SeaDawg

Paul found this in today's Harbor Freight flyer. He thought it would be a big help to me in seeing where the hitch and ball are as he's backing up and I'm signalling... It's tough for me to tell sometimes. Would probably be easier to see with a backup camera, too. I'll let you know how it works out for us. Sherry Magnetic Trailer Alignment Kit Item # 95684 Harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=95684

Hi, Lisa, Thank you so much for posting all the wonderful pix. Loved the shots of the cactus in the snow. I'm sure you and your family will never forget this second Oliver outing! Inquiring minds want to know.... Who drew the short straws and had to sleep in the tents in the snow??? Sherry

Tom, I Join me at the camp on the 25th and we'll have the first Oliver purchaser rally!! WOOOHOOO!! We can put pics on the site to PROVE IT! Sorry, guys, but you can't have the first rally... Paul and I just got back from Dade City where we camped with Tumbleweed and Earthdancer.... (Since Geri is the better photographer, maybe she'll post pix of the first Oliver mini-rally...we should start a new thread for this anyway.) It was very cool to camp side by side and meet them. We had beautiful weather and a wonderful time talking about Olivers, camping, and life in general. Geri and Chuck have done a lot more camping than we have, so they were a wealth of wonderful ideas for us. Hope you have a lot of fun with the second Oliver purchasers rally.... hmm, it's the first in Howenwald, I think... Sherry

Hi, Geri, I spent the day packing up the Oliver for our first outing... not counting the trip home, which became really rushed.... Getting excited. Thanx for your kind comments... The real artist in our group is obviously you... Love your photo website. You have an amazing eye and talent. Looking forward to meeting you, too! Hopefully, we'll be able to stop in Pasco county on our way home. I sent Chuck 2 pm/emails, but outlook doesn't always work on my network... Please give him our greetings. Don't think it will be too hard to find each other.... We'll just look for the other trailer that looks just like ours I grew up in a small town... That's how Tar-jay got its "elegant "name, I think. We drove 45 miles to get to a town big enough to have a big box store, McDonald/s, etc... Just think, now many of us drive further to find a town that DOESNT have a big box store, McD's, etc.... How our priorities change .... Sherry

When I saw Bugz's post today on "Why We Chose an Oliver", I was reminded of this older thread with a similar title. To be simple, we chose the Oliver based on value, longevity, and workmanship. We believe that it is a truly innovative product based on the tried and true molded fiberglass trailer history of many wonderful brands. After looking at many, many trailers, stick built, aluminum cage, and molded fiberglass, we were convinced the Oliver was the best choice for us.... especially for the long run. Perhaps the moderator could merge these two threads.... Sherry

Lisa, That looks really nice... and very functional... I'll add that to the honeydew list! Sherry

Hi, Chuck, We're heading for NC mid-week, but home to be home by the weekend. We'll try to catch up with you either in Bradenton or Dade City. Neither one is too far off of our route home. I was just on the Sunshine Skyway twice today driving a friend back to Bradenton. I assume you'll be taking 75 all the way to Bradenton and not getting off on 275, but if you do, check TBI.com for reports on the Skyway bridge. I sat in traffic for over an hour trying to get across the bridge today southbound (compared to a normal 15 minutes). We had very high winds, (gusts to 55mph). High-profile vehicles were turned around, and police only allowed ten cars at a time across the bridge southbound, according to the toll booth attendant. It was quite a snarl merging all the lanes at the toll booth to one. Coming back, the warnings were lifted, winds were down to 40mph or less... but I got behind a big motorhome with a toad who could barely maintain 40 mph on the bridge... I felt bad for him. I wasn't towing, so no problem for me. Please send a post or PM on your choice of campground in Dade City... we look forward to meeting you! sherry n paul

Mountainborn & Butcherknife, We're so glad you and the grandson made it home ok. That storm front was huge! The weather has been so strange this year! Sherry n Paul

Hi, Bugz, Thanx for posting all the great pix! I see you've updated even more. Looks like you had a lot of fun on the first trip... We all wish you many more happy trips! I'm really interested in hearing your brother-in-law's ideas on the back of the shower door. I don't want to hang a shower curtain, and toweling off the door every time helps, but I'm also a little concerned. Maybe the door is already coated??? I don't know. I do know how I love the feeling of extra space the mirrored doors give the interior of the main salon! Love the soap dispensers. I see you use them in a home bath too (unless you installed glass block in the oliver , which I doubt!) Must mean that you like them there, too. Are these a Lowe's product? They look great with the bath! And my suction cup stuff in the bathroom keeps falling down Sherry

Wow... what an amazing variety of comments on generators on all the boards... My friend just found one I've never heard of "Gentron". Also comments on Champion, the Kipor, and of course, Yamaha and Honda. We plan to spend a lot of time "off the grid", so can't depend on shore power for battery charging.... A/c can be important at times... From what we've read, you can't go wrong with Honda and Yamaha, and they're quiet. But some of the others look good too.... We'd like electric start (If you ever watched me start a pull-start lawn mower, you'd know why .) That seems to add a lot to the price. Mostly, we'd like to have quiet and not disturb the tranquility we drove so far to find..... (and, of course, neighbors if we have them!) Weight is a consideration too, and ... just where will we carry it???? If you've given some thought to this, please chime in. Sherry

Yes, everything came from Tar_jay as we called it in Minnesota as kids.... except the dishpan/sink cover... thats a Wally world 12-quart Sterilite dishpan, available there in 4 colors, just the right size to fit in the Oliver sink and not scratch the bottom with knives, pans & stuff (especially when I'm scouring pans... ) The sink is almost designed for it. I just cut a little off the back handle to let the knobs on the sink turn freely. thankx for the comments... My friend and I had a lot of fun with all the suction cup stuff, mostly from the bathroom section.(Lois took the pix on her phone... a Trio...) Like I said, we'll see if it holds onto the walls while we're driving. Lois & I put three protective coats of paste wax on the kitchen sink and surround, ditto on the bathroom sink, vanity, and walls, one coat on the rest of the interior (I know, I'm ridiculous... but the water is really hard here, and many other places, and the gelcoat is so shiny now!).... The suction cups still held, except for the K world ones in the bathroom..... Smaller, don't grip as well. Chuck, I'd like to know more about the slide-out paper towelholder. (Except rivets and bolts scare me ... maybe I can figure velcro, command 3m, or suction cups for now as fasterners....) I was thinking i might have to fasten the towel holder over the dinette cause I've kind of taken up most of the kitchen space..... ha ha8-) Sherry

We were talking this afternoon about Lucy and Desi's funny, funny movie from the early 50's "The Long, Long Trailer". This blog has a four minute out-take from the film about newlyweds on a road trip towing a 30-some ft. yellow trailer behind their convertible... When you watch it, you'll see why it carries the warning, "DONT TRY THIS IN YOUR TRAILER!" http://rvvideos.blogspot.com/2007/06/lu ... rving.html Young Lucy and Desi at their best... I don't think I've seen it since I was a little kid, and I still remember laughing. I'm going to have to see it again!! (PS... in 1954, the trailer cost $1800.00, completely furnished, as Lucy said "right down to the hangers in the closet"... Oh, those fabulous fifties.... Sherry

My friend and I did a litlle shopping for suction cup organizers and hooks, and set up the kitchen area. They're holding great while the trailer's in the driveway... Just in case, I'll probably take a lot of things out of the pockets for the first time on the road... We'll see how they hold on while moving!!! Sherry

Congrats, Chuck!!! Glad you're happy, too! Safe trip, and have fun on the way home! Sherry n Paul

Hey, Bugs & wife, Congrats!!!! We're so happy your first trip went well.... We're looking forward to our first "real" long trip ourselves in our Oliver. The trip home was cut short, so just a jaunt and one quick stop. We're glad you had fun. Can you tell us what you mean about making a "driveway"? Any pix? Love to hear more about your trip when you have time! Sherry

Dusty... I remember back when I first tried driving the family's stick shift, '62 Rambler station wagon... it wasn't a pretty site...but my Dad took me to the local empty parking lot on a Sunday afternoon.... and what can I say...after a few hours of practice....I was...a little better... it took me many more Sunday afternoons before I was halfway proficient...I never quite understood why we went thru so many clutches on that 'ole Rambler.... Once you practice turning and backing up in a isolated area, you'll eventually get the hang of it. Basically, just allow a little more turning space when you do corners and try to avoid driving in big city rush hour traffic unless absolutely necessary. Backing up requires a little more practice, but you'll eventually master that, too. Pulling the Oliver is like a dream... you'll need to allow a little more space when you pull out to pass and more distance to accelerate and brake. Just keep in mind that you have an extra 20' behind you. It tracks great and I never had any problem with sway or whipping when a semi passed me. Frankly, I think it's the easiest trailer I've ever pulled. As far as disconnecting and reconnecting to gas up or planning your fuel stops... its unnecessary. If you have a gas station thats pretty tight getting into, stop at another station... or just go into it slow, swing a little wider and keep an eye on your trailer. Pulling a trailer is not a hereditary instinct... it's just a matter of practice and getting a feel for what you and your trailer will do together. I find it a far greater challenge these days dealing with the multitude of drivers that believe they can talk on the cell phone, IM, navigate blindly via the talking GPS navigational units and still drive 'safely'... but that's another topic...

Thanks for the website. 25 pounds!!! My suitcase for a two week vacation could be suspended from that suction cup! Amazing! Still checking out the big box stores for locally available products... Had some fun organizing the kitchen and bath area with a few today. Pix in the next few days... I'm really happy with the kitchen results so far. Note.. Target is the one with the positive action, clamp down hooks we talked about earlier. In clear or white (cheaper, 2 for $1.99 in clear, which actually looks nicer against the shiny white of the Oliver (IMHO) than the gray/white 2 for $2.99 hooks....) Walmart has double hooks by Duck that seem to hold a lot... we'll see how they hold up on bumpy roads! Sher

So, it took me a week, but I have my brother's pix from Howenwald, picking up our new Oliver. Sorry it took me so long to get these posted All these smiling faces spent the afternoon with us, loading up, finetuning, teaching, and helping us get on the road! Paul's got the new Oliver hitched up and ready to check out the electric brakes in the warehouse delivery bay. Loading up the Oliver for the first time!!

I have a Casita, not an Oliver, but apparently it had the same slippery cushion problem! Hi, Geri, I'm personally so glad you have found the board. It's really great for a lot of us to have another insight, from a different brand. We all share a lot of the same problems, and the same joys, in owning a fiberglass camper. I looked at some of your photos on your website. You have an amazing talent with a camera!!!! My favorites (so far) are the vegetable stand and the nymph done with infrared film... Can't wait to meet you! We wanted to spend a few days in the panhandle on the way home from Tennessee, but it didn't work out due to family/personal stuff... Still looking forward to a trip to NW Florida. Sherry Sherry

Hi, Bugz, Nice to have you on the board. Congratulations on your new Oliver... we hope you love it as much as we love ours!! Sherry n Paul

We all wish you and your wife a good and safe trip. Thanks for all your comments and input.... Sherry n Paul

Chuck said: Oh, yeah, I see that you have chosen the same nick name for your coach that we have. It usually goes like this around our house. "Honey, wil you carry this stuff out to OLLIE ?" I makes me wonder if owners will just refer to their camper as "Ollie" instead of giving them a speciffic name as Casitan's often do ? I havn't seen any one posting a name for their Oliver TT yet. Well, our dog already has the name "Oliver" in our household..... Do you think maybe we should name the camper "Rover" or "Spot"? Sherry

I know we touched on this before in another topic, but I think the idea may have been lost in other discussions. A lot of the stick built campers we looked at have a pop up outdoor kitchen, or a set of clips to attach a grill, but I'm not crazy about heat and smoke next to the camper. On the boat, we've used a Magma propane for over ten years. Small, lightweight, easy to clean and store... but we don't have quite the same situation here. On the boat, we always have a rail to attach to, and (at least at anchor), the smoke always blows away from us. (You haven't seen billowing smoke till Paul takes over as grillmaster ! What do you use, or what have you seen that you like? We don't want to do the charcoal semi-disposable grill again. as we have with rental RVs.. charcoal is a pain, and we bought the quik disconect for the Oliver propane system. Really don't want a heavy grill, or have to carry a camp table, too. We've thought about installing a socket on the side of the aluminum frame near the bumper and then using a swing arm with the grill mounted on it, so its about a foot or so away from the side. Ideas? Comments? Please? Paul n Sherry

Very cute kitchen area. I like the protector under the canisters being a cutting board too... very functional. This question may actually be for Butcherknife... I looked all over Wally World and a few other stores today for a suction cup paper towel holder. Did you make yours, or did you find it at a specialty store? There seems to be a wealth of suction cup devices out there, but no paper towel holders. So far, I've found (KMart) toothbrush holder, shower organizers, soap dish, corner shelf, sink caddy, many kinds of hooks... Wally World: several kinds of hooks, cute sink organizers for brush, washcloth etc. in three colors, including red (you might like that one, cause it's really close to Coca Cola red), soap dish, wall bins about 4x 6 inches. But... no paper towel holder. Very reluctant to drill into that prisitine gel-coated fiberglass! Thanks. Sherry

Thanks for the input, MountainBorn. We decided on the Good Sam insurance (actually GMAC under their group.) It was reasonable compared to the others we checked, and customer service reps were friendly and responsive. Sherry