BoondockingAirstream

The Blue Toyota is towing a 23 foot Airstream. The maroon F350 a 27 foot Airstream. The 23 foot Airstream is the shortest double axle and like the Oliver II, it falls into the 23 to 25 foot Airstream range. Our 27 foot will go to ALL of the locations our 23 and 25 foot managed. If we can do it, you can do ANY.

An Oliver I or Oliver II can go anywhere your Tow Vehicle has clearance. The Oliver II with the double axle is the most Boondocking Positive 'Luxury' Trailer on the road. Or Off the road. The Rocky Mountains States have thousands of FREE Boondocking. Minimal Cost at National Forest Campsites with a table and an 'out house'. Sometimes water from a pump, or a river nearby. Although I would use the Pump Water for washing and pet water... as it can contain sand or grit. It is the best tasting water available... and no chlorine. If you have 16 inch E Rated Tires... 65psi to 70psi is advised. I use this range on our 27 foot Airstream. Also the 25 foot, which is very close to the Oliver II. Many 'dry camps' are used by big game hunters in the Fall... and open for YOU the rest of the year. Bow Hunters tend to stay in town and drive out in the morning to hunt. They also use ATV's for the short time to hunt. The first time you explore the NFS or Bureau of Land managed public land... it is often vacant or other campers. As you get closer to a large town or city... more weekend campers. So find your spot on a Monday to Thursday. 🙂 Great camping spots are found by those who think strategic options on improved gravel and dirty roads. When you are traveling... and need a place to spend an evening... truck stop service stations are great for the evening. Even those Service Stations with lots of parking, if you are considerate and keep away from incoming customers and away from trash pickup, air pressure and dump stations. We have never had an issue. Those who 'camp out' at a Walmart or a Costco, set up a grill in the parking lot, some lounge chairs, a rug... will most likely look like you are planning on staying. This is why many larger parking lots have to ask YOU and those living for free on their property as asked to leave. They cannot ask someone to leave living there, but let you stay as you are temporary. Casino Parking Lots with trucks... is also a good temporary Boondocking site. Often many players come, stay in the Parking Lot and go into the Casino. Smaller Casinos in Nevada towns... welcome overnight campers and visitors. Get a Casino Card also... Don't know where to camp in the National Forest? No worry... see an interesting area... and an exit heading that way... explore. Go as far as you feel comfortable. You will get more comfortable over time. We find one spot... set up camp, and then detach the tow vehicle and go further into the mountains or hills. Make it an adventure. The first week you will be learning. The second week... you will be giving others... ADVICE!!! Just learn the clearance of rear bumper DRAG. Watch for brush alongside the road. Low hanging branches. Rocks in the road...toss them to the side. Bring branch long handled cutters. You will gain confidence, add a shovel... some tools... a GPS and take a camera. To recall all the wonderful places you... discovered! If our Airstream can do it... any Oliver can. We are planning on finding an Oliver II to explore the Rocky Mountains. They are hard to find, but we are patient. Enjoy your Oliver. You just have not pushed YOUR Limits... your Oliver can handle anything YOU can with your tow vehicle. We look forward to discovering an Oliver far into the back country. We will have stories to share and good company is always appreciated.

The majority of trailer owners who own a trailer capable of Boondocking off the grid... have no idea how to find or locate a Boondocking Site. Western States were once defined as being west of the 100th Meridian. These States have the majority of 'Public Lands'. These are Bureau of Land Management (BLM), National Forest System (NFS), State Lands (usually School Section 16 in each 36 Section square miles and of course National Parks, Monuments, Historical Sites, etc. Boondockers looking for Public Lands have some very good references available. The most detailed are those sold by the United States Geological Survey as Quadrangles. Some outdoor sporting shops sell them as well for local needs. These are for very detailed maps for small areas. For myself, I find the Delorme Atlas and Gazetteer very handy for States we are exploring. They will indicate in colors various land ownerships. City, town, Indian Reservations, BLM, NFS, School Sections and Private Property within public lands. The scale on most are one inch covers 4.7 miles. Some vary and the scale is printed on each map. Roads are consistent as to Highway Interstate and State, County and all season, improved and unimproved BLM and NFS to jeep trails. After exploring an area, you will understand there are differences from those who mapped New Mexico and those who mapped Wyoming. So... experience is learned by actually doing some unplanned side trips. These 'side trips' are where you set up a Base Camp with your trailer and drive further into a remote area to discover those... hidden Gems that you may visit often over time. Often campsites in public lands are marked on a map. One may be displayed on the map, but ten may be located on the way. It appears to be random, but if marked on the map, the campsite may have a water pump and a pit toilet. Some have a picnic table. Some have... nothing but pullouts with gravel. An Oliver can manage about any of these easily. Once a trailer is longer than 25 feet it becomes more difficult as these older camps are intended for smaller trailers used before 1980... or 1950. Often there are 'hunter camps' that have open areas that the largest trailers can easily move around and find ample room for one to twenty trailers. Experience is 'King'. There are Geological State Maps sold by each State if you are a rockhound. The BLM and NFS sell maps of their area offices and sometimes in the general area with their road marked with a number system. The longer the number, the worse the road... kind of plan. At times the smaller roads no longer have a sign. It fell apart decades ago. But, still the maps are very handy. Always mark your camping spot on the map. We add the elevation, as well. Describe the location and if you liked it... or did not. It can come handy if you want to quickly stop on a trip through the area years later. We use our previous locations, frequently. Some locations we revisit often. What are your map preferences? How does it work for you? Has a map taken you to lakes, rivers and creeks that you would have not visited? Early explorers recorded their travels before roads and maps. They made accurate maps and sold them to those wanting to travel west. Much like the Oregon Trail... many discovered better routes and sold maps. Technology has improved maps. GPS is wonderful... if you recorded the location for future reference. Great for get togethers and reference.

KenB... driven Land Cruisers since 1978. Missed the 'jeep' styles as I could not afford them while at the University... so had a 1967 Bronco 4x4... which today is a 'collector's item'. Wow. Do I feel... old. Still have our 2008 LC and going strong. The straight six LC engines... the heads were prone to crack. Although easy to remove, have it repaired, gave both heads a valve job and sold it with 248,000 miles some time later. A bit under powered for towing, as well. Bill and Bev were towing with a white F-150. They said it pulled the Oliver with ease. Sometimes trailer owners are afraid to discuss the nit picky items that need tweaking. The drawer locks that have the plastic hook attached to the back of the drawer with the snap installed into the cabinet backing... work until the screws become loose from traveling. The locking mechanism get damaged, or is closed when it should be open, or a screw comes loose, falls out and the piece rotates making closing the drawer... difficult. This is my Airstream Experience. The RV shops want more than they are worth for a new one. (Yes... I am tight.) Enjoy Ouray. There is a Boondocking pullout to the south on Highway 550, on the south side about ten miles. You will see a 'lot' of trailers in the woods. Just cruise the lot and find a spot to fit. Great company. Quiet, even with 50 or more camped. Free camping with a Forest Service restroom.

In our two Airstreams... nylon rope to secure drawers, clothes closet, wood dowels set into grooves to keep sliding overhead cabinets from opening and dumping, bathroom sliding doors secured with dowels to prevent toilet paper rolls escaping and unrolling... although the 23 foot Safari had a 'push button' on top to secure the tall and heavy pantry goods cabinet. The majority of trailers have 'house hinges'. The vibrations of the road will 'unscrew' the small threaded hardware and mayhem can be profound. Look at it this way. An earthquake not long ago in SE California was 7.1 magnitude. Massive... damage at the center of the shaking. OK, 7.1 magnitude. Olivers and Airstreams can have 9 magnitude quakes just turning into a service station from the curb! Tow our trailers onto Forest Service and BLM roads... these 'Towing Quakes' need a new scale as 10 is the maximum for a quake in your home. Totally destruction to a home, a town... a city like the earthquake in San Francisco in 1906... a magnitude of, only 7.9 creating natural gas line breaks, fire and misery. None of this is covered by warranty... I suppose. We used: Longer screws from the hardware store. Nuts and bolts to secure cabinets. Piano hinges where possible on larger doors. We installed swivel latches screwed into cabinet drawers as if you have young children wanting to break into the flatware drawer when you are not looking. It did not enhance the appearance of the interior, but why have expensive drawers that fit only this trailer decompose while refueling? IF a travel trailer can be made to handle ANY road without becoming unscrewed... unhinged... it would be the first. Oliver is close from what I have seen. Beauty is only skin deep. Durability is the difficult part to reach once a travel trailer begins to... move. Stationary, like a house trailer... who cares. Once you begin to move down the highway a 'travel trailer' should be able to take a 9.0 earthquake and more. A 'Seismic Test' should be preformed on ALL Brands of travel trailers. Mount ONE from the factory onto a surface that is set on a system that can test the endurance at a range to be determined by some devious testing agency employees. Give it a rating. Sell what is left over of the tested sample for parts. Put a sticker on the side of the door other than meeting current trailer standards... which for most are very... low. I say barely existent. "Built to resist most Earthquakes." What do you 'shakers' say? If houses built to resist earthquakes are shaken apart... why use the same hardware in our trailers? Oliver... ONE real weakness was the overhead cabinet hinges using two small screws into the fiber glass. The rocking and rolling enlarges the holes, the screws fall out and will no longer secure the hinge. Possibly a metal strip needs to be inserted between the hinge and fiber glass to secure the screws... forever. Although, John Davies may have already solved these issues, already. Had the Lunar Landings been built to the standards of our home... it would have never happened. When we sold our last Airstream... the young couple who purchased it... may want to take it to the Moon. It was ready after five years of tinkering.

My words appear to be 'kind', but are the honest opinion of a travel trailer owner. Had my opinion been less than honest about my observations of the Oliver II, I would have mentioned them. But... you and I agree. It is just a matter tweaking an excellent trailer. Time will be the judge. One name that came up in our discussions was John E. Davis. I recall. He is the gadfly that gets Oliver Owners to think. Often, most owners prefer to talk about issues, and few want to step forward and present issues in a way that improvements can and possibly be made. Good to hear that others on the Forum have also brought up the issue of non locking drawers. That was the only issue we found that should have been 'fixed' models ago. Airstream... probably never going to happen. Gee... thanks for adding your response. I was not expecting to find anyone interested. At the moment, the only thing I love better than my looking over the Oliver II is... my wife Nancy.

An interesting thing happened at nearly 10,000 feet elevation, cold, wet and drizzling... I spotted an Elite II Oliver southeast of Ouray, Colorado, just off of Highway 550. (Highway 550 to Ouray and keep going south is the ULTIMATE towing experience. Up the Pass or, down.) Bill and Bev were the perfect hosts when a stranger asked through a window if... 'can I look at the exterior of your Oliver'? A voice within said... "sure". After owning and Boondocking with a 23 foot and a 25 foot Airstream over 13 years, one becomes interested in what other trailers are out there that are comfortable, durable and capable of Off the Grid Boondocking. Nancy and I sold our 25 foot Airstream about six months ago and went back to tent camping. Much like going from tent to a trailer was drastic. Going from trailer to tent camping... well, is even more drastic, but we can manage about anything. Was I... impressed. The physical Oliver is even nicer than any photographs. The sleek fit of interior components. The lighting. The very solid flooring. The counter tops. The thought that designed the exterior, suspension, 16" tires, leaf springs... This was the start. Beverly gave my wife the tour of the interior as Bill and I chatted about how each of us felt about our trailers. Bill had fewer issues with the Oliver. Lets leave it at that. For a couple and a dog or two... the Elite II contained everything one would need for an Off the Grid comfort while Boondocking. The double Solar Panels and four marine batteries were... a big bonus as an option. The one 'glaring' issue for Nancy and I were the sliding drawers. Beautiful durable finish, dove tailed, easy glide self closing BUT, like the Airstreams... no secure way to prevent them from opening when rocking side to side. We had to improvise how to secure the Airstreams hinges and drawers ourselves as nothing exists. Although the Oliver has very few drawers... just a button to push to release and pull out would make the interior perfect and secure. The 'piano hinges' were great for larger doors as standard. There could be some changes, how I do not really know at the present, the shower/stool arrangement. Space is at a premium which makes the Oliver unique. Nancy and I showered... often... with the exterior shower. We also had a small shower tent in areas where more than the bear and the antelope are our only neighbors. Those sliding windows... great and double pane. I would not be surprised that Olivers will come in more than... white. Much like Corvettes and Shelby Cobras. A few days camped in an Oliver would provide us with more to comment... but I am sure Bill and Bev would not enjoy sleeping in our Tent for a couple days! No argument there. A wonderful trailer. Wonderful owners. An impressed experienced trailer owner looking over an Oliver. My comparison. Oliver's are the Pearl of travel trailers. Airstreams's are the Platinum. Both occupy #1 OR #2 in the travel trailer hierarchy. Time will tell from happy owners. If I were in the market for a travel trailer for Off the Grid Boondocking or comfortable RV Park experiences... the Oliver II would be getting that second look, after owning the only other travel trailer able to compete for which is best. One has the edge and Bill and I know which...

Congratulations! I am anxious to hear more about your comparison shopping with an Airstream. After 12 years Off the Grid Boondocking with two Airstreams, a 23 foot and currently a 25 foot, we are waiting to see our first Oliver in the Rocky Mountain West. After eight years we had 'Boondocked' the 23 foot Airstream to handle National Forest and BLM roads and wash board road vibrations with hardware upgrades ourselves. This is currently being done to our 2014- 25 foot Airstream. This time 'piano hinges' to cabinet doors that use hinges that vibrate loose on mountain roads. You have an excellent Tow Vehicle with the 5.7L engine and solid transmission. When near Boulder City, Nevada... I sure would like to get a... peek.

Great Boondocking... sort of... experiences to offer. If everything else fails, a compass and good map can get you started in the right direction. We were a bit disappointed with Canyon de Chelly. After Chaco Canyon... and Mesa Verde it is tough to stand out. Several great 'Indian Sites' in New Mexico worth visiting. Also... so many Pit Houses at some Boondocking locations in New Mexico, you are walking among ruins and may not notice you are in the National Forest and not a National Park! This one photo is a bit tight for an 8 foot wide trailer. An Oliver would have no problem at all.

Overland... great photographs. If this does not convert several RV Campground campers for this Summer... nothing will. Campsite photographs are welcomed. Some additional incentives for those who are on the... edge... of going OTG this year.

Thank you Randy. Raspy. This is exactly why I would like to compare trailers. Mike and Carol. Thank you, also. Sorry to say I do not tow my trailer over boulder fields and up to mountain tops for a view at 14,120 feet. That is more for tent campers, and I have done that in Colorado. Not with a trailer in tow. It is the... length... of a trailer that will get you into trouble. I call it the 'bumper drag queen' driving off a Service Station lot, which is most often mistake made by new trailer owners... or crossing a rut in the road and not understand the possible danger before you 'drag' your... bumper. The plumbing on the 'driver's side' of an Airstream is either behind the rear axle, or in front. Never had an issue. If you drive over brush and ant hills and not on the road... yes, you will have a problem, sooner than later. Newbies have this vision that Off the Grid means losing all Common Sense. There is more danger traveling on concrete and asphalt. Just misjudging the entry and exit to a service station can cost you a bumper, or a tight turn into the protection to the gasoline pumps. This is much more serious an issue than traveling a Forest Service road. It is a bit discouraging to get feedback from those who do not understand. I do not mistreat my wife, our two Blue Heelers, nor my Airstream. In that order. It is the fear of the unknown of those unprepared or not comfortable outside an established camp ground. That is understandable. The Airstream up to 25 feet and the Oliver up to 24 feet can travel safely on the majority of non paved roads. The only dings I have on my trailer are from rocks being tossed up, most likely loose gravel tossed off the paved highway by vehicles, passing me. For those who understand, we are one large family and purchased our trailers to enjoy spending more time away from humanity in comfort. The initial investment will be well worth it, and I wish all who do OTG Boondocking years of enjoying your tent or trailer.

Imagine your Oliver and our Airstream traveling together in... Wyoming, for instance. No National Park campground. No reservations. Leave whenever you want. No commercial camp host. No neighbors, but those you are traveling with. Camp outside a National Park on BLM open space, for a view that only a few have attempted. Or... just imagine YOU and your Oliver doing what, maybe 80% of trailer owners, do not dare to attempt. I know this is true among Airstream owners, a large percentage would never consider dirt, dust, gravel and unpaved travel as a proper way to travel. It takes one special couple, hopefully with a dog that enjoys hiking and exploring, as well. The BLM and Forest Service offices provide us with cold, fresh Spring Water and are happy to see you. ...and I rest my introduction. PM me if you like. Apparently that may be the best alternative. After this 'Adventure', you can post the photographs of yourselves smiling and being among the few. Also, bring a shovel.

The Oliver and Airstream have a lot in common. The Oliver may have an advantage with the straight axles, versus the Airstream torsion suspension. You would be surprised to see where 28 foot and 30 Airstreams camp. After 12 years of OTG towing Airstreams, I just might know what I am talking about. Twenty three foot and 25 foot Airstreams. The Tandem Axles of an Oliver may make OTG towing some extra clearance and flexible on uneven changes from level to double track road to campsites. If you have not watched a 'torsion axle Airstream' cross a stream bed... you may learn a few things. The Oliver II is 7 feet wide and the 25 foot Airstream 8 feet. The Airstream 23 foot is 7 feet six inches wide. If no one is interested. We travel well ourselves with or without company. This is not a Ford versus Dodge versus Toyota towing discussion. I have an interest in an Oliver and this is the best way to discover how each handle at places that we want to go.

No challenge of brands. This is a way for the Airstream and the Oliver to compare how we both do Off the Grid Boondocking. You may want to read WHY only one on one and why someone would have to be qualified. Anyone, towing a nearly 25 foot long trailer on Forest Service and BLM roads, off the beaten path, the other trailer owner had better know what they are doing and be experienced. The kind of places we camp, most trailer owners have not and most likely would not have any experience traveling. This is not to teach nor train another trailer owner. The Oliver is as capable a trailer as an Airstream. This an opportunity for me to see an Elite II, and the owner can experience remote camping locations in areas they have not been. Most Olivers seem to be found East of the Mississippi. I am taking my time, experience and knowledge to make this offer. But not just anyone is interested in exploring the geology, climbing and fly fishing. Those who have no interest. Fine. Those who might. We have something to discuss, but it would be also of interest to those that may be ready in 2019. This is an opportunity for someone. I do this every year. I am an expert. My towing requirement of another is that they have enough experience to enjoy the challenge of camping our trailers where most only wish they were capable and had the opportunity.

Sorry, my mistake. The Elite II is 23 feet 6 inches. I measured our '25 foot' Airstream is 23 feet 4 inches from front aluminum to back aluminum. The 25 foot is front of hitch to rear bumper, which is not 'living space'. I want to see an Elite II and the two of us can compare.

(Airstream 25 foot and the Oliver II 23 feet 6 inches- my mistake) This is my opportunity to meet the proud owners of an Elite II in the Western USA, Off the Grid Boondocking experience. Only two 25 foot trailers. An Airstream and an Oliver. This is Off the Grid trailer camping. No definite camp sites, although areas we have explored. No facilities at most sites. Just myself, my wife and two Blue Heelers and a couple owning an Oliver II in the Wilds of the Western Rocky Mountain, Great Basin areas. There is a very big... caveat. We are very experienced Off the Grid tent and now trailer campers. The Oliver II family need to be comfortable and experienced OTG Boondockers. Otherwise, the experience will be so foreign and a deviation to the RV Park and established campground setting, it will be unsettling to most trailer owners. You must be physically fit. Some casual climbing, no ropes. Fishing opportunities with a fly rod. Forest Service and BLM roads. It depends where the location is of this Rocky Mountain Rendezvous. I am a Geologist and amateur Archaeologist, Paleontologist, Mineralogist and metal detect for meteorites, rock or trash. This is more of an Adventure, than a camping trip to sip wine and dine out at restaurants in town. This has been tried with a group of Airstreams and found difficult, due to a wide range of interests and experience, being away from electrical hookups and flush toilets, lacking hot showers every afternoon. Some managed well. Others needed a personal guide. We found that a ‘one on one’ with similar interests and experience levels were perfect matches. You must have seven to ten days, maybe more if we get into an area of special interest, traveling in an area of common interest to both parties. This would be for the Summer of 2018. We are both retired, so flexible and in July southern Nevada is 110F at 2,500 feet elevation. We would be looking at 5,000 to 8,000 foot elevation camp sites. Warm dry days and cool ‘damp or dry’ evenings. You never know, when at Elevation. If there are any OliverII couples interested, then I will then toss out questions to understand your experience of OTG on this Thread. There is a chance that no one wants to take the offer. That is fine. We understand. Many OTG Boondockers prefer the peace and quiet among solitude, avoiding congestion, loud music and traffic. If there is interest, only ONE Oliver on this true Adventure. Explain your experiences and interests. You must be comfortable in places that I found many... uncomfortable and detached from being camped in places with fresh air, no posted signs, no people and wonderful views. Are there any takers? If so... this will be an open discussion. If this is successful, 2019 may be the next opportunity to meet and greet another Oliver family.

Our plans for Boondocking are by the moment and opportunity. Off the Grid Boondocking experiences are an accident, not a plan! There are open grasslands in the high country in National Forests for those who vacation away from the crowds. Commercial campsites in Wyoming want many multiples of the standard fare for three day minimums and the same with other areas within this band of observation on this arc. We... are going dry camping with our trailer and with luck, we will not miss this celestial event of the... decade, or is it the century? And please... do not wash your Oliver before the eclipse. You know it will rain, profusely on our parade! We will be looking for all of you in our travels. We are all 'Accidental Tourists' and love it! Thank you for giving campsite information. Not everyone has time to get lost in the forest and eat dust with their dogs. Live the Ollie Life while you can. Bring a map. Your Oliver has to go where you take it, not the other way around!

The sun and moon have a special moment for Oliver Boondockers on August 21st... a total eclipse route across a wide path of the USA. If you missed the Total Eclipse of August 7, 1869, and the July 29, 1878 total eclipse... shame on you. Do not miss this one with your Elite I or Elite II with the Total Eclipse in a photograph. Post the photo on the Forum for proof. We hope to be in Idaho for this one. Unfortunately we and our two Blue Heelers missed the previous two... for good reasons, of course.

I wondered myself when I first read SOB. To an Oliver Elite owner... all other trailers are SOB... Some other Brand. Danielewilderman may want to come up with his second post and WOT. Want Oliver Trailer... Tell us what you are looking for in a trailer. Looking AT a trailer is the easy part. Knowing WHY is much more important. I am sure the last couple posters can give you an... ear full. Right WOT's?

Routlaw... your choice in an Oliver and use, may be the best choice you could have made. Trailers are very complex to build. If Oliver insists that their product continues to high standards of manufacturing, and not motivated by the production numbers and bottom line... wonderful new Oliver Trailers will become more accessible for 'trailer tourism' comparisons. The Oliver may be among a large number of comparable trailers, but it is the Oliver employees who assemble this maze of components, wires, plumbing and quality control that make or break a company. Our 'Other Brand of 25 foot Trailer' is a 2014. We had a refrigerator exhaust fan and snap switch that were faulty, which I replaced at my cost. I upgraded our 15" wheels and tires to 16" wheels and E Rated Michelin tires. A few interior rivets popped and replaced with a non rivet screws. Some securing of cabinet doors and drawers the first year and today are satisfied. Aluminum gets dings from errant gravel thrown that the gravel guards protect 90% of impacts. The top front catches small gravel that other vehicles toss up and leave dings. Hail would also be a hazard for aluminum, as would be larger hail impacts to fiberglass. Fiber glass is much more economical to make repairs. As any Corvette owner knows... The 'star' impact and the 'crunch' are much easier to repair than aluminum. Oliver's and the SOB trailer I currently possess will have great resale value as a used trailer. Oliver was not even on my radar. Now it is. Trust me... when I can look closely at our SOB and an Oliver... it will be through the eyes of someone who makes use of a trailer. Quality is more than superficial. It is a spirit among employees and the company backing up anything that goes wrong during the warranty period. If this fails... the nostalgia of owning diminishes quickly. Oliver is a fresh, clean and stout looking trailer. Growing pains put pressure onto any manufacturer. The SOB has already found this out by some trailers not meeting expectations... and perfectly so that the buyer expects nothing less than perfection. We have had SOB's since 2006. The 23 foot and now a 25 foot. IF there is to be a change in our choice of trailer... the Oliver will be the first to be picked 'to death' for anything not meeting our expectations. Two fine trailers that can easily share the same space in time and place. Oliver owners... you are the best adverting for the company. Time will tell. Owners cut no slack in their opinions when things are going wrong and the company neglects to follow through. This is the fate to some trailers. Oliver has the highest marks and no doubt, will keep it that way.

Daniel... you cannot go wrong with an Oliver. The width. The value per square foot of floor space. The smart use and upgraded interior electronics are all great features... and I have not seen one in person. Yet. It is not unusual when a couple or family buy their first trailer to discover... it does not work for them. They may be lousy at towing anything. Their tow vehicle is not appropriate. The family likes the $150 a night hotel accommodations much better than living in a 'tiny home'. New buyers of a trailer discover that 'backing up is hard to do'. Some are totally frustrated immediately. There is no school for trailer towing everywhere, and it is not cheap where there are such options. Most trailers owned by a couple who have not yet retired have virtually no wear. What a windfall for someone who knows a good deal when they find one. Oliver is a company that can make improvements, if needed, or updates when technology is tested and is a good replacement for value... immediately. There are no thirty year old Olivers out there. They are all virtually all modern inside and out. The other brand is 8 to 8 1/2 feet wide. An Oliver 23 or 25 at 7 feet. A go anywhere trailer. The stationary 'tiny house' is not much larger than the 25 foot Oliver and not mobile. For those who want to travel the National Forest roads... you are among a small group of trailer owners. For those who camp only at RV Parks... you will fit anywhere. A win/win.

You might be led to believe that I really found Fort Robinson, Nebraska a vacation destination for adults and especially the youngsters with sugar highs from the TWO ice cream diners in Crawford! Two... and they are both generous with their mountain sized scoops! Turn them loose in the Badlands around Toadstool Park and let them burn it off. Your children, when adults, will also take their families. Our two daughters do and did. An Olympic indoor swimming pool with a high and low dive. I chickened out on the High Dive. It looks higher up when looking down... trust me, but try it. You can also swim out to a shallow pool that is outdoors. This is Big City Oliver Camping... The water is from the local aquifer and they should charge you for filling your fresh water tank. They include SHOWERS, as well at the campsite. College actors do melodrama during the High Season. They are very good. Where Crazy Horse was killed at the fort is now marked. I found two Indian Head pennies there when I was 16 years old. The gophers dig them up and toss the dirt into a pile... Craft school where the kids can make...well, some kind of art in water color and maybe fired clay. Check it out. A fine restaurant at the Fort is excellent. Tennis courts. Golf in Crawford. Agate, Nebraska has the Cook Ranch where Red Cloud and Sioux Indians would gather. The wonderful Agate Fossil Beds with a Indian museum with Sioux and Cheyenne leather clothing and accessories on display. As nice as Cody, Wyoming's Buffalo Bill Museum... but collected by the Cooks from the Indians themselves! If I missed something... please make a post to complete this Thread. When you are sitting outside your Oliver... at sunset, you can imagine how the soldiers felt when the Indians were on the war path. Oh... the fort was a POW camp for Germans in WW2. Many stayed in the area after the war. Cannot blame them at all. Above all... have fun. My last breath will not be 'Rosebud' the sled, but... Fort Robinson.

To an Off the Grid trailer camper... Boondocking could be parked at a WalMart or Costco parking lot over night. Or an established campsite without hookups is Boondocking to most, but not all. The term is very evasive for a firm definition. It is the experience of YOUR travels that will eventually define What is Boondocking. Some, as ourselves, use 'Off the Grid Boondocking' to indicate being camped where there are no facilities and only what your check list provided for this trip... put into your Oliver! Period and... someone else may even dispute this! You need a bandaid and did not pack one... next time. No pen or pencil... next time. Flashlight... next time. By your first year of camping in your Oliver... your list will be completed... tweezers? Get it on the computerized check list... you will need tweezers sooner than later! My wife has a FOOD LIST, a CLOTHES LIST and how much dog food will be needed for two weeks on the road. Each of us will have different needs and different lists. Tools for minor repairs. Batteries. A good book or... dozen. You get it. Enjoy your individual Adventures... and be sure to post your Oliver in locations that only the gopher or humming birds may know where you camped. Caveat: WEIGHT is not your friend when towing. Do not overload your Oliver or your tow vehicle. Your two vehicle will have its limitations posted on the doors side wall. Tire pressure is important. Avoid too much JUNK. Paper plates can be disposed and light. Plastic cups, versus glass that can break. Just... THINK Boondocking and you will do, just... fine.

Highway 20 goes through the southern edge of Fort Robinson. Traffic? There are more people shopping at your local WalMart daily, than vehicles driving through the Fort in a month! An Indian Pow Wow is held every year which brings many Sioux and Cheyenne to the west of the Fort. Could get the kids a bit concerned, as these are real Indians but there for the celebrations. Fort Laramie, Wyoming is another Indian Fort from the 19th Century with ruins. Laramie, Wyoming has what is left of Fort Saunders on the south side of town. Homes are built around the ruins. The fort's dump is on the east side of the road and in the 1970's you could find 1860's pottery ink bowls and bottles! If you like crowds and the main street of tourist vendor's... this is not for you. Wide open country where the climate can change every 24 hours. July is the hottest. Before and afterwards... your guess of climate changes quickly when traveling above 4,500 feet elevation. Follow the Oregon Trail through Wyoming. Open camping on BLM are to be found everywhere. The Oregon, Mormon, Pony Express is marked with easy to find monuments. "You are not only playing Frontiersman... You ARE living it!"

While viewing the Airforum website for Airstream Trailer owners, an interesting advertisement was among the mix. Oliver Trailers! Airstream owners and Trailer shoppers may find Oliver 23 and 25 foot trailers an excellent all around trailer. I have yet to physically look at an Oliver II 25 foot trailer over, but some of the interior photographs I have seen give the brand... a BIG plus in my opinion. The 'price point' is very competitive for an Oliver Trailer. The interest of Oliver Trailers is breaking out of the Special Group of Owners and into the general trailer market. The lengths are at the top of the 'bell curve' of most trailer owner's preference. Not too small. Not too big. Just... right. The width at 7 feet makes the Oliver an optimum Boondocking trailer, ON or OFF the Grid. The Airstream 23 foot is 8 feet wide and the 25 foot is 8 feet six inches wide. Fiber glass shell and insulation, just may, beat the aluminum shell with insulation to maintain a comfortable interior during cold, cool, warm and hot weather. Fewer leaks of the outer shell. Less expensive to repair fiber glass. White fiber glass reflects heat. No rivets in one of the two brands. Yes. I own an Airstream. It is a fine trailer. It holds its value over time. Oliver... is RARE... but getting attention of those who know trailers. Will the 'Big Trailer Manufacturers' focus on the Oliver as a coming... menace to their business? Be proud of your Oliver Trailer. I look forward of the day to Boondock Dry Camping with an Oliver for a great conversation and time Off the Grid. Be well, fellow trailer owners, and expect Oliver Trailers to BEAT the competition as to quality, meeting the highest standards. Competition may make produce more inventory, but quality is sacrificed. Quality is the best advertising a trailer manufacturer needs to be recognized as Number One in the Industry. It speaks louder to everyone looking for something... new, innovative, practical and affordable. A seven foot wide Oliver would make any narrow road cut... look, rather easy.