topgun2

I'm not sure about the status of TN health inspectors but as you may know, Fall Hollow used to be used by Oliver for that "free" first night camping in a new Oliver. However, given that a guy was stabbed there a couple of years ago - that was when Oliver stopped using them. Certainly not good for ones health either way. Bill

JD - Yes, Fall Hollow RV is open. I'm not sure if the B & B part or if the restaurant parts are open though. The look of the RV park has not changed - still not appealing. Also, Thousand Trails hasn't gotten any better either. Bill

While the new Sales/Service building is being improved, the Sales folks are still (as of the end of August, 2020) located at the old Sales Building on Route 412. For many years Oliver has graciously allowed owners to "camp" at the Sales Office but space was limited to one or two Ollies. Recently, Oliver has installed "pedestals" along the outer edges of the Sales Office parking lot that have electric connections on them and are to be used by Oliver owners for short-term camping while waiting for Service appointments. As always, there is a faucet on the exterior of the old Sales building that can be used to fill the fresh water tank. Discussions are continuing as to what will be done with this "old sales office" once the move to the new location takes place and there are discussions about creating a camping area in the grass area directly in front of the new Sales/Service building. But at least for the time being, owners are welcome to use these new pedestals. Given that the Meriwether Lewis camping area near the Natchez Trace is completely closed and other nearby campgrounds are either not the best or involve a bit of a drive, these new facilities for the Oliver Owners are greatly appreciated. Bill

Yes, I went inside for breakfasts both days - biscuits, bacon and coffee were very good. In the event this Cracker Barrel was crowded, there is a WalMart located nearby. The only "downside" of this location was that they do not open for breakfast until 8 am. Bill

Sherry - I talked with the owner of the 4 Bears Bed & Breakfast that is located nearby and he told me that even though the stay limit is 14 days, there is no enforcement of that rule. I stayed there 6 nights. It is a central location for fishing all three branches of the Wood River and for fishing the Jack's Fork area of the Greybull River. As JD mentions, it is also only just over 30 miles of easy driving to Cody, is a bunch quieter and cheaper. Nearby is the ghost town of Kirwin, the partially constructed cabin of Amelia Earhart and the DD Ranch which she liked visiting. Meeteetse is also near the location of a colony of black footed ferrets that were thought to be extinct until found here just a few years ago. Butch Cassidy spent a night in jail here too. But don't trespass!

For whatever reason I had never tried camping overnight at a Cracker Barrel. However, I thought that I'd try one out and was so impressed with the one in St. Joe, Missouri I stayed there on the way out to Wyoming and again on the way back. This Cracker Barrel welcomes RV'ers. The RV parking area is actually the first thing you come upon when entering the grounds. Since the front of the restaurant faces the Interstate, that means that the building is between you and the traffic noise. There is plenty of landscaping with mature trees and this also helps reduce the noise level. On one side of the property is a motel but it is the back of the motel that adjoins the Cracker Barrel and on the other side there is just woods. So, once the restaurant closes at 10pm it really is fairly quiet - no ear plugs! If you decide to try it, remember to park facing out. Not only does this make leaving in the morning easier but it also prevents you from being partially trapped if there is a delivery being made to the rear of the building. GPS: 39.774065, -94.794746 Bill

I've just returned to North Carolina from 2 months in Wyoming. One of the place I stayed was in Meeteetse. I took a look at both the upper and lower Sunshine reservoirs. The spot on the upper reservoir that JD mentions above is right by the water and has a pit toilet very near. However, it involves a drive on a dirt road of something over a mile and was very crowded when I arrived there Saturday in early July. The Lower Sunshine Reservoir is a bit closer to town, and involves driving on a dirt road for as little as a couple hundred yards. There is also a pit toilet but it is near the water while most of the camping sites are well up the hill. Since I'm told that the fishing is not as good in the Lower Reservoir it was much less crowded - in fact, there were only three campers there and that included me. Neither the upper or lower have electric or water (other than the lake. However, there is both a water supply and dump in the town of Meeteese - on your left just north of the bridge as you head out of town towards Cody.

Let me see - New Ollie, the Blue Ridge Parkway is right between Hohenwald and Raleigh, and, it is mid-October for the leaves. Of course there is also the Natchez Trace south and then over to Florida and back up. Or, there is the grand tour heading West, winding up in Quartzite in February and taking the southern route home. Choices, choices, choices! Almost a shame that the Oliver is your first camper/trailer. Perhaps you'll think that they all are like this. Bill

Its getting to be that time of year when we are starting to think about winterizing the Ollie. Certainly it is easy to winterize using the port at the rear of the Ollie but an often overlooked past of the process is putting a bit of antifreeze in the other three ports - City Water, Fresh Water and Black tank flush. This is also easy if you use a hand pump - https://www.amazon.com/Horusdy-transferencia-combustible-multiuso-líquidos/dp/B075C3NNZF/ref=sr_1_7?crid=1TBR3DRPDJK7&dchild=1&keywords=liquid+transfer+pump+manual&qid=1598820277&sprefix=liquid+tran%2Caps%2C180&sr=8-7 But, these pumps come with both the intake and output hoses simply cut off at the ends. Buying a plastic fitting with one end barbed and the other end compatible with the ports on the Ollie really simplifies the entire process. Simply insert the barbed end of the fitting into the output hose on the pump, secure it with a clamp and you are ready to go. Screw the fitting onto the Ollie port, place the other end into the antifreeze, give the handle a couple of pumps and you are done with that port. Bill

Yes on the water hose and regulator. You are also "given" a sewer hose. In years past there was also a lug wrench. Literally down the street from where you take delivery there is a Tractor Supply - good for getting a better "pin" that has a handle for the Andersen WDH (note the red handled pin on the whale tail in the photo below) - and a WalMart for all those other things that you either forgot or simply "need". Bill

The Rock Tamers install directly to the hitch - just behind the Andersen hitchball housing. Since the 2X2 hitch assembly which slides into the receiver was not exactly square, I had to use a couple of shims in order to get everything lined up to my satisfaction. But, once that is done and you cut the rubber flaps to the desired length (allowing for the sag of the rear of the truck once you are hitched), you never have to touch them again. However, they do add to the weight of the Andersen (which is not light) assuming that you do not remove and reinstall them each time you remove your hitch from the truck. This plus the overall size of these things makes the entire unit a bit cumbersome. I have found that between the mudflaps on the truck, the Rock Tamers, and the protection film that I had applied to the front of the Oliver, rock chips, scrapes and dings have been reduced as compared to what I had prior to the Rock Tamers. Bill

The current forecast for Hohenwald is that they will be a bit damp over the next few days. At 4 this morning it rained until 5am but there were only a few light showers during the dya until1 pm when I hit the road towards Asheville. Even if they do get the 4 - 5 inches they are forecasting, at least the Service Department should be nice and dry in their nice new digs. Hopefully all will stay safe from this weather. Bill

OK, you guys, you are making me homesick. I'm presently overnighting at the St. Joe, MO Cracker Barrel on my way towards home - 16 miles from the Pisgah Inn. After two months of Wyoming mountainsand night temps of as low as 33 degrees, the current temp of 89 degrees at 8pm is a bit of a shock to the system! Bill

Unfortunately, I still can not be there due to a previously arranged trip to the beach that conflictsfor those dates. Everyone have a good time! Doesn't alcohol kill the virus? Bill

Perhaps its a bit late in the day for this but it is never too late to remember. Bill Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence? Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War. They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. What kind of men were they? Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well-educated, but they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured. Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags. Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward. Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton. At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt. Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months. John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished. So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and silently thank these patriots. It's not much to ask for the price they paid. Remember: freedom is never free! We thank these early patriots, as well as those patriots now fighting to KEEP our freedom! It's time we get the word out that patriotism is NOT a sin, and the Fourth of July has more MEANING to it than beer, fireworks, HOT DOGS, and picnics. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daqwGRdRIsk

OK - we got the Ollie, then we got a couple of trips in the Ollie under our belts, then we moved. But, now we can get out there and REALLY enjoy all that the Oliver has to offer. Life's too short - get to it and enjoy the heck out of it (both life and the Oliver). Happy travels. Bill

Agree with JD - no noise from mine either - ever.

Mike - Just how much room can a pair of fatigues take? Certainly that is all you really needed for that reunion!😇

Perhaps he'll be convinced to get a pair or two of those quick-dry pants when he can no longer find a storage place for the depends 🤣?

Perhaps you could store it under/behind your Murphy bed?

That bucket is actually a re-purposed kitty litter container and is probably more like 4 gallons. I found that the relatively square shape plus it having a lid worked better in that space. Bill p.s. for a size comparison - the blue object in the back is a set of links levelers. Also note the red ribbon on the ceiling of the first two pictures - this is the hatch that is covered by the nightstand since I have the twin bed model therefore making it inaccessible. In the king model this hatch is available to be used under the bench seating.

In order to light up this area I found an LED light strip in WalMart that is used for lighting the bed of a pickup truck. I spliced into the power at the existing "standard" light that is just over the outside door into the basement area. By having lighting all around I can see into the entire area even if one section of it is blocked by the large amount of "stuff" I carry in there. I'll try to get a picture and post it later. Bill Note that I chose to not have the inside basement door. In the picture with the "on/off switch" you can see the "standard" light fixture that comes with the Elite II. Also note that in the first and second picture you can see the extra insulation that I added to the access door(s).

Susan - Be careful what you ask for! ScubaRx has switches for switches. Truly an Oliver to see if you ever have the chance. Bill

Dang it! I hate when this happens - specially if it is Mike that points to the error of my ways. I guess that I've never really looked at the smoke detector and just assumed that it was ONLY a smoke detector. Sorry about that. Bill

No - there is only one CO detector that comes with a new Oliver. Bill