Groceries Only [Archive]

The Weasel

12-16-2009, 20:43

With extreme care, you can possibly have adequate food for about $6 a day. That means a lot of bulk buys and caching/mail drops (done with maximum mailing frugality), and a pretty highly repetitive diet (pasta, rice, dried potatoes, beans), but it can be done. If you spend 180 trail days, you might be able to do it for $1,200 in food. Postage for bulk items can be minimized if you can give packages to friends who you see but may be near parts of the trail that you're mailing to, since parcel post is distance-based. You might be able to find people from colleges returning to such places too, and willing to help out. It is difficult, but doable.

TW

garlic08

12-17-2009, 00:22

I spent about $750 on groceries for the pack, but I also pigged out in towns and spent about $700 on town food. I think I could have cut the total food bill down to $1000 if I didn't have such nice restaurant meals, but I wouldn't want to.

I did not ship any food. I think I saved money doing this, but I'm not positive. Postage seems pretty expensive, since I just mailed a gift--wow.

mweinstone

12-17-2009, 08:35

grocerys cost 2036.67$

mweinstone

12-17-2009, 08:35

your crazy to try on less.

Red Hat

12-17-2009, 09:59

and 67 cents? you are too funny!

Blissful

12-17-2009, 22:22

At 18 you're gonna eat a ton. Hard to figure, really. Limits your selections too and what you can do in town.

ShelterLeopard

12-17-2009, 22:26

What would be the average cost for groceries alone not factoring in gear hotel stays or anything like that I plan on doing my thru on less than 2000 dollars

P.S. dont call me crazy many people say it can be done besides thats not what I asked anyway :D;)

Go for it, but don't be too disappointed if you have to drop out in Harpers Ferry, $2,000 is a really low budget. That being said, it can be done, and I hope it works out for you! Limit your priorites, don't smoke, don't drink, don't splurge, don't do energy drinks. Good luck, and see ya on the trail!

ShelterLeopard

12-17-2009, 22:27

Have you already bought gear?

Compass

12-17-2009, 23:59

Here is a quote from the Original Poster in another thread where he is considering a 1300 calorie a day diet for a 7 day section.

Young Gun,
"Well thats you and your opinion but im a smaller guy and I can keep my hands outta the peanut jar plus you dont have to eat every time your hungry I guess im just conditioned better for small rations"

That might work for the first week or two. Look at some before and after pictures of thru hikers over on http://www.trailjournals.com/ . Most look somewhere between gaunt and ematiated and were eating like crazy. Further more if you read journals you can pick up on faltering will power to continue when short/low on food.

"An army marches on its stomach," Napoleon Bonaparte but in French

Johnny Thunder

12-18-2009, 00:07

No, man...you can do it. But in life it's best to set yourself up to succeed. I think it's realistic to spend 6 to 10 a day on consumables (food, fuel, water treatment, etc). Just no town food and no new gear or shoes.

Mags

12-18-2009, 00:27

1300 calories a day ?!?!?!

Even if you are small guy of 130 lbs, that's roughly 1500 calories just to maintain yourself if you sit on your rear-end all day. Never mind hauling a pack up and down the trail all day. (Check this link (http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/)out for the rough calculations)

Good luck getting by on that few calories a day...

Some people call it fasting in the short term..

In the long term, taking in fewer calories that your body needs to maintain itself is known as "starvation". :D

Trying to do a frugal hike is one thing...doing it by saving money on food and making a huge calorie deficit is another....

Young Gun

12-18-2009, 00:40

Compass

12-18-2009, 00:44

We are not chewing just trying to foster success.

Mags

12-18-2009, 00:45

Sunshine, rainbows and lollipops are for people with thin skin. :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2sKH8yjVsM

Go frugal. Don't do it by starving.

Try reading this article for a realistic assessment of how to go frugal on the AT.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?p=22959#post22959

WC is a very experienced hiker..and this article is a bit older (some of the info is outdated and no longer valid), but it should put you in the right direction...

Scruffy

12-18-2009, 00:47

[quote=Mags;935378]1300 calories a day ?!?!?!

Even if you are small guy of 130 lbs, that's roughly 1500 calories just to maintain yourself if you sit on your rear-end all day. Never mind hauling a pack up and down the trail all day. (Check this link (http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/)out for the rough calculations)

/quote]

Wow I will need to eat like a 550 pound man to keep my weight up on the trail:eek:

JoshStover

12-18-2009, 00:51

I normally eat more than 1300 cal. per meal...

Young Gun

12-18-2009, 00:52

Yeah I read ya but still its just the way you say it but it could be just the way I take it too who knows who cares anyways I never said that was going to be my diet I just thought of it as an idea and was asking about it seemed logical at the time thinks for the input ill be glad to rework it to sufficiently supply fuel for my body

ShelterLeopard

12-18-2009, 11:46

Talk about a pack of wolves let me bow down to the almighty and experienced for asking a simple question I already said I was inexperienced with it just wanted advice not to get my butt chewed thanks alot

Hey, dude, everyone here is just trying to give you advice so you don't die. I don't think anyone here has sounded mean or intense (you should hear some other replies, people today are like fluffy bunnies :D ). You asked a question, people said don't skimp on food or you die, take the advice.

Yeah I read ya but still its just the way you say it but it could be just the way I take it too who knows who cares anyways I never said that was going to be my diet I just thought of it as an idea and was asking about it seemed logical at the time thinks for the input ill be glad to rework it to sufficiently supply fuel for my body

Um, no matter which way you slice it, you will not finish a hike on 2,000 calories a day, trust me, your body will change. For me, (three weeks has been my longest so far, I'm prepping for a thru as well), I eat about 1,500 a day for week one, as my body adjusts. It escalates fast from there- I've gottent to 3,000+ calories by week three, and I don't even want to know how much I'll be eating by month three...

And if there is anything I've learned from this site (aside from vast amounts of hiking advice) it is DO NOT BE OFFENDED by anything people here say, they're (mostly) trying to protect you and make sure you don't go into a thru hike completely naive and not knowing what to expect.

Grampie

12-18-2009, 12:15

[QUOTE=ShelterLeopard;935516]Hey, dude, everyone here is just trying to give you advice so you don't die. I don't think anyone here has sounded mean or intense (you should hear some other replies, people today are like fluffy bunnies :D ). You asked a question, people said don't skimp on food or you die, take the advice.

It's all advise...You have to pick out the good... You won't die from lack of food..If you limit your diet to the minimum you will start to loose any body fat you may have...After the excess body fat is gone, you start to loose muscle.
You will start to lack strenght to continue and will than have to leave the trail.
After you get into trail shape, 3 to 5 weeks, your body will set the amount of food you require to sustain your hike. When it tells you to eat, you must feed it.
Listen to those who have susceeded...They know what it takes.:-?

ShelterLeopard

12-18-2009, 12:25

(I didn't really mean that he'd die, just that he'd have real trouble hiking, and likely go off trail.)

Mags

12-18-2009, 14:23

Wow I will need to eat like a 550 pound man to keep my weight up on the trail:eek:

Well, I don't know about that.... :D

But, backpacking burns a crap load of calories... (not a scientific measurement ;) ).

And, lets be honest, most people have extra body fat on them they can burn a bit..esp in 2009 America! ;)

There's my (in)famous pie chart I have from when I did the Colorado Trail:

http://www.magnanti.com/ct_calories_pie_chart.jpg

This was hiking approx 25 MPD.

I still lost not quite 10 lbs. (In 2004, I had my typical build stocky build (http://www.forumextractor.com/post/1010361.html). I'm now just a leaner version of the stocky build. :) ) while eating like a pig.

If I was say 24 yrs old with a higher metabolism, carrying a heavier pack and doing my first hike I'm sure I'd lost more weight.... Hey...wait, I did! I lost almost FIFTY lbs on the Appalachian Trail (granted, I was not in the shape I am now). I was 195 at the time, and finished at 147. :O

http://www.pmags.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=1924&g2_serialNumber=4&g2_GALLERYSID=e918a8acd06ab3448fddeeae31087237

Chubby little Italian boy. Too much ricott' in the lasagna!

http://www.pmags.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=2290&g2_serialNumber=2&g2_GALLERYSID=e918a8acd06ab3448fddeeae31087237

Scrawny little Italian boy. Momma and Grandma Mags almost had a heart attack! :D

Even non-thru hiking (granted, being intensely active 6 days a week), I still take in approx 2500 +/- calories a day..while losing a small amount of weight while putting on muscle.

And I'm 35 without an 18 yo metabolism; not backpacking all day for 5 months. :)

Anyway..don't save money by scrimping on food. Buy in bulk if you have a support crew nice enough to mail out packages. Do "in and out" for towns (You can often pay for just a shower, do laundry and other town chores this way if you camp close to towns on both the "in and out" portions if you will) etc. Towns, by far, are the biggest suck of money and time. The two are closely related. The more time you spend in town (and the longer your hike) the more money you will spend!

If my fat-ass self could hike the AT in 5 mos with heavy gear...I am sure you can, too. A month faster than the typical 6 mos will save $$$. (Even then I was a relatively experienced backpacker having done the LT the year before and backpacked a lot in the Whites. I had an idea of what my body could or could not do. BACKPACK before you do the AT. Your body will thank you!)

Young Gun

12-18-2009, 14:54

Hey, dude, everyone here is just trying to give you advice so you don't die. I don't think anyone here has sounded mean or intense (you should hear some other replies, people today are like fluffy bunnies :D ). You asked a question, people said don't skimp on food or you die, take the advice.

Um, no matter which way you slice it, you will not finish a hike on 2,000 calories a day, trust me, your body will change. For me, (three weeks has been my longest so far, I'm prepping for a thru as well), I eat about 1,500 a day for week one, as my body adjusts. It escalates fast from there- I've gottent to 3,000+ calories by week three, and I don't even want to know how much I'll be eating by month three...

And if there is anything I've learned from this site (aside from vast amounts of hiking advice) it is DO NOT BE OFFENDED by anything people here say, they're (mostly) trying to protect you and make sure you don't go into a thru hike completely naive and not knowing what to expect.

Ive already stated my point its done not much else to say I never said I was going on less than 2000 calories just 2000 dollars if i fail I learn from my experiences and try and try again until I succeed I said thanks for the input and I meant it wish me luck and ill let you know how it goes it wont be a loss if I fail just a lesson learned :D

ShelterLeopard

12-18-2009, 17:11

I did wish you luck the first time, but I wil again! (Wish me luck too :D ), just telling you what I learned on this site, and figured you might benefit from.

Zac

12-18-2009, 17:36

ShelterLeopard

12-18-2009, 17:40

IGA in PA, in VT/upper ME more co-ops/independent groceries, a bunch of little independent places because the trail towns tend to be smaller, don't know much about the south. Get a guidebook like Appalachian PAges (which is on sale for $5 because they're discontinuing it, very soon to be replaced The AT Guide), and it'll have everything you need to know.

ShelterLeopard

12-18-2009, 17:42

I think checking the internet for the grocery stores would be overkill and uneccesary, what's the point? And I don't think most of them are that type of grocery store. (Unless you're debating about maildrops vs. resupply along trail) I think whatever is in the smaller groceries (and the larger ones) near you is pretty much what they'll have on trail.

Tuckahoe

12-18-2009, 17:49

I think some folks might benefit from getting through interlibrary loan a copy of Ancel Keys's WW2 study, The Biology of Human Starvation.

Tuckahoe

12-18-2009, 17:51

Here is a nice little summary of the study

http://www.bulimiahelp.org/book/restrictive-eating-studies/ansel-keys%E2%80%99s-minnesota-semi-starvation-study

sbhikes

12-18-2009, 19:18

The one thing you don't want to skimp on when hiking a long trail is food. I swear, you will change your relationship to food!

There's a guy who lives on the PCT named Billy Goat. I met him hiking on the trail this summer and we talked for like 5 minutes about the scenery and then for about a half an hour about food. That's all you think about. It's all you care about.

I found that my stomach growled when I went up hill so I ate while I went downhill.

daylaandjasper

12-20-2009, 02:10

In 2001, I spent about 1000 on lodging (not scrimping at all), 1000 on trail food, 1000 on town food. if you aren't picky you might be able to get a significant amount of food out of hiker boxes.

stranger

12-21-2009, 00:23

With that amount you would be hard pressed to do anything other than buy food, whether it be town meals or resupply, and perhaps a hostel stay once in a while.

You can thru on $2000 but you need extreme discipline, and a relatively short hike, because a 6 month hike is much more expensive than a 4 month hike.

I will just share this one experience, last year at Rock Gap (mile 104) there were about 14 hikers there and we got talking about money, the subject of $1/mile came up and a number of hikers were attempting it, not one of them had been successful at that stage, just 100 miles into the trip. They were all talking about financial backup plans because they had all spent like $150 bucks or more, one guy had spent $1000 or more due to gear changes at Neels Gap.

It sounds realistic until you are out there, a motel room on a miserable day is the closest thing to heaven I've ever seen, and think you're gonna walk through NOC without stopping for a meal? With a 3000ft, 8 mile climb waiting for you and your Ramen?

Heard alot of hikers say they weren't going to Gatlinburg, then went in "just this one time" due to bad weather (rain). Every year, people try to do what you're planning to do, and every year hikers are running into money problems in NC/TN.

Personally speaking, I would rather have time restraints than money restraints, because you can learn to hike 25 mile days, but no matter how fast you hike, prices don't change.

I agree that Weathercarrots article is worth a look, I hiked with him back in 1995 for a few hundred miles, he knows how to stretch money, he's also very, very comfortable in the woods which helps more than anything.

garlic08

12-21-2009, 10:22

Personally speaking, I would rather have time restraints than money restraints, because you can learn to hike 25 mile days, but no matter how fast you hike, prices don't change.

I second this idea. I think it's almost as much a matter of dollars per day as dollars per mile.

...he's also very, very comfortable in the woods which helps more than anything.

Also very true. I met some hikers trying to zero in shelters or campsites and most really hated it.

Connie

12-23-2009, 01:02

Mags,

I hope your mother and grandmother stuffed you with plenty of good food.

I think you would have had better "trail food" if you ate the pie chart.

It looks like a lot of empty calories to me.

I would be emaciated, if I didn't quit the hike because I hit the "bonk" first.

I think it is difficult to get enough healthy fats and nutrition hiking. That is why I like the olive oil packets, nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts) and nutbutters (sunflower seed butter: yum) and pastes of hazelnuts and pesto with added olive oil or other oil in salad packets, Marie blue cheese salad packets, and more fat like ghee or mayonnaise packets, small tins bean dip. I also bring salmon in packets, licking the wrapper. I will even will eat sardines in oil. I never do that at home.

I make foccacia pan bread loaded with oil and a topping of pesto paste. If soup, gumbo or chowder. If a tight fitting lid on the pot or a rock on the lid, I have chicken soup and dumplings. If vegetarian soup, I stir in sweet cream powder or sour cream powder. I add dried creamed corn to anything reasonable.

I carry foil packets of India cuisine like chole entree in oil or a korma in oil, for example, prepackaged Punjab Eggplant, Jaipur Vegetables, Kerala Vegetables, Pav Bhaji, Paneer Makhani, Punjabi Chole, Aloo Matar, Tadka Dal, Surti Undhiu, Patra Slices, Navratan Korma, Chapate Choley.

In Montana, I pack snacks of dry meat buffalo, elk, deer sausage because it is available in Montana.

If I have foil or vacuum-packed chicken or turkey meat entree, I have dressing and gravy.

On the West Coast, I have packed hard summer sausage, for example, a dry Thuringer sausage with Babybel Bonbel cheese in wax or Gouda cheese in wax and high fat content crackers.

Nido Instant Whole Milk Powder, Nature's First Full Cream Milk Powder, premium butter powder for grits or for oatmeal packets. I have high-fat content cocoa instead of coffee. I have "english tea" of cream and Yorkshire tea. I have fd raspberries and raspberry crumbles mix, dried honey pears. Eggnog mix.

No matter where I hike I carry individually wrapped string cheese sticks or individually wrapped mozzarella cheese sticks, Babybel Bonbel cheese in wax and salmon in packets or wild smoked salmon. I also buy a half dozen individually wrapped McDonalds sausage biscuits.

. . .

Food for Backpacking (http://www.ultralightbackpackingonline.info/food1.html)

Specialized Food (http://www.ultralightbackpackingonline.info/specializedfood1.html)

Emergency Food (http://www.ultralightbackpackingonline.info/emergencyfood1.html)

Backpacking Food Videos (http://www.ultralightbackpackingonline.info/morevideo2.html)

Freezer Bag Cooking (http://www.ultralightbackpackingonline.info/video1.html) video

. . .

takethisbread

12-23-2009, 09:13

Well if you eat a pop tart for breakfast cheap cereal bars for snacks and ramen at dinner, and hold close to that daily, well that's about $2 right there .

It could be done, for sure.

If that is you budget, it is what what it is.

Good luck to you.

I'll be the guy hitting Waffle House when I hit town!

Mags

12-23-2009, 17:19

So Connie...what trips have you done? :sun

I eat uber healthy off trail....

On trail? Bring on the calories....esp small town Montana does not stock
"prepackaged Punjab Eggplant, Jaipur Vegetables, Kerala Vegetables, Pav Bhaji, Paneer Makhani, Punjabi Chole, Aloo Matar, Tadka Dal, Surti Undhiu, Patra Slices, Navratan Korma, Chapate Choley."

I'm hiking all day..not doing backcountry car camping. ;)

Photo from last week:

http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs063.snc3/13038_238136240020_563440020_4652678_7972520_n.jpg

Think I'm in good shape... ;)

ps. the pie chart is from the Colorado Trail..not the Appalachian Trail. My diet on the AT was actually mail drops with (mainly) home dried meals! I lost more weight eating "the healthy food". Again, it was due to a much heavier pack than anything.... I did a very similar diet on the CDT as I did on the Colorado Trail. Felt better than when I did the AT (15-20 MPD for the AT; 25-30 MPD for the CT/CDT..hmm. Remember which one had the better diet ???? ) Next time I'll consult you first though! :D

rickb

12-23-2009, 20:00

You have Tiger's physique.

Is carrying around all that upper body mass really good for hiking?

Compass

12-24-2009, 02:23

While on the topic of groceries, what are some of the grocery stores along the trail? Such as Kroger's, IGA, and whatever. That way one may be able to look at internet and see possible stock, availability, and price of items.

Here is a website with a pretty detailed list and description of resupply stores. It is from a vegan perspective but still the best I have found and in a concise format. http://backpackingvegan.wordpress.com/resupply-guide/

As far as the $1/mile analysis which does not take ino consideration time on trail try this algorithm:
$0.70/mile plus $6/day

6 month hike = 1521+1080= $2,600
100 day hike = 1521+ 600= $2,121

I am frugal but this seems tight.

Connie

12-24-2009, 19:05

Mags,

Lookin' good. Next time, consult my website.

I only check-in on WiFI, using my Sprint Mi-Fi.

I have that stuff stocked in the car, my pack packed.

I live out of it. I don't car camp.

If I am not there, I am snowed-in on my property in Montana all winter.

The correct question: when are you ever in town?

It is all a matter of priorities. I would rather spend money on more time outdoors.

What have I accomplished? I rescue the unprepared and the under-qualified.

Trained in Mountain Rescue, at the beginning of Mountain Rescue organization, every rescue I have been on has been a live-rescue.

My question: what will you be doing when you are 62 years old?

ps. I think that young man needs to know this stuff.

Johnny Thunder

12-24-2009, 19:09

I believe the spirit of Mag's post was that those foods which you store in your car are not available in the small town grocers and convenience stores one can predictably find on a long-distance hike. Therefore, they cannot be counted upon for any sustained diet unless the hiker plans mail drops...whi

Johnny Thunder

12-24-2009, 19:10

...which would be cost prohibitive given the financial constraints of the original poster.

wheewww (imagine I said that all on one breath)

Connie

12-24-2009, 19:35

I think the "young gun" needs to know he will compromise his health and increase his risks, with his "plan".

We can recover from emaciation, but never to full health.

And Mags had more food than "young gun" has planned.

Mags

12-24-2009, 20:32

You have Tiger's physique.

Is carrying around all that upper body mass really good for hiking?

First, it is lean muscle..not bulky, with some core exercise and flexibility thrown in... And I am lighter (by 30 lbs on the stomach and 20 lbs on the pack!) than when I did the AT. Perhaps it is better to be be fat? ;)

However, I forgot this is the Internet where people seriously say that the best way to get in shape for a hike is to do nothing and get fat. :D

Considering how much I backcountry ski, backpack and what I've done over the years...well, that's a rather interesting question.

Lookin' good. Next time, consult my website.

Why? ;)

And Mags had more food than "young gun" has planned.

Er..I think many of us told the "young gun" that a low calorie diet ain't gonna work...

My question: what will you be doing when you are 62 years old?

Skiing, hiking, trail maintenance...

Doctari

12-25-2009, 07:35

As an example:
At Biglots I found Kosher vegtable soup, 4 servings (4 normal persons) at 350 cal / serv $0.78 = 1400 cal. Add a bit of olive oil at around 200 cal / Oz & probably a few cents an oz for a pretty cheap High cal meal.

When I re-supplied at Damascus (at the Dollar store) I got 5 days of food, forgot what exactly, spent about $25.00, so $5.00 a day & I did not go (very) hungry. This was ONLY a section hike, & I am well over the teenage Hungries" :p But $6.00 a day seems doable if: you are not picky, you pay attention to cost per calorie, etc.
Also, hit the hiker boxes when you can. I could have likely supplied for about 5 days from the Kincora hostel box last year, the selection wasn't great, but it could be done. :D

mweinstone

12-25-2009, 07:48

i know a hiker that can carry so much weird food , its crazy. and way cheap. he carrys five lbs of corn meal. 5 of flour. cans of spamlike stuff.five of rice and five of beans and a zip stove. his food is 65 lbs and his pack 110. he is 6 foot 6. name,....scary gary. he lives with 12 tribes now.

mweinstone

12-25-2009, 07:52

me and ms hiked with him. he made cakes at night and beans in the morning. he used the grease from the potted meat products to bake and cook. and he saved and reused rancid food saftly by heating it till safe ,if yuckky. he never wasted. his food bags were shopping bags and he hiked in timberlands and used no money. save to buy more food.

Lone Wolf

12-25-2009, 08:08

there's always a whack or two in every pack

mweinstone

12-25-2009, 08:17

it is actually possible to hike the trail on little debbies alone. they can be made into most food groups.

wacocelt

12-27-2009, 21:46

Connie while all of that sounds absolutely delicious, very little of the actual meals you mentioned are to be found easily or cheaply, on trail or off. At least not in the places I've lived.

While you may not approve of the empty calories MAGS listed, he has done these trails and even taken the trouble to graph his consumption and spending so that he, and we, can later learn from and better plan our own excursions.

Just because you don't like the particulars of the information in no way detracts from the body of the work.

OP people have Thru hiked on less, but not many I'm sure. You've got the oppourtuniy to do somehting that very few people have the fortitude to do, and do it with considerably less. Plan well, hike well and Be Well!

Connie

12-27-2009, 22:16

I am hoping "young gun" is still reading the thread.

I commented on Mags for instruction for "young gun" because the remark "young gun" made indicated he is not receptive to the feedback he got in the thread.

I really thought Mags could have figured that out, being mature and all.

I have read a lot of "ramen noodles" and candy bars advice here at the forum.

Everything I named was basically tasty grains and fat, fat, fat because of the staying power of "good fat".

I was deliberately trying to stimulate appetite, and ideas.

There are cheaper ways to do it. Buy spices, roast in a little oil, throw in the other ingredients.

People who actually do hard physical labor or live in winter cold country eat that way: moving over to healthy fats.

Mags is a meso-morph, like me. He can cheat his body for a long time.

People do need to do better, and the food box ideas in this forum with full particulars where to mail the mail drops is excellent advice.

Maybe this kid should take a job, for his "grubstake" before he gets on the trail.

I know people who have done that all their life: work a little, hike a lot.

I hate to read about kids with all their health, throwing it away. Just sayin'

. . .

Jack Tarlin

12-28-2009, 17:23

Boy, six bucks a day, as someone earlier suggested, will only work if you are extremely disciplined, buy yourself no treats, and are committed to a really spartan diet.

Let's look at what a "typical" thru-hiker might buy for a four-day hiking stretch if they only had $24.00 to work with:

*A box of Pop Tarts $2.50
*Some oatmeal .49 each
*Bagels 2.99
*A block of cheese 3.29
*1 Ramens .59
*2 Liptons 2.75
*1 box mac and cheese 1.19
*6 Candy Bars 3.75
*Granola Bars or other 2.49
snacks
*A stick of pepperoni 2.99
*An apple 1.00

This totals over $24.00 and is by no means an extravagant diet (Making a block of cheddar go for 4 days is not exactly an exorbitant allowance, for example). It also includes no extras and no typical items carried by hikers such as butter, oil, spices, coffee or tea or cocoa, meats, fish, fruits and vegetables, Kool-Aid, peanut butter, powdered milk, honey. It obviousy includes no treats at all or surprises as a pint of ice cream ($3.99) or a box of Oreos or a packet of tuna fish will really mess up your day's budget. Six bucks doesn't go very far these days.

And for those who think they can do better by buying "in bulk" ahead of time,
will keep in mind the mailing costs involved: 30 maildrops at 6 bucks a pop will run you close to 200 dollars, i.e. a tenth of your $2000.00 budget just for postage.

This also, of course, makes no provision for town meals or drinks, and anyone who thinks they're gonna thru-hike without eating the occasional pizza, beer, ice cream cone, cheeseburger, salad bar, Chinese buffet, etc., well this is entirely unrealistic.

In short, the propsed $6.00 a day food budget is simply unworkable for most folks.

Can people still thru-hike on a $2000.00 budget? Sure, but they're not gonna eat very well and they're gonna miss out on a an awful lot of stuff.

Young Gun

12-29-2009, 00:37

Im still reading im reworking my diet I appreciate both of your inputs connie and mags its actually quite helpful and I will not deny that both of you are way more experienced than myself I am 18 ive done a couple of 2 week hikes before but like ive mentioned nothing past 15 days this is nothing compared to months on the A.T. I understand that but even two experienced hikers have 2 different ways of doing things but one thing is agreed I have to have a higher calorie input and just ramen isnt gonna cut it for me 2000 dollars may be tight but its all I can manage at the moment im not wealthy at all neither is my family I just cant afford much more than that this is my first hike and im considering it a test hike to see how things work out if it doesnt its ok try and try again thank you everyone for the input

Young Gun

12-29-2009, 00:38

When I say first hike I mean first attempt at a thru hike

Young Gun

12-29-2009, 17:48

wacocelt

12-29-2009, 18:25

Johnny Thunder

12-29-2009, 18:37

Yeah...I haven't been around long...but I've been around enough over the past three years to get to know pretty much everyone who makes a habit of smiling durring their hikes. Funny, I don't think I've ever met any of the hikers who started threads similar to this one. Is that a coincidence or a trend?

Connie

12-29-2009, 20:24

Maybe check out the Food Banks... food pantries, before you start.

There are journals reporting the first days, in snow, are hard.

Young Gun

12-29-2009, 22:32

Rude you say? im trying to find a bit of humor in all the fuss here wacocelt im sorry if im not allowed to joke around geesh I mean its like no matter how many times I say thankyou and that Yes I understand now you are the ones that keep replying with non sense so dont go calling the kettle black savvy?

wacocelt

12-30-2009, 00:06

You're right, it's nonsense of me to try and speak logically, like an adult, to an 18yr old...

What was I thinking? Good luck not eating any buffets on your hike bud...

HikerRanky

12-30-2009, 13:32

Young Gun, I notice that you are from Laurel, MS... I'm originally from Meridian myself. I had done a lot of hiking and backpacking with the Scouts down in Mississippi. Several of us experienced backpackers decided to do Springer to Neels Gap. I honestly felt that I was ready for the mountains. I was in very good shape and thought that my normal diet would suffice.

Boy was I ever wrong. Going up and down these Georgia mountains really put the stress on my body. I couldn't eat enough in the 4 days that we were out there. The rest of my backpacking partners were in the same way. We had each carried what we considered to be 6 days of food just in case. EVERY one of us went through that in 4 days.

Once we came out at Neels Gap, we headed for the closest restaurant we could find. The waitress int here thought that we hadn't ever eaten.

What I'm trying to tell you is you've received a lot of good information here in this thread from people that have walked a fair amount of miles in these mountains. I know that you may feel like everyone is picking on you, but what is happening is they know what this trail is really like.

I hope that you will take this to heart and consider what has been stated in this thread.

Randy

wacocelt

12-31-2009, 12:15

I know that you may feel like everyone is picking on you, but what is happening is they know what this trail is really like.

This! And once again, good luck and happy, healthy hiking to you OP!

Young Gun

01-01-2010, 16:02

I don't feel as if I am being picked on its just that Ive already taken everyone's advice into consideration, apologized, thanked them, and went about my way but then more people join in with more negative comments and I find it unnecessary so wacocelt I apologize for seeming rude thankyou for your input and now lets put this topic to rest on a good note

ShelterLeopard

01-02-2010, 19:17

And as far as town food goes I eat pizza maybe once every three months I dont drink or smoke cheeseburgers might be the death of me though not big on salad and eat chinese like once every 6 months but if a good mexican restraunt pops up well that alone can blow my budget im sure ill figure it out with or without your help:bse

Yeah, but you're talking about non-hiking life. Very, very different.

You really, really need to go read some trail journals my young friend. My trail appetite never kicks in until the 3rd or 4th week of a hike. At which point you feel incapable of putting it in fast enough.

If you really want advice then take the very prudent words which have been shared with you and do something with them. As it is you're only returning to spit at the feet of the people that are trying to help you with these attempts at defneding actions you don't even know you're going to be able to carry out. It's not only ridiculous it's rather rude.

Maybe check out the Food Banks... food pantries, before you start.

There are journals reporting the first days, in snow, are hard.

Food pantries? What are you talking about Connie? Those are not for hikers to stock up, if that's what you mean...

You're right, it's nonsense of me to try and speak logically, like an adult, to an 18yr old...

What was I thinking? Good luck not eating any buffets on your hike bud...

Hey- don't immediately discount someone because of their youth. Stubborn is reason enough.

I know that you may feel like everyone is picking on you, but what is happening is they know what this trail is really like.

This! And once again, good luck and happy, healthy hiking to you OP!

Celt is right- people here are just trying to give you realistic expectations, so you don't get on trail with not enough food and unrealistic ideas.

I don't feel as if I am being picked on its just that Ive already taken everyone's advice into consideration, apologized, thanked them, and went about my way but then more people join in with more negative comments and I find it unnecessary so wacocelt I apologize for seeming rude thankyou for your input and now lets put this topic to rest on a good note

A good way to "put a topic to rest" is to stop commenting and stop reading the thread. Anyway, you asked a question, we answered, just read the advice, you don't have to take it.