rideandfly

Using historic data for cloud coverage, Mexico and Texas are predicted to have better chances for viewing. We had cloud coverage in our area of NC last night. May start looking at Liberty Hill COE, too. We like COE campgrounds. Believe the earliest reservations can be made at a COE is one year or less, will investigate. Edit: Looks like one year maximum booking window for this campground, unless special allowances are made for 2024 Solar Eclipse.

Quote from following link: "Based on this map, Mexico and southern Texas offer the best prospects for a clear view of totality. Data: NASA. Eclipse track: Fred Espenak. Courtesy Jay Anderson, Eclipsophile.com". https://eclipse.aas.org/eclipse-america-2024

Mike, Beautiful site! We love COE campgrounds!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This happened while camping at a State Park in Nebraska, guess this could be classified as meeting your neighbors. True story. When we set up in a new campground, I like to go for a walk checking out the campground, restrooms, and laundry if the campground has one. The campground was about 1/2 full and had already been told there was also a national camping group meeting there, too. When I tried to inspect the laundry room, the door was locked. After trying a couple times, saw a couple on the floor. They got up putting their clothes back on and opened the door apologizing to me. I told them no problem, sorry I bothered them. Told Debbie what happened and she said we wouldn't be using that laundry room to wash anything, will wait until we find another one. 🙂

On the trip where I got 13.8MPG towing on steep grades & interstates I divided total miles driven by gallons used. Did the same today when not towing with the on board computer displaying slightly lower MPG than actual MPG after dividing total miles by gallons burned yielding 24.5MPG. On the other two trips where I got above 15MPG and 16MPG while towing used the on board computer with slightly higher readings than mentioned. When we purchased Ollie used and towed it home with a 2013 2WD Frontier with 4.0L automatic, the onboard computer indicated over 15MPG while towing across TN on I40. I thought the on board computer was wrong until I divided miles driven by gallons used. We used to tow an all aluminum 2000 pound 2010 CampLite camper, a 2000 pound aerodynamic brick and could not get much over 13 MPG with this same Frontier. Our Ollie is a light LE2 Ollie at 4950 pounds ready to camp with empty tanks except for full hot water heater. Some folks here get better fuel economy than our rig with a diesel powered TV and heavier Ollie, probably some gas TV rigs, too. I am very careful with throttle control while driving, like I said earlier some folks can only get 15 to 16 MPG with the same Tundra not towing, it's how they are driven. Our Tundra is also 2WD.

Finished a round trip from North Carolina to Virginia and back today. Passed 5000 total miles on the odometer on the 2022 2WD SR5 Tundra not towing today. Traveled 608 miles using 24.8 gallons of fuel. 99% of driving on interstates with cruise set on speed limits of 60 & 65 and 70 MPH that was majority of driving today. Got 24.5MPG. The onboard computer said 24.3MPG and this Tundra has a 32 gallon tank. So far towing Ollie getting slightly better than 15MPG on interstates in TN around 65MPH not using cruise control allowing speed to slow slightly up hills and to gain slightly down hills using 6th, 7th, & 8th gears. Saw up to 16MPG at 50 to 55MPH on back roads in TN towing Ollie. Towed on grades up to 7 & 8% so far in NC using 45MPH in 5th gear @ 2400RPM up the steep grades. This leg of trip with interstate mixed in yielded 13.8MPG.

I'm dropping Ollie off at the Oliver plant for a few days, but not for electrical issues. 😁 Is there a favorite local place folks stay at when they don't have Ollie to camp with? Thanks, Bill Edit: Talked to Anita at Oliver and she gave me 3 places to stay!

Happy Mother's Day!

We really enjoy camping at COE campgrounds with the Geezer card discount. This campground is rural and not very far from Kentucky. A host told us about some good local places to eat, too. One fellow told us we were in the "retirement" section and the kids liked another part of the campground. We were on site 5 that is so low it will flood in the winter when there's heavy continuous rains.

We camped at COE Obey River Campground on Dale Hollow Lake TN. Nice campground for those that like bicycling, boating, fishing, and Kayaking.

Hope I can find the same size replacement pneumatic wheels/tires with bearings to replace the original hard plastic wheels for the 15 gallon tote, will see! 🙂

Our favorite summer campground has a dump station that that has a steep grade in both directions away from the dump making it difficult to drain Ollie's tanks completely. We use a 15 gallon Camco tote to dump grey water daily. It has a trailer hitch connector allowing it to be towed to the dump station. Transport in the bed of the TV when empty. https://www.camco.net/rhino-portable-holding-tank-15-gallon-39000 Our previous TV with Diamonback cover:

Same here with our 2015 Ollie. We keep one operators manual book and a manual bag keeping all of the component operators manuals in Ollie. I like to expand or make refinements to the original manual in the way of addition information or photos with descriptions like water valve positions and receipts for work done by Oliver or parts installed.

Here's the wheel on late model Ollies: https://www.lionsheadtireandwheel.com/Jaguar-Aluminum-Wheel Been tightening the original aluminum ION wheel lug nuts on our 2015 LE2 to 95FTLBs and double checking initially after a few hundred miles, no issues after many thousand miles on Ollie. Using 50 PSI for tire inflation pressure.

Always thought the Dodge 5.9 powered truck would be a good one to have as a TV. Please forgive me for going Off Topic, We used to install the Cummins 5.9 engine in tie remover/inserter rail machines before I retired. Believe they are now installing the Cummins 6.7 for the same application.