“Mouse” has gone away with a happy new owner.

[John E Davies]

It was quite painful to sell, but this was the correct move at this stage in my life. For privacy I won’t say who bought it, but he is a member and if he wants to announce it, that will be on his dime.

I emptied out the RV bay for the first time in six years, washed the floor using a push broom and Dawn detergent, and lots of water, and moved my LC200 over to that spot. I now have a vast area to park a vehicle or do workshop type projects, and my wife now has a big corner dedicated to gardening, with two big workbenches, power, light and pegboard. A happy wife is a happy me… Plus I have even more room for my indoor 10 meter airgun range.

We will continue to travel and explore the back country at times, but we will stay primarily in motels or B&Bs. But if we encounter a splendid isolated pull-off overlooking a great vista, we can pop the Maggiolina Grand Tour 360 Carbon and rough it for a few nights. It takes about a minute to crank up, and three minutes to put back down. It is pretty darn crude compared to an Ollie, but it is a simply stunning tent.

I was really afraid that there would be a big mpg hit from the tent, like with the Yakima RocketBox Carbonite Low, but I was delighted to discover that I got 16 mpgs going to the dealer with bare round bars, and 17 coming back, and no noise at all at 72 mph. That is good mileage for a Land Cruiser with LT tires, they are gas hogs. It’s way better than the 10-12 I got towing “Mouse” at 62 mph. I may install wimpy  Geolander AT G015 tires after our next big trip, they will save 52 (!) pounds of rotating mass and I expect to gain another couple of mpgs. They are great “tweener” tires for an Outback, RAV4 or LC200 that isn’t doing lots of rocky stuff. I have had two sets already on other vehicles and I am impressed.

We plan to attend the Total Solar Eclipse rally in Fredericksburg next April, but we will be forced to sleep in the ground due to stupid CG rules. If anyone wants a dirt cheap big heavy Eureka! tent and fly in fine condition, come by and talk to me on Tuesday morning after the crowds have departed. After the eclipse, we will head home via the Utah parks and hopefully spend a few nights on the delightful White Rim Road in Canyonlands NP. 

I will continue to hang out here on the forum, but my posting will be dramatically reduced. The members here feel very much like family, I can’t just go away.

John Davies

Spokane WA
 

 

[MAX Burner]

13 minutes ago, John E Davies said:

I can’t just go away.

PLEASE!  Do not do that, JD....

See you at the eclipse!

[Shawna and Scott]

Congrats on your sale, I sure it must have been tough. 

I hope you have stay on the forums, your advice and mods instructions has helped many of us save a lot of frustrating hours.

I mentioned to someone interested in Olivers the other day that is feels like a real big family!! 

[SeaDawg]

Congratulations to you, and the new owner. They got a phenomenal trailer.

Just a thought. We've airbnb'd it, and cabin camped,  around Europe , Scandinavia,  and South America, and some places in US and Canada. Just a thought.   It will be different,  but, hey, you don't  have to maintain the airbnb's. (I will admit to fixing minor things, like dripping faucets and loose toilet seats in some.. lol.) Maybe time to explore other venues.

Enjoy the next chapter, and the freedom afforded by your wife's retirement.  I know neither of you will be just "sitting around."  (Your tent is amazing.)

I'm very glad you plan to hang around, even if on a limited basis.. Your posts have helped so many people.... more than you'll ever know.

 

 

[SeaDawg]

40 minutes ago, John E Davies said:

The members here feel very much like family, I can’t just go away.

We feel the same way about you.

[Mike and Carol]

Congrats on the sale!  Best of luck with your future travels, please keep us up to date here….  Mike

[Tom and Doreen]

Best wishes, John, enjoy your future adventures!!  Thank you for all you've done for this forum and we look forward to hearing from you again! 

[Katjo]

Congrats on your sale!  Enjoy and best wishes on  all your future endeavors.

[ScubaRx]

John, I'm glad you sold your trailer and I hope that your future plans work out. It's good to know you plan to hang out here and help to answer technical questions. 

Hasta la vista!

[Frank C]

Congratulations on the sale, and best wishes on your future camping plans with the new rooftop tent setup.  That looks pretty cool.   Glad you’ll be sticking around on the forum. 

[MnM]

Congrats on the sale.  You’ve been HUGE resource here and I’m glad you will continue to look at the messages.  See you at the Eclipse - believe we are just 2 spots down from you there.  

[bugeyedriver]

Don't go away.  You ARE family.

[John E Davies]

1 hour ago, MnM said:

Congrats on the sale.  You’ve been HUGE resource here and I’m glad you will continue to look at the messages.  See you at the Eclipse - believe we are just 2 spots down from you there.  

We sold our RV spot to MAX burner, because the management would not accept our new Autohome roof top tent in that spot. We will be in the big grassy tent area close by, in a Some Other Brand family sized ground tent. But we will be wandering around the entire area to meet and greet Ollies. My brother in law will be getting re-married on Saturday, April 6, all day at nearby Enchanted Rock. Otherwise we are free to wander.

John Davies

Spokane WA

[jd1923]

JD, I feel your pain from similar past loves! One of mine was a '59 Chrysler 300E that I purchased in 1994 and sold in 2010, after fully restoring her, both in appearance and rebuild of every mechanical system. We had a great club too, and this forum reminds me of it (so glad to be here)! We made many new friends over the 16 years, and twice a year we drove these old beauties, somewhere across country to get together, way too much car talk in hotel parking lots over beers.

We are new here, becoming Oliver owners on June 7th (Chris' birthday, what a surprise)! The first thing I noticed on this forum was the multitude of upgrade & maintenance posts, you had worked, with engineering precision, providing full detailed explanations. I have posted a few in my short time, which you have read and commented upon. I hope to post many more, since auto restoration and repair has been my hobby for 45 years. If I work very hard at this over the next 5+ years, posting every possible detail, it will add up to a drop in the bucket, as compared to your contributions here!

Yes, please visit your favorite forum, every now and then, and give us a hand! Best wishes to you and yours, in the next stages of your life. Chris and I are looking forward to meeting you and many other owners in Texas, next spring.

I'll end with a picture showing our first day, with smile on my birthday girl.
Thank you for your help, yes thank you very much. 

[AlbertNTerri]

12 hours ago, John E Davies said:

It was quite painful to sell, but this was the correct move at this stage in my life. For privacy I won’t say who bought it, but he is a member and if he wants to announce it, that will be on his dime.

I emptied out the RV bay for the first time in six years, washed the floor using a push broom and Dawn detergent, and lots of water, and moved my LC200 over to that spot. I now have a vast area to park a vehicle or do workshop type projects, and my wife now has a big corner dedicated to gardening, with two big workbenches, power, light and pegboard. A happy wife is a happy me… Plus I have even more room for my indoor 10 meter airgun range.

We will continue to travel and explore the back country at times, but we will stay primarily in motels or B&Bs. But if we encounter a splendid isolated pull-off overlooking a great vista, we can pop the Maggiolina Grand Tour 360 Carbon and rough it for a few nights. It takes about a minute to crank up, and three minutes to put back down. It is pretty darn crude compared to an Ollie, but it is a simply stunning tent.

I was really afraid that there would be a big mpg hit from the tent, like with the Yakima RocketBox Carbonite Low, but I was delighted to discover that I got 16 mpgs going to the dealer with bare round bars, and 17 coming back, and no noise at all at 72 mph. That is good mileage for a Land Cruiser with LT tires, they are gas hogs. It’s way better than the 10-12 I got towing “Mouse” at 62 mph. I may install wimpy  Geolander AT G015 tires after our next big trip, they will save 52 (!) pounds of rotating mass and I expect to gain another couple of mpgs. They are great “tweener” tires for an Outback, RAV4 or LC200 that isn’t doing lots of rocky stuff. I have had two sets already on other vehicles and I am impressed.

We plan to attend the Total Solar Eclipse rally in Fredericksburg next April, but we will be forced to sleep in the ground due to stupid CG rules. If anyone wants a dirt cheap big heavy Eureka! tent and fly in fine condition, come by and talk to me on Tuesday morning after the crowds have departed. After the eclipse, we will head home via the Utah parks and hopefully spend a few nights on the delightful White Rim Road in Canyonlands NP. 

I will continue to hang out here on the forum, but my posting will be dramatically reduced. The members here feel very much like family, I can’t just go away.

John Davies

Spokane WA
 

 

Thanks John for all your input and help. Good luck on all your future endeavors, hope to see you on the road sometime. 

albert & terri

[Allen Lee Rohner]

John,   Thank you for all your helpful Post,    I enjoy reading your articles.   Wish you the best!  Allen

[Trailblazers]

Congratulations John on your sale of your Oliver and starting another chapter of your life. You will be missed on this forum. I have enjoyed reading about your posts, you have been such a great resource   They have helped me solve many issues and given me several new ideas. Best of luck in your future adventures!

[Bob and Elizabeth]

John, thanks for all of your input on the forum. Hope you will continue to be present here. See you in Fredericksburg in April. Wishing you the best on your new adventures.

[Boudicca908]

John, congrats on the sale and I wish you the best in your new adventures. I've certainly appreciated your many informed posts, and I'm just getting started with using and understanding my Oliver and the systems. I do hope you will stay involved, as much as you desire -- and want to thank you for all you've done to help us here. Toni 

[Hokieman]

John,  Many thanks for your contributions  & common sense mods to make the best trailer even better.   I am grateful you spent countless hours documenting your mods, your tech library will be a valued knowledge base for Oliver owners for many years to come.

[johnwen]

Thanks, John, for all your help and hard work on your library of wonderful illustrations that helped me tremendously!  Wishing you the very best 

[gatorewc]

Thanks for all your articles and advice.  Always bringing up questions we all think but do not ask and then providing some answers to make us all think..  Enjoy your new adventures!