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BoondockingAirstream

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BoondockingAirstream last won the day on March 5 2022

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  • Do you own an Oliver Travel Trailer, other travel trailer or none?
    I own an Oliver Travel Trailer
  • Hull #
    448
  • Year
    2019
  • Make
    Oliver
  • Model
    Legacy Elite II

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  1. (1) None, nothing... after two years of Off the Grid Boondocking and a third year begins next month. Zipidee Do Dah Wonderful! Our 2019 27 foot Airstream took some upgrading of hardware and additional brackets to toughen the Interior. It has sat in the RV Garage since the pruchase nearly three years ago of the Oliver Elite II. The Oliver Elite II has ALL the Upgrades, from the Factory by the original owner purchase. Upgrades, as Solar, four 6 volt Batteries and accessories that would work for Boondockers and RV Parkers. We enjoy both our 2019 Airstream, we upgraded over time... TO the 2019 Factory 'STANDARD' Build Benefits of our Oliver Elite II. I considered selling the Airstream, but it is solid and upgraded to compete with the Oliver. With three Blue Heelers, two pups and a 17 year old, they have their special spots and we lay their 'binky' once set up to camp. What do My Wife, Myself or any of the Heelers dislike about the Oliver? Nothing. The Truma Aqua Go never worked... but we never used the Dometic hot water to Shower in the 2019 Airstream, as well. And the Dometic works. Boondockers benefit from the Tent Camping lessons learned over decades. If YOU are thinking about an Off the Grid Boondocking travel trailer... new or used... we used 2019 technology as our Airstream. We spend most of our time in either trailer... cooking and sleeping. Otherwise outside and sitting on lawn chairs and ahhhhhhhh enjoying the fresh air and views. But... if you buy used... make sure the Truma works. We didn't. Next time... if ever, we will. Some photographs of Western USA Mountain camping. Unlimited, Off the Grid and you pick a spot and it is yours. 🙂
  2. What ifs... When away from home and towing, you may need to repair something that requires tools. I carry lots of tools to fix the mechanical travel problems that can happen when least expected. The further off the road, the more important it is to be prepared... for anything with a variety of tools. If you have a wheel bearing go bad while traveling, an Oliver Elite and the Oliver Elite II have different options. A double axle can travel slowly with three tires on the ground. A single axle, not. If your tire pressures were minimal, the one tire with a good wheel bearing, would require a higher PSI to carry the load by itself on that side. A double axle travel trailer has options a single axle travel trailer do not. Flat tire. What PSI do you maintain when traveling? Do you check your spare tire pressure when beginning a trip. Are you a high PSI or a low PSI traveler with the idea of one is better for the Oliver? There is a check list of essentials like Propane Tanks topped off, water tank flushed and fresh, battery condition, tire pressures. Have you checked the bolts that attach the Leaf Springs? If your Tow Vehicle battery dies while Off the Grid, do you have some idea of how to find a solution with what you have? These are some What Ifs. Those who are RV Park campers and travel busy roads are less likely to be stranded without cell service or potential help. Those who travel Remote Locations and camp Off the Grid do not have those luxuries of the Urban Camper and RV Parks. Long handled Clippers. Shovel or two. Plastic Buckets. Two Wheel or Four Wheel Drive Tow Vehicle. Are your Maps adequate for the area you plan to explore? Have lots of experience Backing UP and Out of a bad spot in the road? Some prepare and learn from previous mistakes. Being prepared for the What Ifs that others have had occur. If nothing happens to yourself for an entire lifetime, no problem. Once you are stuck in a muddy stretch of road... without a shovel or two... and have no backing out of a situation experience... good luck. Start your... list. Take photographs for the memories of figuring it out yourself. The 'Tooth Fairy' was not real, either. Nor Big Foot. Boy Scouts "Be Prepared" was smart and wise. The 'What If' situations can occur anywhere, any time and when least prepared. Anyone who is confused about any of this, you are just fine doing what you are doing. Great. Those travel trailer owners, like ourselves that go to places to get peace and quiet in remote locations need to be prepared. Human Beans are not on the top of the Food Chain in the Rocky Mountains and prefer to be at a Parking Lot at Costco. We can do either, if necessary. You can as well.
  3. We have experienced and overcome the normal over thinking of: What ifs... Camping... never a What If. Tent Camping... never a What If. Airstream and Oliver Elite II ahhhh some Camping... never a What If. Towing on paved roads, there are more obstacles on the road, in the road and unpredictable drivers along side you, in back of you, or in front of you to worry about... than the 'What Ifs' when Boondocking. The BIGGEST 'What if...' for the Off the Grid Boondocker, in my Neanderthal consideration are.... Trees and Tree Branches. What might your 'What if 'experiences be? How did you work it out to prevent the 'What if'? Were you able to make changes in your OTG or easy Boondocking decisions to gain confidence. Much like a young child learning to swim a few classes at the swimming pool fixes that fear. Same with the First Boondocking experience just outside of a town, then two miles then out in Nowhere USA. State DeLorme Atlases have more 'NO WHERES' on the pages, than Ranches, Towns and Cities. Most of the Western USA is empty... but with lots of passable roads... to somewhere interesting. There is no End of the Road... just Detours. Or turn around and follow the road you found the end, to return. Sheep on the Road East of Cedar City, Utah. Tires in Nevada. Road markings at a Service Station. Nowhere in the distance. A ' baby horny toad' moved off the trail.
  4. Interesting other 'Former Airstream Owners' that found the Oliver Elites as excellent choices. Both are heavy travel trailers and ride firmly 'attached to the road' and very stable owing in all kinds of conditions. I was going to sell our 27/28 foot 2019 Airstream, after the first year testing out the 2019 Oliver Elite II. But just could not do it after making it a very reliable Off the Grid Airstream. 🙂 After 'tweaking' the 2019 Airstream with added hardware and improved the interior pop rivet issues with Lath Screws... it was solid. Interior cabinets had been attached to the walls with unreliable screws and few brackets. After improving the interior, I could not let it go after making the Airstream Off the Grid upgraded. Also upgraded to 16 inch wheels and Michelins. The Oliver... has much less to upgrade to be an 'Off the Grid' upgraded. Fewer screws to manage on hinges and hardware to secure cabinets. Less is best... Not much to go wrong as far as cabinets. Even the appliances have been cooperative. The Truma hot water system was not repairable after purchase and removed it. Probably going to find a simpler system and not concerned with 'instant hot water' when Boondocking. A folding table, a pot of hot water off the propane stove... and maybe jump into a river... makes you feel.... ahhhhh some. Yep. The plug to the electrical outlet of the Refrigerator had dropped out and found that once we put the Oliver on home power and did not work. Pulled the drawer out and saw the plug not plugged into the outlet. The Truma had three service receipts, two I have in my folder for repair and obviously was not replaced or repaired. My mistake not doing a 100% top to bottom inspection. You may want to remember this if you plan to buy a Travel Trailer out of Warranty. My only complaint. After owning three Airstreams, the third was easy to upgrade with better brackets and hardware from coming apart. On or Off the paved roads. Each Airstream was modified from the 2006 Airstream. The Oliver worked out so well for us, it is now our 'Special Purpose Boondocking Travel Trailer'. The manufacturing and marine hardware make the Oliver the #1 Choice for anyone who camps out and needs a reliable 'Home on Wheels'. The Airstream in comparison uses similar hardware that your home uses for hinges, and fabricated cabinets that are mounted inside with screws. The Oliver 'build' leaves little to vibrate loose, when being used, compared to the majority of other Travel Trailers. I would not hesitate to call the Oliver much easier to go from paved to unpaved camping locations. Fewer parts to come loose. I am a Geologist who is always 'looking for interesting' places to explore. Wife and Heelers enjoy the open spaces, mountains to wander among and come home satisfied with our choice of trailers and know which is best for the NEXT Adventure. 🙂 I also Tow on the Ball with the a 2016 F350 Diesel 4x4 without worry or sway. Same with the Airstream, towing on the ball without needing Weight Distribution or Sway Control. A smooth ride and never regret experimenting with towing options. The Airstream or Oliver Elite are easy to sell when the time arrives. We plan to keep both and am confident that the Oliver and Airstream will manage to provide everything we expected from a Travel Trailer while Boondocking.
  5. It has been two years ago that Nancy and I purchased a used 2019 Elite II. The Oliver is a perfect Boondocking Off or RV Park travel trailer. The 27 Foot 2019 Airstream has been parked in the RV Garage, since the purchase of the Oliver. Many would notice immediately the Oliver has much less room than an Airstream. That is True. Although, what the Oliver may lack in length and also a bit narrower than an Airstream... the Oliver has EVERYTHING the Airstream has and a stronger frame. The Oliver Elite II is narrower than an Airstream by 12 inches. The Airstream, for more clearance OTG, I had installed a 3 inch lift and upgraded the 15 inch tires/wheels to 16 inch Michelin LT tires and Wheels... just what the Oliver came with from the factory as stock. The Oliver has the SAME clearance as the Airstream with 3" lift and upgrade to 16 inch Tires. So, both our Airstream and Olive Elite II both can handle Off the Grid travel. Six lugs... and those Michelin E Rated tires... take you everywhere without fear... so far. The Oliver, with the shorter length advantage, can travel easily on Off the Grid Forest Service Roads and Two Rut Trails. Our Airstream can travel the same roads... but only 80% of those roads the Oliver can easily travel. New Mexico and Wyoming photographs. The rear bumper limits the Airstream on uneven roads. The Oliver... no problem. Having Oliver factory Two Solar Panels and the Four Six Volt Batteries... we have had NO 12 volt problems. The Propane Components operate very well at all elevations we have traveled in the Rocky Mountains. Ten Thousand Feet.... no problem. Parked out side with Solar Charging... ready to go when we feel like loading up and hit the road. Yaaa Hooo.... I include some photos of OTG Boondocking travel... to replace the Airstream examples. We use a Folding Ramp for us and the three Blue Heelers to enter and leave the trailer easily. It folds up and we use it when refueling the Tow Vehicle on the back seat and the Heelers can walk down and go up easily. Just a FYI. If you are an Off the Grid Boondocker with an Oliver Elite II having 12 volt Solar, Propane, Electric, Battery Appliances... you are 100% ready to disconnect from RV Parks are travel the Wilds of the Western USA this Season. Our three Blue Heelers have their pillows set that they find comfortable and anxious to spend the night in comfort. The 2019 Airstream and 2019 Olive Elite II have the appliances we need for Off the Grid. With the ALL Electric model Airstreams being produced today... the 2019 Oliver is as modern as we need. Our Homes On Wheels. 🙂
  6. This was the End of the Road for the bicycles. You begin and you end. Same with Junkyards of trailers and tow vehicles. The End of the Road. Junkyards are littered with Wrong Turns, Mistaken Road for a Tree and other Human Bean confusion.
  7. You cannot get LOST on the Prairie, only confused. "Where am I" is not what the family wants to hear. They are already terrified. OK? North is where it always has been. Same with the other directions. Find Landmarks and know what direction they are from where you are presently. Have whoever is following the map follow the road. You will also see it on the Tow Vehicles GPS... sometimes. Your clearance is better than most of ALL AIrstreams. We have a 3 inch lift to make up for the low clearances. It is the Length that gets you into trouble. Dragging the rear... is for tired hikers and for low clearance trailers. Olivers... you will have to work at dragging the bumper. Travel in twos. Safety in good company, Too much company, three or more... too many different likes and dislikes. You cannot fly fish in the desert. You cannot swim in the Yellowstone River... unless you want to drown in Montana. Those kinds of others... Have company that likes to do what you are doing. We have not found anyone... once and we never see them again. 🙂 It is hard to describe. OK? Planning? Nope. Not at all. We do not know where we will be going or getting lost at. RV Parks for those owners who like RV Parks and tourism. We have our trailer to Explore and create an Adventure, if we planned or did not plan to discover unknown 'ends of the road'. Next time going in the Rocky Mountains region. No Plans. Plenty of DeLorme Atlases. Food, Water, a couple good hats in the event one blows off the cliff, and comfortable sandals, shoes or boots. I climb with my sturdy Sandals for decades. My mountain boots had their purpose...now they hold the floor down in the closet. Not inspired, yet? That tells me you are not interested. That is good for your safety and comfort. This is not for everyone. Maybe less than 15% of trailer owners. Crowds? Only if you are giving away Free Flathead Cherry Pie along the Yellowstone River... I am only showing you those photos to discourage some from trying this. If you saw only the 'End of the Trail 'photographs... I would have to find a small place to camp, as everyone and their ATVs and idling Generators... it is NOT the End of the Road. It is the Bye Bye beginning. You can do this. Well, maybe after a few mistakes, but the best is out there for everyone. Take a deep breath... if you coughed... maybe the dust will not do you well.
  8. I have the second half with the top of page 55. The post shows one name... and there are three other trail names as many used parts of one trail and then departed to Utah, California or Oregon. We do this area often, but not enough to know everything. That is for you to do... and post.
  9. Maps are very useful. Books about areas you would like to explore can be more interesting, IF you have the Map. An example: Report upon the Reconnaissance of Northwestern Wyoming including Yellowstone National Park made in the Summer of 1873 by William A. Jones Zzzzzzz Please read the one part of a page of text before dozing off. You will begin to catch onto WHY we like maps and books... well, I do. Nancy has no choice. 🙂 Some of those involved, since this was a Military operation. General P. H. Sheridan. General W. T. Sherman. Officials of the War Department and other now, historical figures. This book is 331 pages and has over 50 drawn maps of Routes that Indian Guides brought this group into the Yellowstone. Well known by local Indians, but a mystery to many that heard about the area... but not going in the area with all of the Indians known to Summer Camp. What does this have to do with OLIVER Trailers? A Lot. You can get a REAL Boondocking Adventure by finding a modern Reprint of this book on the Internet. My original printed in 1875 by the Government Printing Office was made of the cheapest paper for text and worse for the thinner than a postage stamp foldout map routes to get into the Yellowstone on trails, created by Cheyenne and Sioux Indians, among others. Rather people were afraid... to go into Yellowstone. This one page of text at the mid section appears to be in Idaho Territory. I did not want to spoil everything by using landmarks given and leave it up to you. The Western USA, especially Wyoming has had Trappers and Wagon Trains passing through since the early 19th Century. When you get to Oregon Buttes... on a Wyoming Map... there are Cutoffs... short cuts that were used after the earlier routes. YOU can find them. They are marked. Setup the Oliver at a campsite and follow the two rut Jeep trails. You are living history. Much like Little Big Man... Dustin Hoffman... "Living Indian". Is this... easy? Of course it is NOT Easy. If it was easy, I would not be telling you. The Adventure begins at the time you lock the door to your Home. The rest is up to you, your choices of maps and inexpensive books written the original explorers from the 1830's to Wyoming Statehood in 1890. I no longer give out the locations we camp, as there are Websites that now take the information, and offer it on their sites to everyone to see. Just this one time, I am pointing you to the State of Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota, Colorado, Utah and Idaho are among the most explored by the US Government in the 1860's to 1890's. With maps, but you have to find these books. If I could find them... anyone can. We expect to see some Olivers out west. We are the ones with the two Blue Heelers. (The text page does not transfer well. It is on page 54 'Indian Trails'. We will see once I post this.)
  10. Wyoming had few paved roads in the 1920's. When a Tow Vehicle broke down... it was left in the Red Desert. If you ran out of gasoline, you could hire one or two horses to pull you into the closest town. You often camped in a tent along side these early roads. We have found some of these early campsites in Central Nevada and they would leave bottles and cans as a 'gift to those' who own an Oliver and live in luxury beyond... these Pioneers autos and homes! Enjoy and to to places you have been afraid of visiting or exploring. These people did it... and only a few had to walk. Some were pushed into ravines to keep erosion from doing any more damage. Great for parts if you knew what kind of vehicle it may have been. This one obviously did not... start. We tried. It had wooden door frames. These early roads were Wagon Trails, Cattle Trails or two rut roads to Yellowstone. Wagons were either pushed into Ravines, or burned. Vehicles abandoned were scavenged for parts for years.
  11. We will be taking our 2019 Oliver II out this Spring. Our first year experimenting... with Getting TO the FINDING End of the Road... Oliver Style. I spent two days using nearly a half of a bottle of Rejex Polymer to get DINGO the Oliver II ready to find the Beginning of the Road to get to the End of the Road. But return home, unlike some of those trailers that just did not make it back. Where are your photographs of the END? Maybe just the beginning and then turned around... End?
  12. In the Black Hills of South Dakota... Bicycles can be peddled only so far and the trail DEAD ENDS. 🙂 In Wyoming, if used or not, these Trailers have reached the End of the Road. In Wyoming individuals tend to be located at the End of the Road. Some are being lived within. ...and in the Rocky Mountains... the End of the Road is protected from getting there. So Sad 😞 .
  13. The Western USA, Rocky Mountain States have many End of the Road opportunities. Here are some examples. When you find ONE... mark it on your MAP. These places are becoming scarce. If YOU encounter The End of the Road... lay back and make yourself comfortable. When rested... turn around and go the direction you CAME to the End of the Road. Ahhhh. Wyoming has many EOR's as an example. These photos are from New Mexico, Wyoming, Nevada, Utah and Nebraska. Ahhhhh. Once you get there... it is the END. Lay back and enjoy Peace and Quiet. Although... there are also others... like yourself... who are also Looking for the End of the Road. Enjoy this year... if possible. 🙂
  14. Some other examples of maps and maps. Good sources for FREE maps... local library sales and free book shelves. Also University and College Libraries get paper maps and they will throw them away or put them into an Annual Book Sale. A ten year or one year old Geological Map works for us. A twenty year old map of the National Forest... is just perfect. Many roads were built in the late 1890's to 1950 for access for lumbering, mining, grazing access... and so on. Technology is great...until the battery charge is used up, or just decides to not cooperate. We do not need High Tech Maps and GPS to find a spot to set up our Trailer Campsite. Open area... great. Trees, maybe. Rock outcrops, possibly can fit. I scanned other examples. There are maps for everything, every place and for multiple reasons. Many are made obsolete to those using hand held computer and software. Great... for ME. I carry maps on our trips. They are cheap... if you do not buy them from a Mountain Climbing Shop. Get them used at Goodwill and other similar places. A box for $5 of your area. Give duplicates away. United States Geological Survey Quadrangles can be found new and used for nothing. They are obsolete to Engineers today. You and I are Boondockers. I am not looking for where natural gas lines are located... today. Mountains do not move. Roads get improved over the years. Lakes have shorelines that change... but the roads move when necessary. New dirt roads are added over the years... you will see it. ...and often, Boondockers are finding campsites by accident. Good campsites are NOT on a map, unless a National Forest Campsite designed for... Tent camping with a picnic table. I scanned some other maps. Even local towns have maps of places to see and visit for FREE. The BLM has Free Maps for ATV trails. If you get lost often... maybe have your spouse read the map to you. The passenger is the best 'Guide'. Imagination... is not a good way to find a way IN or OUT of the National Forest. 🙂 Go to your Library. ASK if they have MAPS FOR SALE or FREE. They want to get rid of them. University Libraries have thousands of maps donated that will end up in the Dumpster. (Ask me how I would know. 🙂 )
  15. DeLorme Atlas and Gazetteer: Topographic Maps of States I am a Geologist. We do have GPS. We use a wrist GPS to mark where we park our Trailer, our Tow Vehicle when hiking to relocate where we parked and even can Store locations we like. (Garmin Forerunner GPS... over 15 years old and still works.) We do not need an expensive or inexpensive large system with details we do not need. The wrist watch GPS units now are even more sophisticated. We like ours. We park, get a GPS location marked and go. When we want to return to the vehicle, we know the direction to hike, how far away we are. Often not a straight line, as we are in a Canyon, on the other side of a Mountain. Never been lost WITH the GPS watch. We DID get Disorientated ONCE in the wilderness of the Gila National Forest over 15 years ago. I had a Compass... but when we hiked West to the North/South dirt road... it was do we go South or North. We went South and in less than two miles... found our Airstream Trailer. Whew.... First chance... found the Garmin. I advise this BEFORE getting any fancy hand held system. I keep DeLorme Atlas & Gazetteer of All Western States we camp. Often they are on Sale. Newer ones are often improved with more detail than older editions. We have the older and when they get worn, get a newer Edition, but keep both. We MARK ALL OF OUR CAMPSITES ON OUR DeLORME ATLASES. Date, elevation and if we liked or did not like the campsite. Yes... some of you want the most up to date, sophisticated electronics. Good. But... not us. Once you are in the Back Country, roads on a screen or map are NOT passable... or are better... or have been closed for years due to disrepair. I like paper maps of areas we frequently. I can look at Colorado, Wyoming and Utah Maps at the SAME TIME. Ohhhh Weeeee. Nancy follows the map while I am towing the trailer, Off the Grid Boondocking. We change ADD road number changes, or turns that are not on the map, make notations, put an X where we camped, information of how, when, where, what and why we were there. Paper is good for us. It worked on maps of the Oregon Trail and today... if you get lost... check the map, your compass, the Sun direction.... and enjoy your Exploring. We do... and these are cheap Tour Guides! The DeLorme Atlas has about 16 inch x 11 inch pages. Colored as to State, BLM, National Forest, Private... property. But, often private property can be in any of these areas by Homesteaders in the 19th Century. But you have more information than you need. Sure... a large computer screen downloaded with detail may serve you well... we do not need it. I have scanned some of the Wyoming Atlas. Check a copy out at a store that offers them. Price shop on the Internet. Abebooks.com has booksellers selling maps for big discounts if used or new older editions. We carry ALL the Western States we think we may be traveling. If it is raining in the mountains of Wyoming, we head to the deserts of Utah...
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