mountainborn

by DougI on Fri Jan 02, 2009 6:45 pm Tn girl wrote: Hi, I am going to buy a travel trailer in the near future. I have been doing my research and have narrowed it down to the Casita and Oliver. My question is, I have a 2007 3.8L V6 263 horsepower Kia Sorento. Will my vehicle be able to pull this trailer. I have the draw tite towing package on my Suv. But my towing capacity is only 5,000lbs. Can someone help me. Moderator's note: I believe this is a duplicate post. Please look to "Hello all" for replies. Thanks! Seadawg/Sherry With a 5,000 towing capacity, I see no reason you could not tow a 17 foot Oliver, fully equipped, which would weigh somewhere between 3,500 and 4,000 pounds, depending on how much stuff you put in it and on how much water you carry in your fresh water tank while towing. I have a Toyota RAV4 with a factory towing package, 269 HP V6, and I decided not to tow the Oliver with it, due to a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds and a tongue weight limitation of 350 pounds. So, I decided to get a new tow vehicle with plenty of extra towing and cargo capacity (room for the things I want to take but have no room in the Oliver for). Things like lawn chairs, generator(s), gas can full of gas, folding bicycles, air compressor, extra clothes and footwear that won't fit in the Oliver, an outdoor grill and propane bottle, tent, day packs and backpacks, screen shelter, tool box, chocks, extra food and personal items, spare parts for the tow vehicle and the Oliver, and so on. These items can add up to a lot of weight and the Oliver has no outside storage bins, so you have to carry all this stuff in your tow vehicle (or leave most of it at home), which lessens your towing capacity by their total weight. If you tow in the mountains, keep in mind that the engine power of all gas engines decreases significantly at higher elevations, during a time when you need the most power from your engine. I think you will be fine if you watch your weight carefully. The easiest way to do this is to travel with only a few gallons of water in your fresh water tank.2009 Oliver Legacy Elite, Hull number 0037. Tow vehicle is a 2003 Silverado 1500, 5.3L V8, LT, 4X4, Quadrasteer, extended cab, with full factory towing package. Reside near Lexington, Texas (Central Texas, 45 miles east of Austin). Thanks DOUGI, a good explination ! MODERATOR'S NOTE: I tried to untangle this thread. Somehow it was in the welcome forum and needed to be in the campers forum. It is an informative subject and will be of use to many. Puting it where more folks can find it will likely help. Thanks to Sherry and Pete for helping while Betty and I were in Hot Springs. mountainborn

Thanks Sherry ! Pete had gave me a call on this, but we were West of Hot Springs and still a few hours away from home.

Welcome to the Oliver Forums hankandlois !!

Welcome to the Oliver Forums ptanner !!

Welcome to the Oliver Forums BennyMac !!

FORMAL STRUCTURE ? WE DON'T GOT NONE ! I know that there are those among us that may like everything spelled out, every activity planned, every meal scheduled and menued, with each days activitys listed on a written agenda. Agenda, AGENDA ! We don't need no stinkin' agenda ! We are gathering at Lake Greeson to catch and eat fish while visiting with friends, after a long Winter. Our main objective is to unwind in the outdoors after being cooped up for the winter. Things we ain't got: Registration procedure Agenda Schedule Committees Web Page List of attendees Fees associated with our gathering There are probably more things that we ain't got, but I can't think of them right now ! Start time ? Betty and I will arrive at the Lake on the 8th or 9th of April and try to pick a campsite right on the water to make the handling of the fish easier. We are going to start a bit early this year to make it easier for those that need time to travel to the Blue bonnet Rally. So, what do you need to bring or do ? Easy ! Just arrive at a convienent time for you, then relax and enjoy the beautiful Arkansas Springtime ! Each year's fish camp is a little different because those that are able to attend that year, each do things a little bit different. Here is a video look at one lunch scene at last year's camp: http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/mo ... 2Plate.flv I can't remember if I have posted this video clip before, or not. Is it structured ? No way ! But it sure is laid back ! Where ? KIRBY LANDING LAKE GREESON ARKANSAS When ? APRIL 9TH 2009 UNTIL WE GET TIRED OF FISHING OR LEAVE FOR THE BLUE BONNET RALLY Will we be able to all camp side by side ? MAYBE NOT, SITES ARE NOT RESERVABLE THAT TIME OF THE YEAR But we will, no doubt, all be close togather. Here is a photo of last year when Chuck was just across the road from Betty & I. http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/mo ... 8_1820.jpg

Merry CHRISTmas Everybody !

Welcome to the Oliver Forums liffordc !!

Welcome to the Oliver Forums Keener !!

Actual operation video while uploading a 92 MB video file. Our old CRT style computer monitor is on it's last leg and the color is kind of funny. Maybe Santa will bring a new LCD monitor ? The clasic 60 cycle black rotating bers are present in the video, along with the snapping sound in the audio track as the camera gets too close to the flyback transformer in the monitor. But even with these many problems in the video there is a good look at the operation of the UM175 and it's software. Here is the link to the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUCtVHJYAc8

0430 hrs. Let Dillon the retired drug dog outside. The sharp crisp air supprised me even though the forcast was proving to be accurate. It didn't take Dillon long to get his business done and return to his place by the fire ! We have a remote thermometer we can check the temperature at the propane tank cover, where a sending unit is located, on our Ollie. It indicated 20 degrees ! 0900 hrs. 21*, I venture outside to check on Ollie. The inside of Ollie is 39*, with only one element of an oil filled radiator looking type of heater sitting in the middle of the floor, turned on ( 700 watts, two elements would be 1400 watts of heat). If it gets much colder, I will turn on that other heating element. I guess that this artic front that is penetrating deep into the South has most on here checking up on their Ollie. Last Winter we used our Ollie so much we didn't Winterize at all and just used the oil filled heater. This year we have only drained the lines and tanks when we changed the sacrificial anode element in the hot water heater, and so far have only used one element in the oil filled heater. Tell us, please how your Ollie's Winterizing is going for you and what your strategy is should it get much colder. Hints and tips appreciated !

DougI, any chance that you guys may be going to the April Jug Fishing Gathering at Lake Greeson ? I sure would like to look over one of them quadratracs ! I have often thought they would be a good TV.

Welcome to the Oliver Forums Casita Couple !!

I have never had solar before, or even been around it being used, so I have wondered about things like rainy days charging. Can solar panels provide any meaningful charge the batterys on a rainy day ? I plugged in a LED test light today during a rain. Now obviously this isn't anywhere near a scientiffic test. I expect that it comes nearer to a Redneck Review. Here is the video results: http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/mountainborn0/?action=view&current=100_0023.flv

Our path tags hadn't arrived yet. But we had found another tagger's coin in one of our geocaches as we were doing maintenance. The tag was from a FEMA worker that was passing through our area and found one of our geocaches, dropping one of their tags. Here is what their tag looks like: A few days later we found another tag in a geocache in ElDorado Arkansas. When we got back home from ElDorado our own tags had arrived. Here is a look at some of our pathtags we have collected.

Welcome to the Oliver Forums Eric Mayer !!

WOOOoooHOooo ! Thanks Jonathan, for your work on this.

You know, Tom, that ain't half bad ! The locals at Hohenwald usually refer to it as "Hole in the wall". THE HOLE IN THE WALL GANG! It has a certain kind of character about it !

Where can you locate your VIN so you will know what your Hull/Member number is ? It is listed on a decal located on the Port or Street Side of your Ollie up near the Bow or Front. It is also on your Title and registration or insurance information. Just the last four digits are needed for your Hull/member number for now. We can increase the number of digits used after our membership increases.

Group name yet to be determined by the membership. Voluntary listing, Send Your info to a moderator, by private message, to post in this thread,( a simple copy & paste operation) as it will be locked to prevent accidental loss of the listings. The last four digits of your VIN (vehicle identification number) are your Hull Number and will be your Member Number. This will facilitate following the history of each Oliver as it passes from one owner to another. Should you own more than one Oliver list it as: Currently own Hull # 003, have owned in the past, Hull #002. One cool thing about using the Hull number is that you can readily determine who owns the one made immediately before and after yours was manufactured. This gives you someone to chat with about how things operate best. Since the newest of technologies is in the latest Olivers made, those manufactured nearest to yours will operate more similarly. EXAMPLE: Larry & Betty Harmon mountainborn & Butcherknife 207 Polk Road 273 Vandervoort, Ar. 71972 479-243-5450 479-216-2504 mountainborn@gmail.com Hull Number 0003

The new OLIVER OWNERS GROUP is slowly taking form. A letter has been composed by Steve (SCUBARX) and Robert (BUFFALOBOB) will include it in a CHRISTmas mailing from the OLIVER FACTORY. The letter will introduce the new Group and invite all owners participation. Since we are still a fairly small group, we will start off with an online Group listing. That way those planning a trip can print the latest listings if they want to carry it with them. Though I bet most will be like Butcherknife and I, we will refrence the list online most of the time. PAPERLESS RULES !! So, how about suggesting a name for our new group ! For example, I always thought that the HARLEYDAVIDSON'S OWNERS GROUP being named HOG was cool ! But having said that, OOG (oliver owners group) doesn't quite have the same kind of a ring to it ! Your name suggestions for our owner's group are being solicited !

Walleye ! WALLEYE !! Don't you know that them fish has SCALES on em' ? Yuck ! It makes me shudder to even think about scales on a fish ! Now a proper eatin' fish has a smooth, shiney skin. He, he, We hope things give a turn for the better by the time April rolls around, giving you guys a break in your schedule. Your company would be a nice thing for our lill' get togather.

DougI It appears that only my schedule is fixed. As I stated in the original post, I'm off April 09 thru April 15. I would not be able to attend at any other time. These dates were chosen because Larry had suggested to me that since everyone else's time is flexable that I pick the dates. Obviously, if this is not suitable with everyone else then it should suit the majority. However, Larry further says that the date has to be after the full moon due to the spawn of the bait fish that need to be caught. The moon is full April 09, so it could not be scheduled any earlier. Geneva and I would like to make this outing and April 9 thru April 15th is fine with us at this time. We will try to keep that week open so we can make it up. We love that area and will set our sights on being there, and hope everything works out. This will give us and Pete plenty of time to make it to the Bluebonnet Rally in Bandera, TX on April 22nd-26th. SWEET ! Welcome Doug & Geneva ! This is beginning to shape up, shore nuff ! I was a bit nervous about the close proximity of the Blue Bonnet and the bait fish spawn, but it looks as though it will work out !

These colder days I have been sitting in front of the fire working on some new jugs. They look and work about the same as the jugs that Chuck is familiar with. But they have a couple of small refinements that make them easier to handle and store. Here is a look at twelve of them. Just click on the photo for a larger view: That hot pink braided line is easier to see, further down in the water, when tangled up in a brush pile, ect.. The line is rated at 155 pound test. The egg shaped sinkers are on the line in such a manner that they are less likely to tangle up also. We have a new dip net for this year, it is bigger and heavier mesh. A big old blue catfish went right through the bottom of last year's net ! The reason for the heavy tackle is that the state record catfish is well over 100 pounds. Lake greeson is a "catfish lake". Conditions are ideal for catfish. So there is a good possibility that the next state record could come from Greeson. Now, wouldn't that be cool ! I can just see it now, a group photo in front of all them Oliver travel trailers ! With careful handling the State Record fish could be kept alive and on display at Bass Pro Shop in Little Rock, with our photo on the plaque. He, he, just a wild thought, but wouldn't that be some more kind of sweet ! Here is a look at the older jugs in a crate on the boat, click for larger view:

Located in the edge of the South San Juan Wilderness of the Rio Grande National Forest, in Conejos County Colorado, the Trujillo Meadows Campground is right beside a Trout filled Lake that is filed by snow melt run off, and is at 10,050 feet of elevation. Just under fifty campsites, with one host campsite that has water, you treat it yourself with a chlorinator, and the only septic tank there. There is no electricity. But is in dense Conifer forest and has lots of wildlife. There are Bear warnings posted. Yup, it is just exactly, our kind of place ! Eighteen miles to get the mail, gas, groceries, ect.. We accepted a position as campground Hosts for 2009. Could that be hillbilly speak for working for minimum wage ? We ain't never been paid to camp before ! It is a short season at that elevation. From about mid may to the first week in September. Some years they can't get in there in mid May, because the snow isn't melted off yet. The snow was so heavy last year that the nearest grocery store's roof caved in ! Jeep trails, hiking trails, steam trains, and just on and on with the list of cool stuff to do. Here is a link to an article with a map: http://www.hikercentral.com/campgrounds/115668.html They say that the best camping is from June to August, if you are in the area, be sure to stop in for a cup of coffee. We are the first campsite on the right. The storms last Winter left lots of dead and down timber and we will bring a chainsaw for nightly hot cocoa and smores around the campfire ! Dried Conifer makes the coolest crackling sounds and colors when burning at that altitude ! All you will need to bring are lawn chairs and stories for the campfire chatting.