Re-supply list; critique please!

[Medic!]

This is a first draft table of my intended resupply stops for a 2011 NOBO thru...

My general theory is to drop more frequently than most because food costs at home can be much better controlled than trail towns, and I can get lighter weight meals without sacrificing taste or nutrient content.

I'm looking to get some feedback to chew on regarding people's experiences with these locations during past thru hikes. Thanks!

[10-K]

You're going to get a lot of differing opinions on this one....

I'll open by saying that (IMO) there is absolutely no need to even think about a mail drop before Damascus, VA unless you have specific requirements.

That would eliminate 5 of your mail drops and 1 of your "either"s....

[Jack Tarlin]

I see that you're sending quite a few maildrops to places that have perfectly good supermarkets.

Unless you're on some sort of specialized or restricted diet, or unless you're dehydrating or preparing a lot of your food ahead of time, there's no need to send food to these places.

Also, an awful lot of folks that get all their food ahead of time discover during their hikes that they're completely sick of a lot of it, i.e. mac and cheese, peanut butter, Pop Tarts, whatever. But if they bought the stuff ahead of time, they're essentially stuck with it.......they either suffer in silence and hate their food, or they dump it and start buying en route what they really want to eat, thus wasting the money initially spent buying the food, PLUS whatever they spent on postage.

For all sorts of reasons, most folks prefer to buy what they need (and what they WANT) while en route. And remember, when you throw in the cost of postage, you're not necessarily saving that much by buying in bulk ahead of time.

For more info on Re-Supply options and possibilities, you might want to check out the "Articles" section of this website.

[Appalachian Tater]

What Jack said, plus postage will more than offset your savings on food.

Even not knowing when you're starting, I am more concerned about where you are planning to switch out your winter gear for summer gear. If you do it too soon you are going to be very cold some nights.

[Blissful]

There are a few places I would definitely drop - mainly because convenience store options put the cost out of control, and you are better off sending a box rather than relying on few expensive options in stores like that (like a tuna pack for $3.50 when you can get it for 99 cents)
Like I would drop at Atkins at the red barn unless you plan to stay at Happy Hollow and they shuttle to a store
I'd also drop at Glencliff myself, PO right across from hostel
Why drop at Rockfish Gap = you have Waynesboro and Kroger?
Why isn't Gorham on your list? Huge Wally world there
I might do both at Monson
Abol Bridge = you only need two days at most, buy at grocery store

[Dogwood]

Let me help you here Medic. If you have absolutely decided you are going to do some mailed resupply drops and its simply a matter of where you think they make the most sense FOR YOU and YOUR HIKE, than that is what you should pointedly ask about in your OP. Ask posters to respond specifically to whether or not they think that is a good place to mail a resupply box BASED ON YOUR GOALS or else you are going to get all manner of posts debating whether or not mailing resupply boxes on the AT , as a whole, is a good idea, for SOMEONE else's hiking GOALS/AGENDA.

I was not able to open your document. Before you made your resupply pts. list did you read the "Resupplying on the AT" and Weathercarrot's "How to do a cheap hike under $1000" articles here on WB in the Thru-hiking info section?

[wcgornto]

I thru hiked last year and I used mail drops the whole way. I pre-purchased and repackaged Mountain House meals in bulk and I pre-packaged a protein shake mix for breakfast. I freezer bag cooked for the convenience of not having to wash a pot. I don't like ramen noodles, pop tarts or oatmeal (except in Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pies or in Oatmeal Raisin cookies). Using a lot of mail drops was convenient for my preferences and if I thru hiked again, I would use a lot of mail drops again.

Rather than making out a list of mail drop locations ahead of time, I looked out about two weeks ahead to see where I would be on the trail and then asked my sister to send the next box to that location (That is, I usually had the next two boxes in transit). I used a hostel address where possible, but had to use post offices a good bit as well. The downside to using post offices is quirky hours plus short or no Saturday hours. It can lead to quite the race to town to get to the post office and can cause unplanned zeroes.

My suggestion is that rather than planning mail drops in advance of your hike, you might consider planning them a week or two in advance as you go along.

[Medic!]

Thanks for suggestions, all. I have read many of the articles available and just pretty much wanted to see how my list compared to what others have done on past thru hikes.

The list was basically a first attempt based on some guidebooks skimming, and a potential average of days needed per re-supply & potential average mileages... Entirely more complicated than it probably needs to be. I have a distinct tendency to approach all things with as much forethought and planning as possible, to be overprepared in order to minimize the "Oh S#!t" moments. I'd rather have a plan in place and not need it or have to change it, than be stuck with no food in the middle of nowhere because I didn't plan ahead.
The basics of my theory are to get groceries where they are cheap and easy to get to, and drop where they're expensive or require more technical planning or further travel to obtain vs. mail drop. Additionally, in areas where I will be doing longer stretches between resupplies, my theory is to get mail drops in those locations to maximize weight savings of food.

I'm sure it will undergo many revisions before I begin my hike, and will not be a set-in-stone law during thre hike, but more of a general guideline that will be edited on the fly as I hike. (Hang the code!)

[Johnny Thunder]

If your primary goal is to avoid being stuck in the middle of nowhere without food then I would limit your boxes to:

Fontana Dam (full stocked store but if you're in the bubble it could get cleared out...the hostel shuttles to a store)
Unionville, NY (not fully-necessary since you'll be going in/out of "town" almost daily in this section to get sandwiches...it's easy to just pick up a mac while you're there)
Bennington, VT (the grocer is about 2 miles North of town. there are bikes to borrow from the outfitter but that can be the waiting game to end all waiting games)
Glencliff, NH
Andover, ME (maybe...perfectly good resupply at the convenience store...you'll know what you're doing by then)
Monson, ME (a small dinners-only drop should suffice. there are monstrous hiker boxes and two gas stations to get the rest.)

[vonfrick]

you can get from stratton to monson without the maildrop in caratunk for sure.
and just buy stuff at the campground store at abol