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While the new Sales/Service building is being improved, the Sales folks are still (as of the end of August, 2020) located at the old Sales Building on Route 412. For many years Oliver has graciously allowed owners to "camp" at the Sales Office but space was limited to one or two Ollies. Recently, Oliver has installed "pedestals" along the outer edges of the Sales Office parking lot that have electric connections on them and are to be used by Oliver owners for short-term camping while waiting for Service appointments. As always, there is a faucet on the exterior of the old Sales building that can be used to fill the fresh water tank. Discussions are continuing as to what will be done with this "old sales office" once the move to the new location takes place and there are discussions about creating a camping area in the grass area directly in front of the new Sales/Service building. But at least for the time being, owners are welcome to use these new pedestals. Given that the Meriwether Lewis camping area near the Natchez Trace is completely closed and other nearby campgrounds are either not the best or involve a bit of a drive, these new facilities for the Oliver Owners are greatly appreciated. Bill

For whatever reason I had never tried camping overnight at a Cracker Barrel. However, I thought that I'd try one out and was so impressed with the one in St. Joe, Missouri I stayed there on the way out to Wyoming and again on the way back. This Cracker Barrel welcomes RV'ers. The RV parking area is actually the first thing you come upon when entering the grounds. Since the front of the restaurant faces the Interstate, that means that the building is between you and the traffic noise. There is plenty of landscaping with mature trees and this also helps reduce the noise level. On one side of the property is a motel but it is the back of the motel that adjoins the Cracker Barrel and on the other side there is just woods. So, once the restaurant closes at 10pm it really is fairly quiet - no ear plugs! If you decide to try it, remember to park facing out. Not only does this make leaving in the morning easier but it also prevents you from being partially trapped if there is a delivery being made to the rear of the building. GPS: 39.774065, -94.794746 Bill

Otters!

Sherry - I talked with the owner of the 4 Bears Bed & Breakfast that is located nearby and he told me that even though the stay limit is 14 days, there is no enforcement of that rule. I stayed there 6 nights. It is a central location for fishing all three branches of the Wood River and for fishing the Jack's Fork area of the Greybull River. As JD mentions, it is also only just over 30 miles of easy driving to Cody, is a bunch quieter and cheaper. Nearby is the ghost town of Kirwin, the partially constructed cabin of Amelia Earhart and the DD Ranch which she liked visiting. Meeteetse is also near the location of a colony of black footed ferrets that were thought to be extinct until found here just a few years ago. Butch Cassidy spent a night in jail here too. But don't trespass!

The OP started out asking about an Elite I - doesn't it have a GVWR of more like 5,000 lbs?

We prefer Cracker Barrel’s over Walmarts. We’ve never had a bad experience and like Bill says, you are usually behind the building so road noise is reduced. Also, they are often located with other hotels/motels and restaurants, so it feels safe. The only issue we’ve found is the early morning food delivery truck or early morning garbage truck at the dumpsters. That’s usually when we get up and either get on the road or get ready to go inside for coffee and breakfast. Mike

Let me see - New Ollie, the Blue Ridge Parkway is right between Hohenwald and Raleigh, and, it is mid-October for the leaves. Of course there is also the Natchez Trace south and then over to Florida and back up. Or, there is the grand tour heading West, winding up in Quartzite in February and taking the southern route home. Choices, choices, choices! Almost a shame that the Oliver is your first camper/trailer. Perhaps you'll think that they all are like this. Bill

Hi Tex. We bought a 2020 Ram 1500 Longhorn ecodiesel 4x4 with air suspension and 3.92 rear axle last month in part for towing our LEII. It has been absolutely a dream. We have been all over flat Florida with it; in some cases we got 18 mpg. The Ollie has the Anderson hitch. We didn't even know we it was behind us. One word of caution. As has been pointed out on this and other forums, check the payload capacity. Each option you get on the Ram will reduce the PC. Our is only about 1200 lbs. Don't believe the salesmen either - they will quote you a base trim model with 2wd and no options. The PC for the specific vehicle will be posted inside the driver's door. Bottom line - no issues and we love it!

We finally took Ollie on a camping trip out west and wanted to share a few photos. We visited Kodachrome Basin SP UT and it was raining, so will visit there again on our next trip. Have to say Ollie has great towing manners and very pleasant to camp in!!!!! Winslow AZ: Bryce NP: North Rim: Zion NP: Cedar Breaks NP area: Valley of Fire SP NV: Snow Canyon SP UT:

Hi everyone, We are Jim and Deb, and we want an Oliver! We currently have a 2015 Casita 17. It has been a great camper, and we are completely sold on the fiberglass trailer concept. However, we would like more room and comfort. We had also been considering an Escape 21, but while it would be a move up in size, it would be a move sideways in overall quality. Yesterday, we met Oliver owners Foy and Myrna, who live a couple of counties away from us, and they graciously allowed us to check out their 2017 LE2. We had seen a few Olivers but this was our first detailed look and we absolutely loved it. So, we are now not very likely to be Escape owners. Our master plan is to sell our house in the next 1-2 years and put some of the proceeds toward new rolling stock. Deb is retired, I’m working from home for a couple of more years, and we are planning to relocate from S Florida to Pensacola to be closer to family (and to be closer to where we want to travel.) I’m sure we will have more questions as we move forward. I currently tow with a 2002 Tundra V8, and while it could pull the Oliver, it is almost 20 years old so we will be looking at a new TV sooner than later. See you on the road!

Not that we are biased or anything, but, nice pics of a beautiful camper in super locations. Just so you know - the Oliver does well in not so nice locations too. Bill

Yes, I went inside for breakfasts both days - biscuits, bacon and coffee were very good. In the event this Cracker Barrel was crowded, there is a WalMart located nearby. The only "downside" of this location was that they do not open for breakfast until 8 am. Bill

Not yet. I have a 2021 Elite I on order!

UPPER SUNSHINE RESERVOIR. The area around Cody is insanely busy in summer, and finding a place to stay that doesn't require a reservation and $50 per night is very hard, especially if you do not have a fixed arrival date. It is one of the main "feeder towns" that tourists go through on the way to Yellowstone and Tetons. We wanted to revisit the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, and avoid the Parks, but we could not find a place to camp. A little research turned up this gem.... About 30 miles south lies Meeteetse WY, and due west are a couple of irrigation reservoirs; while both offer camping and water access, the jewel is the Upper Sunshine Reservoir, the western-most one. It takes about half an hour to drive there from the town, along a stunning valley with views of the jagged glaciated mountains south of Yellowstone. Most of the access road is high speed WY highway. The last 4 miles are well maintained gravel and dirt (possibly very slick when wet, definitely dusty when not). Location map: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Upper+Sunshine+Reservoir/@43.968422,-109.1090158,11z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x534c5725b1e82ec9:0x278afb15aaf5ba06!8m2!3d44.0490298!4d-109.0627262 Run by the Wyoming Department of Fish and Wildlife, it is a well maintained area with lots of dispersed camping, a boat ramp, pit toilet and lots of fish. It is definitely brown bear country, and you must take appropriate food precautions, but all we saw were antelope and a little Jack Russell terrier that repeatedly weeweed on Mouse's wheel. It is very popular on weekends. Midweek, it is not crowded. Most of the day-fishermen pack up and leave by 400 pm. We elected to camp on the shoulder near the (non-busy) boat ramp because we were worried about thunderstorms. Some of the dispersed spots would be very greasy after a heavy rain and we needed to be gone by 700 AM to get to the Buffalo Bill museum by 800 am when it opened. Even in summer there were a lot of birds including some American Avocet, which has a cool "Doppler Shift" call and curved up bill, and we had never encountered any of those before. The sky was threatening and overcast, and we had a brief downpour at midnight, so we could not do any star gazing, but it should be a great location for that in better weather. Timelapse sunset: https://youtu.be/N8ejZg49EWQ Highly, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED if you are in the Cody area! Five stars, well maintained, isolated, free. Meeteetse is a pleasant, prosperous little community with a Conoco and a chocolatier, so it is a good spot to refuel the truck and the wife before heading to the Cody Mess. The highlight of the Cody Firearm Museum for me was: The Colt Navy 1861 revolver, serial number 1: [attachment file=IMG_6752.jpg] ...and the Longmire tv show display. Here is Walt's badge: ...and the entire display with his Winchester and 1911, and Vic's Glock and badge; I need to rewatch the series now..... John Davies Spokane WA

I don’t, let me poke around in my records to see where I got it. It wasn’t Amazon. It is similar to this one, maybe an earlier version. I have had it for four years. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Home-Zone-5L-Small-Trash-Can-With-Lid-And-Foot-Pedal-Removable-Bin-Stainless-Steel-Garbage-Can-Oval-Waste-Basket/666807586 It works fine, you can operate the lid with your left heel when sitting, or while standing you can use your right toe or reach behind with your hand and lightly push down on the rear hinge. All these will pop it open. EDIT: I can't find a purchase record, that is weird because I keep everything.... Sorry, I came up empty. John Davies Spokane WA

Try it now, for some reason it was a Draft and never was published. I think it is fixed, let me know please. And thanks for bringing that to my attention. Time Lapse Sunset, Upper Sunshine Reservoir, near Meeteetse WY John Davies Spokane WA

Flat Florida - I love it.

We've overnighted at a few cracker barrels, going from point a to b. It's always been a good experience. Went in for dinner or breakfast . I'm not a big fan of Cracker Barrel food, but we feel it's important to patronize those who give us a free spot. I'll remember this one. Thanks.

You're towing an ollie elite I? Ram is a delightful machine. Our 2008 has 200k on it, about half pulling the Ollie. Super.

We’ve got 12 months of camping left before we winterize. Will re-assess in 12 months, but will probably go for another 12 months! I think I know quite a bit about my Oliver, but since we’ve never winterized I don’t have a clue how to do that. Mike

We towed with a 2016 Ram 1500 Lone Star edition for about 50K miles. We liked it enough to trade it in on a 2020 Ram Rebel, same engine and drive train. We like the comfort and features of the interior. We had no issues with our 2016 1500 and had almost 100K miles on it when we traded it. Our new Rebel is pretty loaded, some stuff not very necessary like the sunroof. I’ve got about 1500 lbs of payload capacity, so with the tongue weight, tonneau cover and stuff we carry we’re close to the limit. We are very happy with our Ram. Mike

We purchased a RAM 1/2 ton with the "Limited' trim level three years ago. (2017 model) Very nice truck, nice interior and the newer ones look even nicer. That said, because we purchased the top of the line trim level, with all options, plus adding a bed cap/canopy, we don't have much payload capacity left and it's a real issue since you have to deduct the tongue weight from the payload capacity. Note that our payload capacity listed on the brochure is different that the sticker in the door because we have all the options like moonroof, running boards, 4x4, etc etc etc. You're probably fine with the Oliver Elite I, since your tongue weight will be less. But figure on the weight you will add to the truck, including humans. Just check those numbers on the door jam to figure it out. We're looking at upgrading to a 3/4 ton, either RAM or Ford because we need a truck canopy to cover and secure the items we take with us (recumbent trikes and accessories, Honda generator, tools, ice chest, etc.).

Great pictures and trip! I hope to do a similar trip soon. We are in the Raleigh area and pick up our Oliver mid October. Seems like we have been waiting forever. We started out as backpackers, then migrated to tent camping. This will be our first experience with a camper/trailer. Better late than never though!

Adorned with beautiful landscapes, such as the Palo Duro Canyon and Guadalupe Mountains National Park, and offering some of the most spectacular beauties such as the Wichita Falls, Lake Travis and Padre Island National Seashore, Texas is a... Read More Facebook post: See post

It's not "cheating" to enjoy a campsite, and an amazing park. The great thing about our trailers is that we can enjoy a variety of landscapes and access. It's all good. Ps, you don't have to plug in if you don't want to. We almost never do. And we've found that often, the best campsites are the toughest, and don't have hookups. Perfect for us. 🙂

We visited many of these places in May, 2019. Beautiful part of the country. I especially liked Valley of Fire, and the North Rim GC was spectacular (maybe not now since the fire). We did not get to spend much time in Utah, so plan to go back that way. Had hoped it to be this Spring (2020), but we all know how that turned out. The area around Sedona, Cottonwood, and Jerome were amazing as was Payson, AZ, and the Mongollon Rim. One of the highlights of the trip was camping two nights at Lee's Ferry right on the Colorado River. I had just finished reading the book, The Emerald Mile. An Interesting, true story, of the man who broke the Colorado River Run time (in a wooden Dory). Great read! https://grandcanyon.com/news/the-emerald-mile-fastest-through-grand-canyon/ I heard that that boat, named the Emerald Mile, is still hanging in a workshop somewhere, I think around Flagstaff.

Dang! I thought that I was the only one that knew about Meeteetse. Besides the Greybull River there are a number of other very nice fly fishing spots near here (PM me if you're interested). The Cowboy bar in downtown serves an acceptable burger and the beer is cold. The motel/RV place just over the bridge on the northwest side of town is right on the highway, has cable, WiFi, electric, water and sewer if that is what you are looking for and their prices sure beat Cody's. That reservoir that John mentions is busier in the winter for ice fishing than it is in the summer. Bill

The nice part to a composting toilet is that you can get it now, set it up at home, anywhere, test it out see if you like it or if you don't. If you find you do like it, then when your trailer is built, save the money and have them install nothing and you can just install the one you already have. If you find out you don't prefer it, just have them install a regular setup and sell the compositing one.

I suggest that the Nature's Head Composting Toilet option should only be considered by owners with an anal "(b : of, relating to, characterized by, or being personality traits (such as orderliness, frugality, and obstinacy) considered typical of fixation at the anal stage of development : anal-retentive — often used in nontechnical contexts to describe someone as extremely or excessively neat, careful, or precise") personality. I'm one of them. I think you can identify the personality traits of the rest of the Oliver owners active on the forum who have opted for this solution. :) Don

Jason, good info. John's comments bring up the difference between campers and travelers. We are more on the "traveler" side, going somewhere to see the sites and visit interesting landmarks, parks and historic places. We prefer hook ups, but are not limited to only FHU campgrounds. We spent time out in the desert at Quartzsite and at Joshua Tree NP boondocking as well as other places that were not developed. Our trailers adapt well to all conditions! We are going to visit as many National Parks as possible with or without hook ups. With regards to Texas, the state has a nice network of State Parks, from the lush Caddo Lake SP on the LA border to beach camping at Mustang Island SP near Corpus Christi on the gulf to the second largest US canyon at Palo Duro SP near Amarillo to the high desert at Davis Mountains SP in west Texas and lots of other interesting places in between. Big Bend NP is a great visit as is Guadalupe Mountains NP. We've also stayed at nice COE parks around the state for next to nothing with our senior pass. The bigness of the state allows for great geographic diversity. Mike