View Full Version : USA Today Article
I admit my initial reaction was, well not that many PO are affected, and many can be replaced by other resupply methods, particularly the one in Fontana. There will probably be plenty of local business that can pick up the slack for holding packages, even if they have to charge a bit.
I was pretty shocked however, by all the extremely negative comments from readers in reference to hiking in general. Guess LW isn't alone in his disdain for Thru-hikers. At least he has some idea of what he's talking about.
http://travel.usatoday.com/news/story/2011/07/Post-office-closings-threaten-Appalachian-Trail-hikers/49719560/1 (http://travel.usatoday.com/news/story/2011/07/Post-office-closings-threaten-Appalachian-Trail-hikers/49719560/1)
Lone Wolf
07-30-2011, 07:24
wow. buncha weenie whiners. i never had a food drop at a post office in 5+ thru-hikes. POs aren't important to a hike
I loved the comment about having to hike all the way from Stratton to Monson without a resupply. That is what pretty much everyone did a decade ago. It seems like there is some rule now that you can't walk more than 40-50 miles without resupply or you'll die.
It may be an inconvenience. But then, they don't have to hike half a day almost over top of Mt. Whitney, then hitch into Lone Pine the way PCT'ers do after already carrying a week's worth of food, only to pick up another week's worth.
wcgornto
07-30-2011, 11:36
I used a mix of PO mail drops, Hostel mail drops and local purchase. With fewer POs along the way, the mix of the other two wold simply increase. It's not rocket science and there's no need to whine like those interviewed in the article. Deal with it or stay home.
I used a mix of PO mail drops, Hostel mail drops and local purchase. With fewer POs along the way, the mix of the other two wold simply increase. It's not rocket science and there's no need to whine like those interviewed in the article. Deal with it or stay home.
Well, hikers will certainly deal with it. I doubt if many will stay home. There's no resupply store in Caratunk. There used to be, but it closed. Perhaps because many hikers didn't shop there, they relied on the post office. Clark Canfield, who used to work at the same newspaper in Maine that I did, was just reporting a fact. The negative comments, mostly reflect the massive negative mood that has infected political rhetoric these days. I haven't found many people quite so down on hiking as the USA Today reader comments.
Norseamerican
10-03-2011, 11:06
As for the readers of USA Today, Ignorance.
I am not one who would use a post office drop. I prefer to use/help the local businesses, as I am using their area for my enjoyment. Whats an extra few miles or a day in resupply? Any time I vacation, I want to eat where the local folk eat, not in some hotel or chain. Is all about the experience. I am sure when some PO's close, there will be some enterprising folk who take in the slack, like maybe private places charging a few bucks to hold mail, etc.
rjhouser
10-03-2011, 12:01
"The purpose of the USPS is NOT to provide private mails service for a bunch of unemployed tree huggers that have nothing better to do than walk around"
"are these people "career hikers" who do this year-round, do they have jobs, taking a sabatical to find themselves, or just drop-outs who can't cut it in the real world?"
"GET A JOB HIKER THAT'S WHAT THE REST OF US ARE DOING WHILE YOU'RE WALKING AROUND IN THE WOODS"
"These hikers can find another way to handle their lollygagging and joyseeking without doing it on the backs of the taxpayers!"
"Well, we can't let those hippie hikers/Obama voters be affected by post office closures, now can we"
wow
Ladytrekker
10-03-2011, 12:55
Don't be offended 10 to 1 they are couch potatoes and don't know what we know that there is a world to be discovered nature to be enjoyed life long friendships to make and fitness of the body mind and soul just look at them as pathetic and uneducated thats what I do and the less of them hiking the more my wilderness is preserved I like having secrets.
Rain Man
10-03-2011, 13:02
Yep. Vitriol and lies and "me, me, me!" instead of reason and truth and empathy seem to be the order of the day on poorly moderated boards.
Rain Man
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Gray Blazer
10-03-2011, 13:17
Bears, dogs not on leashes, crowded shelters, gun toters ... and now closing PO's. What else is threatening thrubees?
Whats next? PETA protests at shelters proclaiming "Save the Mice!" or a trail town tax on AYCE establishments perhaps?
The end is surely near........
Interesting article. I was wondering about hikers and the closing of PO branches. And even though the comments are a bit anti-hiker, they make a good point that we don't actually NEED the post office to do a hike, it's just REALLY convenient.
lush242000
10-04-2011, 07:14
Up to this point nothing has changed. It is like military base closings. They put together a list and then it goes through a committee in the house to see which ones will be axed. It really comes down to the members of the house on that committee. If you want to do something to keep specific post offices open that are on the list, I would start calling and writing to the member that district and those on the committee.
Gray Blazer
10-04-2011, 07:57
I would start calling and writing to the member that district and those on the committee.
Where's Gov. Sanford when you need him?
Where's Gov. Sanford when you need him? As a South Carolinian I wish people would stop giving Sanford a hard time. The news reported he was "hiking the Appalacian Trail" only because he was using a Verizon phone and no one could understand him. What he really said was "I'm liking this Argentenian tail!"