Mike and Carol

One more thing to check (I speak from experience here), open up the area under the sink in the bathroom. In the back on the left you’ll see where the vent pipe connects to the black tank. On our trailer it was not glued, just stuck into the hole on the top of the black tank. It had come out and was sitting on top of the tank off center so part of the hole was open. The vent pipe is now epoxied into the black tank. Mike

Oliver did ours and I checked the bolts on our way to East Tennessee at about 70 miles and then at about 120 miles. Final check was when we got home, a couple thousand miles. Each time some tightening was required. Not much on the final. I’ll probably check again before our next trip (Inks Lake Oliver Rally). Mike

Here are the parks we’re familiar with - Fredericksburg RV Park. We stayed there over a weekend in 2016. Older park, close to downtown Fredericksburg. Not bad. Bending Oaks Ranch RV Park (formerly a KOA up to a couple of years ago). Outside of town, closer to all the wineries on highway 290. We pass by all the time when we drive up to Fredericksburg. Noticeable long term campers. Should be okay. Arch Ray RV Park. This one is also on 290 very close to all the wineries. It’s new, just opened a few years ago. I think it’s pricey. There’s also a Jellystone on 290 east of Arch Ray. Good location for the wineries. Big pool, slides, playground, typical Jellystone stuff. There are more, but I can’t give any opinion.

We also use pour over when we have no hookups. You might have to experiment a bit to get the strength you like. Also use fresh grounds or freshly ground beans. Also worth a try is a French press. We’ve had good luck using that as well. We have solar and an inverter and only use it for coffee if we’re on the road and I want a quick cup of Nespresso. Otherwise we boil water on the cooktop. Mike

Mossey asks all the right questions. If the cable is no longer attached to the valve it is probably just a matter of pushing the handle all the way in and then loosen the set screw on top of the valve, reinsert the cable and tighten it down. I’ve pulled both the black and gray cables all the way out from cleaning and lubing. They easily insert back into the sleeve to the valve. Then it’s just a matter of putting the cable under the set screw and tighten it down. Mike

I pulled ours off after 4 years, it came off cleanly with very little residue. Haven’t missed it…. Mike

We lived in Sierra Vista, AZ for many years and this time of year is always interesting! Hot and sunny one minute and epic downpours the next! Mike

Hey Rachelle, great news, congratulations! Welcome to the group!! Mike

We towed with two different Ram 1500’s and now with a Ram 2500 (77,000 miles). There really isn’t any noticeable difference in the ride between the 1500’s and our current 2500, towing or not towing. I don’t mess with tire inflation, what’s on the door frame is what’s in the tires. The 2500 is taller and larger inside, but the ride is fine. The Chevy LTZ is a fine choice. Go for a test drive, you’ll be surprised how they smooth out the ride in the bigger trucks. Mike

I second the recommendations for both Davis Mountains SP and the McDonald Observatory. A few nights each week the Observatory has a Star Party evening with lots of telescopes set up and guides to show where certain stars and constellations are in the sky. On a cloudless night it’s pretty fascinating. The 1800’s Army Post of Fort Davis is a National Parks site and is also worth a visit. Mike

Lance, that truck is a classic, the rust is just an added feature! Mike

It’s on the upgrade list. Right now it’s resting just behind the new air conditioner! Mike

Yes, I’ve got adapters for both 50a and 15a. Hull 135 doesn’t have an on board surge protector so I’ve always used one at the power pole. I’m using a Progressive like @Patriot posted above. Mike

Good practice. I’ve had bad 30a connections but when I checked the 50a it was fine so I just used it. We had a 30a go bad after a few days at Table Rock Lake near Branson and I was able to use the 50a until they got it fixed (it was hot and we needed the AC). Mike

Glad to hear you found your Oliver! Sounds like a great trip home. We’ll see you out there! Mike

Hi Mike, welcome! There are lots of mentors on the forum. You can post your question and you’ll get lots of replies and then you can feel free to PM fellow owners for more information or just to discuss further. Are you looking to buy new or used? We’ve been visiting National and State Parks here and need to expand up to Canada. Good luck as you start your journey! Mike

In May before the rally, Oliver service replaced my springs, shocks, bearings and brakes. Jason did not mention any issues fitting the ALCAN springs I brought. I’m sure they used the stock Monroe shocks. I don’t notice my trailer sitting any higher, although I’m not sure I’d be able to discern a .5-.75” difference. After our summer trip through Colorado and Utah we didn’t notice any significant difference in the ride either. This should be a good setup as we start our second 100,000 miles. Mike

We stayed at Indiana Dunes NP and really enjoyed our stay. The state park was nice too.

We’ve only stayed at one Vermont State Park, Grand Isle on Lake Champlain. It had no hook ups but there were a couple of state parks on the lake that had W/E. We usually stay in public campgrounds, COE, USFS, state and National parks, etc. when the location is what we want. We prefer to have utilities, but some locations just don’t allow. Some of our best campsites have been on National Parks with no hook ups at all (Joshua Tree, Glacier, Grand Teton, Zion, Organ Pipe Cactus, Black Canyon, Great Sand Dunes to name a few). Yes, we did. There were bison, lots of bison walking through our campsite! It was a great experience. I still use Ultimate Public Campground app (even though it isn’t supported any longer) first to see if there are any public campgrounds that fit our traveling objectives. Mike

We travel with a full fresh tank.

around the edges

@ScubaRx Looks like the same site! How’d you carry all your tools in that jeep?

A shot from the Dunes showing the Airstream.

Our site at Piñon Flats fit our trailer fine. There was a 25’ Airstream two sites away.

Yes, mine looked very similar to Bryan’s. I replaced them in the same manner and all is well. Mike