Graphics finally complete

[Mattnan]

We finally installed our grapics today on hull 537 "Beacon"

It was too cold to install them in Maine after we returned from picking the Ollie up in late October. It was warm enough today in the Florida Keys.  We have been on the road since February 3rd and will end this year's trip at the Oliver rally. My wife took the pictures and the graphics/vinyl were done by Banana Banners of Bowdionham, Maine. (Thanks for the referral Mainiac)  The photos are of the Pemaquid Lighthouse just 3 miles from home.  See you at the Rally.

Edited February 28, 2020 by Mattnan
Typos

[Mike and Carol]

Nice job on the graphics!  It’s an Oliver but it’s YOUR Oliver!  Mike

[topgun2]

Yes - and nice Oliver tumbler on the table too.

Bill

[Overland]

Looks fantastic

[Mainiac]

Well done! Beacon looks great all dressed up. I'll tell Robin how nice it looks basking in the Key West sun.

Brought ours home from 'Call of the Wild' just as mud season started, and then had to put the snowplow back on for a potential 8".  Enjoy the "cool" weather in Keys and think of us you left behind.

[jo79RI]

Looks great! How do y like it so far?

[Patriot]

Nice work! 

[Mattnan]

Thanks all for the nice feedback.  We are having a great time.  The Ollie is working out great for us.  We like that we can personalize it.  We have lots of Nancy's photos mounted on canvas inside, and the Lagun table modification.  You really can make the Oliver your own.

We leave the FL Keys tomorrow for a State Park in Naples.  We have received a number of inquiries and compliments on the Ollie along our journey so far.  Lots of curious folks and they all seem to like the Olliver.  The Ollie and our dog Marley are great conversation starters and have helped us meet lots of nice folks.

We are learning some lessons as first time RVers, like how difficult it is to get in any park in Florida in the winter.  The Keys have been split between 2 RV resorts.  The first was small with just 35 spaces.  The current park is huge with a couple hundred spots and even a restaurant.  Folks have been nice and helpful.  Nancy, Marley (our dog) and I are enjoying it.  So far Charleston, Savannah, and the Keys have been great and we have been in nice parks, some state parks some private.  4 of the 5 at the beach.  We have a free beach boondocking site coming up in Louisiana.

Bob (Mainiac), We think of you guys all the time and are appreciative of the help you provided.  Seems like a somewhat mild winter turned for the worse right after we left.  Keep shoveling and stay warm. Hope you plow out your Ollie, perhaps we can meet up!

After Naples we head up the gulf coast across the Florida panhandle, spending most of our stops along the beach and bays.  Then to Gulfport, MS and on to New Orleans, and Natchez, MS.  We will drive the Nachez Trace Parkway to Nashville and conclude our trip at the Oliver Rally before heading home for a great Summer in Maine with boating  (camping at sea) and Lobsters!!! 

It has been, and looks to be a great year!

[jo79RI]

Looks great!

[gatorewc]

Very cool picture!  WE love Maine!

 

[Mainiac]

54 degrees today. So mud season has started with a vengeance. Road to the Oliver is hard and we have started to prepare. We haven't decided if we will go south along the east or a western route. We do like the "Trace", and will probably find Seminole State Park again near Bainbridge, Ga.. With the tornados we will try to stay well North of I10. We like the roads less traveled...

[GraniteStaters]

I love your graphics. Banana Banners did ours as well, thanks to Bob Hunt. They need to give him a commission every time he sends an Oliver owner to them! We picked up in September and just left NH in mid February. The Trace and the rally are in our plans so hope to see you.  Paula

[Mattnan]

Hi Bob. We are at Collier Seminole Park in Naples. A guy from the Mooshead region stopped by and was chatting with me.  He volunteers here. He mentioned another Oliver that was in this park last year from Maine it sure sounded like he was describing you.  Hope all is well.  

Granite Staters, we look forward to running into you.  We lived in Exeter for 20 years and 2 years ago moved back to Maine.  We liked Exeter a ton.  

Edited March 5, 2020 by Mattnan
Add info

[Mainiac]

It probably was us at Collier Seminole. We had a couple of chats with the gentleman (Greenville area maybe?). It was a Florida area we had not been to. If you like fine shotguns, there is a place in Naples called Cole Gunsmithing. The show room is filled with almost museum quality hardware. The shop is run and owned by Maine folks. 

We just picked up a log book to start recording when, where, and conditions of where we stop. Sometimes we can remember we stayed at a nice place for a night or two, just don't remember name, date, or even where it was. Some of those COE places we need to spend more time at, and on purpose. And they honor the " National Parks "old geezers" pass. We have heard about those free beach camping sites in LA., and are amongst our travel maybes.

Mud season is in full swing. Mosquitoes can't be far behind. Almost lobster time, Whoppie Pies, and Moxie...

[jrle546]

Mainiac and Mattnan I am looking to get a map that I have scanned and made into a decal for the front of ours.  Hull 546 Robin's Nest.  The map is a commissioned piece of art that i got it is about 28 inches high and about 18 inches wide.  Any help for us fellow Mainers would be greatly appreciated. 

[Mainiac]

You have already made into a decal? If not I am sure Bannana Banners (her name is Robin) could put it on a quality piece of vinyl. Is the Robin's Nest home based in Maine? What type of help might you need?

[Trainman]

All sign shops are not equal, that is some charge a higher amount for what they do, I got this designed and made for $50.00, plus two smaller ones for $5.00 each, plus when I picked them up they gave me 2 extra free small ones, total of five for $65.00 including sales tax. I did do a rough drawing on the computer of what I wanted on Paint Brush takes a little wile to get to know how to use it and then it's not great. I installed them myself, I can install decals, I've done may over the years.  PS, I do like the Beacon decals, every trailer should have that personal touch, easier to find who is who in the camping grounds. I feel like I know you already. 

trainman

Edited July 23, 2020 by Trainman

[Mattnan]

JRLE546.  You must have picked up your Ollie shortly after we picked up ours #537 in October.

We would not be able to add to what  Mainiac  (Bob) provided.  Banana Banners made our vinyl graphics from Nancy's photos.  Banana  Banners was very good to work with.  Mainiac referred them to us.

[Ray and Susan Huff]

On 3/3/2020 at 12:22 PM, Mainiac said:

54 degrees today. So mud season has started with a vengeance. Road to the Oliver is hard and we have started to prepare. We haven't decided if we will go south along the east or a western route. We do like the "Trace", and will probably find Seminole State Park again near Bainbridge, Ga.. With the tornados we will try to stay well North of I10. We like the roads less traveled...

So, tell me about tornados . . . . . we will be picking up our Oliver next year, the first part of February.  Traveling from the Pacific Northwest.  The plan is to take I-40 on the way East, going either through Reno/Las Vegas (weather permitting) or S. California (prefer not to make the boring drive down I-5 if at all possible).  We aren't worried about the passes on the trip to Tennessee since we will be driving an F-350 4WD.  The route home from Tennessee, towing our Oliver, is still in question.  Mom and I drove from Oregon to Memphis years ago, the first part of March, straight across country via I-40.  I recall only hitting one delay, I think at Albuquerque or maybe Amarillo (snow or wind).   We definitely want to stay North of I-10, to avoid Dallas-Ft. Worth.  Maybe I-20??? At any rate, we can take our time and take shelter in our new Oliver, if necessary.

Would appreciate advice from anyone who has traveled from Hohenwald westward, especially towing.  I know weather can be very unpredictable but we hope to pass through the mid-west before tornados become active.  Also advice from those who have towed an Oliver with snow chains.  My husband is a retired truck driver, but only drove the West coast Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and California.  Last year we made two road trips - one to Nevada, Arizona, Utah and Idaho.  the other Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado, Idaho and Eastern Washington.

We, too, like the road less traveled and prefer staying off Interstates, when appropriate.  We are looking forward to the adventure of driving cross country to take delivery of our 2021 Oliver Elite II!  

[Ray and Susan Huff]

On 3/5/2020 at 5:14 AM, Mainiac said:

It probably was us at Collier Seminole. We had a couple of chats with the gentleman (Greenville area maybe?). It was a Florida area we had not been to. If you like fine shotguns, there is a place in Naples called Cole Gunsmithing. The show room is filled with almost museum quality hardware. The shop is run and owned by Maine folks. 

We just picked up a log book to start recording when, where, and conditions of where we stop. Sometimes we can remember we stayed at a nice place for a night or two, just don't remember name, date, or even where it was. Some of those COE places we need to spend more time at, and on purpose. And they honor the " National Parks "old geezers" pass. We have heard about those free beach camping sites in LA., and are amongst our travel maybes.

Mud season is in full swing. Mosquitoes can't be far behind. Almost lobster time, Whoppie Pies, and Moxie...

To help us remember where we stayed, I keep a photo journal - a picture each place we stay and sights along the way.  The great thing about digital photography is that each picture you take is labeled with time & date.  My husband thinks it's weird, but I also take pictures of road signs.  This helps connect the dots after we return home and want to recall where we've been.  

[ScubaRx]

On 7/28/2020 at 11:16 PM, Susan Huff said:

So, tell me about tornados . . . . . we will be picking up our Oliver next year, the first part of February.  Traveling from the Pacific Northwest.  The plan is to take I-40 on the way East, going either through Reno/Las Vegas (weather permitting) or S. California (prefer not to make the boring drive down I-5 if at all possible).  We aren't worried about the passes on the trip to Tennessee since we will be driving an F-350 4WD.  The route home from Tennessee, towing our Oliver, is still in question.  Mom and I drove from Oregon to Memphis years ago, the first part of March, straight across country via I-40.  I recall only hitting one delay, I think at Albuquerque or maybe Amarillo (snow or wind).   We definitely want to stay North of I-10, to avoid Dallas-Ft. Worth.  Maybe I-20??? At any rate, we can take our time and take shelter in our new Oliver, if necessary.

Would appreciate advice from anyone who has traveled from Hohenwald westward, especially towing.  I know weather can be very unpredictable but we hope to pass through the mid-west before tornados become active.  Also advice from those who have towed an Oliver with snow chains.  My husband is a retired truck driver, but only drove the West coast Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and California.  Last year we made two road trips - one to Nevada, Arizona, Utah and Idaho.  the other Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado, Idaho and Eastern Washington.

We, too, like the road less traveled and prefer staying off Interstates, when appropriate.  We are looking forward to the adventure of driving cross country to take delivery of our 2021 Oliver Elite II!  

You’re more likely to be hit by a tornado in the deep South during December, January or February — meteorological winter — than in June, July or August. But they are few and far between. We've encountered them several times in Arkansas but its usually been in March or April. Any traveling on I-40 in the Western US in January runs a risk of running into ice or snow. It is (somewhat) dependent on altitude. We've made the trip westward many times in January and February while traveling to Quartzsite. We've hit ice once as far south as San Antonio. We've taken I-20 several times and, as  it runs well below Dallas/Fort Worth, and we never had any problems.

I've never used (or even seen) snow chains. I read somewhere years ago in a forum that they were not generally recommended for travel trailers, anyone with experience feel free to correct me.

[SeaDawg]

April and May tornadoes in the Midwest are something to consider. February? Not so much. Ice storms, maybe. At least, where I grew up, in upper Midwest. 

You can check the likelihood online.

As a kid, I was in a couple big tornadoes in Northern Midwest.  A bunch of smaller ones. As an adult,, ran ahead of a few, listening to the radio , and knowing where you are (county) is a good thing, if traveling in the midwest spring/early summer. Also, looking ahead and behind in the mirrors. Just in case.

Today, you will likely get alerts on your phone. If you're in town, you'll hear the sirens.

We didn't have that as as kids.  We listened to the birds, and watched the sky. 

 

 

[Ray and Susan Huff]

10 minutes ago, SeaDawg said:

April and May tornadoes in the Midwest are something to consider. February? Not so much. Ice storms, maybe. At least, where I grew up, in upper Midwest. 

You can check the likelihood online.

As a kid, I was in a couple big tornadoes in Northern Midwest.  A bunch of smaller ones. As an adult,, ran ahead of a few, listening to the radio , and knowing where you are (county) is a good thing, if traveling in the midwest spring/early summer. Also, looking ahead and behind in the mirrors. Just in case.

Today, you will likely get alerts on your phone. If you're in town, you'll hear the sirens.

We didn't have that as as kids.  We listened to the birds, and watched the sky. 

 

 

I feel relatively secure as far as Tornatos, in early Feb; ice storms, we can wait out since we won't be in a hurry to get home.

Our delivery window at the time we secured a build slot was December on.  We still think Feb is better than December or January, as far as weather goes.  Hope my hunch is right.

[jrle546]

Thanks to all.  So the problem was i needed to scan a larger then normal piece.  Every shop i contacted could not do it.  Fedex office store could.  Once it was scan getting a shop to make it vinyl wasn't hard.   Below is the finished product.  Hull 546 Robin's Nest is complete.  Mattnan yes we must have been right behind you.  We got ours on 11-5-19.   Again thank you all for the help and the oliver community is great you all rock.

Edited August 4, 2020 by jrle546