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Ollie in Albuquerque, we’ve been here a half dozen times, but first time I came for work and not stayed at the event hotel. Family with, good meals after work, staying 4 nights at Isleta Pueblo lakes and RV park. Amazing full hook-up sites designed for the Class-A gambling types entertained at the Indian Casino. We look like a little egg in the big RV park, though I’m happy to be in our home away from home, in our Oliver!

In the past, several people have gotten camping spots for the next years rally. At this time I don't know the exact dates yet and wanted to advise not to secure any spots for next year until I can finalize the dates. I will be speaking with the campground and shoring up the dates and will let everyone know as soon as they are set in stone.

Yesterday, a random Ollie is spotted negotiating the turns northbound on the beautiful Natchez Trace Parkway -- just wondering where they're headed???

Nothing good can come from this meet-up! Have fun at the Rally!

A couple of Ollies spotted at a Cracker Barrel somewhere in NW Alabama last night -- they were both pointing to an eastbound destination.

Congratulations -- the adventure is the best part!

I’m looking at ordering a FITCAMX. I like the way it looks OEM, no wires, made model specific. My old dash cam is clunky, old and difficult to use.

Not really "Wild" but it was an "Adventure" and it is an Ollie... This was taken down on the beach at Rocky Point in Old Mexico a couple years back...

We’re sad not to attend this years rally. We hope it’s a huge success! Mike

Bill, Concur 100% -- I've operated in some of the nastiest places imaginable and in terrain rugged enough to give only a few hours of SAT commo time. Back in '08, I found myself and my colleagues between a couple high passes in the Hindu Kush -- we had to get a sick member of our party out of the area but it wasn't going to be by foot. We needed MEDEVAC air assets to get him to safety. Fortunately, timing was good and I was able to contact support via our Iridium SAT phone. The high terrain (>18k') only allowed a short window of commo -- EVAC arrived in time and all was good. Can't say enough about having the right kit for the planned adventure you may be contemplating. 'Nuf said.

Airstream makes a great trailer that is visually stunning and iconic. We loved our Basecamp; our trailer before our Oliver. I would recommend however doing a deep dive in Airforums before purchasing one. Things that immediately come to mind are a long history of poorly addressed front end separation by the factory, a devastating hailstorm at the Jackson Center production facility, and exterior skin failure at the mounts of the segment protectors. You may already be aware of these issues, and they often are not a deal breaker.

Absolutely gorgeous country…there is nothing like solitude, a perfect spot and totally a home run 🤩👍🏻👍🏻🇺🇸

First true boondocking adventure for us this weekend for our shakedown. No reservations and just showing up to see what we could find. We lucked out to find only us with a spot next to the river in a bird sanctuary. Thank you Army COE! To be honest, I never thought a camping adventure like this would ever happen!

Arrived at LGSP today after a leisurely drive from Murphy, NC. Beautiful weather and we really enjoyed the Trail of Tears route. As always the check in staff here were super nice. I think we counted 6 0r 7 Olivers here in the park on this evenings walk. The security gate as you enter the park is not working so no pass code to enter for now. Safe Travels friends, David & Kathy Hull #634 XPLOR

My daughter sent me these pictures today of an Oliver at her camping event and then following it part way back to Tucson.

We have the ROVE Dashcam, front and back. I can connect to my phone Wi-Fi and there are very clear front and rear pictures. Extra safety, including preventing scams.

I too have been using a dashcam for a number of years now - so many years that (as far as I know) they didn't produce a camera that used anything but the cig lighter for power unless you wired it to a hot and negative yourself. However, there are a couple of things to be on the lookout for. I got both the dash and rearview cameras and with this there is almost a 360 degree of the vehicle. Make sure that you get a fairly big memory card for your dashcam. Having a "parking mode" (this is when you are parked the camera still records) is very helpful for things like someone trying to break into the vehicle when you are not there or if you are hit in a parking lot. GPS integrated into the dashcam can be a blessing and/or a curse - it will show speed and location. Certainly this is helpful IF you are doing the speed limit at the time a problem is recorded. My camera does not have an interior view but I've read that this view can be helpful in the event you are the victim and have to go to court. Good luck choosing in that there are a ton of these cameras on the market. Bill p.s. mine is branded as Apeman for what its worth.

I have been running this D/C since 2022 and am really pleased how it works and how small and compact the camera is. Clear crisp photos or video. https://www.amazon.com/Garmin-140-degree-Monitor-Connected-Features/dp/B0931YZ82P/ref=sr Memory card -https://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-Extreme-microSDXC-Memory-Adapter/dp/B09X7CRKRZ/ref=sr I also recommend this polarized lens cover- https://www.amazon.com/Garmin-Polarized-Lens-Cover-010-12530-18/dp/B07LDCK7ZR/ref=sr_ Here is the Ford specific plug and play dongar.tech short connector which plugs into my review mirror and powers the camera. Install is a breeze. You can barely see the Garmin Mini 2 while in the cabin as it mounts up hidden discreetly forward of the review mirror. Note: you must have the auto dimming rear view mirror with the 16 pin connector for this plug’n play to work. 💯 happy with this dash cam set up and would buy again. You may want to call Dongar tech to determine which connector will work for your Expedition trim level. https://dongar.tech/products/16pin-ford-f150?srsltid=AfmBOookPpMlEZvtWy9Hi5SQfoIIYMJNOU0HJqtJewLLbWFu9zZgQjjS

They downsized from a huge class A and boondock pretty much 100%, I guess that’s why the large battery/solar system. I have watched a bunch of videos from MYT solar, he’s really good and does a quality job. Must say, I know it’s personal preference but I think this 19MKS has probably the best layout for such a small travel trailer. Outdoors RV make a really good product, if I knew about it before we bought the Ollie it would’ve been a very strong contender. Love the large kitchen counter top, large tanks, dry bath, hydraulic stabilizers and the 2 la-Z-Boy style seats, just not keen on the slide out and all the wood!

This you tube shows the trick is getting one screw (that's very hard to see on the back) removed before trying to pop out the valve. See the 2:12 Mark on video...easiest to use a 1/4" socket to remove screw.]\

One of these years…

That's a bummer, Mike -- looking forward to catching up with you and Carol. Best regards, brother!

Each year Garmin provides a "year in review" which shows the kinds of activities, places, reasons for users asking for help, etc. for users of the Garmin InReach satellite rescue device. There a number of these types of devices on the market, but this report by Garmin highlights some of the reasons for using any of these. The Garmin report can be viewed HERE. Bill

Yes, that was my primary concern. I know that it won't operate for the thief (or that's what I've read) because it's attached to the account. But a thief might not know that, and it would be a royal pain to try to replace it while traveling. Fun Fact: * Starlink delivers by FedEx (unless you live in Alaska or Hawaii)... and the United States Post Office will NOT allow FedEx to drop off for General Delivery *

Prime the boondocking port with garden hose, then try again.

Just curious you mentioned you don’t leave your mini outdoors, are you concerned about theft?

Agree with Steve the Escapes are nice but there are some short cuts. We have been in a few of them and just were not that impressed. Regarding Airstreams, granted they have some very nice interiors but I have lost count of the times having conversations with AS owners and listening to the issues they have had. Most people actually carry a pop rivet gun along due to the rivets popping out, insulation is minimal at best. My wife thinks of them as a bear can on wheels, a bit harsh for sure. I do agree the Bigfoots are nice too, very well built and about as 4 season as anything out there. In addition I would also add the Lance Travel Trailers to the group of very well built. They have a state of the art facility in CA and while they may look like a typical stick built trailer they are anything but. If I were to ever change from the Oliver the Lance is the first thing I would be looking at. That said I don't particularly care for the models with the slide-outs. But their construction quality is truly a cut above. Hope this helps

We’ve been in the Escape 23 a couple of times. For a similar size trailer as the Oliver, it seems larger, mostly due to the extra width. It has some nice features, especially the much larger fridge. But it is a step down in quality for sure. Another option to look at might be the Bigfoot 25 fiberglass trailer. We haven’t been inside one, but hear the quality is very good.

Day two, 244 miles in under 4 hours, mostly on I-40 at 70+ MPH. SOC increased from 56% to 82% (26%) or 156 Ah. Tonight and last night we ran our Emeril Air Fryer for 20-30 minutes (too windy to cook outside), fridge on DC most of the time which brought 600Ah down to 56% (fridge on DC overnight SOC would have been about 50%). Today on the road we charged 40Ah per hour. Yesterday it was near 42Ah. Likely 40Ah gained per hour is something I can count on with the Orion XS 50A DC-DC charger as I have it wired. If you drive a long day (7.5 hours with engine running) you can charge a full 300Ah! That and 720W solar, I'm thinking we no longer need 30A hookups. Very nice not to need to plug in. Carrying 35-gal extra water in the TV and it's only time between dump stations that bring us back to civilization, that's amazing. 😂

Plus one for the power adapter. It works great with rearview mirrors that have power. I have that in my truck and makes power and setup easy. I have a Rove as well. Hides behind the rearview.

We (just 2 of us) fulltime in our Oliver after living in a smaller Casita, so we see the Oliver as a big trailer in comparison. If you think you need something bigger....then you need something bigger. We looked at Airstream but could only see rivets and an oncoming hail storm. And when you approach the 27 footers you're talking serious money. New models of fiberglass trailers are coming as people see the benefits...so keep looking...we would definitely stay with fiberglass. Good luck, john

Landed at Rivers Edge CG in Cherokee County, Murphy, NC. Concrete pad, F/H and a nice place to overnight on our way to LGSP. It’s good to be back on the road and traveling again. Tomorrow onward to Lake Guntersville SP. See ya at the Rally! Nothing like the beauty of Western North Carolina! 🤩 Safe Travels!

We have a CHORTAU dash cam purchased from Amazon in 2022. It can only be plugged into the truck cigarette lighter, but I believe CHORTAU makes a newer version that has a USB-C power connector. Our CHORTAU dash cam continues to work well, turning on each time we drive our 2019 Tundra. Fortunately, we have not yet needed to access video footage for evidence of an accident or vandalism, but we like having the dash cam installed for that purpose.

OTT DOES fabricate these mounting plates "in-house". There were a couple of earlier models (in the low 100's hull numbers) where the welds did fail and Oliver both repaired these and changed the way these brackets were manufactured. Bill

In my opinion - if you are going to spend virtually any time in the out of doors and/or where cell phone service can't be guaranteed then (if you can afford it) having one of these satellite communication devices is not a luxury but a necessity. Most of these can be used for many functions in addition to their SOS feature. These include: messaging, real time tracking by friends and loved ones, trip planning, "bread crumb trails", weather, etc. I spend the better part of two months each year in relatively remote places fishing and hiking - usually alone. Certainly it is comforting to know that I can get help in the event of a medical emergency and I can let my wife know that all is OK. I must admit however that I never considered many of the uses that are noted in the report above. In addition, during the hurricane Helene back in October, 2024 we were without telephone and internet for about 5 days (many others had it much worse) and the only communication that we had with the outside world was via our satellite communication device. We also (now) always carry it with us when going on trips in the event we have a vehicle or other issue. Bill p.s. No, I do not own stock in Garmin nor any other of these companies.😁

Our Garmin Explorer is a great safety backup. Never had to use it. At one time when we did off-grid camping, I used it to plot our routes and used it to hike. We would also message our kids. We would set it up so our kids could see where we were at all times.

That’s a neat review.👍🏻 We have iPhone 14’s with IOS18 operating system and Verizon as our satellite service provider for an emergency SOS off grid. Our Starlink Mini is also another option we can use when are at our base camp. https://www.verizon.com/wireless-devices/smartphones/messages-via-satellite/ https://support.apple.com/en-us/105097

This is a bummer Dan. I see a few issues. In your very first picture there is a grease stain on top of the jack. In your last picture, the jack head looks somewhat cock-eyed to the post assembly and even more so to the fiberglass opening above. Neither picture looks normal, as I know for a fact that the tops of both of my rear jacks are bone dry/clean shiny paint and they are level, square to the cover that sits above them. I measured both of mine and they are left-to-right side identical within 1/16". They both measure 3 and 9/16" from the fixed post section to the bottom of the aluminum mount, where yours measures 4" on the good side and about 3" on the other. Your hull, 4 years newer, could have a different measurement but of course both sides should be equal. My feeling is the weld of the mounting plate to the post assembly has failed. Not sure, but these mounts were likely fabricated and welded by OTT, as they do not look like off-the-shelf jacks like our standard front jack. Given the age of your hull, likely it would no longer be under warranty. You could remove the bad side, simple enough by removing the two nuts you tried tightening earlier and pulling the jack out from above. When it's out, you'd quickly see whether a weld has failed (please post picture when you do). If so, then choices would be to get it welded locally and service the head <OR> enter a Service Ticket with OTT. If they did fab the mount and weld it, they may replace it for you or in lieu of a local repair, OTT could supply the replacement part. Again, don't use it until corrected as it would soon cause much more damage than the rub on your basement cover. I could be wrong but this is my best guess from looking at your pictures and measurements. You've taken all the right steps.

I was bending over too, never on knees, but now with these shorty extensions I do not have to crane my neck. Not truly risky. Check out the picture for perspective. The trailers tires are much further out and so is the rear bumper. They are also flexible so if something was to hit them they would just fold back. If something was to het them it would also hit the rear bumper which would be a big owie! I've loved them ever since adding them. Lead-free brass, good for drinking water (not that we drink water from the Oliver). https://www.amazon.com/Fevone-Extension-Flexible-Protector-Drinking/dp/B0BFWPFTFH/ Then I got these simple 1" chair leg caps for the Eley male ends which are inexpensive and fit nicely snug. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000SKXR0C/?th=1

I can still bend over and screw the quick connect on. No kneeling🤣. I must say, it can be a pain. However, I prefer to do as I do rather than having something sticking out there that is a target of road debris. To risky for me.

On your knees to connect a hose! 🤣 Sorry, not on my knees. I'm only getting on my knees for necessary repairs under truck or trailer. These make it easier and thanks to @Patriot the Eley connections can be put on and taken off one-handed (off pressure released).

That is strange. Time to submit a ticket on this one. GJ

Thanks for your suggestions. As @jd1923 suggested, I checked the mounting bolts under the trailer and they looked tight visualy with lock-washers fully compressed. I put a wrench on them anyway and was able to tighten both bolts (on both sides) by about a quarter turn. This did not seem to change anything. Before pulling anyting apart, I started to measure differences between my curbside (too high) and my streetside (just fine) stabilizer jacks. I've attached the photos and I'm stumped. The curbside jack seems to be somehow mounted about an inch higher than the streetside jack. The inside photos are measuring to the mounting bracket. The outside photo shows that the cylinder for the shaft is an inch lower on one side. Is there some adjustment that I am not seeing? I believe that the curbside stabilizer jack was always touching the fiberglass lid but I never thought much of it. It seems to be doing damage to the lid now. Both jacks operate just fine as always. I am going to open a ticket with Oliver, but does anybody have a suggestion.....?

Your knees will thank you! My foam kneeling pad lives in the Oliver’s basement. 👍🏻

A couple of members (like Patriot) have used a small foam kneeling pad like THIS. Bill

As @topgun2 linked above..these are high quality. https://www.eleyhosereels.com/products/garden-hose-quick-connectors?srsltid=AfmBOorhl73lbWlG-pTRQ_aHjougxYv88x-aD4DfsGjJACCyuZjoAX0t

I did the search before posting and did not come up with any of those threads you shared. Thanks for the help. This how the stainless steel McKillans look on the Oliver. Carl

Dan, it's good you noticed this before it got worse. Check out my picture. The two carriage bolts, shiny round heads faced up, go straight down through the frame. Get under your Oliver just behind the wheel well and tighten the two large nuts. If there is a split-ring washer that has lost its spring, replace it. If not use some blue Locktite (not red). Then check the other side as well. Edit: If you find the main jack mounting bolts are tight which is highly possible, then the head of the jack has slipped up off the post. In this case, remove the head (2-3 Allen screws), check the post for vertical markings from it slipping to be certain of cause. Then remount head. Age of your hull, having it out would be a good time to do thorough maintenance. I'm the only one that has worked the complete service and if you will do so, let me know and I will supply the link. In the meantime, do not use your stabilizer jacks.

We hiked just a mile or so towards the Juniper Mesa Wilderness (not even close). You would have to hike overnight and tent camp to actually get up into it. The woods here have been in drought for a while and not so just 45 miles SE in Prescott. Look closely, zoom-in on the trunk of this Alligator Juniper, one of many we found on the trail. This beast has grown right out of the granite boulders of the mountain. There must be millions of these trees in this wilderness area. We walked by hundreds today. The Alligator Juniper is the iconic tree of the Prescott NF. The trees in this area have seen a harsh climate (pic1). Closer to Prescott another Alligator Juniper has had a better life, some 100s of years of it. What an amazing tree with Chris in the picture! And btw, the Ponderosa Pine in the post above ain't bad either!

It's been quiet on this most important thread... Thanks @Mike and Carol for starting this! I have the week off and we wanted to get away. It keeps me from workin' on stuff and I need more of that. Almost 2 hours NW of us we can drive to the far NW corner of the Prescott NF. What a wonderful forest it is! At about 5600 ft elevation and little to no rain or snow in this area it's really dry here. We had a dry year, just 2 years ago we had a super-blossom, wild flowers everywhere this time of year but not this year. It's so dry the birds are scarce but Chris recorded a few chirps and pics . At dinner by the fire ring, we noticed a large southwestern jack-rabbit though, as big as a 20 lb tomcat. He came by and came by again later just to see us. At dusk jack-rabbits and great owls surround the woods. We found jeep trails every direction and are thinking of coming out here again next week with our son Adam and one of his friends. We'll also bring another TV with my flatbed trailer, towing our Havoc side-by-side, Adams KFX400 sport quad and my Honda CRF230, an old mans dirt bike (that means it's closer to the ground with electric start)! The boys can tent camp up on the mountain and we will camp here again, in this beautiful place and the luxury of our Oliver with Chris' great food! The Oliver makes traveling so easy. Check out our pics. The first is where Williamson Valley Rd, 20 miles NW out of Prescott where it turns to dirt. Then the Walnut Creek bridge made of bridge steel moved from the Gila River in S AZ over 100 years ago and then our weekend campsite where I am writing this from bed tonight, connected our first time with a Starlink Mini. Leaving tomorrow after another great breakfast and on our way home we will check out a few more forest roads. Is everybody else still stored for the winter? I wish you a great spring and summer travels! 😂