Mike and Carol

Sounds like fun. We’ll be at a family wedding then…. Mike

Looks nice! Is there still camping outside of the old sales office?

We keep a case of bottled water in the truck moving a half dozen or so into the pantry each day. These are small bottles for drinking. We also keep a few larger (gallon) bottles in the truck for coffee. Some use Brita or other filters. The fresh water tank is for showers and dish washing. Mike

The back screen attaches differently than the larger side screens. The back screen has four little clips that attach to the window frame. It doesn’t really slide. The side screens have a compressible piece that fits inside the window track allowing it to slide. You can see the difference if you look closely at how they attach. I remove and clean the screens a few times a year while I clean out the window tracks, you get used to taking them out and putting them back in. Mike

We had lots of rain the last two months as we went to Maine and back. The trailer tires did just fine in the rain. Overall, I’m really happy with them. Looking at them for my truck, only in something like 35X12.5. I have 20” wheels now, but am looking at going down to 18”.

Cooper AT3 XLT. All terrain but not too aggressive.

Most folks add insect screens to appliance openings (hot water, furnace, fridge). In some areas of the nation we have to deal with mud dabblers, wasps, etc that like to get in and build nests. Most screens can be purchased off Amazon or at Camping World. It is not specific to the Truma. Mike

When I had Oliver put the Dexter on my trailer about a year after we got it, Jason told me the original bushings were totally gone! Mike

Nope.

Good point. It was explained to me that if the mechanical system keeps sway down the electronic system on the truck won’t do anything. If for some reason the mechanical system fails the electronic system reacts. I can’t vouch for the validity of that but most new half tons will have the anti sway and folks still use an anti sway hitch. It would be nice if there was something definitive on this issue. Mike

In trailers with the suburban 6 gallon tank the inside switch turns the propane on/off for hot water. The outside switch turns the 110v on/off (when available). If electrical hook up is available there is no need to turn on the inside switch. When there is no electrical hookup, the inside switch turns on the propane which cycles on/off as needed. You can use both the 110v and propane at the same time if you want hot water fast! Mike

I try to tow with a full fresh tank. Like routlaw said, even in emergency maneuvers the trailer tracks true. We’ve done hard braking and radical emergency turns at speed and our Ollie behaves like a champ. Mike

I just replaced the BF Goodrich tires on my trailer with the same Coopers that Oliver is now using. I’m very pleased. Over on the Ram HD forum many members are huge Cooper fans. As soon as I get a few more miles on the Goodyears that came on my truck I’m going to replace them with Coopers. Mike

I’ve got 5.5 years and 60,000+ miles towing my EII and have never had a sway issue or any other misbehavior. That’s towing with a 2012 Tacoma, 2016 Ram 1500, 2020 Ram Rebel and now a 2020 Ram 2500 Diesel. I used the Andersen hitch on the first 3 trucks. I do not use the Andersen on my new 3/4 ton. Mike

It depends. Do you have a back up camera on your truck? If you have a camera that you can monitor while backing up it is not very difficult to hitch up alone. I’ve done it many times. I’ve not done it without a camera. I do get out and check once or twice to ensure I’m positioned right but other than that it’s pretty easy. Mike

Those are the things that have the most value! You can replace pots/pans/gizmos. My hiking hat and well worn boots would be missed. They could steal my TV and it would be no big deal, it hasn’t been watched in a couple of years. I should just take it out and sell it! Mike

If you haven’t been to Amber Falls Winery near Hohenwald, you should go. Good wine, friendly folks. We camped there with HH for the first time this year although we’ve been visiting and buying their wines since the fall of 2015.

This is Bishop’s Orchards and Farm Market Winery in Guilford, CT. RV parking was a field behind the market. The market was similar to a Whole Foods, we were able to stock up on some essentials. It also had an ice cream stand selling their own ice creams made in the market.

A growing source of Boondocking or Dry Camping (no hookups) is Harvest Hosts. The past couple of years we’ve camped at about a dozen HH locations, mostly wineries and farms. Sometimes you’re in a parking lot, sometimes just a field and sometimes out in the middle of the vineyard. We enjoyed camping at Amber Falls winery just outside of Hohenwald. We’ve camped next to a barn on a farm where we had chickens and horses all around. We’ve never had any hookups, although a winery in PA offered a 20a electrical hookup which we didn’t need or take advantage of. This is at Leyden Farm Vineyards and Winery in RI. Great spot and nice facilities. We enjoyed a glass of wine (or two) on their patio overlooking the vineyards.

I figure if someone wants in my trailer a decent crowbar will do the trick. Why mess around with trying to figure out which key is right? Brute force is quick and effective. Not something I spend much time worrying about. Mike

Really great pictures. Makes me want to pack up and go!

When we ordered our batteries Battle Born included a PD4045LICSV, just like Steve mentions above. It’s similar to the older PD4045 except that it includes a lithium switch which the older model didn’t.

We use Progressive which is who does RV insurance for USAA.

When we ordered in 2015 the prowatt 2000 was an option, which we got. I just replaced it a few months ago with the same thing, as much as we use it I could not see the higher cost of the Freedom. Our inverter is off 98% of the time. Sometimes I use it on the road for a quick cup of coffee from our coffee maker and Carol uses it to blow dry sometimes. We have a Progressive Dynamics charger. I had to upgrade it when I replaced the old AGMs with Lithium’s. Mike

Coy (@hardrock) towed his Elite I with an older Tundra for probably 5 years or so before he got his F150. He seemed satisfied with it. Mike