Ray and Susan Huff

This was my husband's dream bike. He found it, for sale by owner in the Willamette Valley in the early 2000's. Rode it quite a bit, but it became unreliable for long road trips - overheating, hard to find mechanics, and DIY wasn't working. He kept it, but purchased a KLR 650 for tent camping excursions (he likes to wander off-highway). Sold the Guzzi to a friend a couple of years ago since it was mostly sitting in the garage. The friend has not ridden it - just admires it! When my husband (before we were married) got out of the Navy, he rode a Suzuki 500 home - from Mississippi to Oregon. After we were married in 1976 and starting a family, he sold the Suzuki and bought a riding lawnmower!

Anyone here ride a '74 Moto Guzzi El Dorado?

I put the new address (228 Industrial Ave, Hohenwald) in Google Maps and it likes it. https://www.google.com/maps/place/Oliver+Travel+Trailers/@35.5635126,-87.5401088,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x88634aeabfe8022d:0xdad0835a06a7b88e!8m2!3d35.5635126!4d-87.5379148 Google Maps is up to date, so if you enter Oliver Travel Trailers, it puts in the new location.

Our Leisure Travel Van had the "folding wing" type dinette table with slide out supports. I would want to have a bit larger dining table, but with a leaf only on the aisle side. Not sure how this would work.

Would it help to plug in the drains while dehumidifying to prevent this? Another thought: would removal of water from the P-traps by dehumidification increase the concentration of the antifreeze?

I agree . . . . I have much better things to do that spend more time checking in . . . . . one forum, email and, yes, FB are it for me. I wouldn't use FB if it weren't that I rely on it as a way to share info will family members and a few friends. My FB "friends" list is very short.

I agree. The biggest downside to multiple methods of sharing with other Oliver owners, for me anyway, is trying to remember : did I see that on the FB group or was it the forum? I feel the Oliver Trailer Owners group admin does a great job of keeping members on task. However, you still have the FB platform to contend with.

We just ordered and received this dehumidifier. Haven't had a chance to test it out, as our Oliver has not been delivered yet (but soon - very soon!). I might try it in my potting shed at home and see how it performs. While researching humidity control, I did not know there are different types of dehumidifiers: some designed for controlling humidity while the trailer is in storage and others (more efficient?) for use while the trailer is occupied - the reason being that there is more excess humidity created when live bodies are involved. Thus, square footage is not the only consideration. Since we are more concerned about condensation at night, when the temperature drops, the trailer is receiving less ventilation, and we are sleeping in a more enclosed environment, we opted for the "dessicant" type. Maybe someone can explain the differences in the types. I will report the findings on my potting shed test. The square footage is similar to the Elite II and it is insulated, though not as well as the Oliver.

I'm interested. I've thought about possibilities, but not having our Oliver yet makes it hard to come up with ideas. My initial thoughts were so sort of drop leaf. However, I would still like the table to function as a base for the dinette "bed" as we hope to use this space as a sofa, but still with the option for the table.

I guess a centrally mounted TV in the Elite 1 would restrict using the center (along the outside wall) dinette seat.

The first of the storms passed through SW Oregon Friday . . . . . a bit of wind and a two hour power outage. Kudos to our rural cooperative power company for restoring power so quickly. All day we had on and off thunder showers and a bit of thunder/lightning. Rainfall total for this stage of the storms was 3". Saturday afternoon and the wind is picking up again. Probably in for more rain; hopefully no power outage this round. Snow on the Cascade passes; chains required on Hwy 138. Looks like rain for most of next week with snow continuing in the mountains and central Oregon.

I'll have to think about this . . . . . Where do you get big googlie eyes? . . . . . Amazon? Yep . . . . Amazon . . . . the largest I can find are 7.5" I guess that would be big enough to "see" 😊

Has it really been that long? I remember it like it was yesterday . . . . . now can you help me find my reading glasses?

Thanks for the warning . . . . . going to Medford tomorrow to have my BMW serviced. Glad it's tomorrow and not Friday. I hope the following week Mother Nature gets some of this nonsense out of her system as we'll be heading to Hohenwald the end of the month.

So what good's a monitor if you can't rely on it? I guess, with today's technology, we just expect perfection and reliability . . . . . not going to happen 😠

Sorry to hear . . . . what a way to ruin a good day!

Finally, my focus has switched from Amazon to packing for the weeklong journey to Hohenwald . . . . . 18 days and counting! Unsure of what to expect for services enroute and opposed to fast food take out for the duration, I have put together a road trip kitchen so we can prepare meals at our lodging stopovers (husband rolling eyes): Induction burner Two Magma pans (small saucepan and fry pan) Electric tea kettle French Press A few kitchen supplies (can opener, spatula, knife, pot holder, paper towels, etc) Small Ikea salad spinner (doubles as a mixing bowl) Dish washing supplies (soap, dish draining mat, scrubber) Paper plates/bowls plastic silverware Ziploc and small garbage bags Disinfecting wipes All of this packs into a large LL Bean duffle (now I know why I bought this a few years back) so we can tote the "kitchen" to our room. For a pantry, I am stocking dry goods in a soft-side cooler based on pre-planned meals. Perishables and frozen pre-made meals will be packed in a cooler. These will be carried in the pickup bed and secured in the front seat at night. We will transfer items as needed, and utilize lodging with microwave/mini fridges for meal prep and recharging ice packs. The next day's lunch will be prepared in advance and packed in a soft-side lunch cooler. My 2-week wardrobe will be carried in modular packing cubes stored on the back seat floorboards of the pickup for easy access, taking to the room only what I need for the next day. Not sure what the husband is doing; he doesn't have two weeks worth of clothes! Trailer essentials, camping gear, bedding, etcetera will be packed in totes and carried in the pickup's back seat and bed toolbox; after delivery we will shop to stock the Oliver with food (and forgotten items) for our two-night shakedown at David Crocket SP and the adventure home. I'll try to remember to share a picture of the pickup loaded down for departure 😀

We are outfitting our Elite II with a minimum of electronic components. Conveniences are nice, like keyless entry, but certainly something to consider doing without for the sake of simplicity and fewer mechanical failures. Other than the quality of construction, one of the things that attracted us to an Oliver trailer is that you can have one built without many of the features that other better-than-average quality RV manufacturers include as standard. It's a marketing tool - buyers see these features and say, "Wow, look at all the great standard options! I'm going to buy that one. " I say, "Why should I pay for a feature I don't want or need?" I appreciate that Oliver gives us the choice. It all comes down to preference; we camp to enjoy nature and don't need all the creature comforts of home. Compared to tent/car camping . . . . a private bathroom, comfortable bed, basic appliances and a place to escape inclement weather is all we need. Oliver has these wrapped up in a beautiful package.

We have a simlar 4000w inverter generator. 125# and, yes, it's noisy - not something we want to take on the road, but it would work. We use it around our ranch and for brief power outages. However, you might be using it for the time being. We've been hunting for a smaller portable generator, specifically a Yamaha 2200i, for several months and they are out of stock. I contacted Yamaha and they said, with Covid, hurricanes, and wildfires, they can't keep them in stock; they anticipate availability in December. The most frustrating aspect of the pandemic for us, aside from the economic backlash, is the affect it's had on outdoor recreation (a big part of our retirement enjoyment). Normal expectations are undependable; I'd venture to say, RV traffic has quadrupled in our state of Oregon - mostly people escaping California, but we've notice travelers from states you rarely see in our location. And the usual "quiet period" we see after Labor Day just isn't happening. Camping without reservations is nearly impossible and a lot of attractions are shut down or limited. My hope is that at lot of those who have become "Covid Campers" will tire of being on the road and the situation will improve. There will certainly be a lot of used RVs on the market!

When I lived on Whidbey Island I skied mostly at Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass . . . once in a while, Crystal Mt. We only skied one time to Mt. Baker (because it was closer) and, yes, it was 2 deg! I think it was 1971 or '72. Since moving back to Oregon - Hoodoo Ski Bowl and my favorite - Mt. Bachelor. Skied at Mt. Ashland once, but didn't like it much. My first time skiing was at Dodge Ridge in NoCA, while still in High School. Came home from Christmas break with a torn ACL. Oops!!! I have not been skiing since my younger years, but I thoroughly enjoyed it! I'm afraid it's been too long for me to be safe on the slopes now and I tend to be more cautious than when I was 20/30-something. We do still stay active - hiking, biking, kayaking and I work out regularly. My bucket list contains cross-country or snow shoeing. Of course this is only if I could get my snow-hating husband to go along.

Are these strictly road bikes? If not, I'd think twice about transporting them inside the Oliver. We ride our bikes more off-road than not. Visualize bringing a bike that's been "off-roading" into a clean white trailer. . . . . . . unless, of course, you want to give the bike a good cleaning first (or the inside of the trailer, later.

Oregon road cams can be found at tripcheck.com I remember when we welcomed the day when snow accumulation allowed the ski resorts to open (Washington and Oregon) - usually by Thanksgiving weekend. Not so much any more since we traded skiing for kayaking, biking, hiking, and RV camping. I will never forget Mt. Baker . . . . 2 degrees with the wind blowing off the Sound; icy slopes and miserable lift rides. I don't tolerate the cold well in my "Golden Years".

As we transition from Fall to Winter, I thought it would be a good idea to share our current weather conditions. If you are heading to the Pacific coast to escape the mountain snow, think again. It probably won't snow, but temps along much of the Oregon coast are dropping below freezing tonight. We live in SW Oregon, about 50 miles inland; elevation about 275 feet. This morning we woke up to 38 degrees. It's currently 9pm PST and the thermometer is already below freezing. Stay warm! Update: Nov 9 (Monday) temp was 27 degrees; most of Oregon was below freezing with snow on the central Cascade passes; this morning (Tuesday) it was 42. One nice thing about Oregon - these cold spells don't usually last long. Oregonians say, "If you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes" 😏

We have experience with solar (200w) on our camper van, but not with upgraded batteries (AGM or Lithium). In our experience, the 200w of solar, with moderate sun exposure, did nothing more than keep the batteries (two 12v flooded) topped off - with conservative power usage. Having solar power extended our boondocking window maybe 2-3 days; you have to consider that power is not the only constraint when boon docking. Depending on available facilities, you will most likely fill up the waste water tanks before power is depleted; conservation is crucial in this respect. As @John E Davies said, with either Oliver option (Lithium Pro or Solar Pro), you won't be running the A/C without a generator or a lot more solar panels. If you choose the Solar Pro pkg and want the ability to run the A/C with a less than 3000w generator, be sure to add the "Easy Start"; it is included in the Lithium Pro pkg. While configuring our 2021 Elite II, we pondered the same as you - lithium or solar. In the end, we chose lithium for several reasons: In the long run, I believe lithium batteries are a better value, especially if you factor in resale. AGM batteries will require more attention to state of charge as you can only use 50% of the available charge vs 85% for Lithium Lithium batteries cost more, but last longer than AGM Lithium batteries recharge quicker than AGM Inverted power capability: Solar Pro - 2000w vs Lithium Pro - 3000w; evaluate your anticipated power needs Price differential: some of this will be recovered by not having to replace Lithium batteries as often, even though they cost more; are you willing to pay up front, knowing there are other advantages to LIthium vs AGM? Battery power options are one of the most costly considerations. If the additional cost is unattractive to you, look at your other optional choices and see if you can do without any to make up the price difference; make a list of wants vs needs. Are there options you can add later, if you find you need them? We opted for no TV antenna, since we don't watch TV: $300 saved. If upgraded mattresses are on your list, go with the cushions; you can add memory foam toppers for less than the cost of the mattresses: $1,500 saved. The upgraded decor is purely cosmetic. You can always add colorful pillows, rugs, and bed coverings. Choose the standard decor with fabric upholstery: $1,800 savings. Standard water heater instead of Truma (do you really need instant hot water?: potential savings - $1,300. And all of the "Other Optional Upgrades and Add-ons", though they don't seem like much, add up to over $6,000. By making selective option choices, you can easily save more than the $4,000 extra cost of the Lithium Pro Package. Remember, too, that choosing one battery package over the other is not a final decision; batteries can always be upgraded later. I know you will get a lot of advice from forum members. I suggest you also call your Oliver rep and ask to speak with a tech who can answer your questions and concerns regarding the battery packages as well as other options you are considering. Explain your expectations given your anticipated Oliver use and you will get valuable feedback. Oliver's goal is to build a trailer that best fits your needs, not to "sell" options, the way RV dealers do to increase profits. My final thought before we settled on our power choice: If you opt for the additional power the lithium package gives you, you won't need it; if you choose the AGM package, you'll need more power - Murphy's Law

When we had a 5th-wheel we carried our rigid kayaks inside. The sit-in stacked on top of the sit-on-top and top; foam blocks underneath. I don't recall how we secured them, but never had a problem - except they made it hard to access the fridge!