date estimate ?

[Puppy]

How close do you have to be on estimating your time of arrival on a post office mail drop ?

For example - I want to send one to Fontana Dam post office... but I am trying to pack it and have someone send it to me from home... are they real picky on the arrival date on the box ?

Thanks

Puppy

[Lone Wolf]

i've never put an ETA on a package sent to myself. they usually hold them for 30 days or more

[A-Train]

Putn an ETA of a couple days later than you think you'll be there. This will decrease the chances they decided to get rid of it (or send it back to you) and allows you flexibility in case you get hurt or get slowed down.

I wouldn't worry. Most PO's near the trail are used to annoying hikers and their packages, and will hold them for awhile. If your running really behind schedule, giving a call to them should fix the situation. I've always found POSTmasters to be helpful, and they'll forward your package (if sent priority) with over the phone confirmation. This will allow you to alter plans and skip that drop if you wish to continue on.

[Pedaling Fool]

Yeah, the trail town P.O.s receive so many packages I don't think they even look at the Est. Arr. Date, until it's been there a really long time and then probably doesn't matter. I would be more worried about your support sending the package too late so it won't be there when you get there.
I usually call and tell my support when to send the package, don't try and figure it all out now before you leave. It's not like a covert operation, no need for serious timing.

[Marta]

When I was passing through SOBO a couple of Postmistresses asked my opinion on what to do with boxes that had been there for ages. An ETA helps because the Postmistress can't tell whether the hiker mailed the box before they started the hike and still might come pick it up, or maybe they've quit and gone home, or maybe they passed through before the box arrived, or maybe the box was mailed by someone else and the hiker never went to that PO at all because they weren't expecting to get mail there. (That happened to me a couple of times.)

So, yeah, the POs are used to having lots of hiker boxes stacked around, but you can make their job easier by putting an ETA on the label.

It's better for your box to be a couple of weeks too early than one day too late.

[weary]

Things may have changed. But I was always several weeks behind schedule in 1993, and never had a problem.

My grandson against my advice had his Dad mail his watch to a Connecticut post office. It was several months before the post office gave up and sent the package back.

Weary

[Blissful]

We had a drop waiting for us at Cheshire, MA for a month when I had to get off the trail for an ankle injury. They said they would hold it forever practically. But it's good to call ahead to the PO if you know you are running more than 2 weeks late. For a pkg mailed to a hostel, motel etc., probably definitely need to call if running a week or more late.

[Footslogger]

How close do you have to be on estimating your time of arrival on a post office mail drop ?

For example - I want to send one to Fontana Dam post office... but I am trying to pack it and have someone send it to me from home... are they real picky on the arrival date on the box ?

Thanks

Puppy
=======================================

I asked that question of a postal clerk back in 2003. He said that the post offices along the AT will generally hold a box (in the pile with other General Delivery hiker boxes) until the "end" of the hiking season. After I hearing that I doubt I'd worry much about putting ETA's on my boxes.

'Slogger