SeaDawg

If you do manage the back country ski trip in the boundary waters, I'll look forward to your photos. This will undoubtedly be your biggest challenge, towing, and I have zero recommendations. Maybe someone else can help . My brother and friends did this in spring, tent camping. Several times. I have no idea on access, and plowing, in winter. Everything depends on the year, for sure, but my family rarely went north of Bemidji, after deer hunting season. Northern Minnesota winters can be brutal. We get the Canadian fronts, and in Southern Minnesota, the ice storms. I moved to Florida a long time ago, and rarely go back in the beautiful winter. Too many memories of canceled reservations because of weather . Ps. winds across the plains can be ferocious, along with snows. Plan to stay put, at a rest area, if the winds kick up, across the Dakotas. Winter is beautiful in Minnesota, on good days. It's also super cold, and unpredictable. Snow bands, and ice bands, can be small, like 50 to 100 miles. I love my native state, but rarely go there in winter. Viking blood, and a sense of reason. Read O E Rolvaags "Giants in the Earth". This is what my ancestral family dealt with. We joke about the pineapple belt. It's just cold, snowing, and often icey, in winter . Were it me, I'd drop south from Denver.

@GAP, we only camp in Minnesota in shoulder seasons and summer, but I know that many state parks are open for winter camping. (Some primitive, some electric only, no water, for sure.) Sometimes flush toilets in the visitor center of bigger parks, but no dump station, nor water at sites. Some places vault toilets in winter, others, you're likely on your own. How far south in Minnesota are you looking? I94, or i90? Do you include cross country skiing or snow shoeing in your trips? Lots of great trails, from what my friends tell me. Especially around Lanesboro/Harmony/ Spring Valley bluff country, where the glaciers didn't scrape the landscape clean. I know there's a state park near Mankato that's open for camping in winter, and I have friends who have a home on one of the Kato lakes. I suspect they'd check it out for you, if I asked. When will you be in Minnesota? You must know it can be super cold in January. It's already been sub zero at night up by my brother outside Brainerd, for a night or two. January can be really, really cold, like highs around zero, lows 30 or 40 below. Depends on the year. February often brought ice storms when I lived there. Not as cold, but bitter, and crappy driving. March was unpredictable. However, if you can stay put, Minnesota plows work magic. I can reach out to Minnesota friends, or you can explore the mn state parks website, for camping. Some dnr parks also. As for highway info, mn 511 app is pretty good. @Minnesota Oli, and a few other hardy Vikings, could probably give you better info. I learned to ski near Minneapolis, at Buck Hill. Ditto, took my daughter (Florida girl) up there to learn to snowboard, from my parents' home on owatonna. It's not a great run, pretty much straight down, pretty much view of the interstate... cross country is more interesting. My hat's off to you. I gave away my skis and boots years ago.

You're a much better photographer than I am. Looks like you had an amazing season,and took full advantage of the summer.

We saw a northern lite truck camper on the way today. If we were truck camper folks, that would def be my choice

Yes, the vid is 2 years old, but very informative.

I'm thinking, as this year draws swiftly to a close, a capsule of this year's adventures. We've had an awesome year, with and without our little Elite. We took the hull plaque to Chile/Patagonia and Antarctica, since we couldn't take the trailer. I hope you have had awesome adventures as well. 2022 in ten pix, for us . A pic of our last camp, this week, in wnc, rounds out the year, as we began and ended the year in the beauty of North Carolina.

$2.59 regular at Costco, Pooler (Savannah) Georgia, this morning.

Very close to $5 everywhere along i95, southeast. Hard to understand the difference

Glad no one was hurt . Great that you shared the warning.

Many people buy a lot of ","stuff " that they will never need. Please be careful of purchasing . . Look out for your camping style . We need very little . Others need more. I'd advise big purchases after pickup imo

We still have the original standard cushions in our elite. We use a 2 inch memory foam topper. (3rd version) 15 years later, we are happy,,and sleep very well.

$2.79 at Costco, Pooler Georgia, yesterday. $2 79 at Costco, Spartanburg, SC, yesterday . Over $3 everywhere else nearby in nc,,outside asheville.

Great price! So many places don't allow woodfires,, but do allow lp fire rings. Thanks.

40 years, we have stowed mattresses and cushions on their sides, or indoors, for our boat . Choose, as you will .

I know you followed protocol. And, stayed a good long time. If the gas leak was strong, it would have set off the propane alarm. Some things show up later, after trailering for awhile . Unfortunately, that's you. Oliver will take care of you. I know that to be true

Sorry to go off thread, but there's a new Addams family series on Netflix. WEDNESDAY. I've only watched a few episodes, but it's pretty good.

Do you folks work from home/actually "need" data plans beyond cell phones? I personally think the cradlepoint, and many other add-ons, are far beyond needs of many owners. I have no idea of your needs. I just know it's far beyond ours. I do love the tutorial sessions included with the system you are looking at. Big plus, inclusion in mobile internet resource center, with our old friends Chris and Cherie/Technomadia. Their "technical" Oliver, Orion, was an amazing camper in 2009. They're very smart, very in tune to every new development, and unbiased testing reports. My personal opinion is that many people buy more tech than they need or can handle. Kudos to you for eliminating electronics you don't need .

Did you call, or open a ticket online? I've found better response and followup with online tickets. Better paper trail, as well. You can always do both. I'm really sorry for your issue, but I'm sure you'll get it resolved.

Camping in the 20s at night, the toilet seat is VERY cold if the door is closed, with our 2008, with zero heat in the bathroom. More concerned about frozen lines than a cold toilet seat, actually. We only run an electric heater on the rare occasion that we have power. The furnace on low (old school analog thermostat) keeps us around 55 or so. We both sleep well at that temp. But, we both grew up in cold country. Everyone has a different comfort level. I'm good with good blankets or quilts. Others are different. It's all good.

Please do try to arrange a visit with an E2 owner. It's not as hard as it used to be, back in the day. Just call the sales office, and they'll likely find someone within a hundred miles or so. Definitely worth a day trip. (And, we've made lifelong friends, showing our Elite 1. ) Back in 2008, Hohenwald was the only option. Not so, anymore.

I find that works very well, to give ventilation exhaust a path. I just leave the bath fan open a bit, not full. Our older Ollies don't have a heated bathroom, so propping the door open also keeps the bath warmer for night time visits in cold weather.

Back several years ago, we had a problem with our dometic fridge. Our local camping world service center took very good care of us, under warranty. Do you have a camping world, or other authorized dometic repair center, close to you? If the other centers are brand centric, they may not be as helpful.

Did you reserve already? I see you were active in this thread.

I do love those cheap, but very heavy, harbor freight chocks. My typical "camper warmimg" gift to friends and family as new trailer owners.

I'd like to add that this moisture problem is not unique to Oliver, it can simply be more apparent for a few reasons. First, the Ollie is built very tight , like our home. Second, the built in furniture, no wood, allows more evidence of moisture, in my experience. That's not necessarily a bad thing. You can actually see what you're dealing with, instead of moisture collecting in cabinetry and walls. Using methods to evacuate moisture is important. Even something as simple as wiping walls with a microfiber towel, and drying it outside. Moistute mitigation is important. Think about why you have a shower fan at home.