bugeyedriver

Wow, the Kimberly Cruiser single axle looks like you could take it beyond places I'd want to take The Wonder Egg. Quite impressive off road suspension system for sure. What sort of tow vehicle do you have?

Steve and Tali were the ones that first had the vision for that . . .

Overland, The Big Bend is not to be missed. I've been on a few unimproved roads there with no problem. However, a gullywasher of a rainstorm can wreck havoc on them, so I'd go with caution. Check out the Chisos Basin boondocking campsite up inside the volcano cauldron of the National Park! No unimproved roads, but great vistas and hiking is to be found. Pete

Overland, The spring over axle setup came that way from the factory. I did make one mod, myself, which was to add one more leaf to the curbside spring. This was accomplished at a spring specialty shop here in San Antonio. The reason was to beef up that side's suspension to compensate for the extra weight right of centerline. Somewhere around 65,000 miles I noticed a minor lean to that side, so I replaced all four shock absorbers (it was time) and had that leaf spring strengthened. Realizing the center of gravity (CG) is raised a bit with this setup, especially with my 16" wheels and Michelin light truck tires (personal preference) I always travel with my water tank full. The 32.5 gallon fresh water tank is shallow, wide, long and located within the frame, right of centerline. The extra 260 lbs of weight at that low point lowers the CG somewhat, and the CG shifts slightly left as I consume water and it goes to the gray and black tanks which are left of centerline. I may take a hit on gas mileage, but I prefer it this way. My hitch has the perfect rise and my Tacoma has a Timbren suspension enhancement system. The trailer and truck ride perfectly level without a weight distribution hitch and I've never felt the need for a sway bar. The Wonder Egg tracks very well, and the couple of times rapid maneuvering was needed, there was no discernible problem. Eighteen wheelers passing and strong wind from all directions do not result in swaying. My double step is bolted on with 4 strong bolts. No welding. And you're right, the step is a "beast". It has impressed several engineers with its stoutness. It is much stronger than the Airstream's "erector-set" looking steps. Pete

John, thanks for the picture. I see where a fully articulated coupler would come in handy on a road like that. About tearing off the double step . . . On my single axle Elite, while it does descend lower than the single step, it does not extend any lower than my 5200 lb axle. My spring over axle setup was done by the factory. Any obstacle my axle can clear with the 16 inch wheels and tires will should clear the steps. While I don't use my high lift trailer for off roading activities, it has come in handy to back into the perfect campsite settings occasionally where a log or a large rock may be residing. I also appreciate the high lift for the rare campsite on a rather steep incline. It permits me to lower the front of the trailer enough for leveling the unit. (with good wheel chocks in place) and I never worry about steep dips in the road for low water crossings in the Texas Hill Country. I think the tandem axle Elite II normally comes with two 3500 lb axles and 15" wheels unless you specify otherwise. (I believe Steve & Tali may have two 5000 lb capacity axles and larger wheels) Ask the factory to check the ground clearance on those axle, wheel setups with the double step. Mike, the ham with orange marmalade and toasted pecan glaze was very well received last evening. It shall be revisited during our leftover meal in a few hours as it turns into ham sliders . . . mmmmm, mmmmm, goooooood.

Mike, I enjoyed visiting with you and Carol as I was getting ready for my camping trip (BTW greetings from Brozos Bend SP) Like SeaDawg, I use the RockTamer mud flap system, which is in addition to my Tacoma mud flaps. Stop by again after I get back next year (Saturday) and I'll show them to you. ps The Wonder Egg is Hull # 14 . . . . way older than that youngster # 18 . . . Bwahahahahahahaaaaa

An off road coupler? Where do you envision taking your Oliver that a Bulldog would not accommodate?

John, That looks very interesting. One of the things I've appreciated about the Oliver family is their willingness to listen to customers, within reason of course. In the past, if you could imagine it and your wallet was deep enough, they would do their best to make it happen. Some of our wonky "way out there" ideas were so well received that they've been incorporated into the options list, or have become a standard feature on the production line. But it needs to be something that will add value to the Ollie before it hits the options list or normal build process, and it must be properly engineered for safety. This cool idea might be one that catches on . . . can't hurt to ask Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As blogs, social media, and "all that stuff" have morphed over the years, so have my travel postings. This year's 6 1/2 month wander had sporadic postings on my 7 year old travel blog since I would often simply post a nice picture of our location at the time on Facebook. There were two impacts of this behavior . . . 1- Folks who had enjoyed "Pete and the Wonder Egg" over the years and were not on my "friends list" could not see the latest exploits of Oscar . . . 2- The postings on FB usually were quick looks into where we were at the moment and they did not have the goofy story-line coverage that a blog entry could show. I've been intrigued by the fact that folks totally unknown to us watched the adventures of Oscar the Smiley Dog as we've traveled across the land and I hope that it would bring a smile to their day. His girlfriend "Isabella the Italian Greyhound" had her people bring her to meet Oscar as we travelled along Route 66. Bob and Bonnie emailed Oscar while we were in Florida years ago and now we are all good friends and share time together as they winter-over in Texas. How do you share your travels ?

Congrats on your delivery of "Tripple One". It sure looks nice behind your 405 HP Cayenne. Your about to embark on years of joy and pleasure as you traverse this great country in your OLIVER. Enjoy!

Merry Christmas Poco, Betty & Larry !!! Oscar & Pete

It's pretty cool when you get a Christmas Card from the Oliver Family when you purchased a wonderful travel trailer from them almost 8 years ago! The Ollie family is a fine place to be, indeed!

http://www.USCAmpgrounds.info 13,000 public campgrounds - entire US and Canada This is my go-to site for finding great camping locations. It has an interactive map to help find all public campgrounds from City, to County, to State or Province, to Federal with easily displayed information and access to what amenities are available, phone number, lat/long, reviews, campground website, directions, etc.

Regarding your cable, what length do you use? Would a chain also work? I don't know how much clearance there is over the top of the axle, (or through the hole on the wheel) for a heavy (16mm) hardened chain to loop over.... Dave Dave, I just went and found the thickest safety cable I could find and it wound up being plenty long. My trailer is a high lift version with the leaf springs mounted above the axle and there is plenty of room or thick cable to pass over the axle and under the trailer chassis. My cable has loops on the end which I am able to fit through the large holes in my wheels from Discount Tire which I purchased when I went to 16" wheels. If you have small holes in the wheel, your issue will be finding something that will fit through the holes. Pete

Regarding your cable, what length do you use? Would a chain also work? I don't know how much clearance there is over the top of the axle, (or through the hole on the wheel) for a heavy (16mm) hardened chain to loop over.... Dave Dave, I just went and found the thickest safety cable I could find and it wound up being plenty long. My trailer is a high lift version with the leaf springs mounted above the axle and there is plenty of room or thick cable to pass over the axle and under the trailer chassis. My cable has loops on the end which I am able to fit through the large holes in my wheels from Discount Tire which I purchased when I went to 16" wheels. If you have small holes in the wheel, your issue will be finding something that will fit through the holes. Pete

I had a 12V outlet installed inside one of the overhead cabinets and the SPOT Trace is plugged into that with a 12V/USB connector. The cord to the Trace is long enough to reach up and wedge it between the shells where it is not likely to be found, or you could simply lay it in the back of the cabinet and cover it with numerous, miscellaneous items. The Trace is also programmed to send my trailers' location to family and friends which gives them peace of mind when I head out on a long wander across the country. About the hitch bolts . . . I wonder if there is a way to fabricate a collar of some sort which could clamp over them and be secured with a strong lock. Hmmmmmm . . .

While off in the tules, I use a lock on the Bulldog and also run a large, hardened cable lock through a hole in my wheel, over the axle, and out through another wheel hole. Then I put the baddest looking hardened key lock to the ends of the cable. I also have a GPS locating device hidden between the shells and connected to the 12V battery system (with backup batteries internally) that will enable me to track the trailer's location on my computer or cell phone. https://www.findmespot.com/en/index.php?cid=128 A very determined crook will still get the trailer, but I figure that is what insurance is for.

I forgot about the toaster I carry that rides nicely wedged behind the galley faucet handles and rests against a small bottle of EVOO and my salt & pepper grinders to its left, up against the wall containing the microwave oven.

Linda, You're gonna LOVE your Ollie. December pickup...what a great Christmas present. After 7+ years and 99,000 miles of wonderful wondering in my Ollie, I've "graduated" to nice paper plates. For me, it's all about relaxing, not washing dishes. (also saves water while boon docking) Initially, I had the full Correlle thing going and duplicated just about every kitchen gadget I have in my home. (My wife was a gourmet cook and we enjoyed creativity in the kitchen. I thought I'd replicate that on the road...HA...That lasted about a year) Now I travel with two crockpots, a rice cooker, and four different sized/types of pans. I also take an induction cooktop stove and a portable oven by NuWave. (They work just like the infomercial says) Another way to ease cleanup when using one of my two crockpots is to use a crockpot liner. (Who even knew those things existed?) Simply put leftovers in a storage container and toss the liner out. I keep a nice set of knives attached to a strong, faux-wood magnetic holder (from Williams - Sonoma) which is attached to the galley wall with industrial strength two sided tape. They ride there on the wall and do not fall off during travel. Plastic glasses, but a nice ceramic coffee mug. I use a utensil organizer in one of the drawers, but no cubbyhole containers in the overhead storage. I do have a "system" of where I put things so they are always within a few inches of where they were originally placed. (Jumbled perhaps, but findable) I keep a white plastic dishpan in the sink which is where my Britta filter pitcher and Keurig coffer maker ride down the road. Any precious items such as computers or instruments ride safely on the bed for travel and they go to the front dinette seat at nighttime. Have fun figuring out your plan. Expect it to morph into something different as your lifestyle on the road becomes more clearly defined. Pete

Kenny & Kay, Welcome to the Ollie clan of the fiberglass family. After the Casita SD it won't take too long for you to adjust to all that extra space and get used to the echo as your voice bounces back from that wall waaaaaaaay over there. Safe travels . . . Pete

Awwwww go ahead and just take one check along . . . just in case . . . life is unpredictable and full of surprises around the corner . . . especially as viewed from your Ollie!!!!

Do you have any secondary confirmation of the 10.8V reading, such as a 12v plug-in in reader or such? If the voltage really is that low it is NOT good and may have hurt your batteries. . Normal operation should not take them below 12.2v, which is about 50 percent. With my single 160w panel, I never need plug ins if I don't require A/C running. Sounds like the batteries are not charging. Scubrx has a similar system to you and should be able to help you troubleshoot the system. Good luck. Let us know what your final outcome is . . .

OK Steve & Larry, I figured I handed you an easy target with this one.. Shame on me. I actually borrowed the red nail polish from one of my neighbors, and she wears it very nicely, thank you very much. Now Larry, about your camo fingernail polish . . . .

A visual reminder of your electric switch being turned "ON" is easy to make. Take some red fingernail polish and paint one side of the small latch that closes the door to the water heater. Whenever your switch is turned "ON" have the bright red side of the latch facing out. I've used this method for years and it cues my mind to be aware of the switch's position.

Over the last several years, there have been two or three Ollies at the Casita Bluebonnet Rally, which is held in Bandera, TX during April. I think last year we actually had four in attendance when Larry and Betty Harmon brought a 23 footer to show. I've found the Casitans to be a very open and welcoming group of people to all fiberglass sojourners. Look at the fiberglass rv.com site for upcoming rally's and just head on out and enjoy the company. As Ollie production continues, we'll keep bumping into more of us out there on the road.