HH stay so far has been the Soaring Museum in Elmira, NY. It was great to watch the gliders take off and land just steps from our Ollie.

Yep, pulled our Elite II once with our '08 GX470. Not a LX, but a similar Toyota 4.7L v8 (the Tundra 5.7L might work). It was fine around town, with the Anderson hitch, but I could not at all see it going down the 4000 FT drop on I-17 to the Phoenix valley and in the SLOW lane coming back up. Two weeks later, I found an older Ram 2500 Cummins so we can now climb anything! Love the GX on the Arizona dirt when not towing!

We’ve stayed at a couple dozen military Famcamps around the country from California to New York. It’s a nice benefit for us tired old military retirees. Mike

We've been HH members since early on. We don't think it's necessarily a bargain as we only use it a few times a year - BUT we have never been disappointed in our stays, which are mostly at wineries. Frankly it's great way to drink and NOT drive. We'd recommend them. Charlie.

We have really liked most of the HH we have stayed at. Some have been quite expensive stays but we always come away with something we need or didn't know we "needed"! We have never had trouble getting a spot, even on a couple of same day requests. We find HH useful for Fri and Sat nights when you can't find a campsite for love not money! Paula

We’ve used HH quite a bit. It’s not a money saver if you buy a few bottles of wine, some eggs or produce, a couple of beers and a meal, etc. All of our experiences have been good. When you search on the web site for locations you get a bunch of ratings from members and can tell if it is a location that you would enjoy. Mike

A nice (and unexpected) Jackson Brown cover…

Have you ever been in an Elite I? The rear bed (big rear dinette) is full size, like 55" wide. The side bed (small dinette) is only 24" wide, and six feet long, in ours. Kind of like sleeping on a couch. How tall are you? The boxer will have to learn to sleep under the rear bed. A friend of mine extended her small dinette bed to 30 inches, with a slide out hinged support she made. Of course, that reduces the aisle by 6", but can provide a more comfy bed width. Good luck with your decision. Do make sure to tour the smaller Elite I before you commit. It's a great trailer for one and a dog, or a couple. Ours has been our summer "home" for 16 seasons, and we love it, but good to dee and test.

Thanks, we must have a clog. We are taking it in for maintenance tomorrow and will add that to the list. We drained grey and black before we took showers. I was not clear about dog. I don’t wash my dogs in there. What has gone down is just the normal shedding they do that floats in the air along with dirt tracked in despite a rug. We will be more careful if this going forward ! We are at Fort Robinson,NE. It is a very nice campground. Good spacing between sites. We have a view of prairie, buttes and wildflowers( some bugs and bees getting in with door opening).

Borrow a drain snake and try clearing the plug mechanically instead of chemically.

Is your drain valve open? Is your gray water tank full?

Or, odd numbers like Hull #135.

Sounds like a Great plan! Have fun!!!!

Nice. This is exactly what I needed. Earlier this year I had 3 LifePros installed in your final configuration but they did not install an on/off switch. I supplied all the parts (except an on/off switch) after consulting with BB so I did provide the replacement board with lithium option. I have been trying to figure out how to mount the switch inside the box. And Wa La, here it is! They did thankfully route all the neg connections through the SS so it would work properly. Couple of questions; 1) Is a 250A bus bar with 3/8" connectors what you used? 2. Did you use a tie down strap on the batteries? My 3 fit snuggly in the box using an aluminum flat bar on one side on the bottom of the tray to hold them against the other side so they don't move but seems there should be a strap too in case of a bounce. However, there is no slot on the back of the tray for a strap to hold onto.

My oversight. Glad you've got the Varioheat, which means you should have the return air vent from the bath to the underside of the front dinette seat. Our tests last November suggest that, with the Varioheat running to maintain cabin temp at about 70 F, and with the external faucet removed from the hose and re-installed to the hose through the access under the street side bed, the -plumbing in your Elite II should be protected from freezing with outside temps down to about 15 F. As noted above by Mike and Carol, a small electric space heater placed under the rear dinette seat blowing aft can make a big difference keeping the "bilge" areas where the plumbing is located warm. As we like to leave the bed made up in our standard bed Elite II, we prefer the space heater method to leaving the hatches open to allow warm furnace air to circulate.

We’ve had single digit weather twice since 2016. When it gets below 10 for a few days I supplement the furnace with small cube electric heaters to help with the lines that run from the water fill/outside shower area around the back to the hot water tank and pump area. The furnace doesn’t have any ducting there. I do have my basement door insulated so that helps. Mike

As far as I know - No Oliver is equipped with a valve that can stop water from getting to the outside shower unless the owner has made a modification to the original plumbing. You can always add extra insulation to that area from the inside and/or the outside which will add extra protection. Bill

The furnace will heat below deck. You can enhance that by opening some forward hatches to get warm are from the coach into areas that are further from the furnace.

I admit that I have no direct knowledge of how much that particular line would drain under the circumstances you describe. Compressed air will quickly displace water pushing it the line if the air has an escape route. I've found the best method of evacuating water for the plumbing is to use the on/off method. I usually use about 40 pounds of air pressure. Apply pressure to the lines with all taps open. At first, a good bit of water will flow out. When it has reduced itself to a sputtering gurgle, cut it off and wait a few minutes. This will allow the residual water to run to the low spots and pool. Turn the air back on, water will come out the second time but not nearly as much. Repeat this several times until you've gotten the bulk of the water out. I doubt you could ever get it all out but that's OK. In the case of a closed end line (as with the composting toilet) I believe it would drain out just fine, but if I were worried about it, I would replace the cap with a valve that I could open during the blowing out process and then close again. If you wait until the last stages of the above process, you'll only have a small amount of water from the valve that you have to deal with.

It depends on how low your temperatures get and how long they stay there. I’ve never winterized because we also camp year round. It routinely gets into the 20s where we live (San Antonio area). Keeping the heat on and opening the inner hull hatches keeps things from freezing. We occasionally dip into the teens and even single digits and when that happens I open all the inner hull hatches, run the furnace, and have a couple of small electrical heaters - one in the basement area and one where the water pump and all those water lines are. It’s usually only 2 or 3 days once a year. Mike

If I'd known there was going to be math involved, I would not have signed up.

Greetings from hull # 50 (plus 67)! 😁 Bill

We are going to try and see as much of CO as we can! So our itinerary is wide open. Thanks for the invite MAX, we’ll keep it in mind and PM you if we make it down your way. 👍🏻👍🏻🇺🇸🇺🇸 Onward!

Howdy and welcome!

As we don’t consume alcohol, HH has never been a draw for us. Yes, I know they’re not all alcohol related, but with having to pay to be a member, being expected to buy something before you leave seems to be awfully expensive for what you get in return.

I originally towed my 17’ Casita with a 1997 80 Series LX. Foot to the floor to move its 3500lbs. Got the 2007 100 series LX and it was much nicer, but still heavy pedal for any incline. Got a 2013 200 Series LX and it was like having a diesel when pulling the Casita. Then got the Oliver II, felt like it was the 100 series and the Casita again. I love the 200 for what it can do when not hooked up and it handles the mountains fine, just have to be happy to be in 4th at 3000 rpm much of that time. So, at 5000lbs you can use the 100 series. But you will be constrained. Now the Elite 1 and the 200 series, my perfect combination. 🙂

Inquiring minds just want to know - where is the biggest ham of them all - Bosker?

June QST magazine is out, with THe Wonder Egg on the cover! This was my setup during field day last year.

Maybe we will have an Ollie get together there!

We love that park and we are looking forward to taking our new Ollie down there. It was not a good fit for a 30’ Airstream with a 22’ truck! Shrimp looks good too! Brian

You should have stayed for dinner - the Patriots are great cooks! 😍 Bill

We have used HH for three stays now and love them. We have stayed at one with full hookups, one with electric only and one that was completely dry. They are great to stay at and well worth the subscription cost (we have the additional "Boondocking" subscription as well). Hope that helps you in your decision making. Appreciate your great Youtube channel! Photos are from HH locations in Minnesota and Missouri: