Mike and Carol

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

It’s your trailer and nothing is off limits! Unscrew those port holes and check out what’s behind them. Lift the basement covers under the mattresses and check out what is there. If you are out in the middle of nowhere it’s good to know everything you can about your trusty Oliver. Mike

Bryan, as I recall I just used traditional tools. With the tray empty and pulled out it was not difficult to access. Mike

Congratulations and welcome! Feel free to ask any questions you may have, lots of knowledge hanging around here! Mike

William, it was good talking to you as the diesel was flowing! After encountering MAX Burner I was not expecting another!! Thanks for stopping and hopefully we can talk about your Alaska trip. Mike

I was pumping diesel into my truck at a random gas station in the New Mexico desert north of Albequerque when I hear “Hey Mike”. I turned and saw this biker dude with his biker babe on the other side of my truck. Obviously, my deer-in-the-headlights look sparked the biker dude to say, “It’s Art Flynn!” With the helmet, shades and new-since-the-rally beard it took me a second to focus! He had seen me pull in while going in the opposite direction and turned around to say hi. We had a nice chat. Thanks Art and Diane for the making short detour to say hi and welcome us into your home state! Mike

In my 2016 the check valve is is in the basement against the back of the trailer.

Mine are fine. We’ve put about 5,000 miles on the ALCANS and all is well! Mike

You’ll need to salute each time you exit! 🤣