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Oliver Owners living on the West Coast?


astrocaster

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It certainly seems like there is an active group of Oliver owners in the southern states, what with all those Unofficial Oliver Rallys, Jug Fishing Campouts, Matagord Madness, and others. I would love to hear that there are Oliver owners on the West Coast, too. Anyone in California, Oregon, Washington, or Nevada? Will you be attending the FGRV "2009 (7th Annual) Oregon Gathering" in Bandon, Oregon, July 16-19, 2009? Elizabeth and I will be there and look forward to meeting many others, especially Oliver owners.

 

Thanks,

Steve

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Steve.. I know there are Oliver owners on the west coast.. but perhaps they're just not active on the forums as much? We were technically west coast Oliver owners for the last 4 months, as we were in San Francisco.

 

We just pulled into Lake Havasu City, AZ (we can see CA out our window.. so does that count in your west coast definition?) to bugz' place. Apparently the Olivers are around here too, we'll try to seek them out today perhaps.

 

- Cherie

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Hi, Cherie,

Thanks for answering my post. I have been told by folks at Oliver that there are at least two other Oliver owners in California and one in Washington; and, of course, the Hewus family there in Arizona. I am sure that you are correct that most of them are just not active on the forums. We think it would be fun to meet other Oliver owners and see how they have customized their trailers, and we will take our opportunities when we can.

 

Steve

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Steve,

We don't get west of the Mississippi too often (even by plane), but we will be certain to send a pm your way if we wind up in your neighborhood. It's a shame that more of the western Oliver owners aren't active on the forum.

 

I see you've probably already discovered the calendar of "egg meets" on fiberglassrv.com. We had a really good time at RVerII last September, meeting some of our forum members for the first time, and also meeting many owners of Scamps, Burros, and Casitas.

 

Sherry

2008 Ram 1500 4 × 4

2008 Oliver Elite, Hull #12

Florida and Western North Carolina, or wherever the truck goes....

400 watts solar. DC compressor fridge. No inverter. 2 x 105 ah agm batteries .  Life is good.


        
 

 

 

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Hi Steve!

 

Chuck and I live in FL, but we will be spending 6 months, May to Oct, in Truth or Consequences NM as workampers at a hot springs spa there. If you are interested in seeing our Oliver and the additions Chuck has made, you are welcome to come visit! Just let us know! We are currently at Lake Greeson meeting other Oliver owners and we even have a Casita couple here! Catfishin' is slow but the conversations are lively! Good fun. Just wish it were warmer here........ wind is very chilling! I have updated the blog with photos from Lake Greeson, if you are interested!

 

We finally made it to Lake Greeson!

 

http://phunnyfarm.blogspot.com/

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Thank you, Sherry and Geri, for responding to what must seem like a plaintive plea from the hinterlands! Sherry, thanks for recommending fiberglassrv.com and "egg meets." In fact, Elizabeth and I have our reservations and are very much looking forward to the one in Oregon in July. It will be a big meet. We understand that one other couple with an Oliver plans to be there, and they are not active on the Oliver Forums. Please do pm us if you plan to be near here at any time, or even if you would like info on things to do or places to camp in this part of the country.

 

Geri, I have been following and enjoying your blog. Sorry to hear about the axle and the delay-- you don't want to keep those catfish waiting! Thanks for the invitation to stop by at your workamp hot springs if we are in the area while you are there.

 

Steve

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Hi Steve,

 

My wife, Geneva, and I will be traveling to California from Central Texas beginning in early July. I doubt we will get to the rally in Oregon later that month because we have already traveled that area, in 2007, and have not seen much in the remainder of Oregon or California.

 

Our only definite plan is to be in San Jose, California for the Senior Olympics during the period from August 7th through the 14th. Otherwise, our time is free and we will not have to be home at any specific time, but usually like to return by mid October.

 

If the opportunity to meet you materializes, we would enjoy doing so. If you wish, PM us sometime during this period and we will see how things work out.

 

We haven't stayed in our Oliver for more than a few days at a time and it remains to be seen how we adapt to such a small trailer after using a 30 foot 5th wheel for four years. We know it will be more convenient to tow and to find suitable camping accommodations, but are unsure how we will acclimate to such a small living space for an extended period of time. We have purchased a screen shelter so we can spend more time outside. Geneva is a real draw for mosquitoes and other biting insects.

 

We enjoy National Forest and other public campgrounds and are well prepared for dry camping for at least 3-4 days at a time, more if we can dump and get fresh water nearby. The lack of electricity is never a problem for us. Fresh water supply is the primary limiting factor for us. If you have any must sees or must do's while we are in California and nearby areas, please let us know.

 

Doug

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Hi, Doug,

 

Elizabeth and I would very much enjoy meeting you and Geneva out here sometime when you are in Northern California after the beginning of July. Our plans are not set for mid and late summer, other than the FGRV rally in Bandon, Oregon. We have lived here for 14 years and lived in Eugene, Oregon for 7 years before that. I would be very happy to suggest some special places to camp and things to see or do, beyond the obvious. We camp mostly in the National Forest campgrounds, in the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Mountains, usually on trout streams--I have been an avid fly fisher for many years. We also love Kings Canyon National Park and Lassen Volcanic National Park.

 

In most of the campgrounds we go to, you can expect to find fresh water spigots distributed throughout the campground, but not dedicated to any sites (they are shared, and hoses are not allowed to remain connected beyond a few minutes). Therefore, you can pull your trailer by one of the water spigots and fill up as you enter and then go on to your site with a full tank. In some national forest campgrounds, instead of piped water, there are pumps to bring up wonderful water from wells. In these cases, we have to use the Oliver's pump to move the water into the freshwater tank from a 5-gallon plastic water container, or other such conveyance. Most of these campgrounds do not have dump facilities (although some campgrounds in national parks do), so we have to make other plans for that. We try to limit the need for a black water dump by using the toilet facilities (usually pit toilets in national forests and flush toilets in national parks) of the campground during the day. I have seen some folks roll blue tanks down to the pit toilets to empty them.

 

I am sure that many on these forums can share their experiences of staying in their Olivers for more than a few days at a time. We like to spend most of the time out of doors when we camp in the mountains, so if we are going to be in a place for more than a couple of days, we set up an outdoor camp, including a pop-up canopy, a "camp kitchen" arrangement, and propane stove, and we eat most of our meals outside on the picnic table. In that way, the Oliver becomes a wonderful refuge from the weather and a great place to sleep.

 

Geneva may be encouraged to know that (in our experience, at least) the mosquitoes in the mountains here are only active for around an hour or so in the morning and about the same in the evening, and they are easily discouraged by DEET. Elizabeth had great trouble with mosquitoes when she lived in Wisconsin, but not nearly so much camping here.

 

If you give me some additional information, either through this thread on the forum or in a PM, regarding what you and Geneva like to do and see, I would be happy to tailor some specific recommendations. For example, if you like aquariums, the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey is not to be missed. Admission is a little steep, but it is worth it, if you allow the time. Elizabeth and I spent two whole days there a few years ago. In any case, as you suggest, I will PM you sometime after the summer begins to see how our respective plans are shaping up.

 

By the way, will you be observing, participating, or supporting someone participating in the Senior Olympics in San Jose?

 

Steve

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Steve, Geneva's younger sister's husband is running the 5K at the Senior Olympics. Geneva's older sister will come with them and we will all enjoy being together in the San Francisco area for about a week.

 

Geneva and I enjoy doing and seeing just about anything, but our budget is somewhat limited, so we try to avoid the large cities and the expensive restaurants and tourist attractions. We enjoy hiking, bird watching, playing cards (Geneva is a crackerjack bridge player), and I am a fly fisherman and an ultra light spin fisherman. I used to be the outings chairman for the Houston Fly Fishing Club. I sure wish we could get together and do some fishing.

 

We are in our late 60's and try to maximize the use of our seniors discount card for national campgrounds, like BLM campgrounds, Corps of Engineer campgrounds, National Forest campgrounds, and National Park campgrounds. I have never seen the National Parks in California (other than Death Valley), nor any of the National Forest, but very much want to do so. I love the coastal redwoods and can't see them too many times. I've never seen the Giant Sequoia's, nor have I seen Crater Lake NP in Oregon, but hope to do so.

 

It would be great if we could do some camping and fishing together before or after the Senior Olympics but before we leave the West Coast area. An ideal time, in order to have smaller crowds, might be after school starts, in late August to mid September. We would be open to any suggestions you may have. We don't like to rush ourselves, by trying to see too much in a short period of time. I like to camp in one place for a minimum of a few days and prefer to say longer if the area has interesting things to see and do. I don't like to be making and breaking camp all the time while I am RVing. I like to make time to relax and not be rushed. When we are towing, I like to be able to drive at about 50-55 MPH and not drive for more than four or five hours per day, unless we will end up at home that day.

 

If you think we might get together to do some fly fishing, I will bring my waders, my wading shoes, and a fly rod. Would a 9 foot, 6 weight, graphite rod be a good all around choice? I haven't fly fished in many years, but I would love to do so.

 

Thanks,

 

Doug

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Doug,

 

Ahh, fly fishing! Elizabeth and I have a favorite Forest Service campground on the McCloud River near Mt. Shasta that we plan to visit in mid-September. We could plan to meet you and Geneva there at that time and do some camping and fly fishing together. The McCloud is a beautiful small river (a "freestone creek" in fly-fishing terms) and where we go has several waterfalls within walking distance, connected by a good trail. The fishing is for rainbow trout, primarily, and there are brown trout and the occasional brook trout. Don't expect large fish: 6" to 12" is normal, but I have caught them as large as 18". The small fish are sometimes the McCloud River Redband trout, a native fish that is a primitive form of rainbow trout and the most beautiful type of fish I have ever caught. The fishing can be very "slow" or very good on any particular day, but it is always a beautiful river and always a "great day" when we are there. An alternate plan for getting there would be for you to come to our house for an overnight and then we could caravan up to the campground (it's about a 4.5 hour drive from our house at 55 mph, with one or two pit stops). It all depends on timing and where you will be coming from. In either case, the campground is very easy to find and to get to.

 

As far as fishing gear is concerned, I use waders, boots, and a wading staff most of the time. I use a 9-foot, 5-weight rod. Your 6-weight should work fine, too. We can discuss fly patterns and more details as we get closer to September, if this is something that you and Geneva want to do. I have about equal success with dries as with fishing nymphs with an indicator. Some folks like to use streamers, too.

 

There is much, much more that we can talk about regarding potential places for you to visit in Northern California and Oregon. It sounds like your approach to camping and RVing is about the same as ours. Why don't you give us a call. Our number is (916) 392-2172.

 

Steve

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Steve, that sounds great. We have never been to Sacramento and I'm sure there are some things to see and do there. We certainly could come by and visit with you at home and then go camping/fishing/sight seeing from there. However, it is probably too early to make any definite plans at this time. We may find ourselves in a location where it would be better to just meet you at the campground, but we would prefer to visit Sacramento and will try to plan our travels accordingly, so as to make that happen.

 

I have put your number in my cell phone and we will be in touch. I'll give you a call when we get back from Albuquerque in early May just to touch base. If we need to talk earlier than that, just let me know. I will have my computer with me on the Albuquerque trip and will be watching the Oliver forum from time to time.

 

This will be a good shake down trip for Geneva and I, helping to prepare us for the longer trip out West to your area of the country. We will be dry camping mostly on this trip in order to conserve money and test our systems (batteries, Xantrex battery charger, Honda generator, and solar panels, 12V water pump, propane water heating, etc.). However, our dry camping will be limited to about 4 consecutive days on this trip. When we take our trip out West, we may be dry camping for longer periods of time. I am still looking for a more convenient way to tilt our two 100 watt solar panels that are on top of our Oliver, but will likely not find it. I may end up taking our 8 foot step ladder with us on the trip out West in order to be able to tilt our solar panels.

 

Geneva and I look forward to meeting you and your wife and visiting with you.

 

Thanks,

 

Doug

 

PS: Fly fishing is fun even when you don't catch fish, so I won't be concerned with any lack of success we may experience. I'm pretty much a catch and release guy, but I have been known to keep a few and cook em. My neoprene waders have a pin hole leak as I recall, so maybe you will have a patch with you I can fix em with. Also, maybe you will have a spare reel with the appropriate line I can use. I haven't gotten any new line or leaders in over 20 years, so they may not work very well. I do have a suitable reel I will bring, but it will likely need to be restrung with new line.

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Doug,

Yes, there are a lot of things to see and do here in the Sacramento area. One of the most interesting is to explore California Gold Rush history. We also have an excellent railroad museum. Perhaps that may interest you and Geneva. Here is a link:

 

http://www.csrmf.org/default.asp

 

I hope that the shake-down trip for you and Geneva goes well. We have found that there is a great sense of freedom in dry camping. It is good that you have a generator, in addition to your solar panels. In most of the places that we camp in the mountains, the campsites are shaded much of the day, and it is difficult to get enough direct sunshine for the solar panels to provide more than a few amp hours over the course of a day, even though we have our 100 W panel on a cord and can move it around the campsite and adjust the angle of incidence to the sun.

 

I definitely agree with you that fly fishing is fun, even if you don't catch fish, especially when you are in a beautiful setting.

 

Since we will be conversing more regarding specific plans and arrangements, I will send you a PM to continue the discussion.

 

Steve

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  • 1 month later...

Better late than never with a response. We are Oliver owners and live in Crescent City, CA, which is on the border of Oregon along the coast. We feel in love with the Oliver after seeing them last year in Bandon, OR and by August had purchased one. Our trips have been limited to local campgrounds as we have too many pets to go far for very long. We are interested in taking our "Olie" to Bandon this year and look forward to meeting other Oliver owners. Not sure who to contact to make reservations. Am unfamiliar with just how this whole forum thing works but I'll work at it.

 

Pam

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Pam,

Thanks for speaking up. It's great to learn of more Oliver owners who live not too far from us. If you are interested in attending the rally in Bandon, Oregon in July, I suggest that you contact the organizers as soon as possible. It is at Bullard's Beach State Park. I think that all of the available campsites may be taken by now. However, some people cancel and arrange for their reservations to be taken over by others who are interested. The organizers have set up an internal process for this, which I believe is coordinated with the Oregon State Parks folks.

 

If you are not already a member of the Molded Fiberglass RV forums, I suggest that you go to those forums right away to find out more information. The forum main page is at:

 

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/

 

The specific forum for the rally in Bandon is at:

 

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/index.php?showforum=93

 

You should be able to get the information you need to attend and, hopefully, be able to get a site in the campground.

 

If you have any trouble negotiating the Molded Fiberglass RV Forums, please feel free to send me a private message on the Oliver Forums and I will help, if I can.

 

This will be the first rally that Elizabeth and I attend, so we are really looking forward to it.

 

Steve

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Steve,

 

Thanks for your response. You are right, the park is booked so I'll go to the Molded Fiberglass RV Forum and see if they can help us. Even if we don't get a spot at the park we plan on coming that way even if it is for the day. Allen and I look forward to meeting you and Elizabeth.

 

Pam

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Anyone in California, Oregon, Washington, or Nevada? Will you be attending the FGRV "2009 (7th Annual) Oregon Gathering" in Bandon, Oregon, July 16-19, 2009? Elizabeth and I will be there and look forward to meeting many others, especially Oliver owners.

 

Thanks,

Steve

 

Steve, I see Jerry & Shirley (2008 17' Oliver) will be in site B30 at Bullard's... not far from you.

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Thanks, 12ladyblue. Actually, Elizabeth and I will be in site B30 at Bullards, and it looks like Jerry and Shirley will be in B41, and Allen and Pam will be in A51. We should have a good time meeting each other and discussing our Olivers.

 

Steve

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  • 4 weeks later...

Just returned from the Fiberglass Rally at Bullard's Beach in Oregon. We were delighted to meet two other Oliver owners, Elizabeth & Steve and Shirley & Jerry. It was great meeting them and talking to them about their Oliver's. It is nice to see that the Oliver's dream of a quality trailer is making our dreams come true.

 

Pam and Allen

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