bugeyedriver

earthdancer, I've enjoyed the lyrical sounds of the Native American Flute for many years (I have and play three different keys) Over the past two years I've delved into the Irish whistle with a concentration on the Laments and Praises of the Aires genre. (I have 4 of these) I also play several baroque recorders, but I feel they are a bit "overboard" for the quiet solitude I'll be looking for with the Wonder Egg. There's nothing like the sound of a fipple flute wafting through the silence of the great outdoors . . . At home, I've had deer stop and listen as I play, leave when I stop, and return when I resume . . . It's another whole level of communication that touches the soul and brings solace to all who hear, including me . . . I will need to learn to be cognizant of my fellow travelers in the RV world so I don't disrupt their reverie in the evenings.

The custom made front mural has arrived at the Oliver plant ! see it at: http://s262.photobucket.com/albums/ii12 ... 20Trailer/ "Honor the Sacred" is a canvas print by the artist Katy Hatt, of Show Low, Arizona. Her artwork may be found at . . . http://www.ebsqart.com/Artists/cmd_2735 ... tfolio.htm I was looking throughout the web for just the right picture to grace the front of the Wonder Egg when I came upon Kathy's work. I purchased one of her original 8 x 10 canvas prints and asked for her permission to have an enlarged mural made for my trailer. After explaining the recent passing of my sweetheart, Lynn, my upcoming retirement, and my desire to find solace and solitude in the great splendor of the outdoors, Kathy graciously gave permission for a one of a kind mural to be made. I placed the print on a photocopy stand and used a Nikon D40 digital camera to accurately capture the image which I then emailed to the Oliver graphics shop for creation of the mural. I feel that it will set the perfect atmosphere for my journeys.

Mountainborn, I've always noticed your knack for writing that can paint pictures and that your heart is into it . . . now I know where it comes from. What a special grandma! Earthdancer, You may dance gently on Mother Earth, but your photography shouts strongly about the spirit that dwells within. I LOVE your pictures, thanks for linking us to them! Meanderthal, your handle is one of the cleverest ones I've seen in a long time . . . after you've meandered throughout these lands in your Oliver I'm sure we'll all be enthralled with your true story of what it means to you!

OK Tom, I'll go first: BUGEYEDRIVER - No, I do not travel the highways for hours and hours on end, hyped up on way too much coffee, attempting to reach a distant destination . . . I drive a 1959 English roadster called a "Bugeye" because the headlights are permanently positioned in the UP position. They're called "Frogeye" in England. I've had it 20 years and it is great therapy to drive . . . top down, low to the earth, wind in your face, bugs in your teeth from the constant grinning, smelling all the fragrances of the new spring growth . . . Beats the the heck out of hiring a therapist. OK folks, its time for you to step on up to the bar and tell your story . . .

Well BuffaloBob has put some new photos up on the production process! - a couple side shots from the outside (my favorite being the curbside view) you can see there's not much room for anything else up there . . . - photos of the galley front panel in production - closet rod and mounts (very strong) - amplifier antenna mounted in the rear, street-side corner underneath the cabinets - swivel reading lithe under cabinet near support bar Thanks, B-Bob!

Great news on the cell phone signal booster . . . it works GREAT! Robert said they've never had cell phone coverage on the shop floor. That is until the fired up the Wonder Egg's signal amplifier. Now they all have solid connections . . . WOOHOO! So for the next two weeks they can enjoy full cell phone coverage on the shop floor to talk to home, their girlfriends & boyfriends, receive and send text messages, web surf on their high speed blackberries, etc.

Chuck, Did you purchase a kit and do the Honda 2000i propane mod yourself, or have a shop do it? With the generator on the tongue mount how will you tap the propane? I think the quick connect for the grill is on the rear, am I right? Do you intend to open the propane cover or make your own hole for an access? More pics are posted on the production album. You can see Jason modeling several locations for the tag (I'll have a customized tire cover graphic) and you can see pics of mounting the top shell onto the rest of the unit. The metal bar exerts inward pressure on the top as the suction cups pull out the bottom for a firm seal. 15 more days . . . . . . . . . .

bugz, Your Oliver looks very happy in your family. Thanks for sharing your great photos with us . . . looks like all were having a grand time. Can't wait to do the "smores thing" with the grandkids! Nice mural, is that Lake Havasu itself? May you experience many, many more wonderful memories building moments with your trailer . . .

sacsun, I've tested the range of the transmitter / receiver and have solid contact at at 75'! If it transmits through the Wonder Egg, I may mount a metal washer on either end of the bumper and on top of the spare tire cover to attach the magnetic mounted camera. More pictures have materialized on the photobucket album: - a shot of the interior front of the outer shell showing the extra support for the antenna and the front solar panel mounts. You can also see they've affixed the antenna cable securely as it works its way back . . . - the coolest fabricated antenna bracket ever . . . strong and angled perfectly for a vertical receiver / transmitter antenna to the cell phone signal amplifier - 2 pics of a modification to the upper rear superstructure. This "bump" is to level my a/c. Because I've asked Oliver to add the cell phone antenna and 100w solar panel on top of the trailer, they had to move back the air vent and the a/c, placing the rear of the a/c over a downslope. The bump overcomes the downslope and supports the aft placement of my a/c unit. - 2 pics of an a/c unit on an Oliver without the modified bump, for contrast. About my a/c, I've asked Oliver not to put the strong Duo-Therm unit on . . . instead, I am requesting the Coleman Polar Cub. I've asked for this so I could run the a/c with a Honda EU200I and for a longer compressor run time to facilitate removal of moisture from the trailer. During my last conversation with Robert, he mentioned a modification I believe tumbleweed has on his trailer . . . a propane quick connect mounted near the curbside of the bumper run from the front tanks for use on a portable gas grill. Well, I couldn't help myself and asked if he could incorporate it on my Wonder Egg and Robert uttered those familiar words: "Why SURE!" Pickup date is now slated for 24 March, still in time to get it back to Texas for the Bluebonnet Rally. It'll also give my badly busted elbow time to heal (trees, ladders, and chain-saws just don't mix well - but that's a story for another time )

Hey bugz, My daughter saw an Oliver westbound on I-10 between Houston & San Antonio today . . . could that have been you?

mountainborn, Seeing as you're into fun ways to gather up a good catfish dinner I was wondering if you've ever gone out "noodling" for cats? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biL-QcviQGk I bet butcherknife could get some great pics of you bringing up your great catches and post them here! Pete hee, hee, hee

mountainborn, Here's my understanding on the need for the "tin-foil" The antenna on the front rooftop will receive a very weak signal on 800 or 1900 Mhz. send it to the amplifier which will boost the weak signal to 3 watts (max allowed) and this stronger signal will then be retransmitted from an inverted cone antenna mounted under the rear storage cabinet in the "street side" corner. I then sit inside (or outside for that matter) with a strong 4 bar signal. If the retransmitted, boosted signal is picked up by the topside antenna, we get into the situation where it oscillates. That is; "the amplified signal provided by the amplifier/repeater to one antenna for rebroadcast would likely be picked up by the other antenna and fed back into the amplifier input, where it would be further amplified, etc. The amplifier/repeater unit would quickly be overloaded with its own signal and would cease working for its intended operation." So . . . the aluminum foil is a shield that prevent that problem. The idea for the shield came from one of the technicians with the cell phone repeater company who happens to be a Casita owner, so he was aware if the trailer dimensions we are dealing with in the Oliver.

2 more photos are up! What you are looking at is the inner top fiberglass shell with some aluminum-foil shielding for the cell phone amplifier antennas. (And no... I do NOT wear a tinfoil hat!!!) http://s262.photobucket.com/albums/ii12 ... mview=grid

sacsun, As another solo traveler, I've been wondering about that very thing the last few days. I've decided to go with the "Swift Hitch" (http://trailertoys.com/swhibasaca.html) and figure I could use it to assist me both day & night with TV/RV hookup and tight spot RV backing. They are a bit proud of their product and it's pricey but being new to the RV world I figure I can use all the help I can get! While "technically" I'm not solo, and I could position Oscar out back a bit with some instructions, it still wouldn't help 'cause he doesn't bark unless he's fussing at a raccoon.

7 more pics have been posted on the "Wonder Egg's" production!!!!! You can see the cell phone repeater topside antenna; cool pictures of the inner top (or the "yolk" of the egg) notice again, some of the dark sprayed on lizard skin insulation; a few pics of the Charge Controller for the 100w solar system, showing its size relative to a yellow legal pad. You can see them at: http://s262.photobucket.com/albums/ii12 ... mview=grid

So THATS how they do it! I've been wondering about the beautifully formed storage compartments found in the Oliver. Now I see all they do is take some super-duper heated plastic, strap it on a frame, latch it to the mother-of-all-suction-machines and throw the switch. POOF! Instantly formed cargo holds . . . whooda thunk it? 'See more at: http://s262.photobucket.com/albums/ii12 ... 20Trailer/

Hello Mountainborn, Good eye . . . yes, the dark spray on finish to the inside of my outer shell should be a ceramic insulation product called "LizardSkin". When I met with Jim Oliver, he told me of this great new cutting edge product they could apply to the interior of both fiberglass shells to reduce heat transfer as well as providing sound dampening. LizardSkin is used within the race care industry to stop heat transfer from the super-hot engine compartment from impairing the driver. It can be used in lieu of Thinsulate insulation. According to the LizardSkin manufacturer, the RV industry could benefit their customers through the use of this product: "Recreational Vehicle Manufacturers ... SSpray on LizardSkin® Ceramic Insulation is in the process of changing the way major OEMs insulate motorhomes to dramatically reduce heat and noise. The advantages of LizardSkin® include : easy spray on application, outstanding thermal and noise control properties, light weight, modest installed thickness (about 0.040”), low installed cost, environmentally friendly composition and Class A Fire rating. In addition, leading RV dealers are beginning to offer LizardSkin® Ceramic Insulation as a dealer-applied option on some new and pre-owned motorhomes. Fast clean up with soap & water helps make applying LizardSkin® Ceramic Insulation a hassle-free experience. LizardSkin® Ceramic Insulation coating is recommended for application on engine compartment firewalls, floorpans, transmission tunnels, inside engine covers, under roofs and headliners and wherever engine, exhaust or solar heat gain are potential problems. Coating the exterior roof on RV’s is a very effective way to stop solar heat gain." So the Wonder-Egg's layers, from outside - in will be; Fiberglass / LizardSkin / Dead Airspace / LizardSkin / Fiberglass. With my double paned windows, I should be comfy cozy year round . . . More on this new product can be found at: http://www.hotrodscustomstuff.com/PS-LizSkin.html Just one more example of how Oliver Travel Trailers is willing to think outside of the box to give us the finest trailer imaginable!

Seven more 1st trimester photographs of the "Wonder-Egg" have been posted! (Thanks, Robert) It looks like some top outer shell action with holes cut and a few lower outer shell pictures showing the more or less naked shell and a more developed stage with holding tanks, plumbing, and some of the wiring showing up in view. Lots of fun seeing the early developmental process rolling right along! GO-BABY-GO!

Hi Chuck, . . .bugeyedriver here. The cell phone signal amplification system I've asked to have installed in my trailer can be found at: http://www.powerfulsignal.com/Gov/Wilso ... enter.html It will sniff out tiny cell phone signals on 800 or 1900 MHz and amplify it up to 3 watts in the trailer area. I talked with a technician at Powerful Signals who happens to own a Casita and is aware of the space available. I also touched base with a radio electrical engineer about the potential antenna oscillation problem. The fix will be squares of aliminum foil between the fiberglass shells above the interior antenna and below the topside antenna. Oliver Travel Trailers has gone along with my desires and will install the system as requested. (ya gotta luv 'em!) I'm willing to take the risk that it will work as anticipated. I'll be sure to report back and let everyone know how it functions. It will require me to head out on the backroads where I recieve no cell phone the normal way and "fire-up" the system. I realize this is not likely to work a million miles from anywhere in the middle of a bowl of mountains. You have to have some tiny bit of a signal to amplify, after all. However I anticipate it will greatly improve my coverage while out and about. Pete

We all have different journeys while selecting our trailer. Having just finished that quest myself, I'll share a bit of my thought process. I started from zero experience and my quest went something like this: 1st - What were my needs and how would I likely use the rv? I will mainly travel solo, with a small, 13 lb furry companion, Oscar. At times in the future we'll invite a grandchild along to share goodtimes with and build lasting memories. 2nd - Cost factor - what was my top limit? While I could to go up to the Airstream Bambi, I like to cosider my own personal cost effectiveness, or "bang for the buck" factor. I tend to be conservative in my spending patterns. I prefer function and quality over flash. So I was leaning towards an efficient, quality product that I could easily see myself in for 1 to 4 week sojourns. While cruising the internet on my quest I discovered the world of the Fiberglass Egg Campers and fell in love with the non-pretentious, friendly community of travelers that seem to get so much pleasure from their Egg-wanderings. I feel that Oscar and I will feel right at home. The frontal areas of the Eggs and the gw is smaller than the Bambi, so I thought they'd tow better. 3rd - Basic needs - Indoor cooking and shower = mandatory! A/C a must have as well. 4th - Weight limit - My TV is a new Tacoma Double Cab, short bed 2x4 with a towing package factory installed. Towing limit 6500 lb. Being one who prefers an extra margin of safety, I imposed my own weight limit of 4000 lb. So I saw myself mainly in the Casita - Oliver worlds. With the shower requirement, I felt a 13 footer would be too small for some of my longer anticipated trips. I eventually narrowed it down to the 17 foot models of the Casita or an Oliver. My initial favorite floorplan was the Casita FD with the captains chairs, but after realizing there would be no sleeping space for the grandchild, I settled on the Casita SD or Oliver with their similar floorplan and configuration flexibilities. I requested brochures from both companies . . . I spoke to reps from both companies . . . had positive thoughts for both companies. Both families desire to produce a great product their customers will enjoy for many years. 5th -But I needed to touch and feel before I bought. Casita put me in touch with a proud owner in my area and an Oliver happened to be passing by my home over the holidays and Jim Oliver invited me over to see his trailer. I liked both, but in the end I went with the Oliver even though more expensive, for the following reasons . . . 1- Non carpeted walls of the Oliver, while not as warm and cozy as the Casita, would be better for my granddaughter's respiratory ailments. 2- My prowess with making modifications to suit specific needs is minimal. I'd hate to have a nice trailer interior interrupted with my "workmanship" if you can call it that. 3 - Oliver offered a more extensive list of options, and on top of that, Jim said he'd even add more option if I had any. I had a unique list, and he has accomodated every item. 4- I felt my personal "bang-for-the-buck" matrix was maximized with Oliver. 6th - Company and brand longevity. Will they be there in the future? While Casita wins out in the "How long have you been making trailers?" contest; but Oliver Technologies has a long manufacturing history which leads me to belive they will no be a flash-in-the-pan rv maker. I deemed them tied in this area. ANYWAY..................that was my personal rv quest. I'll be picking up my "WONDER-EGG" on March 10th and bring it home to the Hill Country of Texas. I hope to be at the Bluebonnet Rally in Bandera, Tx early April so Oscar and I can start making new friends in the FGRV world.

The solar panel has arrived! See it at: http://s262.photobucket.com/albums/ii12 ... 20Trailer/ and a a special bonus feature, yuo get to see ROBERT's fuzzie mugshot! woohooo!

Robert et al . . . expectant daddy here, Well at this time, I look forward to meeting other Eggers at the 2008 Bluebonnet Casita Rally in Bandera, Apr 2-4 at the Skyline RV Ranch. I want to join the group of people who enjoy getting pleasure in all of the smaller things in life and have these awesome FG shells that happilly follow along as they visit and ponder the majesty of the large beautiful wonders they ecncounter along the way. You'll recognize me as the clueless newbie who asks such profound questions as "Now that I have my solar oven, where do I find a store that sells an extension cord long enough to reach that high?" I'll be traveling with my 13lb fuzzball, Oscar. See you there. Pete

[attachment=0]Wonder-Egg top-outter shell.jpg[/attachment] Well, here's the Wonder-Egg's top outter skin. I think she will be pulled out of line as they await the arrival of the solar panel and cell phone repeater 's external antenna. Then they wil spread it all out on top and take exact measurements before cutting the holes. It calls for moving the a/c and vent further aft than normal. This is like watching all those cool pictures we got to view during our granddaughter's gestaion . . but now we can still call up the "creator" and tweak the design. (just kidding, Robert, I won't do that to you. But on the other hand . . . heh,heh,heh)

Thanks, mountainborne, bugeyedriver here . . . been meaning to post a proud-papa pic since Robert infomed me of this forum. The one you show is the first in a cool series of production photos he is documunting for me while "The Wonder-Egg" is in production This will be a great quality validation to watch as a quality production line builds my Egg with some unique requests. Here are my additional requests that I asked Jim Oliver and the ever-so-capable Robert Partee if they could add: 1 - Two 30lb tanks 2 - Add swivel reading lamp under overhead cabinet between bed and dinette 3 - Direct Connect generator package 4 - Wall mounted thermostatic control unit 5 - Personalized mural and tire cover graphics 6 - Add 3 more 12v outlets 7 - Add interior egress handle (they have incorporated this as a standard) 8 - Relocation of rear plate and light so as not to interfere with graphics 9 - Ham Radio cable ready 10 - Generator rack with locking pin 11 - "SunRunner AM 100-22B" solar system with 45 degree tilting mounts (6ah capable) 12 - Cell phone signal amplification system All i've ever heard them say has been "Why, SURE! Anything else? To JIM and Robert and the production crew, all I can say is thanks for making this dream come true. Sincerely, Pete