SeaDawg

Our outside entry mats are often old rugs. Sometimes Ikea or Menards inexpensive welcome mats. Even old floor mats from vehicles. Whatever I won't miss if we forget it at a campsite. +Why do I say that...?) Lol. If it is really muddy, a great shoe scraper is one or two cheap scrub brushes fastened to a chunk of leveling board with deck screws. Obviously, bristle side up. Note to self... The seven years old brush in front of the camping shed needs replacing in the spring... That brush was a dollar. About 14 cents a year for cleaner floors. Sherry

You can install a spot yourself. No need to go to the plant I followed a friend on a 3600 mile solo trip on his spot link, on my phone. Very easy. I could see his travel path 24/7. No issues with the download. His trailer is a 2008, like ours, spot buried between the hulls. For you new builds, the reflectix insulation/aluminum hat might cause problems I know that on our boat, the transponder requires a clear sky shot to work accurately. Above deck install is recommended. Mounted on the compass binnacle works well... Overlands idea of mounting inside the a/c shroud should work well. Or, inside a hatch cover. The GPS transponder needs a fairly clean sky shot. All my friends who have spot have done their own installs. Spot is on my Santa list. We will install ourselves Sherry

Interesting. I have never had any of the component manufacturers ask for a warranty card. Granted, our trailer is a 2008. Asked for trailer documentation to determine age on the few issues we hadn Three years ago, dometic asked for the invoice for our refrigerator replacement when it failed out of the box , and camping world replaced everything under warranty. I've never heard of a situation where you had to file warranty cards on components. Anyone else? Sherry

In agreement there, for all the same reasons. Love my runner and entry mat. Sherry

Lol. We've done a little bit of driveway camping visiting family. And, isn't it nice to head out to your own house on wheels at the end of the evening? We bring our own bed, no suitcases dragging in and out... I don't feel like we are imposing quite so much. They (and we) can still go about normal house routine without someone else in the mix. Even though we take up some driveway space... Sherry

Eagletoo, Unfortunately, we have no way to change your user name for you. You have to follow Bill's instructions above to delete your existing account, and build a new account. Your previous posts won't disappear, but your poster name on old posts will appear as " anonymous". Since you don't have many posts yet, now is a good time to make the changes. And, welcome! Sherry

So far, under the tree includes replacement firestarter butane lighters. And, a lithium battery rechargeable vacuum to help collect the hair of our adorable, but super shedding tiny camping dog... Often, the camper gets more gifts than either of us... On the Ollie wish list is a DC Danfoss compressor refrigerator. that also may be under the tree. What's on your Ollie's list? Sherry

I know I have posted more than a few times on the harbor freight chocks. Best buy for the money. Heavy, good ridges, do the job, for a small price. Sherry

Don't know what brand our bath fan is, but we live by saltwater. I think it gets some debris or corrosion near the salt spray. Sometimes, the switch takes on a mind of its own. Try it a few times. But, you've probably done that..

So, our down alternative mattress topper/fake featherbed finally bit the dust after over nine years of flipping, turning, washing and fluffing. It went to the curb when we got home from our last trip of the season a few weeks ago. I figured I had a few months to research and find an alternative. Last week, at Aldi I found a two inch cool foam topper, with cover, for $89. Better yet, when I got to checkout, it was on closeout. $60. At less than a third of the price of the original, I'll give it a try. Sherry

Still Loving my inexpensive but very rugged rubber harbor freight chocks. Love them so much, we've purchased several pairs as gifts. At $6 each, less the 20 per cent off ever present coupon if you are signed up... They're some of the cheapest and best insurance you can carry.

Our local wine store used to carry these. It was quite good, the reds, too.it made nice gifts to camping friends... Haven't seen it lately around here. Sherry

Good point. And, we have found the same to be true of the people to whom we've shown our camper. We've met some really nice folks, many who have driven some distance just to see an Oliver. Years ago, we had returned from the wedding of my college roommate's daughter, and caught up with a couple who had been trying to see our trailer After an hour in and around the trailer, we enjoyed a beer together. One comment led to another, and Linda and I discovered that we were both very good friends with the same person in Connecticut. My college roommate, her study buddy in grad school in another state. It's a small world... What a fun day Sherry

I've not seen a Lagun table in an Oliver, but I have seen them at boat shows. Amazing and ingenious design. Highly adjustable, and made to swing out if the way. I'd love to add one in our 2008, replace the little dinette table, but I don't think there's a good attachment point. Lots of info on the capability of the table available online. They're really gaining traction in the boat world . Sherry

I'm grateful for the many opportunities that life has placed in my path. As we approach Thanksgiving, I would like to challenge each of you to find a grateful moment,off the general hook. I am grateful that this year, our daughter has found an amazing guy, who cherishes her, and loves her, and will always put her first. I am also grateful that we have joined a community of souls who share, and tolerate other opinions. Most of all, I'm grateful for those who want before me. Mom, dad , grandparents, and great grandparents who just threw it to the wind, and jumped the ocean. Yes, I'm grateful that I own an Oliver, but, as you see, it's way down the list. Sherry

I suspect I've posted before about the Bollinger referenced in your article. Kind of retro, and analog, but I hope they find a way to build more than the prototype. Bollinger at Ouray

Yesterday, we got up a little early, and headed to the festival at St John's County Fairgrounds, sling with our neighbors. We visited a huge number of hand built tiny homes from around the nation. I especially wanted to see the one by Usgbc/Norsk Homes, which will be the first LEED certified tiny home in the US. It was a very relaxing, fun day. Tiny homes, vintage trailers, converted buses, yurts... A number of scamps and casitas. Maybe next year we'll take our Oliver and camp. The fairgrounds is only about 20 miles from St Augustine. A number of displays from builders around the nation, lithium ion batteries and solar panels, noted speakers from the tiny home industry, live music, food trucks, dog friendly fairgrounds. Very laid back and friendly... A great time, in a beautiful day in an old and tiny Florida town. Sherry

So, along with unveiling the concept semi, and new roadster, Tesla recently introduced a rough idea of a future pickup truck. More, a mini semi... Towing with the power of an electric motor would be awesome (at least, I think so.. .) https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/news/tesla-pickup-truck-looks-like-a-mini-tesla-semi-with-a-giant-bed/ar-BBFbCtf Could be a long wait...

After recent years, the wild fire alert is so valid. Is this alert on weather radios? We bought ours from radio shack for tornado warning in the Midwest, a long time ago. 8 years? An updated model might be on my list, too. Sherry

Well, none of the above have made it into my trailer, but, then, I try to keep things simple at home, and on the road. I carry two or three good knives, one or two small cutting boards. One pot, one fry pan, one lid. (Aluminum foil can always be a 2nd lid, if necessary).A teakettle and a pourover funnel make great coffee. My goal is always to carry only daily essentials, leaving space and weight allowance for parts and tools. Doesn't always work that way.... Where I probably tend to go overboard is not in the kitchen,( though I am a pretty fair cook, according to my family), it's is in "what ifs and spares, ".... particularly cold weather gear. I hate being cold, and take way too many jackets, layers, blankets, etc., most years. And, too many towels. And, I don't think I will put the little electric heater back in the rear storage compartment this year. I have carried it for five or six years, and haven't plugged the trailer in, so.. kind of useless. Sherry

Since we brought the Oliver home, I clean the interior, and once a year, wax it with the same 3m wax we use in the outside. Maybe it makes no difference. I don't know. But the interior still looks shiny and nice after almost ten years. I (think?) it makes in between cleaning easier. Just one of those habits . Sherry

I have to agree, it's nice to have the room. I just get a little overwhelmed when I try to unload everything. . It's amazing how much "stuff"hangs out through camping season that we never need. BTW, belated happy anniversary. Sherry

We have agm batteries. I believe that the general consensus is to not equalize with agm batteries. When we had flooded batteries,and solar, years ago, we didn't equalize then, either. At least, not that I recall . comments? Sherry

I will say, from someone who has done upholstery, that there is a huge difference in working with different types of fabric. Not all fabric is equal, and working with a tough one is, well . Tough. And time consuming.. sometimes many hours.And, more expensive from a fabric standpoint when the design doesn't work with the run. I think Oliver is still working with the original upholstery company. Their work is outstanding. Quality thread and zippers. Mine still look pretty new. Not just a testament to the fabric I chose, but the thread and zippers. Sherry

Every year, I try to whittle down the stuff we carry. We rolled the camper back into the side yard a few days ago. Honestly, the storage in the Ollie is better than I thought, every year. When I unloaded everything, I was stumped for a place to put it all . This year, I'm going to not worry about conditioned space for most of it. I'm not storing anything in the guest room closet anymore. Some will just go back into the trailer after cleaning and interior wax. This year, I think I will do a big purge on what we actually used, and what we simply carry. Too much stuff.. Sherry