bugeyedriver

Brandi, The Giant Jellybean and you were obviously made for each other! Welcome to the Ollie family. We early Ollie owners always wondered about the lack of cover for the see through door window. For nightime privacy, we tend to hang a lightweight towel, or shirt on the head bumper. There are some other options as well. I've sent you a PM with contact information and will be glad to answer any questions that you may have. Your Giant Jellybean will garner a lot of attention where ever you go . . . Pete

Bill, Haha....Thanks! But while I'd like to take all the credit for ScubaRx's ideas and modifications, it must stay where it belongs, with Steve, the real ScubaRx. Pete, aka Bugeyedriver

Controlling the temperature and humidity in your Ollie is the key to stop condensation. You can't change the fact that water vapour will go from a gaseous state to liquid if it comes into contact with a cold surface. But by using a few simple strategies you can minimize the issue. Ollie's double paned windows are a huge help. I found a good blog entry that offers nine methods for protecting your rolling palace from condensation.

Dan, Sounds like a good plan. Chasing (or running from) weather is one of the favorite uses of my rolling palace....all 90 sq ft of living space in my 2008 Elite. Stick to the plan. You've got good times ahead! Pete

I've got my ticket! It's an awesome small town, big fun experience.

Overland, I initially thought I'd carry and use my Honda 2000 in the basket, but did not like the vibrations (although minor) that could be felt inside the traier while it ran. It now rides in the truck bed and runs either on the tailgate or on the ground. The box is used for chocks and blocks or local firewood. Pete

Did an Airstream owner just say "hail"? Aaauuuggghhh!!! ;)

It was a good idea, but I found the dry southwestern air can dry it out and cause it to crack pretty bad. So mine has been totally removed and now I have about an inch between the Ollie and the Fiamma. It is much easier to keep clean and polished this way. I primarily use the awning to control the sun's heat on the side of the trailer. I might sit outside during a gentle sprinkle but when the frogs are choking, I head inside and a lack of the rubber strip is not important.

Hi folks, it might be time to reach across the forum, join hands, and raise our voices in a nice round of Kumbaya before things get out of hand . . .

One of the early Oliver owners, Chuck, brought that concern up on the forum. It sounded plausible, so I went to Home Depot and purchased a generic, thin multipurpose industrial rug and cut it to line the entire bottom of that space. No chafing opportunities here. The last thing I desired was leakage of the icky stuff.

I was holding the little Whisker Britches up because his legs are too short. ;)

Checking Ollie systems prior to a long outing and discovered the nine year old vent fan would not turn on. Crud! Power to unit OK because hood went up and down and internal fuse is intact. Internet search found the fix. (Gotta love the Web for research) Release 5 screws that hold inner shroud and drop shroud. Unscrew fan blade and remove (take it inside for a good scrubbing in the kitchen sink) Find the thin silver plunger that tells when hood is down on the forward street side of unit and manually move up and down several times. Wipe down with cleaner and spray with electrical cleaner stuff in a can. Reverse removal process. Turn on fan. Smile! Avoid departure delay and $100/hour service fee. Life is Goooooood

Back in the Day when there were only a dozen or so owners, we used to be able to camp inside the factory if we were having some work done on our happy little 17 footers (which are now called 18.5 footers due to the tounges we extended). It was surreal being able to wander amongst the crates of supplies and the handful of Ollies that might be in gestation. It was during one of those wanderings that the Technomadias came upon a box of silver support poles which were clearly marked "Stripper Poles", letting us know someone indeed was reading our cavalier banter on the forums. Well, things have moved along and tightened up a bit (which they probably should have) so alas, those serendipitous finds are not in the cards anymore. Sigh. It would be prudent to stay in the local area two nights so the rapid response team could help ensure your Ollie is the best it can be before you roll home.

Buzzy . . . . . . "Captain Tolley’s Creeping Crack Cure" GASP! Pete

John, I think the reason the tank drains slowly is due to its design of only being a few inches tall. It has plenty of capacity but most of that is due to its modest width and very long length. The column of water pressure does not have a sufficient vertical component to allow it to have much oomph. One way of increasing its drain speed is to elevate the front end and thereby providing a bit larger vertical component to the water's shape. I think you may get a bit faster if your 1" drain hose is draining down a steep hill and there is no air leaking back up the hose. That can provide more of a suction component to the water flow. As you state, if you are mainly using it as a continuous flow-through system, speed would not be too much of a hindrance. Make sure your trailer is not in a nose down position or you may have some gray water that does not drain at all. That extra storage space in your large bumper will be nice.

BugBite has broken proper forum decorum again. The time for talking and discussion is over and the "BugBite" membership should be deleted by end of business today. Any return to the forums under another name and continuance of similar behavior will have a similar result. This is a place for supporting and generally uplifting one another in our desire to get out in nature with our wonderful campers. We may not always agree with each other (families are like that) but, in the end, our goal is to help each other learn how to make the best use of our trailers and to venture forth safely, and HAVE FUN! Let's keep it that way.

How right you are. I'll travel down the occasional developed dirt or gravel road, but not after they have been recently washed out, and I'm not likely to purposefully pull The Wonder Egg anywhere deep off road into uncharted territory. But that's just the way I roll. I'm looking forward to some pictures in the future of where John takes his Ollie. I bet they will be spectacular.

Pat, the vast majority of postings on this forum are courteous and helpful towards other members. On the rare occasion someone establishes a pattern of departing from the proper decorum, a moderator will step in and resolve the issue. Thank you for inviting Ginger to share her knowledge of this oven. I am sure her inputs will be welcomed.

Looks like REI are no longer stocking it. It can be found at other sellers through a Google search, though. Years ago I purchased Cobb cooker. Great food, but the cleanup drain on the water supply was a downer. Then I found the Backpacker's Oven. It is cheap to buy, cooks well, but you need to make sure not to bump the hood if it is used inside the camper. After seeing this thread, I purchased an Omnia and cooked seasoned chicken breasts to perfection using the silicone insert. Cleanup was a breeze. It is already packed for this summer's wanderings.

This is how my Breezer Downtown bike will ride to Newfoundland this summer. I took it out for a test ride today and it is absolutely steady with no dipping or wobbling. I have a Curt front hitch for the Taco and use Swagman X/C carrier and an anti-wobble clamp. No ground clearance is lost for the vehicle (the skid plate is lower by several inches) Contrary to how it appears, there is no problem with visibility from the handle bars. The wheels do not extend beyond the sides of the truck, so there is no loss in maneuvering. Parking between vehicles at the grocery store was not a problem. The bike is secured to the hitch with a locking cable. After putting a topper on the back of the Taco, the previous setup interfered with opening the hatch. This was a good solution for me. I'm not too worried about bug splatter on the bike. As long as the seat is clean I'm good to ride. The chain is fully enclosed in a shroud, so there should be minimal issues with rust. My Taco has 218,000 miles on it and still runs like brand new.

That's a stunning looking combo . . . about as stunning as all those numbers on the speeding ticket.

I also creep around here not logging in a lot. Welcome Jason!

Christmas in Ollie Land!

I'm sure it's not a common occurrence, but if it can be taken from someones driveway, I'm sure the same sort of rare scumbag might try to take it elsewhere. Insurance is a must and can make you whole again, but a little dissuasion can ease the easily worried mind.

The early Ollies will not accommodate a 16" tire under the tire cover. My spare is a 15". Yeah, I know it is not optimum but it will get me to a repair shop. (BTW, my mother-in-law says that she likes the way the trailer rides with the Michelin LTX tires best)