GaryJona

Well always a good post and the only thing I can say is JUST DO IT !!!!!!! if you like camping the two greats for north are Alaska and the Canadian Maritimes and the trips getting there. If you want to stay in a National Park from mid June to September 7th I would make reservations Denali, Waterton, Banff, Jasper, Glacier, Acadia, Fundy, Canandish, Cape Breton, etc. Now I'll post a few photos I only have several thousand from each trip. Plan a little use the Provincial parks like up at Dawson City on the Yukon and state and city campgrounds. All will be full or busy on Holidays so know the Canadian holidays as well and as always a welcoming Walmart, Fred Meyer's,Cabella's, Bass Pro, etc for moving along or what a save for tonight. PS: take your, time leave open periods like sitting on the campsite in Steward city campground right on the water .

Looks good happy trails and keep us all posted...best of luck and stay safe. Thanks Gary

Well welcome to the Oliver forum and world of Fiberglass you will certainly enjoy the fly fishing with Ollie. The first place my wife and I went to in our first Trailer was straight to the Alcan Highway to Alaska, a great trip and be sure to be there mid July on as the Salmon start coming in, it ands to the bear watching. PS when you go if possible go up through Glacier into Canada crossing right there and do the Waterton National Park to Banff into Jasper and the Canadian Ice Fields a for sure do not miss this part. You can go straight up to the Alcan starting point just out of the west end of Jasper. Enjoy Thanks Gary Snack Time at a Salmon Weir...... Valdez Alaska

O my this is a hot post I could go on but I won't just one more.........Gettysburg in Pa. Fort Louisb0urg in Nova Scotia and the Citidale in Halifax, Virginia Military with Washington & Lee University next door great finds and history to the max. Travel see and enjoy. Again Thanks Gary

We visit anyone we get close to, Ft Davis in Texas a great stop when your near Big Bend NP and the Douglas Observatory and another is Fort Abraham Lincoln in North Dakota when you visit Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Just a couple quick ones for the Post.First photo Davis second Abraham. Thanks Gary

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" I have not been in a state or a Providence that I have not found places that were interesting or that we have not enjoyed. Now I do pick and choose the time of year to visit Death Valley is far more attractive to me with a Feb. superbloom that July heat wave. Now Big cities and traffic are not my thing so I will drive miles around Chicago , New York etc. we do enjoy the differences. Thanks Gary

I live in South Florida where the humidity is always high and in the summer you set your kitchen clock for when the afternoon rains start. We have had our Oliver for over 3 years and never experienced what you are talking about I would look for possible water intrusion being trapped under the mat. We do use Damp rid in the camper when sitting and it does help try putting one in the compartment and see it it helps. Good Luck. Thanks Gary

Hello and welcome there are lots of post on what to have so I would just read those, a couple of suggestions for that time of year and we enjoyed that are close to the Oliver's should you have to make a short stop back for anything here are a couple ideas. Just north go to Mammoth Caves National Park, then I would do some of the Bourbon Trail in Bardstown stay at the My old Kentucky Home Park and if full with the Ollie u can ask to just stay in the overflow which we liked better in the tent section no elec or water but good for a couple days, has over tree head cover so will not fully charge each day if u have solar. Be sure to do Buffalo Trace distillery, then the biggies Makers Mark, Jm Beam, Turkey, Four Roses, etc. . Lexington is another more distilleries and also the BatFactory louisville slugger factory. To the south you have in Tenn Jack Daniels in Lynchburg and farther south is the Lodge factory if you are into Dutch oven etc for cast Iorn in South Pittsburg around Chattanooga another good stop with history do Look Out Mountain etc. Another one possible is if you have not been is the Redneck Disney/ Orlando we call it ,Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg Tenn. with Dollywood and all the tourist traps. This will keep you all within a days drive back for a while and of course we like the state parks of Tennessee most are great and along the Smokies. Well good luck and hope to see yu all on the road be safe and enjoy the life style as we all do. Thanks Gary

Well since you will be heading into Wisconsin I would like to add just a couple more possibilities in Chippewa Falls do the Leinenkugels Brewery tour has a great time not sure if you partake and go up into Door County just above Greeen Bay beautiful area and do a few days in Milwaukee again brewery tours etc we stayed at the Fair Grounds right in the middle and was good for being in the middle of a city. Well have fun planning and enjoy the people were great in these areas. Safe travels. Thanks Gary

Just a few quick Thoughts & stops, I would suggest doing Roosevelt National Park North Dakota, The trading post on the north west corner of the North Park section, also you can do the Pitch Fork Fondue in Medora good food and great time, Stay a night or so at Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park just south of Bismarck.

Yes we have the Omni Multi directional antenna it works quite well maybe half the parks have cable, some to remote, but some are just right and I like to get the local news and weather once in a while. I have been in some parks and received 20 to 30 plus channels and other times scrambled eggs but you can't use it if you don't have it. I would not use a satellite unless it was free standing so you can take aim at the southern sky without trees. Been camping 9 years without one so maybe someday if i do some camp hosting in the future i'll consider the satellite. Thanks Gary

Hello I was asked to post a picture what we had covered the front of our Oliver with on the trip to Alaska last year. We used closed cel foam maybe 1/8 0r so thick we bought at a flea market u can probably buy it on line it is the same thing that you use as a sleeping bag cushion, being closed cell you do not get any water or dirt that can get through and rub under the foam as you travel and the wind, rain and dust will not penetrate. I cut the pattern and applied it from the belly band down and the running light around the front. I taped it on with Non-Residue duct tape and stayed on over a month through the Alaska, Yukon Territory portion of the trip just over a month long and it held up great and came off easy and cheap.This is the best picture we have taken from the Yukon River after staying in a Provincial Park across from Dawson City. Thanks Gary

I wanted to use a front mount Draw Tight but on the Chevy High Country I had to use the Curt because of the Crome front the Draw tight would have been even with the tow hooks but had to go lower and use the Curt.

I just put on a front mount hitch for a Bike rack I'm going to try. I have only tried it around town and next month I will take it on the road to the rallies to see how she goes. I put on my own hitch took around an hour or two pretty easy. Looks like it will work quite well we'll see. The rack will support two bikes up to 45 lbs each. Thanks Gary

I am going to try this with a front mount bike rack have not gone on a trip with it yet I did try it around town and seem to work well. I will have it on my trip to the Rallies next month so that will be my first long drive test. I did get the one that the bike tires are what is supporting the weight on the rack and it had a 45 lbs capacity per bike vs the Swagman like this one was 35 lbs. We will see but I put on my own front hitch which was easy took less than two hours and can even use to pull my Trailer around to park if needed. At least another option I'll try a few photos. Thanks Gary

Safe travel and congrats see you all at the rally. Thanks Gary

Congrats and many happy miles camping you will love your Oliver. Safe travels and welcome to the club.

I have over 40,000 miles on my Oliver II purchased in 2015 hull #81 and friends we travel a lot with in hull #82 with probably more miles than we do have never had any problem with our drawers or anything that Oliver did not bend over backwards to fix, even when it was not their issue but purchased product issues. We have traveled the Rockies, Desert, Hot Summers in the south and frost heaves in Alaska trips, not to say this can't happen but when you are in something mechanical you should always be prepared. Happy travels for all and see you at the rally or the open roads I just had to drop my 2 cents worth on the forum, Thanks Gary

Do as I do carry a lot of Duct Tape and them head to the Oliver's would be my first choice then it would be probably fiberglass shop I would be picky on that one living in Florida I would want to be near the work done and the wiring might be tuff for outsiders. Just my 2 and half cents. Thanks Gary

Malcolm and Ursula go to www.littlehousecustoms.com and go to their store tab you will find all of these products and more that Larry mostly sells for Casita's but most will also work for the Oliver. You can order from them on line and receive it fairly quickly most of which you can do your self if not he is located in Texas he does not travel to work anymore, he used to go to rally's and work from sun up to sun down working and fixing Casitas. Hope that helps. Thanks Gary

Ok I will put in my 2 cents. We have had our Oliver for over 2 years now and been across the US several times and from Florida to Alaska this past summer and have never placed my Oliver in such a way that my Doors or anything becomes stressed or stuck. When I level the trailer I use either 2 x 8 ramps or sometimes the leveling stackable blocks being described in the post. The rear jacks I only those to stabilize the Trailer when parked in a site and I do place blocks under them for two reasons one to stop sinking into soft or wet ground and second to shorten the distance they travel. We bought the rubber horse stall matting they use in stables from Tractor Supply by the foot and cut it into squares to use under the blocks for on uneven or rocky ground, stays better and saves the plastic blocks. I from day one have worked to not tork or twist my frame to any measure. I just replaced my bearings and put the new Dexter easy flex equalizer on the axles and used a floor jack at the steel section at the wheels to lift the trailer and the jack stands under the wheel bracket while working on it. The Hydralic jacks on the Oliver were my back up safety not my primary lift. Will the rear jacks lift the trailer.... Yes they will, would i use them to level the trailer maybe on a minor off level campsite but I just check the bubble when I pull in and just use the blocks on the wheels an extra 5 minutes to set up. I will even use my blocks in a overnight in a Walmart, Cabela's where ever for the betterment of the Frig and my wife not rolling out of bed. Thanks Gary

Hey I see we have the same truck, to answer your question GREAT we never had any problem quieter than the others on the market, road nice and lots of room with the 4 doors and a must have 6.5 ft bed, a bit stiffer than my F150 i had before, the ford was only the 5.0 so to me it was underpowered to a 5.7 probably would not have changed if not for 5.0 engine I had hard time in the mountains with it. Lee and Terrie in Oliver Hull 82 have one as well and he seems quite happy with his Hight County Duramax also. They went with us on the Alaska trip as well and if all goes well we are doing the Maritimes again this summer over to Newfoundland and back. Thanks Gary

Steve when we went to Alaska last year Lee and I took closed Cell Foam 1/8 to maybe 3/8 inch thick which goes with the contour of the Oliver from the Belly band down and the corner running lights in around the front. This is where even with a truck rock guard you will get bounce back. I used Residue free Duck Tape which I found at Lowes or Home Depot took at least a roll per trailer and didn't put it on till British Columbia when getting on the Alcan. We left it on till returning since there will be lots of miles of road construction in BC, Northwest Territories and Alaska they only have a few months to do this work and most do not get paved in the same year. ( Rock roads were smoother than the Frost Heave paved ones just dusty or muddy ) The one thing to remember you do not want the dust and you will have lots of dust and Mudd getting behind your shield because then the wind etc will rub and scratch the surface and thick enough to stop the rocks from reaching the gel coat. Taping the Closed Cell foam worked really well for us and when we pulled it off about a month later the tape held in the rain, sun, heat, cold, coming off with very little if any tape or glue residue and keeping it clean and dry behind. I had lots of dings and chips in 2012 when we took the Casita at that time with out the foam. Thanks Gary

There are lots of posts here and on Fiberglassrv.com as well, I would read them all. We went in 2012 and last summer 2016 just a couple quick suggestions. go to Glacier and cross over so you can stay in Waterton NP, Banff NP, Jasper NP and the Canadian Ice Fields ( you can stay at the Ice Field Visitor Center for $15 canadian just a parking lot but directly across from the Ice field ) "BEAUTIFUL", just out of Jasper you can go north to the start of the Alcan in Dawson Creek. Make reservation for those like Denali now they will all be full. Do the usual along the way Laird Hot Springs , White Horse, Sign Post City Watson Lake, etc. and if you are willing go north before entering Alaska and head up to Dawson City and Chicken to do the Top of the World Hwy check for the weather if nice go if lots of rain save for the return portion and back track to the Alcan. One thing to remember watching when the Salmon run you want to be there like Homer, Steward, Haines for the salmon which bring all the Grizzly Bears to the salmon runs to feed and like in Valdez you will see the Bears, Seals, Sea Lions and Eagles have a Buffet at the salmon weir across the bay. The salmon start running in July some early some late. Stay at Provincial parks as well busy on holiday and weekends need to be early on the nice ones to get a site, get the Mile Post tells you everything on the road. Then after leaving Alaska return back down the Cassiar Hwy into Washington state doing the 101 coast Hwy to the redwood Nat. Park in Crescent City Calf doing if you can Mt Ranier, Cascades National Park, Olympic Nat Park, Then head NE to do Crater Lake NP moving east ............ On the Cassiar good road go to Hyder in and out of Canada and Alaska........Ok I'm jumping around but a few thinks to look at and see if it fits your style travel slow enjoy and have an extra memory chip for the camera you'll need it......PS I would be out of Alaska by end of August, in 2012 we left Aug 25 and the water lines froze first two nights in Tok and Haines City, gets cold at night by then and most private camp grounds are closing by Sept 1st or the Holiday in Alaska, norther BC and the Yukon Territories. Also clothes for rain, Cold Rain, Hot Summer, and we had snow mid June in the Canadian Ice Fields with ice on the truck in the morning use the layer effect. Ok no more but U will Love it as they say " Just Do It" ....Thanks Gary

Welcome to the world of Olivers you are going to love the adventures and the life style we all have come to enjoy. Safe Travels Gary & Jona see ya in Natchez.