View Full Version : Hiking without Maildrops
keidallmer
02-26-2009, 23:30
I was just wondering if anyone here has thru-hiked/portion-hiked without having parcels mailed to various trail towns. There's been talk of going on without maildrops, for the sake of moving leisurely and being spontaneous.
Tales of success/failure are welcome. :D
Lone Wolf
02-27-2009, 05:35
i've never had maildrops for food on my hikes. i've had a few here and there for gear and such. buying food along the way is the smart way to go
Rockhound
02-27-2009, 07:07
much easier than using mail drops actually. Don't have to worry about P.O. hours and days of operation, over packing, under packing, bouncing packages, and the expense. I am 1 hiker that does not hike with schedules and spreadsheets and charts and graphs etc.... Mail drops try to draw you back in to that OCD world. Plenty of places along the way to resupply.
Lone Wolf
02-27-2009, 07:24
what the hell is a spreadsheet?
sticks&stones
02-27-2009, 07:54
what the hell is a spreadsheet?
I hiked in and around a thru hiker with what he called his spread sheet. He wrote it before starting his thru hike. It read an hour by hour account of what he was going to everyday of his 5 month hike. It was so detailed it even told him the exact time, and place to eat a snickers bar. 650 mls into his hike and he had only a couple times veered from his spreadsheet, which was always in his hand.
Rockhound
02-27-2009, 08:17
I hiked in and around a thru hiker with what he called his spread sheet. He wrote it before starting his thru hike. It read an hour by hour account of what he was going to everyday of his 5 month hike. It was so detailed it even told him the exact time, and place to eat a snickers bar. 650 mls into his hike and he had only a couple times veered from his spreadsheet, which was always in his hand.
Sounds like a fun guy. He must be a big hit at parties.:rolleyes:
4eyedbuzzard
02-27-2009, 08:45
what the hell is a spreadsheet?
Must be one of them new-fangled words for a ground cloth--a sheet you spread out on the ground or something. Maybe I'm wrong though, I don't excel at such stuff.
Sounds like a fun guy. He must be a big hit at parties.:rolleyes:
More importantly maybe, did the AT cure him :)?
Actually, I've started a plan for my thru and find a spreadsheet helpful in working out some of the very basics of "where I might be when".
It's really just a list of the shelters and towns with mileages, so it's more of a pocket planner than a number cruncher.
I'm thinking with the no-mail drop crowd. I've lived under the gun a schedule for 30+ years, so it's time for a change.
Take a risk, live free for change.
I won't be going cold-turkey though, I plan on meeting my wife along the southern portion once a week for resupply.
Rockhound
02-27-2009, 09:23
"A plan is just something you deviate from." Patton
Frick Frack
02-27-2009, 09:43
We started out with maildrops, and I appreciated all the work my family did to send them, but we realized along the way that a resupply ourselves was easier and more fun. If I had it to do over again we would resupply as we went....you will find how easy it is.
You can definately hike the AT without mail drops. Plenty of chances to buy resupply food every 4-5 days. the stuff you think you will want to eat, when you make up the mail drops, won't be the stuff you will be wanting to eat when you pick them up. You will then still have to purchase food along the way. That's why hiker boxes are always full of stuff folks sent in mail drops and didn't want.
boarstone
02-27-2009, 10:56
I hiked in and around a thru hiker with what he called his spread sheet. He wrote it before starting his thru hike. It read an hour by hour account of what he was going to everyday of his 5 month hike. It was so detailed it even told him the exact time, and place to eat a snickers bar. 650 mls into his hike and he had only a couple times veered from his spreadsheet, which was always in his hand.
You need to hook that guy up with the one over on the thread "getting any?" They'd make a cute pair hiking together....:D
buff_jeff
02-27-2009, 11:18
It's easily doable, even preferable for some.
Jack Tarlin
02-27-2009, 13:05
It can certainly be done, at least as far as food parcels. However, you're still going to want other stuff from home periodically (maps, gear swap-outs, etc.) so make sure someone at home has your approximate itinerary and a list of places that accept and hold hiker mail. A complete listing of these places is found in all three of the major thru-hiker guidebooks.
Blissful
02-27-2009, 13:12
much easier than using mail drops actually. Don't have to worry about P.O. hours and days of operation, over packing, under packing, bouncing packages, and the expense. I am 1 hiker that does not hike with schedules and spreadsheets and charts and graphs etc.... Mail drops try to draw you back in to that OCD world. Plenty of places along the way to resupply.
Pardon wah - Have you ever done mail drops the whole length of the AT? Just wondering since its easy to blast it from a keyboard and look official...
We did 30 of them (only a few even went to the PO) we were fine with it, had a super time on the trail and the only time we suffered is when we didn't have them in Maine (when they got lost). And have no idea what OCD means so I can comment further...
But anyway, HYOH - mail drops or not. If you don't want to do it, don't. But don't sit there and criticize those that do.
Lone Wolf
02-27-2009, 13:29
Pardon wah - Have you ever done mail drops the whole length of the AT? Just wondering since its easy to blast it from a keyboard and look official...
We did 30 of them (only a few even went to the PO) we were fine with it, had a super time on the trail and the only time we suffered is when we didn't have them in Maine (when they got lost). And have no idea what OCD means so I can comment further...
But anyway, HYOH - mail drops or not. If you don't want to do it, don't. But don't sit there and criticize those that do.
you're an extreme exception to the rule
Rockhound
02-27-2009, 13:37
Pardon wah - Have you ever done mail drops the whole length of the AT? Just wondering since its easy to blast it from a keyboard and look official...
We did 30 of them (only a few even went to the PO) we were fine with it, had a super time on the trail and the only time we suffered is when we didn't have them in Maine (when they got lost). And have no idea what OCD means so I can comment further...
But anyway, HYOH - mail drops or not. If you don't want to do it, don't. But don't sit there and criticize those that do.
Please reread my posts and show me where I've been critical of people who do? I seem to have missed it. I simply said they are not a necessity, can cause logistical problems, and the AT can be done without them. I have never used mail drops with the exception of friends who wanted to send me stuff while hiking. This has happened 3 times.1 package I never got because I was unaware it was waiting for me, and the other 2 cost me a day because of hours of operation. I am not critical of others who do use them. They leave lots of stuff in hiker boxes for me.
Rockhound
02-27-2009, 13:43
Blissful, please try not to be so critical of people who do not use mail drops. HYOH
keidallmer
02-27-2009, 18:48
Wow, thanks for all your input, guys! Greatly appreciated :D
garlic08
02-27-2009, 21:45
Another vote for no mail drops (for food). I think I met that spreadsheet guy, too. He said he was an accountant off trail (and on trail too, apparently). He was really thrilled that he was one day ahead of schedule.
Fewer maildrops is generally better. More variety in your food. Less stress about getting to the post office on the right days. Less money burned on postage.
And if you quit the trail after 3 or 4 weeks, you don't have another 5 months of bulk food sitting around.... :-?
Ox97GaMe
02-28-2009, 01:30
If you arent too picky about what you eat, then buy as you go is a great idea. Most trail towns carry enough basics to get you at least to the next town. I bought the whole way. There were some towns that I stopped at that only gave a few options for dinners, and sometimes the selection was heavier than if I had freeze dried myself and shipped, but having a variety is a good thing.
One of the biggest things I hear from hikers that ship their food drops is that what they think they want/need on the trail tends to change between the time you buy/pack the items and when you open the box in a trail town. I hear hikers complain that their shipments contain the same stuff (bought in quantity at Sams or Costco), or the resupply contained 6 or 7 days and they would get to their next supply point in 4 or 5 days.
If you want an idea of the types of things that you could find in just about any trail town, then drive to a town near you of about 1200-1500 population and check out their local grocery and convenience stores. It will be pretty typical of the types of foods you will find in any trail town. Some trail towns are large enough to have regional grocery or supermarkets, but not all will.
As was mentioned. The biggest need for drop boxes will be gear, or some nice to have items from home. At some point, you will want to swap out winter and summer gear. You might want to plan to have a second pair of boots broken in and shipped. If you will be carrying trai maps, those are good to ship to a place just before it will be needed. That may be a bit harder to figure out, as the maps dont generally coincide end points with towns. Some hikers have carried a book for reading and swap them out via mail drops. Prescription meds might be something else to consider having shipped, although many trail towns have a CVS, Walgreens, or Eckerds drug store that will cater to such hiker needs.
As was stated, it is really up to your preference. It certainly is done both ways each year. There are pros and cons to either way if you consider all items in the pack and not just food.
Have a great hike.
GitRdone
02-28-2009, 16:38
Of the many books and posts I have read and hikers I have spoken with.. they all seem to say the same thing as many of you. Your appetite changes and what you packed to have mailed to you may not fit your appetite. We all want to be happy and eating what you want can make a big difference in the happiness factor. Even when I am on a 2 week section hike my appetite changes and what I brought starts to become unappetizing. I like the idea of buying along the way to satisfy my what I am hungry for at that time and plan to use that method when I do my thru hike.
Pardon wah - Have you ever done mail drops the whole length of the AT? Just wondering since its easy to blast it from a keyboard and look official...
We did 30 of them (only a few even went to the PO) we were fine with it, had a super time on the trail and the only time we suffered is when we didn't have them in Maine (when they got lost). And have no idea what OCD means so I can comment further...
But anyway, HYOH - mail drops or not. If you don't want to do it, don't. But don't sit there and criticize those that do.
From what I saw last year, those who had food mail drops ate better and enjoyed their meals more than those who didn't because they had dehydrated their favorites. The only draw-back to food maildrops, albeit a minor one, is the preparation involved and cost of shipping it.
Happy hiking. :sun
Must be one of them new-fangled words for a ground cloth--a sheet you spread out on the ground or something. Maybe I'm wrong though, I don't excel at such stuff.
Punny stuff.
Corrigan
04-17-2009, 11:35
i know that this is all completely dependent on the person and will vary etc etc, but any thoughts about which way is cheaper? drops or along the way? i'm assuming along the way would be cheaper but i lack the knowledge to say for sure......thanks
Ladytrekker
04-17-2009, 12:57
what the hell is a spreadsheet?
LoneWolf you warm my heart, I wish that I could say that or least have that thought process. I don't have it yet, but I am working on it.:)
Ladytrekker
04-17-2009, 13:00
I have never thru hiked so I have no knowledge but on the outside looking in of a possible future thru hike, I feel that what ever happened to going hiking and let nature take its course. I know that preparation is necessary to safety and not going with stupid stamped on my forehead. I also think that the planned trail magic and mail drops kind takes away from the reason I want to go nature and get away from the material world. I do not mean to step on any toes, but I want away from it all not for it to follow me into the woods.
Lone Wolf
04-17-2009, 13:04
i know that this is all completely dependent on the person and will vary etc etc, but any thoughts about which way is cheaper? drops or along the way? i'm assuming along the way would be cheaper but i lack the knowledge to say for sure......thanks
buy along the way. it's cheaper and hassle free
I'm kind of looking forward to seeing what the local foods are like, including the supermarket stuff. I kind of view the whole experience as immersing myself in the local culture (when around town) while ambling along at whatever pace feels right for the terrain. I imagine there are going to be some foods I'm not familiar with and I even hope so. Mac & Cheese, Knorr rice dishes, etc...will get awfully stale in short order.
Also, I used to be the guy described earlier who mapped everything out for a long hiking trip, or just about any activity. I'm thankful that life has molded me in such a way that I now enjoy the uncertainty of taking life as it comes, including scrounging for food every few days at whatever source I can find. Our thru hike cannot get here soon enough. :)
EverydayJourneyman
04-17-2009, 13:49
Our thru hike cannot get here soon enough. :)
When does your thru-hike start?
When does your thru-hike start?
Unfortunately, not until after retirement. And that's still 6 years out, so Caboose and I will be in the Class of 2016. There are plenty of great 2 day to 4 week hikes to be experienced in the meantime though. It's just tough to be patient when I've been looking forward to this since I was 13 years old...
EverydayJourneyman
04-17-2009, 15:42
Unfortunately, not until after retirement. And that's still 6 years out, so Caboose and I will be in the Class of 2016. There are plenty of great 2 day to 4 week hikes to be experienced in the meantime though. It's just tough to be patient when I've been looking forward to this since I was 13 years old...
Well with that much build up, you'll have an incredibly enjoyable experience for sure. Safe (future) travels.
cravj1988
04-17-2009, 15:49
I bought along the way for the first 1000 miles, but after Harpers Ferry I started getting mail drops. I had figured out what I liked to eat, and could judge my distance by then. I had a wonderful little lady back home that would send me the box with all kinds of goodies. It was my little goodie box. Every week having something to open from someone you loved back home; so far away...very nice! In fact it's quicker too. You get into town; get your food and your back on the trail in no time. Probably a bit more expensive, but you are eating what you want. Either way works fine, but Rockhound: getting a mail drop is not OCD.
WILLIAM HAYES
04-17-2009, 19:56
maildrops are a PITA i don't use them