ELGR

We drove two hours on Saturday to see an Oliver, coordinated by the HQ sales team. To say it was life changing may be a little over the top, but not by much. We had gone to see one of our favorite Fifth Wheel RVs two days prior, to have the comparison fresh in our mind. My reaction was the same as every other Fifth wheel experience. I love the recliners facing a 50” TV, spacious kitchen, etc; but, when I go back outside, I am totally intimidated by the size, especially the height. As soon as we walked into the Ollie it was love at first sight, for both of us. Typically, when I go in a traditional travel trailer, it is disappointing. “Cheap balsa wood crap” is always how it feels. The Ollie was exactly opposite. Despite all our reading and YouTube videos, we were not prepared for the impact of the quality. I’m struggling to put it into words. Cozy, embracing, just right … ? So, we’ll be scheduling our trip to Nashville for as soon as possible. 👍 Larry and Linda

I’m not familiar with Diamondback covers. They look awesome. Eager to check them out. Just started reading your blog. So excited to follow someone on such a similar journey. Do you have a YouTube channel??!!

I was having sticker shock, until I checked the price of a new Airstream 23FB Twin. It makes Oliver look like a real bargain! I’m moving forward, no longer thinking I’m crazy to consider spending this much on a travel trailer.

Yes, we’ll need to learn about making better use of truck bed storage with an Oliver. With our gooseneck hitch trailer it went mostly unused. Time to explore bed covers, slide out trays, camper tops, etc. We have a 2019 RAM 1-ton dually diesel for the horse trailer, so lots of room and payload capacity.

Hello from Pineville. MO. We have been riding horses the last 25 years on the innumerable trails of the four state area where we live, in SW Missouri. We’re thinking it’s time to give it up for something we can better handle, as hips & knees (etc. etc.) make it harder to get on and off, and the 5-6 hour rides become more like 2, on a good day. We recently did a 4 week no horses trip to the Alabama Gulf Coast, using our very nice 34’ gooseneck horse trailer with full RV living quarters. We got lots of looks, questions about “did we bring our horses …??!!”, stealth photos to show all their RV purist friends, and outright rejection at some parks. On the plus side, without the horses, we had an amazing toy hauler for e-bikes. Klepper folding kayak, BlackStone griddle, etc., with room left over for all the extra kitchen sinks we’d ever want to carry. Not really caring about the snobby RV purists, or at least telling myself that, the biggest frustration is parking in medium to small sites. A pad that would work well for a 35-38’ Fifth Wheel can be quite a challenge for us because of the axles being all the way aft vs amidships on the Fivers and Travel Trailers. We need way more space to maneuver than many camps are designed for. We recently discovered Ollies, as a spin off from investigating a Casita we ran across. We’re fascinated about the possibilities they open up, but also concerned about losing all our toy hauler space. I especially hate the thought of e-bikes on a rack, exposed to weather. (I question if there are covers that really work in a downpour or blizzard.) On the plus side, we love the freedom an Ollie would afford for getting into virtually any park or site, 4 season capability and great generator-free boondocking. All this is just to introduce ourselves, hoping to share thoughts and experiences with others who have wrestled with the considerations associated with a similar downsizing lifestyle. Thanks in advance for any input you might have. Larry and Linda