Mike and Carol

We have the 5 sided Clam, brown with the tan top. We also have removable side panels which work great in cold weather. We put our Outlander fire pit in the middle and the Clam stays warm even in cold weather. We can easily fit 6, 8 if we get real friendly. It is not too big for me to handle alone and fits in our truck bed end to end.

You must take two pair of socks then, too.

I’ve experienced wet socks more than once! It’s one of those checklist items that gets left out when your setup routine is interrupted. The good news is that if it’s closed and you run water in the bathroom sink you will quickly realize what you forgot to do! Mike

The gray and fresh tanks are both very flat. Any amount of “unlevelness” will affect both filling a draining. Like Bill said, it’s a good idea to raise the front of the trailer if you really want to ensure the gray tank is empty. If the back flow gate was closed before you left there shouldn’t be any gray water in the shower. Mike

That’s the plan! We’ve been going to AZ every January for a number of years and ventured up to NV one year, southern CO one year and southern Utah one year. We were visiting Napa a few years ago at the end of January/early February. On the way home, we headed south and camped at a COE campground about 45 minutes from Yosemite. There was a warm front in the area and we headed over to Yosemite only to find it nearly empty except for the Rangers. Temps were mid 60s and dry weather, no snow. We basically had the park to ourselves. After we left the snow came and the temps dropped severely. Flexibility is key! Mike

I’ve been surprised that my 2 Lithiums have provided plenty of power. They rarely get below 70% by morning and recharge quickly. I’m still debating on whether to add a third.

Nick, it would be helpful to know what you will be towing with. I towed my LEII with at Tacoma, two half tons and now a 3/4 ton. All were different, each with different considerations. In general, Olivers are very well behaved. I’ve never experienced any sway with any of my trucks, even in wind being passed by big 18 wheelers. Mike

Kind of like driving highway 550 down to Durango? I stood in the open door of a C-130 at 1200 feet more than once before making an exit. I still hate heights! Mike

I used the Oliver provided hose for a year or so. It’s now back up. I got a Valterra hose that scrunches up to about 5’ and stays there when not using it. That was 4 or 5 years ago. I might have removed it once but it’s been attached for years. Mike

I hate heights!! Even though I used to jump out of perfectly good aircraft for a living once upon a time. Those climbs can be exhilarating and I would do it in a hearbeat. Zion is the only park we haven’t been to in southern Utah. I’m thinking we might go in January when we’re in AZ unless it’s too cold. I checked the campgrounds and there are plenty of spots available. Mike

I’m with Steve…. We leave our hose connected all the time. No issues. Mike

I need to know your secret to keeping your trailer so clean even after driving in snow! Great pictures and it sounds like a great trip so far. We have enjoyed all of our HH stays, it’s a great option for an overnight while traveling to get somewhere. Thanks for posting and let us know about the rest of the trip! Mike

A proper gentleman also needs a tufted leather ottoman and side table for drink, cigar, etc. Glamping is a thing!

That’s the way they do it. I have it set for the top half to be CarPlay and the bottom half for media. Sometimes I wish I could use the whole screen for CarPlay but can’t. I can use the whole screen for media, factory GPS (worthless) or any other native Ram function. It’s easy enough to switch the bottom half from media to controls, apps, cameras, etc with just one touch, so that is nice.

Maybe a bit warm in hot weather?

I use CarPlay in my truck as well. On the Ram 12” screen half is dedicated to CarPlay. Like Overland, the map on the screen is different than what is on the phone, so I agree that it probably wouldn’t make a difference if the image came from an iPhone or an iPad mini. The display on your iPad is a lot better than the phone! Mike

I also carry an older Garmin that I keep up to date for occasional use out west. We rely on the CarPlay display of Apple Maps or Google maps and sometimes Waze. The GPS in my Ram and Audi were out of date the day I drove them off the lot. Why pay the dealer for updates, use that cash for a new Garmin. Mike

….in the meantime we’ll be watching for a Kimberley out on the road!

I don’t remember what I paid last year for mine, but it seems that it was much less than $44. These seem to be the weak link for the Maxxfan.

Welcome, Kirk. Hopefully we can help you with your decision making process. We did have an Elite II owner who sold and went to a Black Series HQ19. They have impressive interior appointments! He’s moved on to another Aussie trailer. He liked his Oliver, just wanted more off road capability and still contributes to the forum occasionally. Anyway, if you have questions, ask away. Someone here (or a bunch of someone’s) will be glad to help! Mike

If those things coat the walls and other surfaces I wonder what it does to the human lung….

I don’t think you need to be too concerned with weight even if you get all the options you list. I haven’t weighed our trailer fully loaded but I don’t think we’re anywhere near the upper limit. We load the fridge and freezer with as much as we can stuff in. Our pantry is also packed tight. We travel with a full fresh tank and carry bottled water as well. We carry plenty of clothing, way more than 20lbs. Add in pots, pans, coffee makers etc and we’re still good. We’ve got the big propane tanks, inverter, 6 gallon water heater and more. I wouldn’t let weight concerns cause option elimination. Mike

I’ll be interested in how well it cools the Elite II. I’m thinking the same thing. Mike

In Roswell we like the Red Barn RV Park. It is very small, maybe 16 sites. The owner, Leigh, is very nice and helpful. We stop there when we travel to Durango to see our son. Just south of Waco is a very nice state Park, Mother Neff State Park. It has to be one of the nicest state parks we’ve stayed at. We’ve been there many times, it’s a good stop for an overnight before we head the rest of the way home. It’s the first Texas state park, gifted by the mother of Governor Neff in the early 1900s when her son was Texas governor. I would avoid Houston and take the back roads to Austin from Louisiana. It’s probably not much slower but more interesting. We’ll be leaving in a few weeks to head west to Arizona! Mike

Great shots! We love COE campgrounds too. Usually clean, well laid out and the price is right for old folks. Mike