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squirrel bait
02-03-2004, 13:31
Ya all said the only stupid question was one unasked, here goes. It seems alot of the resupply points are 3-4 days apart. Can you increase time/distance by carrying 5-7 days worth of food? Less resupply shopping, getting into/outof town, etc..... What are some of the ways to stay on the trail more and increase time/distance? No yellowblazing or skipping but some others maybe? Am I missing something obvious? :bse thank you

rickb
02-03-2004, 13:47
"Can you increase time/distance by carrying 5-7 days worth of food? Less resupply shopping, getting into/outof town, etc..... "

Of course.

Everything is a trade off. FWIW, I think the norm used to be for one to carry that much or more food between resupply points, in years gone by. Twenty years ago, my typical maildrop contained 10+ days worth of food, and I don't think my choice was that uncommon.

There was a cost for taking that approach, but also a benefit. If I were to hike again, I would probably set things up so I could figure out how many days was "best" while out there on the Trail. Of all the reasons put forth for not locking yourself into a mail-drop schedule, having that kind of flexibility woudl be near the top of my list.

Rick B

Doc
02-03-2004, 13:48
Sure you can go 5-7 days or longer without resupply, but why would you want to. Maybe because I'm an older hiker, but I look forward to coming in off the trail, even if its only to pull into a small trail-side store and get a cold soda and whatever else is available. I'm also very aware of my pack weight and if I can get away with only carrying 3-4 days worth of food, why would I elect to carry more. Fresh foods also take on renewed importance as well as being able to eat something that doesn't lend itself well to hiking or no refrigeration. I do carry somethings that will last me until my next maildrop such as dried cranberries-can you tell I'm from New England.

Doc

hungryhowie
02-03-2004, 14:50
Ya all said the only stupid question was one unasked, here goes. It seems alot of the resupply points are 3-4 days apart. Can you increase time/distance by carrying 5-7 days worth of food? Less resupply shopping, getting into/outof town, etc..... What are some of the ways to stay on the trail more and increase time/distance? No yellowblazing or skipping but some others maybe? Am I missing something obvious? :bse thank you

Absolutely.

On the AT, there are so many resupply options, that you can do anything you want to. I have my list of the most convenient or best liked, but I don't like to get off of the trail as much as many. for me, 6 days is perfect. 5 or 7 days are fine, and anything outside of that gets laborious (either because I have to go into town, or because I have to carry that much food).

I don't do this to cover more distance, but it certainly applies if you want to cover more distance (especially if you're smart with your food weight). Other things that help with increasing distance are to not sleep in shelters. This will benefit you in several ways. Of course, you won't be limited to where you can sleep, you won't feel "obligated" to stay somehwere if you have another couple of hiking hours, and you won't be as likely to get attached to a group that will "make" you go into more towns and socialize. Hammocking is probably the best route for saving time. Using snake skins, you should be able to set up and take down your hammock in about 5 minutes (from when you decide to do it until your inside/hiking. You don't have to look for a flat spot, so 95% of the AT is your personal campground. When you wake up the first time, get up, don't roll back over. If you get hungry in the afternoons, stop and cook your dinner then. This way you will be fueled for the last few hours of daylight and you can keep on walking. Suplement in camp with cold food. Chose towns that are close/on the trail for resupply or that have established ways to get to/from quickly. Use maildrops at Inns that are on the trail rather that at POs that are off of the trail. Take fewer breaks and walk at a steady pace. Get a hydration system so you don't have to stop to drink. Use chemicals or an inline filter to get your water so you don't have to sit there and pump it. Eat whenever you can while walking.

It starts getting pretty insignificant after a while, but like weight, seconds add up too. I, for one, don't adhere to much of that at all. If there's somewhere I want to get (like a beautiful bald, for example) I hike constantly until I get there (unless I get sidetracked) and then relax until I'm ready to move on. Hiking is about enjoyment for me. So what ever you enjoy most, go for it.

-Howie

squirrel bait
02-03-2004, 15:36
Thanks ya all I guess they were a little obvious. :datz

Peaks
02-03-2004, 17:44
The obvious answer is yes. Make what ever decisions you want to about resupply. Some people prefer to resupply frequently. Others prefer to resupply less frequently. It's a trade off between pounds of food carried, and time off the AT.

One example, I originally planned to resupply in Glasgow VA. But, when I was in Troutville/Daleville, I decided to get a couple extra days worth of food and skip Glasgow. My choice, my hike. Another example: Many people go into North Woodstock for resupply. I carried through.

So, get the ALDHA Companion or Wingfoot's Handbook and figure out what your options are and what you want to do.

TJ aka Teej
02-03-2004, 18:19
So, get the ALDHA Companion or Wingfoot's Handbook and figure out what your options are and what you want to do.
Good advice, also check out what POG and Baltimore Jack have to say;

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/articlesresupply.php

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?p=95199&postcount=1