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hardrock

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  1. Regarding the cost, we are working with Oliver to build the units. They will also do the installation. Oliver will determine the final cost. If you are interested in specific information on the products, e mail me at hcsolar3@gmail.com and I will send you a brochure and answer your questions. Thanks. Coy Gayle
  2. Fellow Oliver Travel Trailer Owners and friends’ Earlier I posted that I and my two business partners of Happy Camper Solar would be at the Oliver Rally to demonstrate and provide information on our Solar MaXX products. Our plans were to show the Mobile Tracker and the rooftop tracker for the Oliver Elite and Elite II. Unfortunately, a family member of our business tested positive for COVID. As we discussed attending the rally, we quickly decided to do the right thing and not expose anyone to the possibility of being infected. This will be my first time ever to miss an Oliver Travel Trailer Rally. I was looking forward to again leading the Rally and being the MC for the Wednesday night Opening Ceremonies. My conversations today with Oliver Staff and sharing the itinerary and program notes should result in everyone having a great rally. I also posted earlier on Oliver Trailer Owners Facebook page and Oliver Forum that we would be offering a 3-year free electronics warranty if you contacted us during the rally regarding the purchase of one of our products. Since we are unable to attend the rally, if you contact us via the e-mail below, we will put your contact information on our waiting list for a no obligation purchase. Due to supply chain issues and manufacturing backlog, we are unable to provide a product availability date. However, if you provide us with your contact information we will put your name on our list, notify you when we have completed manufacturing the products, provide you with technical data and a price as well as honoring the 3-year free electronics warranty from the date of purchase. If you e-mail us with your contact information no later than June 17, 2022, we will honor the offer of a 3-year electronics warranty. We were looking forward to spending time with each of you at the rally. However, we felt ethically obligated to cancel our attendance for fear of a possibility of exposure to COVID. I look forward to next year’s rally and seeing each of you. Coy Gayle hcsolar3@gmail.com
  3. Sneak Preview Here are a few pictures of the new rooftop tracker. It has a smaller height profile than the AC It tracks dawn to dusk automatically resulting in MUCH more energy to your batteries The tracker detects high wind and Tow movement, shuts down and locks Existing Oliver solar panels can be retrofitted with a rooftop tracker. Built and installed by Oliver “Clean setting” lifts the panels high so they can be cleaned with a squeegee while standing on the ground - NO LADDERS ! 2 photos below. Sign up on list during the rally , no financial obligation, and get 3 year electronic warranty - FREE ! Video and more information coming soon Coy Questions ?
  4. Fellow Oliver Travel Trailer Owners, Happy Camper Solar is currently in negotiations with Oliver Travel Trailers to offer new, fully patented solar accessories in the near future. These products are designed specifically for the Oliver Elite and the Elite II. These units are fitted on the rooftop with the solar panels. The tracker automatically picks up the solar panels and adjusts the panels vertically and horizontally AUTOMATICALLY all day to keep the panels directly pointed at the Sun to gain maximum solar efficiency. The first question in most Oliver Travel Trailer Owners mind is probably “ How Much ?” This is a part of the on-going negotiations. The units will be installed and serviced by Oliver Travel Trailers. At the upcoming Oliver Travel Trailer Owner’s Rally , I will have my Oliver Elite at the Rally with the ST 200 mounted on the rooftop. The rooftop unit is fully functional and we will be demonstrating the unit at the Beach Pavilion where the vendors will be located. In addition, I will also have the Solar MAXX, a portable mobile solar tracker that is easy to use and sets up in just a few minutes. All 3 products contain highly advanced electronics that automatically track the sun so your Oliver Travel Trailer receives significantly more solar energy than your panels lying flat on your rooftop. Next week I will be posting additional photos / video. I will save technical questions/ answers for the rally. My two partners,Joe McGinty andBob Starling, senior level electrical, electronic and energy engineers will be able to personally address your questions and demonstrate how the solar trackers work. I look forward to seeing you at Lake Guntersville State Park. The enclosed photos are the Solar MAXX Portable unit. Coy Gayle
  5. Steve Landrum Update The past weekend, a fellow traveler and Oliver owner , Steve Landrum / Tali were preparing their Ollie to travel to the Oliver Rally in Florida that Foy Sperring is organizing. Steve was gathering up his gear and went to open a large gate at his home. It held stubbornly tight and then suddenly released sending Steve to the ground where he hit his head. At first he seemed to be OK , but last night at 12:30, Monday morning, Steve requested Tali call an ambulance because his pain was so intense. At the hospital the exam revealed Steve has a subdural hematoma, a bleeding of the brain. The bleeding was significant but treatment with blood thinners and new blood was necessary before surgery. Early this morning (Monday), the surgery was completed and Steve is currently in Intensive Care Unit at the hospital in Tupelo Mississippi where he and Tali worked for years. The physicians are saying that if all goes well, Steve should have a 90% recovery from this accident. However, the next 4 days are critical. The doctors are constantly monitoring Steve’s progress, his blood and carefully regulating his medication. Tali recently had surgery on her foot and recovery for her is slow and painful. Today while Steve was being treated, Tali had to go in to her surgeon for wound care and treatment. Mobility for Tali is very difficult for her now. Steve’s daughter and son-in-law live nearby and are providing care for both Steve and Tali. Tali’s desire is that she be able to focus all of her attention on supporting Steve as well as recovering from her foot surgery. For this reason, Tali requests that you turn toward God and spend time in prayer that Steve will have a full and complete recovery. She values the prayers from each of you and Steve will greatly benefit from Our Lord’s healing grace that will result from your prayers. As I receive communication from Tali, I will post Steve’s progress. Thank You
  6. John You are correct, we need to update our website. if you look carefully at the top of the Rover, there is a double T . This is intended for two purposes. The first is to stake the Rover down. It can tilt over if a high wind hits it. I have a 150 watt suitcase model. On mine, I put a long metal tent stake in the ground .. Also, I put a bicycle chain inside the double T and secure it to either my truck or my trailer. I have a long security cable that I have used and it works quite well. The Rover is amazingly strong. I tried to upload a video showing it crawling over obstacles, but poor bandwidth. The tires are for lawn mowers and has tread/ cogs that firmly grip. Because the sun moves very slowly, the movement of the Rover is also slow, just an adjustment every 5-7 minutes to gain maximum sun exposure. Regarding delivery. We are in discussions with a few manufacturers for this product. We will have someone making the frame , mountings, and do all of the assembly. We will make the “Brain”, the component that houses all of the technical components, and database. It will be stored in a weather sealed box that should never be opened. Our goal is to begin retail sales of our products by this fall. For our rooftop mounted tracker it must be approved by National Transportation Safety Board. This takes time muddling through federal bureaucracy. No such requirements for the Rover since it sits on the ground, portable, never to be mounted anywhere. I hope this addresses your questions coy
  7. SOLAR ROVER - Photos/video below IMG-8491.MOV IMG-8491.MOV The Rover (patent pending) is a unique lightweight portable inexpensive ve of Happy Camper Solar’s initial Solar Tracker (patent pending). Both the Solar Tracker, (rooftop mounted) and Solar Rover (ground mounted only) will be debuted at the 2021 Oliver NOT Rally at Lake Guntersville State Park, Guntersville, AL. The rally occurs May 13-16. However, the Solar Tracker and the Solar Rover will be on display for only one day during the rally. The Solar Rover is: ENERGY EFFICIENT- The Solar Rover works like the Rooftop mounted Solar Tracker. It will move both vertically and horizontally all day from sunup until sundown by AUTOMATICALLY tracking the sun, picking up the solar panel and pointing the panels directly at the sun all day. Using this system, your panels gain maximum exposure to the sun all day long. No more adjusting panels, tilting them or crawling up a ladder. The wheels are angled to move the Solar Rover in a tight semi-circle. The Solar Rover is ground based use only. GREATER USAGE. I have camped in campgrounds, especially state and national parks that have little or no hookups but nice shade trees. The park ranger insists on parking on the pad that is in the shade, NO SUN!! . You simply take 2-3 minutes to set up your Rover on the ground and in the Sun, attach the leads to your battery and begin charging. HIGH TECH- The Solar Rover, much like the Solar Tracker, has a lot of advanced technology built in. With a GPS, computer database and other instrumentation, it will sense the direction of the sun and adjust the position of the Solar Rover AUTOMATICALLY, both horizontally and vertically continuously until sundown. PORTABLE. It weighs barely 9 pounds, folds up for storage and set up time is about 3 minutes. Using a semi flexible solar panel (100 watt in photo) will make the entire unit more lightweight and easier to store. ACCOMMODATES DIFFERENT SIZED PANELS. The Solar Rover is adaptable to utilize various lengths and widths up to a 150-watt panel. There are adjustable clamps horizontally and vertically that are easily adjusted for various sizes. Larger sized panels make this unit unstable in a heavy wind. Development of another Solar Rover is underway to accommodate even larger panels. SECURITY- the Solar Rover can accommodate a lock to safely secure it to your trailer. It can be staked to secure it from high winds to keep it from blowing away. BATTERY MAINTENANCE. The Solar Rover can be used to maintain your batteries when your unit is in storage, if in the sun and the cord length is not excessive. This is not a replacement of the Solar Tracker, rather it is designed to augment the rooftop mounted solar configuration. It can be operated jointly and easily with the Solar Tracker at the same time. There are many additional features of both units. Please feel free to post questions. I or one of my engineer partners will answer you. Coy E. Gayle
  8. For those of you attending the 2021 Oliver Travel Trailer NOT Rally on May 13-16, at Lake Guntersville State Park in Guntersville, AL, please let me tell you about two events that might interest you. 1. In the past, we have traditionally had vendors at the Oliver Travel Trailer Owners Rally in Guntersville Alabama that support Oliver Travel Trailer owners. One of them, Happy Camper Solar displayed a Solar Tracker prototype made for Oliver Travel Trailers at the last official Oliver Rally. After 2 years of development and listening to customer input, there are now fully functional models to display. Although I am part owner in this company, I will be unable to attend the rally this year but my Oliver Elite will be at Lake Guntersville State Park to display the Solar Tracker. Located at the Dog Lot near Section D and the Beach Pavilion, it will have a solar tracker installed on it and be available for viewing the tracker for one day of the rally. This is a fully automated tracking system designed to automatically track the sun all day to significantly maximize the charging of your batteries all day long. It does this by automatically raising and rotating your solar panels on the trailer rooftop to keep them pointed directly at the sun all day long. This system has been designed with many performance features that track safe and easy. Our design and development engineer will be available to answer your questions. 2. If you are going to be in the Guntersville area on June 26-27, and you enjoy racing, you may be interested in Lake Guntersville’s Hydrofest. Hydrofest | Marshall Tourism & Sports (explorelakeguntersville.com) Guntersville has always been known for fast boat races. On June 26-27, 1967 I lived in Guntersville and saw the world’s water speed record broken on Lake Guntersville. The speed was 285.21 MPH. This record was held here for many years. History Part 3 ∞ Hustler ∞ Jet Hydroplane UK ∞ Longbow (jet-hydroplane.uk) My grandfather and I stood on the banks of the Tennessee River very near where Lake Guntersville State Park was later built. We heard the boat coming, saw a flash before us and it was gone. This Tennessee River site was chosen because it was one of the longest stretches on a navigable river with calm water. Come and enjoy all Oliver, it’s owners and Alabama has to offer. Ya’ll Come !! Coy
  9. The Oliver Travel Trailers Owners Rally traditionally occurs at Lake Guntersville State Park, (LGSP) Guntersville Al the 3rd week of May on an annual basis. Because of concern over Corona Virus, Oliver, understandably, will not be sponsoring the rally for 2021 out of concern for Oliver Owners. However, you are encouraged to come to Guntersville May 13-16 2021. ( Date corrected ). I will be contacting LGSP administration to request we get our rally discount during this time as well as a pavilion for us to safely gather. If you are considering coming, I encourage you to go ahead and make reservations. The park allows reservations to be made on their website and the campground is already beginning to fill up that weekend. When we gathered in October this year, the campground was full, no sites were available so make your reservations ASAP ! I hope to see you there Coy Gayle Location 1155 Lodge Dr. Guntersville, AL 35976 Phone Numbers General Info: 256-571-5440 Lodging: 256-571-5440 Camping: 256-571-5455 Park Office: 256-571-5444 Reservation website https://www.reservealapark.com/AlabamaWebHome/Facilities/SearchViewUnitAvailabity.aspx
  10. Criteria for a great Oliver Rally Venue First, THANKS to Lexi, Matt and Oliver for putting together a Western Oliver Rally It is important that we have a venue that promotes socialization and sharing of all things Oliver. It does need to be a venue that promotes sharing of ideas, making new friends and seeing old friends. We have alot we can learn from each other and this is one of the greatest values offered by the rallies, wherever they may occur. Also, human nature and needs dictate we come to gather for dining and sharing. A campground without such resources will be adversely impact the value of the rally for many. I am suggesting some of the criteria we need to measure against when recommending a location for any rally. Full hookups, dining venue and kitchen, dog friendly, 100+ campsites, enclosed facility to allow socialization, open discussions, nearby accommodations, local attractions, cultural events, dining alternatives, shopping, quiet campground, reasonable weather, easy access from across the US, etc. For Oliver to sponsor the rally, sales of new units is a consideration. The rally location should have the ability for those wanting to see an Oliver to purchase; a nearby place to stay that the cost, commute and accommodations are reasonable. As David Stillman pointed out in his post that Lake Guntersville State Park offered such accommodations when he attended the rally to view an Oliver. Each year we have several families that attend the rally to not only see an Oliver for the first time, they want to speak to Oliver owners to learn about the Good (lots of that!) the Bad (very little of this) and the Ugly (no way...Olivers are beautiful) If we are going to recommend a location, I suggest we apply some of this criteria before we post. Oliver staff is supporting this new rally and I think Oliver would appreciate that we do our "Due Diligence" before recommending a rally location. It is not so much for me the location as the journey getting there. I always look forward to the trip. Goodness!!! many of us travel across the US in January to Arizona to camp on the desert with 100,000 other RVers. Getting there and coming home is 3/4 the enjoyment of the venture. Not a rally, definitely !! As a recommendation, please look at this campground to see if it meets the criteria, is a location that offers things you would like to see (google activities in September) and tickles your tastebuds !! Just an example http://www.rt66rvresort.com/
  11. A Oliver Rally in the Western US sounds Great! The Location is not as important to me as much as I want warm, not cold weather and do not want to travel through snow or potential of ice/ snow. Having lived and traveled in the West, I know snow in the Fall is not unusual. I like the idea of Salt Lake City, but not surrounding mountians if weather in the Fall is “Iffy”. When we planned the Lake Guntersville Oliver Rally, much thought was put into the safety and convenience of those traveling long distances. Salt Lake City is easily accessed in the Fall without bad weather. Most people, especially those of us from the Eastern US, should be able to travel there easily. I have a friend that left going west recently to visit some of the national parks in the western US. They returned today saying that the smoke prevented them from seeing much of the western US. The forest fires are much greater this year but heavy smoke from Fall forest fires in the Western US is not unusual in the Fall. 2 years ago we went to Winnipeg, Canada in the Fall and the smoke from Oregon and Washington was really bad in Canada. My point is that Salt Lake City / Utah area should be somewhat “smoke -free”. Having put on the Oliver Rally for years, it will be very important to have someone from the area where the rally will occur. Establishing and maintaining on going relationship with the campground administration is important. As a person that likes to travel, I can see some great side trips going to the rally and returning home. I prefer it to occur very soon after Labor Day. Less traffic on the roads and the national parks would hopefully be less crowded. Utah has spectacular scenery and many places to boondock. We can all make suggestions on great places for a western rally. I think Lexi is really looking for a person to be the front person to organize the rally and therefore have a greater “Say so” where the rally is to occur. I will volunteer to offer support, but someone on the ground near the rally campground is a primary focus at this time. In my humble opinion, coy
  12. Rvtravel.com is an excellent resource for RV information. Sign up for the daily newsletter, and you may want to aalso join their Facebook page for casino camping. Lots of really good information and helpful hints . It is all free!!
  13. At the Oliver Trailer Rally, Anderson is one of our primary sponsors. I got a set of the red buckets from the Anderson Reps. When I ask about what side is up, they told me, definitely do not put the jack stands inside the bucket. It is a engineering design. I carry a 3/4 " piece of plywood a bit larger than my buckets. That works great with the jack on top !
  14. Jim I have a 2003 Tundra that is very near your TACO. My Tundra has a 280 hp engine. I have an Elite and have towed several Elite IIs for Oliver, to Winnipeg Canada, Quartzsite AZ and beyond. While you may have enough HP to tow the Elite, there are a number of factors you need to consider. Choose your route carefully. I recommend returning on I-40 as far as possible. It is flat, not too much elevation. For your sized truck, it is not as important about pulling the trailer up as keeping it slow going down. Avoid as many downward mountains as possible. A 5k lb. trailer will push your truck down a mountain. After being pushed down several mountains by my Tundra, I have now opted for a GMC 1500, and I now pull with my GMC. Safety, not horsepower is the most important factor to me. Also, crossing Texas, New Mexico and AZ, the winds can blow a heavy rig all over the road. I have seen a 18 wheeler loose it crossing the desert. A small truck does not have the weight to stabilize blowing 5k trailer in 30 mph winds. Be careful, be safe Coy
  15. Challenge For those of you that have read this post, for those of you that have a concern about improvements in Federal prosperities and where the funding comes from: HAVE YOU CONTACTED YOUR CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES? Please note - In this post I have not expressed my personal opinion, given you guidance on what to say to your Congressional Representative or otherwise given personal opinion(s). As a democracy, we can bring about change. In my career, I visited Capital Hill in DC many times to seek support for specific bills that provided funding to US Department of Defense. Our company had offices, employees and production facilities in 38 states. I was always surprised and pleased when Congressional Representatives were grateful to learn about how funding of specific programs provided employment in their district and supported a stronger defense for our nation. Contacting your Congressional Representatives and letting them know about your concerns is your right and a part of your freedom. coy
  16. To further assist in understanding the funding of this legislation, below is a excerpt from CONGRESS.GOV With this, you may have a better understanding of the funding of the spending on this legislation. Please note, I have posted this as information, neither advocating nor dissenting support. My goal is to make members aware that the legislation is being voted upon and as citizens you can decide whether or not to support. If you need further information, you can access many articles on the legislation. S.3422 - Great American Outdoors Act116th Congress (2019-2020) | Get alerts Bill Hide Overview Sponsor: Sen. Gardner, Cory [R-CO] (Introduced 03/09/2020) Latest Action: Senate - 03/10/2020 Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 438. (All Actions) Go to: Summary: S.3422 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)All Information (Except Text) Listen to this page There is one summary for S.3422. Bill summaries are authored by CRS. Shown Here: Introduced in Senate (03/09/2020) Great American Outdoors Act This bill establishes the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund to support deferred maintenance projects on federal lands. For FY2021-FY2025, there shall be deposited into the fund an amount equal to 50% of all federal revenues from the development of oil, gas, coal, or alternative or renewable energy on federal lands and waters. Deposited amounts must not exceed $1.9 billion for any fiscal year. The fund must be used for priority deferred maintenance projects in specified systems that are administered by the National Park Service, the Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Bureau of Indian Education. The Government Accountability Office must report on the effect of the fund in reducing the backlog of priority deferred maintenance projects for the specified agencies. Additionally, the bill makes funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) permanent. The President shall annually report to Congress specified details regarding the allocation of funds to the LWCF. Congress may provide for alternate allocations using specified procedures.
  17. Currently, Congress is in the process of approving the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA). Below is an excerpt from the website article on Recreational Vehicle Industry Association. As a camper, this legislation will have a direct impact on our camping experiences across the US. It directly impacts every state in the US, all states has property that will receive federal dollars for improvements. You may want to consider contacting your US Congressional Representative regarding support for this legislation. To read the entire article, go to: https://www.rvia.org/news-insights/senate-passes-landmark-great-american-outdoors-act Today the U.S. Senate took significant action to address campground modernization and deferred maintenance on public lands with the passage of the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) by a vote of 73-25. The bill, which now heads to the House of Representatives for approval, will provide the largest investment in our iconic public lands in over a century. GAOA will invest up to $9.5 billion of nontaxpayer funds to address the infrastructure within the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and other federal agencies. The bill will also fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and provide $900 million per year in investment in the public lands, parks, and trails that are the backbone of the outdoor recreation economy. “As national parks and forests across the country look to safely reopen, it’s encouraging to see the overwhelming support of Senators recognizing the need to direct significant funds toward critical deferred maintenance and campground modernization needs on our public lands and waters,” said Craig Kirby, RV Industry Association President. “We are grateful to the 73 Senators who voted today to pass the Great American Outdoors Act and address these issues through this landmark legislation that supports outdoor recreation and conservation in our most treasured lands for generations to come.” HAPPY CAMPING !!! Coy
  18. The actual blades, black and gray, are lubricated when you apply the drain valvelubricant. However, you may find despite adding the blade lubricant, the valve becomes difficult to open/close. The cable occasionally needs to be greased. Not real difficult, but not easy to undo the cable, slide it out, put white lithium grease on it and put it back. The valve handle / cable will be much easier, so know that if the valve may feel stuck/sticking, it may be your cable. good luck coy
  19. If Lithium ion batteries with 400 AHs are installed on a Elite II and the air conditioner runs down the batteries half way or more, how many hours will it take to recharge the batteries to full capacity using the standard Zamp solar configuration? This is not intended to be a trick question or self promoting. My point is one of the key elements , recharging the batteries in minimum time has not been discussed. Recharging is a key factor in the solution equation. I am interested in your input as I try to understand increasing the efficiency of using solar to recharge the batteries. I have seen many big pushers with the rooftop loaded with solar panels and a huge storage areas fully dedicated to batteries and electronics. The wind drag of the solar panels, the extraordinary weight of the extra equipment and significant loss of fuel efficiency outweighs the benefit of solar, especially when those rigs deplete their batteries and then crank up their diesel generators to run all night. Coy
  20. Update - I have contacted Oliver regarding obtaining a different cover for my 2016 Elite spare tire cover. It seems that Oliver changed the mold in the past of the Elite TRAILER AND SPARE COVER to accommodate a larger spare tire. There is no retro kit for updating earlier Oliver Elite Trailers. Now, Oliver recommends the Cooper Discoverer HT 3 LT 235/65/16 tire. This Tire has a higher weight capacity than the tires that were original to my Elite. These tires are now being placed on new Oliver Elite Trailers. regardless, Oliver Travel Trailers handle superbly under bad conditions, even when you tire and wheel are damaged. I will be making room for an “EXTRA SPARE “ in my truck! coy
  21. Sorry for being unclear Bill. Both the tire and wheel were completely destroyed. On Sunday, I had Firestone remove the spare that I had just put on the ground. I had them put a full sized tire on the spare rim/wheel. I made it to Louisiana that night with no spare and the next morning, I went to Tire Discount, bought a spare wheel and mounted my old but useable spare tire. The mounting bracket at the rear is unique and the new (Discount Tire Store brand) will not fit. I will buy 2 new wheels and 1 new tire. One because I purchased a very good Firestone tire when all of this occurred. Overland- Going to meet with Oliver this month so I will inquire. Thanks for the advice Bottom line, I now feel that even when you experience a major tire catastrophic blowout as I did, and you are forced to proceed onward to the next exit on your bare metal rim, it can be safely done. I have inspected my hull, no damage, only to my pride.
  22. Safety and stability when you have a flat tire. I have an Oliver Elite single axle, hull #73. I have traveled near and far in it with no issues, until this year when returning from Quartzsite, AZ. I have often wondered what it would be like if I had a flat tire when I was driving? Yes, I have a TPMS, frequently check air pressure, etc. I hate driving in heavy traffic, especially in a large city pulling a trailer. To go to Quartzsite from home (Alabama) the better route is through Dallas/Fort Worth. I have learned that the best time to go through a large city is early on Sunday morning. Everyone is asleep, getting ready for church or going a short distance to work. I spent the night in Weatherford, Texas, looking down the hill at Fort Worth. I left early watching the sun rise in the East. I traveled I-20 through Fort Worth without incident. As I entered Dallas, there was lots of road construction. Soon the lanes were constricted, winding and heavy concrete barriers on both sides with nowhere to get off. Suddenly, I heard a loud bang and a car came around me waving pointing down at my trailer. In my rearview mirror I could see my trailer was listing heavily to the right. My TPMS was beeping. I knew I had a flat tire but nowhere to stop, concrete barriers / construction on both sides. It was 2 miles to the next exit. At the first exit I pulled into a shopping center. My tire was shredded and the rim was severely damaged, but MY OLIVER HANDLED BEAUTIFULLY! My fear was that a single axle trailer would be unstable at interstate speeds- Not! I was able to change to my spare but later looking in the rearview, the spare is a smaller tire and the trailer was listing to the right. I had a long day to drive and was uncomfortable not having a spare. I stopped at Firestone with the intent of getting a regular sized tire and wheel. No luck, Firestone did not sell wheels, Sunday and nothing open that sold wheels, but MY OLIVER HANDLED BEAUTIFULLY! My fear was that a single axle trailer would be unstable at interstate speeds- Not! I was able to change to my spare but later looking in the rearview, the spare is a smaller tire and the trailer was listing to the right. I had a long day to drive and was uncomfortable not having a spare. I stopped at Firestone with the intent of getting a regular sized tire and wheel. No luck, Firestone did not sell wheels but Firestone was able to put a regular tire on my spare wheel. Firestone told me that they found a piece of rebar in the hub. LESSONS LEARNED: Be careful in heavy construction It is difficult/impossible to find a spare tire/wheel on Sunday. I now carry the small spare in the trailer cover and a regular sized spare in my truck. No spare when your spare is on the ground. Best Lesson- Olivers handle well when you are running on the rim and nowhere to get off the interstate- Travel Safe !! Coy Gayle
  23. I will be there Also, we have a booth at the RV Big tent Show. We will be at booth #105 selling the Solar Tracker . COME SEE US !!!!
  24. One of my fondest childhood memories is living in California and taking a month long vacation to see National Parks that my father helped to build when he was in the Civilian Conversation Corps (CCC) before WWII. Later, when I was first married, my wife, daughter and I took vacations every year to visit national parks. I was appaled to hear low flying airplanes and helicopters overhead. The noise was more irritating than a swarm of mosquitos. I just returned from a Fall Break with with my daughter/husband, grandchildren and my wife. We visited the national parks in AZ and it was evident the areas of the parks that were run by concessionaires. The cost was significantly more, the service was significantly less and the crowds were ever more present. At Grand Canyon, we did not see one park ranger, not one. Congress is slashing the federal budget and many things are being privatized. There are federal lands and national parks around Las Vegas. The National Park campground cost is $8.00 per night. You can walk 25 feet next door and a concessionaire park is $40.00. It is not just about costs. We are facing admission restrictions, access restrictions (must ride mass transit buses) to see beautiful scenery. I do not like seeing large commercial facilities, hotels and chain restaurants in the National Parks. If it is commercialized, I will visit but not financially support the concessionaires. Read the story of Fred Harvey and the Harvey Girls. It was about quality service offered in support of educating the US traveling population to learn about the beauty given to us. I have stayed in several Harvey Houses over the years, the El Tovar in the Grand Canyon being one. They complemented the surroundings, and taught visitors to appreciate Mother Nature, no chrome and glass frontage with bright neon lights. Yes, I am upset with this effort to privitize our national parks !!! Coy Gayle
  25. Article from USA TODAY.COM FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Food trucks. Wi-Fi. Hot showers. Those campground upgrades could be coming to a national park near you. The Interior Department is considering recommendations to modernize campgrounds within the National Park Service. The recommendations posted this week come from an advisory committee created under former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. It has been looking at ways for private businesses to operate on public lands. Derrick Crandall is the vice chairman of the Outdoor Recreation Advisory Committee. He says many campgrounds fail to meet visitors' expectations and allowing the private sector to run them would free up money for maintenance elsewhere in the parks. National parks have more than 1,400 campgrounds combined. About 6% are operated by concessionaires. Environmentalists say the proposal would price out some visitors and benefit special interest groups.
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