Mike and Carol

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 The GPS in my Ram and Audi were out of date the day I drove them off the lot.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

The white walls are a nice background for however you want to decorate. Hanging things is easy, command tape is useful for a variety of things. Besides pictures, you can hang fabric things and an number of other items. We have a couple of hats, a wooden flute, a wooden cross and some other things on our walls. I would not even attempt to paint the interior. Mike

Since the furnace is separate wouldn’t the wall mounted thermostat still control it? The AC would be separate, controlled with whatever is on the unit. I hope someone knows, I’m thinking of getting the Houghton unit too. I agree with Sherry that a 15K unit is too much for an Elite II. Mike

Great news! Let us know how your pick up goes. Pics are always welcome…. Mike

Looks good… home away from home!!

Good question! Everyday if the weather is warm. Every other day in winter. Maybe that isn’t a lot? Are we getting into TMI territory? There’s been quite a discussion on poop! 😂

Rivernerd described my process exactly. Drawers out, lay on back, arms up for as long as possible, down for rest, arms back up, down, up, down….job complete! It was also a little tricky getting back up to a standing position! The pleasures of growing old…. Mike

We have no curtain. Water does not leak from the door. Yes, the toilet gets a little wet as does the area around. Squeegee and microfiber works well. We shower a lot. The bath is the cleanest part of the trailer! Mike

Last century when I was in the Army we used 55 gallon drums cut in half and incinerated the ….”stuff” in burning diesel. Seems like an incinerator toilet might need some kind of smokestack?

First I’ve heard of this. I would also be interested to know if anyone has done it and what their experience has been. Mike

I replaced my faucet a few years ago with a Delta adjustable spray faucet I got on Amazon. Removing the faucet in the trailer is the same as in your house. I did not remove the sink, you just have to reach up behind to find the big nut that holds the faucet in place. I did take out all of the drawers. We were getting some hard water deposits in our lines as well. We now use a softener, it’s a small unit that easily fits in the basement when we travel. It recharges with regular table salt. Mike

Driving through Houston is no fun. We’ve done it many times when our son and family lived there. San Antonio is easier but can be slow at rush hour. As far as Texas State Parks go, most are very good. Between Austin and NOLA we’ve stayed at Village Creek SP, Lake Livingston SP, Caddo Lake SP, and Stephen F Austin SP. We’ve heard that Bastrop SP is nice. Any of the COE parks should also be nice. Mike