MAX Burner

Good one, @jd1923 - very clean look! I like it!

We built a "Lagun Table" with grooved edges underneath so as to place between the twin rails. When in place, the tabletop now supports the added cushion between the twins turning the sleeping area into a single/larger area that's more than enough for my 6' frame and D's 5'7" physique. This way, we keep the nightstand and sleep port/stbd instead of fore/aft. As far as @topgun2's shower comment - 100% concur. If I was 6'4", I'd likely sit on the toilet to wash rather than stoop. How do you handle "rain locker" operations, @Patriot?

Same here, Mike. We like the Arctic Fox - both their slide in and travel trailer. Same here... We like how the bathhouses make our holding tanks happier! I'm thinking 2 months max road time for us... @rideadeuce - All good points, Mike. Concur, 100%.

Travel Summary #5 -- Day-11: (NOTE: the system combined a couple of summaries when I tried uploading pix yesterday, likely operator error - this is a rewrite of #5:) We departed our campground in Garden City, UT along the banks of Bear Lake yesterday morning headed to Joe's Valley Reservoir SP (no services) - about 225 miles. Garden City sports a full-time population of about 550, but is 3x that as a popular summer resort town. - this was the view on departure: Straddling the border between ID and UT Bear Lake SP is situated at 5,900'MSL, the lake is 20 miles north/south and 7+ miles east/west. Its shoreline is 48 miles around with beautiful sandy and rocky beaches on all sides. The BL SP RV campground is located on the southern-most shore in UT, FYI. Similar to Glacier NP's layout, in terms of being shared by US and Canada, the entire Bear Lake is a State Park shared between ID and UT. Turns out that Bear Lake is called, "The Caribbean of the Rockies" due to its deep blue color. The lake contains microscopic particles of white-colored calcium carbonate (lime) that reflect the water's natural blue color (oxygen) back to the surface. This gives the lake its spectacular and intense turquoise-blue color. All this, and we had NEVER even heard of this SP! What a nice surprise for us - we'll be back again... We decided on a slightly longer route for yesterday's run from Bear Lake to Joe's Valley Reservoir SP to steer us away from having a long segment along I-15 through SLC and Ogden. Turned out to be a good choice as it was very scenic along the entire way. From BL SP, we started southeast on UT-30 and picked up UT-6 at Sage Creek. Continuing due south on UT-6 through Randolph we picked up US-89 at Woodruff, UT which took us back into WY and into Evanston, WY. Normally, we plan our routes for secondary roads and state highways, but for this route we had to join I-80 at Evanston for a short section southwest back into UT and south to Echo Reservoir and Coalville. I-80 got us to Silver Summit, UT and we intercepted US-40/189 (another one of our favs!) down to Heber City, UT and past the northern shore of the beautiful Strawberry Reservoir. The pic below, at a refueling stop near Strawberry Res, doesn't do the snow-peaked mountains in the background justice: The pic below during a poop/pee break for me and the Knuckleheads, has them saying, "Hey, Dad - we're burning daylight, let's get going!": Continuing south to Price, UT - we picked up UT-10 due south for a 48-mile final section of the day towards Joe's Valley SP.... BUT - after 18 miles we found Huntington Reservoir SP with full services: As we rolled into the SP around 2pm yesterday, we noticed the sign indicating "Campground FULL" and we were bummed out. As it happened, we learned that the CG Host hadn't taken the sign down after a "FULL" weekend and the majority of the 22 partial sites were empty! We picked a nice one with a good view to the west of the lake and setup our kit. We'll be here for 4 nights as we needed unencumbered StarLink internet access for various commitments this week. We're planning to depart Thursday AM for a 2-hour drive south to Moab to link-up with our best friends from Placitas... More to come! Cheers, ALL! A & D

Travel Summary #4 -- Day-9: (D's convinced these diatribes will get the moderators to kick us off the forums...!). "BaaaH!", I say! Yesterday's drive was one of the best we've had, from West Yellowstone, MT down to Alpine, WY. Just by happenstance, we were talking with @ScubaRx Steve and Tali at a turn-out just north of Alpine when we spotted an Oliver northbound on the US-26 fly by us at about 1430. Wonder who that was? Anyhow, today's drive was a great one too, but just different. After a RO1N at the USFS campground near Alpine, we departed around 0800, fueled up, and headed south. Going through Alpine "proper", we noticed a couple of local events happening. The first was an "Antler-Fest" which really got Magnus' and Oscar's attention: This is the kind of Craft Show I love: The Knuckleheads seem to gravitate towards the moose sheds for some reason: I, on the other hand - - - - did so, too! We pressed on through Alpine and discovered that this was the weekend for the Mountain Man Craft Fair, The boys and I met Smokey, who was actually born in New Mexico, rescued in the Capitan Fire near Ruidoso. He live until the ripe age of 26! Not bad! All sorts of handmade crafts, pottery, jewelry, knives, axes, and various sundry arts were displayed for locals and visitors alike. However, the peak moment was when the Knuckleheads met two female puppy Alaskan malamutes - the day was good: After ample time viewing all the faire, we proceeded south towards Afton, WY, Montpelier, UT and then to Garden City, UT along the western banks of Bear Lake. Bear Lake was formed 250 - 500 thousand years ago and hold a crystal clear blue-turquoise color: We found a suitable campsite near Garden City, UT and Bear Lake where we will depart from tomorrow for a remote location near Joes Valley Reservoir, a BLM campsite where we will hunker-down for 3 or 4 days... More later, amigos...

Our 2017 LE2 was configured the same way - just re-mount/re-plumb that stuff around to make the accumulator fit like this, buddy: We'll do it this summer when you come over for a visit! We'll even make room for a small MT. Bike Pump for when the accumulator drops pressure! HA! Cheers!

Same here, brother. We've had 2 AS's and a Casita - they got either Michelin Ribs or Defenders. We put 16"-er's on both AS's and never looked back. We're running Cooper Discover HT3s on our LE2 because they were new when we bought it used from the original owner. We've put close to 20K miles on the Coopers and have absolutely no concerns. I suspect we'll see way north of 50K on this set - we rotate in the spare every 5K miles. FYI, after upgrading to the Alcan 5-spring leafs, new shocks, and D52 axles, we increased our tire pressure from 40PSI to 45cold - we're close to 5K miles since the running gear upgrade and are very confident in the tow of our Oliver. Cheers... A & D (reporting to you from Garden City, UT on the banks of Bear Lake)

@Ronbrink - Ron Clean install, brother! You'll be saving on energy running that fridge...

Key to the BMV-712 Smart Monitor is that it gives both a meter readout or a mobile phone application indication of your battery bank State of Charge (SOC). When we acquired our's, the meter and the Victron Smart Shunt (necessary for this install) were sold separately, they may be a package deal at this time. It's a straight forward install and we strongly recommend this set-up for those who enjoy frequent boondocking. Here's a link to the Victron site that explains the "Quick Install" procedure: https://www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/Quick-Install-Guide-BMV-712.pdf Many of us owners have installed a "negative" buss bar to connect all 12vDC components to the buss bar and then to the negative terminal of the Smart Shunt for a clean and tidy wiring configuration. If you've got any questions - just give a shout out. Cheers!

Thanks, @jd1923 - We're having a blast up here. For some reason the system isn't allow us to upload pix... Anyhow, got down to 54F at dawn today, great sleeping temps. We keep a back window cracked open at about 3" and the bath window up - good air flow and no condensation. We've used the furnace every morning since starting off 9 days ago, FYI. The MicroAir T-stat works great for us. HA! Don't know about that! I've got to get back and start stucco and elastomeric operations on the Man Cave and main house after it cools down some - ugh! That's how I blew out my rotator cuff a few years back... Headed down to Bear Lake SP on the ID side of the lake today after we coffee-up with some Blackbeard's Delight (BRCC). I've got the annual MC ride set for mid-SEP this year, so we'll be going through some of the same awesome regions as this trip but on 2 wheels instead... Take care, Amigo and best to Chris! Cheers! A & D

We have the same 22" Black Stone rig as @John Dorrer describes above with quick disconnect for the OTT gas outlet. We keep the grease catch with its aluminum liners under the lid with the BS steam cover, a couple lodge plates, and a can of olive oil spray. The whole enchilada fits into the BS carry bag which is the last item loaded into the Tundra's bed. My bride awarded me with a folding BS cooking table for Father's Day and this current trip is its "Shake-Down" cruise - so to speak. So far, I'm loving this cooking table!

Hey, JD - We pulled into a USFS campground here in Alpine, WY. FYI, Yesterday in YNP temps ranged from low-mid 60's at 10AM to high 70's by 4PM. Today, driving, temps ranged from mid-60s to low 80s - very pleasant in the high country of ID and WY. We haven't fired up the Zone-5 Afterburner Penguin once during our trip. Mornings have been between 35F and 50F. Right now, we're sitting at the dinette with a couple citronella candles staying away from the mosquitos outside - our MaxxAir fan is blowing "in" with 3 windows fully open. The Victron is calling the space under my seat cushion 77F: It's definitely a lot warmer than we imagined, so much for the down sweaters and heavy socks we loaded up! HA! But not warm enough for the crazy loud Z-5 Penguin, IOO. Here's some snaps of the beautiful run we made today over Targhee Pass through Island Park, ID then down to Rigby, ID and over to Alpine, WY: (not a good time to upload - will follow-up tomorrow) New pix edited into the post: Road-stop lunch east of Rigby on US 26: Definitely a little room with a view: Boondocking at Alpine, WY USFS CG ($10/night) right along Palisades Reservoir: It was hard keeping the Knuckleheads from swimming then getting muddy and romping through Casablanca... Palisades Reservoir... Enjoying a glass of wine, campfire, and the sunset on the Summer Solstice... Cheers! A & D

Concur 100%, John!

Travel Summary #3 -- Day-8: Yesterday, Thursday 20JUN, Casablanca got a rest at the campground near West Yellowstone, and D, the Knuckleheads, and I hit the northern high-country of YNP. Absolutely spectacular in all regards - first it actually topped our tour of Yellowstone Lake and Old Faithful areas from the day prior (Wednesday), next the WX was phenomenal (no wind, blue skies, low-mid 60's), and tons of wildlife! (FYI: We crossed over the Continental Divide three times from the park's south entrance on Wednesday, the highest was 8,300+ feet MSL.) Following the Madison River into the park from West Yellowstone, we took the Norris cut-off at the 14-mile mark. D captured this snap of a nice 5x5 in velvet at a turn-out enroute: We stopped uncountable times as we made our way to Canyon Village, managing to get several interesting shots: The Knuckleheads liked their "pee/poop-walk" near Canyon Village and saw several new furry pals. From a safe distance, we observed a black bear and her cubs - then later a griz... Going further north into the high-country alpine area the views were spectacular. Roads were very well maintained in this region and traffic was light even though its high/peak season. We suspect most sightseers like the southern region for the lake, geysers, and Old F. We pressed-on driving on Yellowstone's Grand Loop Road (again, stopping countless times) for about another 36 miles over Dunraven Pass (8,859') past Tower Falls to Mammoth Hot Springs for another break for the boys. Enroute, we were able to grab this shot of D pointing at a massive bull buff about 150 yards away: All in all, this 137-mile loop was one of the best sightseeing excursions we've made in the Tundra. Yesterday, we topped just north of 1,150 so far since leaving home. Our lifetime-military National Park pass really came in handy so far on this adventure as we'll have visited 5 NPs before returning to NM. Today, we head off for Bear Lake which straddles eastern-most border of both ID and UT - making way for Moab (again!) by Thursday next week... More later, folks! Cheers! A & D

Travel Summary #2 - DAY-7 We enjoyed a wonderful ride yesterday driving northbound on US-191 from Jackson, WY to West Yellowstone. Decided to spend most of the day in the Teton's before entering YNP from the south along the J.D. Rockefeller Memorial Hwy. We stopped at a lookout point near the Jenny Lake Lodge for brunch in Casablanca -- fantastic! Room with a view: The marina at Jenny Lake: We managed to get in a nice 5+ mile hike in with the Knuckleheads along the lake before heading out to West Yellowstone for the night. We hit Old Faithful in time to view an eruption which has been happening roughly every 90 minutes for centuries. Checked into a campground near and just south of West Yellowstone for a couple nights. Had a wonderful dinner here last night with the "boys"... We plan to Explor ( @Patriot take note!) the northern sector of the NP today... More to come for those interested... Cheers! A & D (Magnus and Oscar, too! WOOF!)

For those interested, a short interim travel summary: So, we departed NM mid-morning, last Friday for Moab, UT. High winds and rain from Farmington to Shiprock slowed us way down, but the TV/Casablanca performed wonderfully. Moab and Arches were fantastic and we'll be staying there a few days on our return leg next week. We initially planned to spend about 5 or 6 days in Rock Springs, WY for an annual "Escapade Rally" -- but changed our minds after 2 nights there. Decided that the time away from home would be better spent exploring around the Tetons and Yellowstone. Dumping holding tanks and topping off fresh while the Knuckleheads wait for D to return... So we "pulled-chocks" yesterday AM and headed north on the US 191 (one of our most fav US HWYs) - stopped for a great lunch at a Brewery in Pinedale, WY. Smoked brisket nachos - OMG! Made our way to Jackson winding our way northbound on the beautiful US-19 following the Windriver Range and eventually the Hoback River into Jackson. The snow-capped Windriver Range in the distance below... Hoback River alongside the 191 - no wind and temps in mid-60s all day long: Harvest Hosted at the Jackson Hole Still Works - met some phenomenal young men that owned the distillery and they provided an interesting/educational tour of their very modern facility here. Our "boondock" location at the HH venue in Jackson, can you find Magnus below?: It's off to Coulter Lake, Teton NP this morning then up to Yellowstone this afternoon... More later... Cheers, All! A & D

An easy mistake, Jeff - I know, because I've done it myself... No worries, all good. HA!

The Ollie World is a small one - just like the rig!

@KfSmit - FYI, Patriot is spot on with his description and how you might consider going forward with an acquision, IMO. If you're considering a used OTT, its service records are key. However, they could be meaningless to you unless you "know" the Oliver. Suggestion: Read these forums from old to new. Learn how they're laid out by topical areas. Focus on the "Mechanical and Technical Tips", "Oliver Modifications", and "Towing an Oliver". Take your time, mull over issues, problems, and fixes that others have solved. Go back to the oldest posts you can find. Read them. Study. Understand the common challenges and opportunities many of us have experienced with this rig. You'll be amazed. The knowledge you'll gain from this endeavor will be priceless. After scanning these diatribes, you'll be able to examine service records, owner upgrades, and modifications and be able to make sense of them and determine if they were done correctly or not after surveying that particular rig. Depending on your background and experience with RV's, a certified appraiser would be money well spent. The "bones" of an Oliver are strong, as mentioned earlier, they are not over-complicated -- but they do require an understanding of routine maintenance to remain functional and safe while towing and camping. We've probably put north of 7k miles on ours since the first of the year - Casablanca has behaved remarkably. This is a consistent underpinning of the brand. They're tough. But they need attention - not neglect. Take care of your kit - it will take care of you. Do not hesitate to reach out to the owners on these forums and ask questions, seek advice, and know that you'll receive sound feedback. Good luck in your search and enjoy every moment of it - the right unit will come along at the right time, I'm sure of it because we did the same thing you're doing now 3 years ago, brother! Cheers!

Keep us posted @John Dorrer - we'll plan a link-up somewhere cool -- the aspens start turning in the Telluride area around mid-late SEP... beautiful vistas!

@topgun2 - Found the Cowboy Donut Shop in Rock Springs - it was actually featured on the "Food Network"! Very YUMMY, in deed... Headed north to Jackson on Wednesday, absolutely fantastic - western WY! Cheers!

@topgun2 - Hey, Bill; 1. OK - kinda cool story here. We checked into the Rally early on Saturday afternoon and were assigned a temporary site for the evening. High winds kept us inside for the evening, but when we took the Knuckleheads out for an early walk yesterday morning, there was another Oliver in the temp area that arrived after us on Sat. They're Robert and Bonny from WA (winter in AZ), their's is a '15 LE2 - wonderful couple. So we were assigned adjacent sites yesterday for the duration of the rally - total coincidence! 2. So far, we're the only Olivers we've seen here. There's likely north of 500 rigs here. 3. The venue is the Sweetwater/Green River County Fair Grounds/Horse racing track. Very well organized, but tight (can you spell, "s-a-r-d-i-n-e-s") 4. Headed to downtown Rock Springs later this AM - will definitely track down the donut shop! HA! I've been working on D and the boys lately to try and find their "CHILL" space - seems to be working some... Cheers, ALL!

@Half Fast Hugo - Looks great, Hugo! Awesome progress! You'll love all that space... Cheers!

Just a great excuse to extricate ourselves from killer June temps in northern NM - we joined the SKP’s club and are at their rally in Rock Springs, WY. Grilled artichokes, shrimp, and fresh garden salad for chow… Cheers All!

"Escapade Rally" goes