Mail drop schedule

[gravityman]

I only have a few experiences with the towns you listed, but I thought that I would weigh in.

Franklin PO is quite a ways from down town. You can hitch, but the map in wingfoot's book is VERY misleading as to how close it is. I had to carry three box back to the motel (new sleeping bag, food drop and bounce box) and I couldn't get a ride. It was most unpleasant. But the town of franklin is great! A good book shop on the main drag with tons of cats everywhere (we were missing our fur balls). However the hiking club in town has a phone list. I suggest when you arrange a shuttle back to the trail you try to arrange a stop at the PO. Oh, and it is a fairly difficult hitch in, even with my wife's hair down :)

That's about the only one that I don't like on the list. The rest that we went to were close and easy.

You're mail drop schedule is pretty similar to ours. In reality we used about 1/2 of the food in them up until we got off in WV. THe rest was bought in the grocery store.

Gravity Man

[Jack Tarlin]

A few quick thoughts:

1. Instead of Elk Park, I'd stay on the Trail a bit longer and send the drop to Kincora Hostel, which is .2 off the trail. You'll want to go there anyway.

2. Glasgow has more services than Big Island and the hitch is about the same.

3. Front Royal can be a tough hitch; you might want to send the drop to Linden, VA which is a 15 minute walk from the Trail.

4. Boiling Springs is very close to Duncannon; you might be able to do without a drop there.

5. Consider a drop at Caratunk, ME as there are few services there.

[azchipka]

Use Wallingford VT instead of Clarendon. Clarendon dosnt have much to offer if you deside you want to sleep in a bed or get a shower and there are also hardly any where to pick up real food. Wallingford has a great deli with the best grinders on the trail right next to the post office. There is a great breakfast spot "Moms Country Kicthen" and a dinner place on the corner of the only intersection in town. There is also a B&B where you can grab a bed and shower if you want. In addition White Rocks which is where the AT comes close to wallingford is a nice area.

Machester Vt is also a great spot to stop. Make a vist to the Northshire Bookstore in the center of town when you stop there, its a great place. Be careful of all the shopping in Machester it can get tempting.

Avery
[email protected]

[A-Train]

Pretty good list. Here are just some ideas:

I second the Franklin drop as possibly being a bad idea. It is a far hitch and i've heard services there are very spread out. Most folks were a bit sour coming out of there. Might suggest Rainbow Springs Campground, just 3 miles before the road to franklin and a mile off the Trail. The new friendly owners there accept maildrops and will give you a ride back to the trail, and you could stay the night there and rest.

I agree with Jack on the Kincorra idea. You definately wanna stop here, and Elk Park area rubs many folks the wrong way. Its not necessarily a hiker friendly spot all the time. Kincorra accepts packages.

I would suggest sending a drop to the motel in Rural Retreat/Atkins instead of the Troutdale one. Everything a hiker could need is right on the trail and will save you a hitch.

Definately send ur Harpers Ferry box to the ATC office rather than the Post Office. You'll have/need to stop there anyway.

Might wanna look into a Delware Water Gap drop instead of Wind Gap. DWG PO is practically on the Trail and most folks spend the night at the hostel anyway. Its only about 15 miles down the trail.

Instead of Clarendon or the mentioned Wallingford, I might suggest the Inn at Long Trail which is on Rt 4, just a mile off the AT, or you can even take a blue blaze right to the Inn. They accept drops and many hikers enjoy relaxing, eating, drinking or spending the night here. A buddy hitched into Clarendon this year and regretted it.

I might suggest N. Woodstock over Lincoln NH, just because NW is a more popular hiker town, though about the same distance from the Trail (at same road crossing). NW has a cheap hostel/motel and a good brew pub.

I might also include a small drop at Caratunk. You can resupply at Caratunk House B and B, however if you are picky about what you eat it might be wiser to get what you really want. The PO is .3 off the Trail at most. This is a cute little town.

Overall, very good list. Most of my suggestions were based on convenience. I suppose if you are really interested in hitching a lot, then go crazy and see lots of towns, but often times some folks just wish to do whatever takes the least time and the least hitches. There's no right way to do it. Enjoy!

[Jack Tarlin]

The solution is to NOT send your bounce box to every place on your list----first off, this is probably unnecessary as there are probably many places you won't need it; secondly, it'd be prohibitively expensive to do this as in many cases, a bounce box can start getting pretty bulky.

While it's nice to have special soaps, shampoos, town clothes, etc., most folks discover they don't need these things in EVERY town. Towns with major markets have all sorts of health-care items, and usually they have small-size inexpensive ones. I think you'll discover that there are very few folks who meet up with their bounce box in EVERY town or hostel.

Because of this, you can be selective where you send it; in many places, the P.O. is convenient and easy to get to, tho this isn't true everywhere. You're right---there are some hostels and B&B's that aren't anywhere near a P.O.; you probably want to avoid a bounce box at these locations. However, sending as many drops as you can to NON post-office addresses is generally a good idea, as it means you'll have easy access to your mail and parcels 7 days a week, and won't have to worry about arriving in a town when the Post Office is closed, or arriving on a holiday weekend (there are 3 of these in the course of most thru-hikes), etc.

[topheavy]

Many hostel owners might be willing to mail out a package for you (especially if you're staying.)

A-train: my understanding is that Caratunk House isn't running this year. Can anyone confirm this?

[tlbj6142]

I'm disabled and need my bounce box to get to my physical therapy equipment, no less than once a week, which is about what my mail drops work out to, anyway.Have you done long trips before (those that require re-supplies)? Seems like forwarding a bounce box forward every week, plus picking up food drops, could prove to be a logistical nightmare. A sprained ankel or bad ice storm that may require a 2-3 day layover could really throw a wrench into that tight of a schedule. Is your PT gear that bulky or heavy? Are there alternative means to accomplish the same PT with "simple" gear? Have you asked your docotor if he knows of other means to accomplish your PT?

[gravityman]

Many hostel owners might be willing to mail out a package for you (especially if you're staying.)

A-train: my understanding is that Caratunk House isn't running this year. Can anyone confirm this?

I would strongly recommend against having someone else mail your all-important bounce box. I picked perhaps the worst person in the world to do this (Uncle Johnie) and it took 4 months to get my tent back finally. Do it yourself if you want to be sure that it will show up at the next town.

It's won't be that bad logistically. If you have to do it, you have to do it. I'll just take you longer to hike than most people because of the extra days you might end up having to wait. But probably not that much longer (2 weeks?)

Gravity man

[Grass]

Hey everyone! I just wanted to ask- I have two mail drops that are suggested against on this thread. The first is to Elk Park and the second is to Front Royal. I appreciate the suggestions to send them elsewhere- but can you please post the addresses? Thank you!

[Jack Tarlin]

1. Instead of Elk Park, where the services are minimal, I suggest you stay on the Trail and re-supply at Kincora Hostel in Dennis Cove, which is .2 off the Trail. You can send food there, but you don't really have to as Bob Peoples who runs the hostel will shuttle you to a nearby supermarket where you can re-supply for the next stretch to Damascus.

2. Front Royal alternatives: You can get off the Trail before Front Royal at Compton Gap and resupply at nearby Terrapin Station Hostel; or, you can go into Front Royal, or, you can stay on the Trail for a few miles and re-supply in the town of Linden which is very close to the Trail.

More information on all of this can be found in the 2004 Thru-Hiker's Companion.

Addresses:

Kincora Hiking Hostel
1278 Dennis Cove Rd.
Hampton, TN. 37658
(423) 725-4409

Terrapin Station Hostel
304 Chester Gap Road
Chester Gap, VA 22623
540-539-0509
[email protected]

I know Kincora happily acepts maildrops and parcels; I assume Terrapin does also, but you might want to contact them first to be sure. I know they offer town shuttles.

[oyvay]

I agree with everyone else skip Elk Park, NC.

The Daleville, VA PO is about a mile from the trail with the food store, restaurants, motels all clustered together makes it a good stop. Although it's only two/three days from Catawba.

Between Port Clinton and Wind Gap there's Palmerton. I assume the police still let hikers stay there, it's not too far from the PO. It would probably be better than Wind Gap.

Delaware water gap is excellent. There's a church hostel, the PO is a block or two away and several people to call on for a shuttle to Stroudsburg for a larger food selection.

I don't know how good Stormville is, but the Bear Mtn. PO is less than a mile from the trail.

You didn't list Kent, CT, it's a great town for resupplying, hikers stay at the Mt algo shelter then go to town in the morning and leave in the afternoon. Everything (PO, supermarket, outfitters, laundry, beer, pizza) is well within walking distance. (Expense to stay in though.)

[Grass]

Thank you very very much!! Is everyone else just as excited as I am??!! : )

[Smooth03]

I haven't read most of the posts so I could be simply repeating something already mentioned.
I did 25 maildrops and for the msot part all went well. I do suggest that if the trail goes directly through the town, I.E. Dalton,MA, Hot Springs, Hanover, NH etc, that you put a maildrop there even if it is only for 3-4 days worth of food. A few times in New England I can remember loading up a pack with 6 days of food even though I was going to walk right by a post office in 3 days. Good luck.

[Twofiddy]

I personally think that all of those mail drops are a waste of time and money!!

I dont know what your disability is, so I cant personally judge your situation unless I knew more.

My advice would be to send your self four or five re-supply mail drops, to places like Fontanna Dam, Port Clinton, Caratunk, and or any hostel where you know that you are going to stay. In those mail drops only pack a limited amout of food items for re-supply that you will need to get you to the next place where you can goto a town, gas station, grocery store, or other re-supply location.

All those mail drops are going to create many delays for you with Saturday and off the wall post office hours. Then if you decide to skip ahead you have to either forward the parcels with COD postage or use priority mail from the start.

My recommendation is to send four or five re-supply drops to carefully selected places.

If you must have more, limit those other mail drops, to one small video box, that has meds, boot sealant, bug dope, camera film, and other minor consumeables. There is tooth paste, band aids, deoderant, shampoo, and all of that kind of stuff in at least every other hiker box.

Now about your disability, use a bounce box for that stuff, and send it ahead to where you are going to goto next from where you are now.

[Twofiddy]

I haven't read most of the posts so I could be simply repeating something already mentioned.
I did 25 maildrops and for the msot part all went well. I do suggest that if the trail goes directly through the town, I.E. Dalton,MA, Hot Springs, Hanover, NH etc, that you put a maildrop there even if it is only for 3-4 days worth of food. A few times in New England I can remember loading up a pack with 6 days of food even though I was going to walk right by a post office in 3 days. Good luck.
I think that this philosophy is a waste of money.
Hot springs has a grocery store, and convience store, and the Bluff Mountain Outfitters. Sure you have a limited selection of food and stuff but the amount that you will pay in postage, time you will spend shopping and planning, and the fact that you are never going to want to actually carry six days of food for 90% of this hike all factor in. I spend over $200 on postage. I spent $300 on food for mail drops, and I threw tons of that stuff in hiker boxes because I did not want to eat it anymore after I had packed. I then went shopping anyhow and spent more $$.

These towns that have PO's on the trail, send your little video box there with you boot sealant, meds, bug dope, what ever other little things that you need that you might have to spend say $5 on to use once, and throw in a hiker box. Use camera film cases, the little round ones, for your special shampoo, or boot sealant, or pills, or even some disposable contacts will fit in them in the package. Then if you miss one of these little boxes you buy something, or do without and keep hiking. No big loss!!

Dalton Mass (full service grocery store with ride from Bird Cage Hostel)
Hanover NH (full service grocery store 2 block from hostel, and right on trail)
Hot Springs (decent market and other food resupply is present)

Fontanna DAM (nothing!! Store stinks, sold out, and I was there early before the crowd)
Port Clinton PA (nothing!! no store other than AO, Vern is great and he has some stuff like foil pack tuna but really a drop there would be great)

Otherwise dont wast the money on POSTAGE!

[Twofiddy]

I agree with Jack on the Kincorra idea. You definately wanna stop here, and Elk Park area rubs many folks the wrong way. Its not necessarily a hiker friendly spot all the time. Kincorra accepts packages.

I would suggest sending a drop to the motel in Rural Retreat/Atkins instead of the Troutdale one. Everything a hiker could need is right on the trail and will save you a hitch.

Definately send ur Harpers Ferry box to the ATC office rather than the Post Office. You'll have/need to stop there anyway.
My opinion on this matter is not to use the Hostels for your mail drops on a regular basis. If your mail is already delivered, lost, or not delivered on time, the post office can just forward it up the trail if you use priority mail. The address not the addresee may be changed. If you mail to a hostel, it might not get forwared with out some one paying special attention to it. Also the packages are more secure with the PO. I had lost mail drops, and stuff that was screwed up. This would have been less of a problem if I had less mail drops and less use of the postal service.

Use the post office, there are enough of them on the trial or right close within .2 or .3.

Avoid the hostel mail thing except for the one or two that you just cant miss like Janets in Erwin, The Bird Cage in Dalton Mass, but even these places have no charge shuttles to the PO.

USE LESS MAIL DROPS!! you will survive.

[smokymtnsteve]

It is amazing the number of anti-mail drop NAZIs that always appear on a thread that is about HOW to do mail drops and good locations and tactics.

you are quite welcome to have NO mail drops..but some folks like the mail drop system as it allows them to have supplies that they want,,not just what happens to be available in towns in stores along the trail.

I have always found the USPS and UPS to be quite efficent in handling deliveries. of course there can be a problem ...but it is rare.

[Peaks]

Tracey,

Everyone has their own preferences on resupply. I guess that I can only add that most thru-hikers agree that if they were to do the trail again, they would use fewer mail drops. So, unless you have special needs, I suggest that you consider reducing the number of mail drops and resupply from local stores where possible.

[smokymtnsteve]

Tracey,

. So, unless you have special needs, I suggest that you consider reducing the number of mail drops and resupply from local stores where possible.


Peaks perhaps you should read the first post of this thread.

[chigger]

just a quick suggestion- white house landing is a beautiful, wonderful place- but i would not send a drop there if i could get away without it.. they usually have a decent stock of hiker food and a hiker box- and you will only be walking for less than 40 miles further through the wilderness. it costs $5 (i think) to pick up a package if you are staying there, and quite a bit more if you are not- also, it is tough to send mail out- they are quite a few miles from any town, and can only make trips to the PO occasionally from what i have gathered. the folks there are super-nice, cook wonderful food and have beautiful cabins to stay in; i would definitely recommend stopping there, but not sending any packages.. just my thoughts.:)

peace,
chigger

[screwysquirrel]

I stayed at Whitehouse back in 2001 and it wasn't too bad, I had a very pleasant time there. I don't know if they still sell sandwiches there but the sandwich I got there was great. I have no complaints about that place. It was a good break for me. In 2000 I didn't have any mail drops and survived pretty good, but I also carry a big pack with food for 7 days.

[Frosty]

I stayed at Whitehouse back in 2001 and it wasn't too bad, ... I have no complaints about that place.

Am I reading you wrong? BY reading into "too bad?" Are you saying it was bad but not "too bad."

If so, what kept it from you thinking it was good or even neutral.

[smokymtnsteve]

just a quick suggestion- white house landing is a beautiful, wonderful place- but i would not send a drop there if i could get away without it.. they usually have a decent stock of hiker food and a hiker box- and you will only be walking for less than 40 miles further through the wilderness. it costs $5 (i think) to pick up a package if you are staying there, and quite a bit more if you are not- also, it is tough to send mail out- they are quite a few miles from any town, and can only make trips to the PO occasionally from what i have gathered. the folks there are super-nice, cook wonderful food and have beautiful cabins to stay in; i would definitely recommend stopping there, but not sending any packages.. just my thoughts.:)

peace,
chigger

chigger you suggest not sending packages to WHL is this because you think the folks there would not handle your package with care or just the fact that it costs a little bit of money? or is it some other problem?

[Smooth03]

Hey twofiddy! Met you in a New Hampshire shelter I think during a lunch break. You were yellin about a Boyscout troop or a large group or something. I was with Waldo on our SOBO thru-hike.
If I could do it all over again I would probably not do as many drop as I did. Maybe closer to 15 drops or so. But I was happy with using drops because I ate better than 99 percent of other thru-hikers and was healthier for it. Is it the cheapest, no but for me(I'm a vegetarian) it worked out best not to have to eat Liptons for 6 months.
You finish I presume twofiddy?

I think that this philosophy is a waste of money.
Hot springs has a grocery store, and convience store, and the Bluff Mountain Outfitters. Sure you have a limited selection of food and stuff but the amount that you will pay in postage, time you will spend shopping and planning, and the fact that you are never going to want to actually carry six days of food for 90% of this hike all factor in. I spend over $200 on postage. I spent $300 on food for mail drops, and I threw tons of that stuff in hiker boxes because I did not want to eat it anymore after I had packed. I then went shopping anyhow and spent more $$.

These towns that have PO's on the trail, send your little video box there with you boot sealant, meds, bug dope, what ever other little things that you need that you might have to spend say $5 on to use once, and throw in a hiker box. Use camera film cases, the little round ones, for your special shampoo, or boot sealant, or pills, or even some disposable contacts will fit in them in the package. Then if you miss one of these little boxes you buy something, or do without and keep hiking. No big loss!!

Dalton Mass (full service grocery store with ride from Bird Cage Hostel)
Hanover NH (full service grocery store 2 block from hostel, and right on trail)
Hot Springs (decent market and other food resupply is present)

Fontanna DAM (nothing!! Store stinks, sold out, and I was there early before the crowd)
Port Clinton PA (nothing!! no store other than AO, Vern is great and he has some stuff like foil pack tuna but really a drop there would be great)

Otherwise dont wast the money on POSTAGE!

[smokymtnsteve]

Post office or other,]


neels gap (mtn x-ings) right on trail---why go to a PO?
franklin,nc(rainbow springs campground) 1.1 miles of trail...PO 15 miles of trail
wesser,NC (NOC) right on trail...nearest PO bryson city 20 miles
fontana, NC....post office is 3 miles from trail but you can get a shuttle for one dollar

gatlinburg (happy hiker) closer and easier than the PO

hot springs NC PO right on trail

[screwysquirrel]

Am I reading you wrong? BY reading into "too bad?" Are you saying it was bad but not "too bad."

If so, what kept it from you thinking it was good or even neutral.
I mean it was good. Just a phrase "too bad". I'll be going back there this August with Blue Duck, as she hikes Maine to make up for some sections she missed in 2000.

[3oz]

The towns you listed seem fine. I would try to time it so you never have to carry more then four or five days food when possible. Of course you don't know what your pace will be like untill you start hiking and it will change as you go. My advice is to drop the schedule all together. I printed out mailing labels for all the possible mail drops before I left, and I would call in to adjust my schedule. Leave it as flexible as possible. Also try to make use of as many non-post office mail drops as possible so you won't have worry about Sat/Sun pickups.

-3oz SOBO class of '03

[Twofiddy]

Hey twofiddy! Met you in a New Hampshire shelter I think during a lunch break. If I could do it all over again I would probably not do as many drop as I did. Maybe closer to 15 drops or so. But I was happy with using drops because I ate better than 99 percent of other thru-hikers and was healthier for it. Is it the cheapest, no but for me(I'm a vegetarian) it worked out best not to have to eat Liptons for 6 months.
You finish I presume twofiddy?
I finished on Setember 8th.

The same way that I have become an ounce nazi from this past summers hike I have also become a no mail drop nazi too. I am looking at this from the sole reason that I think that I did alot of research before I hiked. I had never done a long distance hike of this extended nature before. I read books, and I talked to people, and I was influenced to go buy boxes of snickers at sams club for 30 cents each and mail them to my self to save money. Most places along the trail sell snickers for 50 cents to 75 cents to $1.00 each. Paying postage to mail something that is avaliable in nearly every store along the way is not smart in my opinion. Why?? Because after 250 miles you cant stand to eat any more snickers. Your diet changes, and you want reeses or payday, or twix instead. What I found out that I did, and what alot of other people did, was throw there mail drops into the hiker box.

Some one above mentioned White House Landing. Just Dan, Spiderman, and my self spent the night there three days before the end of our hike. WASTE OF MONEY TO SEND SUPPLIES THERE!!! GREAT PLACE TOO BY THE WAY.

They have everything you need, priced accordingly since they have to haul it 30 miles on un-paved roads in there own private vehicle for you. They charge $5 or $10 to pick up your mail drop, Just Dan's postage was like $20 on his drop, and he threw 90% of it at the rest of us, or in the hiker box, which in the case of white house landing, the hiker box is only open after breakfast, that is only for overnight guests. So there wont be any free food there unless you pay the $50 to stay overnight.



If there is one thing that I wish.... I wish that I could have the $500 that I wasted on mail drops back in my hands to spend on something else.

Now if you are a vegiterain... good luck, most of the ones that I knew on the trail this year had health problems because they were not eating right. I can see where dehydration of things would work well in more mail drops, but again dont send your self oatmeal, and snickers, they are avaliable for the right price along the trail.

[Twofiddy]

It is amazing the number of anti-mail drop NAZIs that always appear on a thread that is about HOW to do mail drops and good locations and tactics.

you are quite welcome to have NO mail drops..but some folks like the mail drop system as it allows them to have supplies that they want,,not just what happens to be available in towns in stores along the trail.

I have always found the USPS and UPS to be quite efficent in handling deliveries. of course there can be a problem ...but it is rare.
Right!!!

When I go back and look at the authors of the books that I read before I started, they are dated 1995 or earlier. The trail, and the towns, and the business along the way have changed a ton since then. Obviously if alot of people drop in on these threads that are Anti as you say we are then we must have strong enough feelings about it to try and make an impression on those who are in the planning stages.

I sat through several of the ALDA seminars in Hanover in the fall and listened to people say all the same stuff that is in these ten year old books. Most of the hikers that I influenced while I was there appreciated the information of people who had just finished hiking the trail vs stuff from people who hiked ten years ago.

I am aware of plenty of problems with mail drops.
The Greyhounds lost a $300 camera in the mail
Puff Puff and Snappy had a lost mail drop.
Damascus Dave had gear replacement shipments of things like socks and other stuff that never made it to CT and MA destinations for several hikers. Problems are out there... just check with merchants who use the services daily and they will tell you.

[A-Train]

I finished on Setember 8th.

the hiker box is only open after breakfast, that is only for overnight guests. So there wont be any free food there unless you pay the $50 to stay overnight. .


I hate to comment or judge places I haven;t been before because its not right to do so. And i've heard of plenty of folks who have a great time here. But monitoring when and who gets to choose from the hiker box seems outrageous! I've heard it a million times of how far they have to go to get supplies, drops etc. and I know somepeople rely on making money to live. But a hikerbox is a box for hikers, regardless of whether they stay overnight or just stop on thru. I'm so glad I packed from Monson to Katahdin and saved the extra loot

[Jack Tarlin]

I'm glad someone mentioned this, but every year there are folks who buy nearly ALL of their food in bulk ahead of time, and usually save a lot of money by doing so.....sometimes it's ramens, sometimes it's Liptons, sometimes it's reasonably edible stuff like Mountain House Dinners. In almost EVERY case, tho, people that pre-buy all of their stuff ahead of time discover later on that they have grown to HATE some or much of the stuff they selected back in the winter before their hike started..

But they're stuck with it. Their choice is to either suck it up and eat the pre-paid stuff even tho they're really sick and tired of it, or, they pitch a lot of it, give it away, whatever, and then spend a lot of money replacing it with stuff they actually want to eat.

I see this happen every year; the best way to avoid this is to keep your FOOD maildrops to a minimum (i.e. like send food ONLY to places where it's awkward or inconvenient to buy). There are really very few places on the Trail where you can't buy your re-supplies easily, and THIS is where you might want to consider food drops. Otherwise, unlesss you plan to dehydrate everything ahead of time, or unless you're on some kind of special or medically restricted diet (vegan, kosher, no-salt, etc.) I tend to agree with the folks who advocate keeping FOOD resupply by mail to a minimum. Keep in mind that even when you buy in bulk ahead of time and save money by doing so, you still have to pay all the postages costs, and all too often, this results in your sending yourself food that you discover you have no interest in eating anymore. People tend to put their maildrops together in February and March----do you really know then what you're gonna feel like eating in the middle of August?

On my first trip my maildrop/purchase en route ratio was about 80/20. This has almost COMPLETELY reversed over the passage of time. As several folks have pointed out, it is perfectly possible, and frequently desirable, to purchase most of your food while en route.

[Twofiddy]

I'm glad someone mentioned this, but every year there are folks who buy nearly ALL of their food in bulk ahead of time, and usually save a lot of money by doing so.....sometimes it's ramens, sometimes it's Liptons, sometimes it's reasonably edible stuff like Mountain House Dinners. In almost EVERY case, tho, people that pre-buy all of their stuff ahead of time discover later on that they have grown to HATE some or much of the stuff they selected back in the winter before their hike started..

But they're stuck with it. Their choice is to either suck it up and eat the pre-paid stuff even tho they're really sick and tired of it, or, they pitch a lot of it, give it away, whatever, and then spend a lot of money replacing it with stuff they actually want to eat.

I see this happen every year; the best way to avoid this is to keep your FOOD maildrops to a minimum (i.e. like send food ONLY to places where it's awkward or inconvenient to buy). There are really very few places on the Trail where you can't buy your re-supplies easily, and THIS is where you might want to consider food drops. Otherwise, unlesss you plan to dehydrate everything ahead of time, or unless you're on some kind of special or medically restricted diet (vegan, kosher, no-salt, etc.) I tend to agree with the folks who advocate keeping FOOD resupply by mail to a minimum. Keep in mind that even when you buy in bulk ahead of time and save money by doing so, you still have to pay all the postages costs, and all too often, this results in your sending yourself food that you discover you have no interest in eating anymore. People tend to put their maildrops together in February and March----do you really know then what you're gonna feel like eating in the middle of August?

On my first trip my maildrop/purchase en route ratio was about 80/20. This has almost COMPLETELY reversed over the passage of time. As several folks have pointed out, it is perfectly possible, and frequently desirable, to purchase most of your food while en route.

Baltimore Jack is that you??

Well said!!

You impress me!! You have said exactly what I wanted to say but in terms that sound much better.

I wish I wish I wish that I had the money back that I threw into hiker boxes and post offices for food that I did not want to eat!!





OH and PS.

Whitehouse Landing!! Great Folks!! Great Place!! Probably on the DO NOT MISS LIST along with Bluberry Patch, Miss Janets, Woods Hole, Bird Cage, Caratunk House, and Rustys Hard Times Hollow.

Trust me there are many Hostels out there that I could say a list of bad things about!! Saying that it is bad that WHL only lets overnight guests into the Hiker Box is the only bad thing that I could say. Otherwise the place is the perfect Hiker Paradise!! I only wish that it was like 80* out when I was there because I wanted to swim in that lake!

[smokymtnsteve]

LIike I said earlier in the thread ...It is amazing how many anti mail drop NAZI appear in a thread discussing HOW to and best locations for mail drops.

read the original post of this thead and discover the reasons why the original poster was looking for mail drop info.

[Jack Tarlin]

Hey Steve---LIGHTEN UP!

I kinda resent being called a "Nazi" of any sort; this is an ignorant comment and unworthy of you.

You also suggest that I re-read the original comment that started this thread; I suggest that YOU go back a ways and you'll see that I clearly responded to it, along with several other folks, quite some time ago.

Please try and keep your coments here more positive; calling someone a Nazi because they're trying to offer suggestions and advice doesn't really contribute much to the dialogue.

[tlbj6142]

Not meaning to pile on Steve, but many threads on every online board have their subjects drift the longer the thread goes on. This one is no different.

[smokymtnsteve]

the long time debate of mail drops or no mail drops...suit yourself..

but the person starting this thread was/is looking for specific information about using mail drops and shipping services to faciltate thier hike and disability,,,

as I too deal with a disability I guess I could be a little over sensitive to the issue, different places along the trail have varying services and security for mail packages and reshipping services. knowing where these specialized services are located can be very helpful to a person using mail and UPS\fedex packages for nesccessary resupplies...

I would just like to see info shared about mail drops, availabilty of forward shipment options be discussed .....if you don't use mail drops or bounce boxes (or don't use them a lot) then this info doesn't concern you.but for those of us that do use these services they are very important.

esp in a persons first few weeks of hiking....and few folks know the first 400 miles of the southern AT better than yours truly. ( oh my sounds just like wingfoot..LOL)

so from my POV this thread is about how to effectively use mail drops
not if you should.....

[SGT Rock]

I think it is a valuable point. It would be the same as someone asking what sort of of GPS to bring on the AT, the answer could include many different brands, but there should also be the advise that you really don't need one because...

[smokymtnsteve]

I agree sgt rock...and I do not think you need a GPS eithier..but if someone has explained that they do need/want to use a GPS on the trail then having the best info about GPS on the trail would be best.