SeaDawg

I would love to be there. Winnipeg is a beautiful city. And, some of my relatives entered into Canada in the last century, at Winnipeg. On to beautiful Saskatchewan.... Can't make this event, but we did attend a bolerama in Quebec 6 or 7 years ago. It was soooo much fun. If any of you in the plains, or travelling Canada, can make it, you will have a wonderful time. Our Canadian neighbors to the north have always been great hosts. Warm, welcoming, fun around the campfire. Wish we could be there. Sherry

That's a really nice install, Randy. Thanks for all your photos. We tabbed in wood for a floor support/ riser/ drawer framing in ours. We also used scrap lumber for the uprights to attach the truck fridge to the Oliver cavity. Some is epoxy only. Some has screws through old holes into the side of the talk drawer cavity. We're leaving tomorrow for a few weeks. We'll see how it does. At home, we used about 19 to 20 amp hours per day, I think, on average. I think we can handle this. Mostly on solar. Though I have nothing at all in the drawer beneath the fridge yet, I'm very happy to have it. My manual says we need a total of 24 square inches of venting. I suspect that the Novakool is similar. You probably have twice that. Thanks for sharing the photos. I'll share our experience with the indel truck fridge as we gain some time with it. Sherry

On the road with the delivery motorhome, I paid the $25 expedited charge, got the warranty part shipped ups red to the next destination and we swapped out the faulty charger/controller. Way faster than taking it to any dealer/ camping world. We'll worth the $25 to us. . Every vendor has their own set of rules. Not as easy as it used to be.

Some of the manufacturers now require bad part sent back before new sent, unless you are willing to pay "expedited" charges. Had it happen to us in our way to Alaska in the delivery motorhome. If you can work with an authorized dealer close to home, and you have the time, it can all be easy. On the road, not as easy. A few years ago, we had a new fridge installed. It quit working before we got home to Florida. Camping world in New Port Richey did a great job of trouble shooting and dealing with the warranty issue. But, they had our trailer for five weeks.. not their fault. Dometic parts replacement issues. Our fridge was basically a Friday afternoon unit... Poor assembly and a few bad parts. Our cost was zero. Sherry

You're right, Steve. Camping isn't just about the places, and views. We've had so much fun meeting campers around the country, and around the world. This past trip was a kind of waterfall of new friendships. At Boya Lake, we met a young couple who recommended Frances lake in the Yukon. At Frances lake, we met a German couple who really recommended following the dirt road to Faro..nso we did . It was wonderful and beautiful, and we likely would not have gone, except for our conversation over our fire.. At Faro, we met a couple from Juneau, who recommended Twin Lakes. So, we all went, where we met a really nice solo bicyclist from Germany... It was a Cascade of short hops, new friends, great campsites, and conversation over campfires. We found some great sites. But even better, we found great people. In Australia a few years ago, our first night in the Blue Mountains, we met a really nice couple who camped four months ayear. Kevin gave us the address of a great canpground near the Tasmania ferry. We stayed in touch a few times in our five weeks on the mainland, and then as we were leaving for the ferry, got an email from Kevin and Jenny wanting to know our arrival date. The campground address was their driveway. We had a wonderful evening seeing them again, and got a lot of great recommendations. We stopped for coffee on our way out of Tasmania, and we've been emailing back and forth since. When my niece's son did a "flat Stanley" project this year, Kevin and Jenny drove his flat Stanley to Stanley, Tasmania, and took photos for an unknown little six year old. Could not be nicer. We sure hope we will see them again... Here or in Tasmania. But, the magic is in the shared connection. We all love camping. Sherry [attachment file=flat Stanley at the welcoming sign at Stanley Tas..JPG]

We talk to fellow like minded campers, when we find them . Campground hosts, too. I use a number of apps, state and territory maps, and failing any of the above, we drive til we find something interesting. We tend to drive through a number of campsites early in the day, knowing we won't stop, but keep notes for "next time." Sherry

Molas lake before opening to camping. I'd recommend site one and maybe 2 in the lower loop we hiked. It was fenced off in May. The premium RV spots up the hill, well, big views for a bigger price. Sherry

Prayers for friends in Colorado. Summer and fires seem to have started early.

BTW,we've had cold plate systems on the sailboat for over 40 years. Very reliable. Just very inefficient for us as both systems have been engine driven. Most of the hours on our new engine are likely from charging the refrigerator and batteries. Our original refrigerator on the boat is huge. Fine on long trips with crew, wasteful with two or four people and a shorter sail. Another motivation is testing the Danfoss on 200 watts solar. We have far more battery storage on the boat than in the trailer. With a smaller, more right sized refrigerator... Sherry

I'm guessing John wants to seal the outside vents to eliminate dust. That, and wasp nests, are some of my motivation. I happen to like 12 v Danfoss better than the 3 ways as (hopefully) we can run on solar and battery power, without propane/ fossil fuel being part of the mix. Our truck fridge says it needs 24 square inches of venting... I can accomplish far more than that by opening the lower drawer, if necessary. But, we still have the exterior vents for the 3 way if needed. I am thinking we can manage shoulder season camping with our isotherm truck fridge. I'll certainly let you know if it doesn't work on 200 watts of solar. Sherry

Steve, I read that review. The guy had a 37 foot motorhome.... Pretty sure an Oliver would use significantly less water.... But, it's definitely a consideration

I hope that Randy (trytorelax) will add some real world opinion on his Novakool. I really liked the specs on that, but the fit in our older camper was easier with the truck fridge isotherm compressor fridge. I will be actually using our new fridge next month. I'm heading north to help my mom pack up her house, as she sold it recently. Later next month, we finally get to go camping in our own Oliver... Sherry

Tok, Alaska is a stop just about everyone makes, coming in from Chicken on the rough Top of the World, or the normal Alcan route. It's a great little town. Gas prices aren't bad, especially after Canadian prices. Northern Energy gas station has a free dump station, free clean potable water fill, plus a FREE cold water/ high pressure RV wash. They supply brushes and buckets and water. Bring your own soap, rags, and microfiber towels for bugs and stains on plastic. Best time we've found is midmorning...say ten thirty to eleven am. Two outdoor bays. Nice people. Lots of space. But there may be a line in season. Hey, it's free. We spend $15 to $20 at other car washes in Fairbanks and Wasilla... The information center bhere is very nice. Pretty, big log cabin, nice exhibits and the sweetest man, now probably in his 80s, who volunteers every year and mingles, sending you to the right bracks for maps and brochures. We think he spends his winters studying up, and waiting for season to arrive. That's how excited he is when you walk into his area. ☺️ Theres a little Thai restaurant, and a nice three bears grocery. (Not really a lot cheaper than the Real Canadian Superstore in White horse, but not bad if you shop the sale items. And, they have had vacpacked Wild Alaskan Salmon fillets the last two years. Flash frozen Copper River packing company. Yummy on the fire. ) There's a nice state campground about five miles outside town, just before you come in from Beaver Creek, sort of under the Tok River Bridge. Tok River State Park. A few really nice big sites near the river. The road is pretty quiet at night. $18 us, I think. No dump station. Usually a water pump, but bagged off this time. Vault toilets. No showers. But, you can get water at Northern Energy gas.

Thanks for the photos and measurements. looks great. I forwarded a link to my cousin in Alaska, who spends several months each year in a dry cabin. They do have a well, but not indoor plumbing. Paul and I helped them set up a new ecotemp L5 outdoor water heater shower this past trip. Your solution is way superior to a shower tent... Could I ask where you found the cute and functional collapsible shower mat? Sherry

I'm curious. Aren't the sensors in the outside of the tanks? Most of the new Marine tank sensors are... Sherry

I remember the swamp cooler idea discussed a decade ago on here, but I could only find this short thread. http://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/12-volt-cooling/ I don't know if anyone actually tried it. We had one in a home in Kansas in the 60s. It worked well. I wonder if you'd have space above the main salon vent? It would be a shorter plumbing run for water line... Edit: Amazon reviews on the turbokool unit that replaces a rooftop ac are pretty good... https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/cr/B007HRN2LS/ref=mw_dp_cr Sherry

Randy, I looked at the log. Our longest run between gas stations was 331 km, or roughly 200 miles, between Meziadin junction (turnoff to Hyder and Stewart) and Dease lake. We were able to skip the gas station at Bell II lodge, so it didn't have to be that long.. this was on 37/Cassiar hey. Dease lake and Meziadin junction were both pricey. But hey, their cost for delivery is probably pretty steep, too. I think Dease was about 1.62 per liter. There's often a line at the pumps. Sherry

Faro town campground is a real surprise in a little village of 400 people. Nice big sites with picnic tables, fire rings, and fairly level. Plenty of shade, but open clean sites. No real views, but it backs up to a nice trail. Self-register in the very clean laundry room. $22 full hookups, 17 for primitive site, CAD. Laundry is small, two of each machine, but only $2 wash and $1 for the small dryer, $1.50 for the larger one. Faro has a small general store... Hardware and groceries, and a 24 hour cardlock gas station, attended during the day, with reasonable prices for the distance from Whitehorse. $1.52 CAD per liter at our visit. Faro is an old mining town, but the mine is currently closed. Still, nice paved road coming into town. ( Really nice if you've been driving the dirt John Campbell. .) You don't have to drive the John Campbell to get there, as we did. You can drive on paved road from carmacks and Whitehorse, on your way to Dawson. We didn't go there, but our camping friends said the Johnson lake ytg cg outside town is not as well maintained as most. It's not used much. Sherry

Randy, I think the longest mileage between fuel stops was around 175 miles. We stop before we are half empty, because you can't count on the next station being open or having fuel. This trip, every listed station in 37 appeared to have gas, except one in Iskut, I think. The road surface on 37 is a rougher type if pebbly aslhalt, for the most part. It's a little noisy, but this year it was in excellent condition with few potholes, frost heaves or other breaks. It's now entirely paved. Last time we drove it, there was a thirty to forty mile stretch that was gravel. (This is the Cassiar highway.) The rougher asphalt probably would affect mileage more if you drove at US highway speeds, but you won't. We got the usual 8 to 10 mpg with the Ford Triton v10. The Alcan was much rougher,with more potholes and wallows and frostheaves, but we were only on that from Whitehorse on. We really like this route. It's not heavily traveled, and very sparsely populated. It's also really beautiful. There are a number of moderate elevation changes, and a lot of stretches without much of a shoulder. I wouldn't want to drive it in winter, as our Whitehorse friends say it's often only one lane plowed, but in spring and summer, it's great. Driving up through eastern BC and Alberta , through Jasper, we see more wildlife. Bison and bear on the roads, etc. In great numbers. We also see more traffic and more competition for campgrounds. If we ever drive round trip, we'd probably go one way up and one way back, depending on fires and floods. You'd see a lot more taking different routes up and back. Sherry

Loved our route this year up 97 /16/37. Just not sure about vehicles with smaller tanks. Fuel is far between. Great road.... We carried 50 gallons of fuel. .. didn't have to worry. . just saying Sherry

On my phone, I had to sift through a number of choices. .. Love my little 11 year old Oliver Take a minute and look.... Sherry

Along the John Campbell Highway. I should put " highway" in quotes 50 km out of Watson lake, before Simpson lake campground, the highway turns to dirt. And, this year, 12 km of reconstruction. Taking the old road bed and moving it to the new. Rough, muddy, and that was a good day following the pilot vehicle through deep ruts and mud, without rain. We didn't stop at Simpson lake, as the access was closed. Our Juneau friends tell us it's beautiful. 30 or 40 miles up the dirt road is Frances lake cg.in late May, the sign still said closed, but the gates were open, as were the outhouses. For an hour and a half, we were the only people in the campground. On a beautiful rock and sand beach, with amazing hill and mountain view. Five more campers hardly made a difference. Except for the German truck campers we met and camped with a few more nights. We shared campfires a few nights. Our new young Whitehorse friends told us this would be our new favorite canpground. It's beautiful. But I still like Boya lake in bc (where we met them) better Sherry

I'll keep working on this, but with the time changes, I'm a little tired and out of sorts. One very important thing to do, when you come into the Yukon, is to pick up the map of the government sites. Back in the day, it was a mineo sheet with mp markers. Today, it's a beautiful map, by region, with a chart of amenities. It'ss a great planning tool. Most folks, coming in from the Alcan or 37, will stop at Watson lake for the "sign Forest" and gas. The visitors center there is great. Lots of maps and forecast info, as well as printed highway info. ( And reminders to keep your dog, bait for wildlife, on a leash and close to you. That's important, too.) Watson lake has reasonable gas prices, some limited shopping, an observatory, and the not remarkable ygt campground outside town. The visitors center has good, free fresh water ( just ask). The free dump station is in the city park.. a half mile from the center. I'll rant a little here. Bring your sign to the forest, but omg, take your dog poop and trash home . Every year, the walk through the "forest" gets worse and worse. Bottles, cans, trash, dog poop.... Walk carefully. I guess that's my rant for this trip. I'm really tired of picking up trash from campsites and fire pits along the way. I won't quit, but geez. Several times I filled an entire 30 gallon bag. It's getting ridiculous. Maybe that's why I like camping in the Yukon. Almost never do I find junk in the fire or site. Sherry

Whitehorse itself is one of my favorite places in north America. It has everything you need. The real Canadian Superstore is a great place for groceries and souvenirs. Canadian tire has odd bits and tools and equipment, well beyond tires. The Riverwalk is very pretty, and used to have one of our favorite food trucks. We were here too early, I think, this year. Community theater. Clinic and hospital. Beautiful visitors center. Good gas prices. Spend a little time. It's the beating heart of the Yukon, and the people are warm and welcoming.its my city break, of sorts, til we get to Fairbanks. everything is clean, available, and fairly priced for its remote location. Yes, it has a Walmart, with free overnights, but that's a zoo. Way too many people, and, why? When the camp just outside town is wild and cheap? Not to mention, Walmart is not as nice as the Canadian Superstore... No variety at all... There is a gas station next to the Walmart with free dump, and fresh water, with a gas fill. Same price as anyone in town, but the amenities you and the Walmart "campers" need.

Lake Le Barge ygt. We've camped here before. Only 40 miles or so north of Whitehorse,it gets really crowded on weekends. weekdays, you can possibly snag one of 4 to 5 lakeside sites, all of which are amazing. The one we used is tricky. It's a pull thru, between two fir trees. Not easy, but we'll worth it. We've spent three or four days there at a time... But the Lowe sites are buggy and uninviting. There's another busy campground north of lake Le Barge. Can't remember the name, but same caveat. Weekends are tough. Everything in the Yukon is first come, first serve, no reservations. BUT, Yukon seniors get a camping pass for free, and Yukon residents get an annual pass for $50. Recent changes eliminate the old deal of coming out on Monday and pitching an unattended tent for the following weekend.... But.m Still and all, the Yukon has something like 50000 residents, and half live in Whitehorse. Just something to think about if you are close, on a Thursday or Friday.