View Full Version : im REALLY stressing over my mail drop list- please help!
Spot In The Sky
06-09-2010, 09:14
So I had started a thread about the worst towns for resupply, meaning you should have a mail drop sent to you there...so I gathered some info from there but Im not sure its making much sense.
Here are the places Ive come up with for mail drops for my SOBO hike starting June 27th-
Caratunk, ME
Andover, ME
Does it make sense to have two mail drops in ME? It seems that Monson is just a little further than Caratunk and still only 3.5 miles from the trail- also it looks like Monson is the first town out of the 100 Wild Wilderness- so couldnt I just skip Caratunk and go to Monson for resupply?
Eitherway, in Caratunk there is a Northern Outdoor Center, it looks like they do lodging and outfitting- can I send my drop there without the expectation of staying there?
Im going to be heading into Gorham, NH and I know Andover isnt TOO far from there- but is it worth a mail drop in Andover to lighten the load along the way?
People also mentioned
Port Clinton, PA
Harpers Ferry, WV
but those look close to each other too...is it still worth it to do both?
Glencliff, NH looks like it makes sense to drop there...
And then:
Bear Mt, NY
Gaitlinburg, TN
Pen Mar, PA
Fantana Village (What state is this in???)
Nantahala Outdoor Center, NC
Does any of these sound too close to eachother/to other major cities that I could just keep going? Some towns, like Andover seem to 8 miles off the trail which doesnt sound real convenient, but Pine Ellis Lodging will do a pick up- are any of these other towns Ive listed far off the trail that make it hard to get to?
Thanks guys- Im trying to get this finished by tomorrow.
Jack Tarlin
06-09-2010, 09:20
*Fontana Dam is in North Carolina.
*Your maildrop list seems fine.
*Gorham and Andover are pretty close, but this is TOUGH section. I'd reesupply
(one way or another) in both places.
*There's a little store in Warren,near Glencliff, but a small drop to Glencliff
may not be a bad idea.
*Some of the other little PA towns might be a better place to re-supply than PenMar.
A mail drop is the most convenient resupply option at Port Clinton. You may find it helpful to know Schuylkill River Trail, John B. Bartram section to State Street trailhead offers off-road access to Hamburg. See the thread entitled Schuylkill River Trail started by me and Companion for more information about services at Hamburg.
Blissful
06-09-2010, 09:40
The reason I am using many drops is so I don't have to carry the food for more than 3 days. I found out starting out with less in your pack makes the journey easier overall. ME and NH require more because of remoteness and tougher terrain (and no trail legs yet, hence lower miles).
Where my problem lies is after Vermont, since I'm uncertain as to my daily mileage by then. If I can do more miles, the drops can be farther apart. See my trailjournal link for my list so far (which I plan to get set through MD before I go home for a week in late Sept). We don't have a drop in Monson because we are getting help
I also drop more frequently too for my medications. The list will likely get readjusted. But like I don't plan to go into Rutland.
Blissful
06-09-2010, 09:42
The Caratunk PO is just down the road. Why send a drop to the resort if you don't plan to stay there?
Better check on the Bear Mtn PO - the hours; looks better to send to Ft Montgomery
You won't need a drop in Gatlinburg, by then you'll be doing high miles. Resupply with Curtis and then head out to Fontana dam
Resupply in Duncannon and at the grocery store at Pine grove Furnace (are they open in Sept anyone know?) probably enough to get you to HF. Skip Penn mar
Appalachian Tater
06-09-2010, 17:00
Just a reminder if you are planning your mail drops months ahead: The Post Office is in the process of trying to close branches and reduce hours. If you are sending a drop to a small town, it would be a good idea to call them and confirm that they are open and what their hours are just before mailing your stuff.
Gatlinburg has a real grocery store and it would be easy to get a ride or hop on the bus to get there.
Glencliff is a good place to switch out your gear for warmer or colder temps depending on which way you are heading. The PO is right across the street from the hostel. The store they take you to is a glorified convenience store/gas station.
Spot In The Sky
06-09-2010, 17:21
When you send a package to a post office- do you need to put the address of the post office or even write "post office" or do you just put the town, zip and C/O General Delivery with my name and eta?
Your Name
General Delivery
Port Clinton, PA 19549
Please hold for A.T. hiker arriving approximately 6/15
Spot In The Sky
06-09-2010, 18:04
Thanks everyone-
For Harpers Ferry- does the ATC openly/regularly accept mail drops no problem or do they get annoyed by this?
Blissful
06-09-2010, 19:09
ATC accepts drops. Great people. Laurie posts regularly. Just curious why you think an organization that supports the trail and hikers would be annoyed by mail drops??? :)
Spot In The Sky
06-09-2010, 19:18
It looks like Fontana Village and the NOC at Highway 19 are like 1-2 days apart...do people really mail drop at both places?
Why do drops at all?????????:confused:
Spot In The Sky
06-09-2010, 19:21
Why do drops at all?????????:confused:
Haha cause im a newbie baby!!
Haha cause im a newbie baby!!
Even a better reason not to do them. :-?
They are a pain,:eek: inflate your cost,:eek:a big waste, :eek: tie you to a schedule:mad: (somewhat):(etc.:eek:etc.:rolleyes: You will have a better experience w/o the drops, believe me!;)
Speakeasy TN
06-09-2010, 19:35
Haha cause im a newbie baby!!
I'm still undecided about drops for next year precisely BECAUSE I'm a newbie and the last thing I want is for the drops to force me into a schedule. The town visits are as much a part of my plans for adventure as the trail time. Just a different perspective. Best of luck!
People who make use of mail drops are generally not prohibited from visiting trail towns. In many cases, post offices are conveniently located to the A.T. and in some cases are nearer it than the closest supermarket.
It looks like Fontana Village and the NOC at Highway 19 are like 1-2 days apart...do people really mail drop at both places?
It depends on what others you have in mind, but Fontana might make more sense and you might have a better option than the P.O.
Refer to ALDHA's Companion below.
People who make use of mail drops are generally not prohibited from visiting trail towns. In many cases, post offices are conveniently located to the A.T. and in some cases are nearer it than the closest supermarket.
Who cares if it is a few blocks closer, you double your chances of it being open using a market- then, there all the other reasons I mention...;)
Other than a very specific diet (which he doesn't mention)- the only reason is he doesn't know any better (which is his reason given).
I do know better, so take it for what thats worth.
I've posted more than enough to this thread already. Why don't you see if you can use all the emoticons in a sentence without linking one of your earlier posts or do something useful like answer the question (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showpost.php?p=1022027&postcount=8) I posted about Appalachian Trail Museum?
Spot In The Sky
06-09-2010, 20:57
Respectfully...thank you BOTH for your advice and help.
I've posted more than enough to this thread already. Why don't you see if you can use all the emoticons in a sentence without linking one of your earlier posts or do something useful like answer the question (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showpost.php?p=1022027&postcount=8) I posted about Appalachian Trail Museum?
YOU don't think my emoticons are useful?!?:eek: The nerve...:mad::p:rolleyes:
You posted your museum question on a thread I'm not familiar with, :confused:which is to say,;) it wasn't on the museum thread.:confused: If the question you ask is how long to check out the museum:)- I'd say an hour:-?- but you can whiz thru it in ten minutes too.:(
Hope that splains that:welcome:D
Respectfully...thank you BOTH for your advice and help.
You're :welcome
I see someone managed to sneek in a post ahead of mine. Thanks, I'll quote the relevant portion in reply to my question.
I can vouch for deleting PenMar, I had a drop at the P.O. there years ago and luckily was given a ride there and back to the park. Planning mail drops more than after the first two is kinda a waste. Your schedule may change. I was lucky in the past and had someone at home mailing out the drops as I called them in; we both referenced the same year data book. By utilizing the data book you can also see how far grocery and all are from the trail, that way you may be able to reorganize one drop to the next for convenience. Either way, my 2¢ from experience; I'll be doing it again the same way, pre-mail my first two drops and on one of them I'll have a better sence of trail mileage. It also helped that I'm from the NJ area and mail gets to any point rather quickly.
Spot In The Sky
06-09-2010, 21:43
I can vouch for deleting PenMar, I had a drop at the P.O. there years ago and luckily was given a ride there and back to the park. Planning mail drops more than after the first two is kinda a waste. Your schedule may change. I was lucky in the past and had someone at home mailing out the drops as I called them in; we both referenced the same year data book. By utilizing the data book you can also see how far grocery and all are from the trail, that way you may be able to reorganize one drop to the next for convenience. Either way, my 2¢ from experience; I'll be doing it again the same way, pre-mail my first two drops and on one of them I'll have a better sence of trail mileage. It also helped that I'm from the NJ area and mail gets to any point rather quickly.
Oh well that was already my plan...my fam would mail em as I call em except for the first two in Maine. I cant imagine figuring out what week Id be in PA or NC at this point...yikes.
I just wanted to prepare the size of the boxes and the locations.
Speaking of which...this is my next issue...how many days of food to put in each box...Im not good at math.
Spot In The Sky
06-09-2010, 22:41
Thanks everyone for their words of wisdom...here is my new list with some added details on # of days food to have sent in each item, please correct me if I am off base...
Drop at Caratunk, ME w/ 5 days of food to get me to Stratton, ME
Drop at Andover, ME w/ 4 days of food to get me to Gorham, NH
Drop at Glencliff, NH w/4 days of food to get me to Hanover, NH
Drop at Fort Montomgery, NY w/4 days of food to get me to Vernon, NJ
Drop at Port Clinton, PA w/ 6 days of food to get me to Duncannon, PA
Drop at Harpers Ferry, WV w/ 6 days of food to get me to Luray, VA- is it easy to hitch the 9 miles into town?
Drop at Fontana Village, NC w/ 4 days of food to get me to Franklin, NC- is it easy to hitch the 10 miles into town?
ADVICE WELCOMED!
Drop at Port Clinton, PA w/ 6 days of food to get me to Duncannon, PA.
You won't need 6. By then, 20 mpd will be easy. Four may be enough and 5 could be more than enough. Plan on breakfast at 3C's.
Buy what you think you will need at Duncannon. What are your plans for DWG?
If you plan to spend some time in Arlington when you reach Harpers Ferry, you may not need to send a mail a drop there. You may also want to defer planning the drops for the 2nd 1/2 of your hike until then when you will have a clearer sense of your requirements.
Use the online Companion or an A.T. Data Book if you have one to determine the mileages between resupply points.
Spot In The Sky
06-09-2010, 22:59
You won't need 6. By then 20 mpd will be easy. Four may be enough and 5 could be more than enough. Plan on breakfast at 3C's.
Buy what you think you will need at Duncannon. What are your plans for DWG?
Use the online Companion or an A.T. Data Book if you have one to determine the mileages between resupply points.
I have the **cough cough** AT Guide **cough cough** and was using 15 miles per day but youre right- itll be 20 by then...thanks for that.
Aaaand is that Delaware Water Gap? Do I need to have plans???
Either works. The P.O. in Delaware Water Gap is convenient and from there you can go straight through to PC. Check to see what is the nearest listed supermarket.
Some these days seem to think Palmerton is an essential stop. I wouldn't bother, but others no doubt think that sacriledge. Plan accordingly.
Blissful
06-09-2010, 23:13
Caratunk to Stratton is short! We're only taking three days.
What are you doing in the Whites?
You might consider Unionville - PO easier to get to than Vernon, imo
After Harper's Ferry, easier to get to Front Royal, only a three mile hitch to a grocery store and supplement at the waysides inside SNP (Elkwallow, Big Meadows, Loft Mtn). You could then skip Luray if you wanted.
At Franklin, Ron Haven shuttles. Great guy. Great town
Blissful
06-09-2010, 23:14
Some these days seem to think Palmerton is an essential stop. I wouldn't bother, but others no doubt think that sacriledge. Plan accordingly.
Problem with Palmerton now is that they closed the blue trail heading into town (from the ATC site). So now its a pain trying to hitch on that major highway (It was a pain for us hitching out of town in '07). Sad, I really like that town. Great place and free hostel with a goodie bag
Appalachian Tater
06-09-2010, 23:15
Spot in The Sky, the best advice regarding planning resupply is to read Baltimore Jack's article about it, print it out and take it with you on your hike. It will help you plan the number of days you will take between resupply. He gives ranges but after a couple of weeks you'll know where you fall in the range. Every night before going into town you can inventory any leftover food, check his article, and plan how many meals you need and how much food to buy.
Spot In The Sky
06-09-2010, 23:23
Spot in The Sky, the best advice regarding planning resupply is to read Baltimore Jack's article about it, print it out and take it with you on your hike. It will help you plan the number of days you will take between resupply. He gives ranges but after a couple of weeks you'll know where you fall in the range. Every night before going into town you can inventory any leftover food, check his article, and plan how many meals you need and how much food to buy.
Thanks A. Tater- Ive been reviewing his article but I confuse myself trying to reverse it..dont know why, I will take a copy though, cant hurt.
Appalachian Tater
06-09-2010, 23:28
Thanks A. Tater- Ive been reviewing his article but I confuse myself trying to reverse it..dont know why, I will take a copy though, cant hurt.
Can't help you with that! I have hiked some sections of the A.T. backwards and it is very frustrating reading up instead of down after doing the whole thing reading top to bottom.
All you really need to do is plan on your next town. :eek:
Look in your guide and figure how many mpd YOU are doing and plan accordingly.;)
Odds are against you making it the whole way anyways. :(
There are so many places along the way to grab a meal or resupply that long term planning is just not a smart way to go these days. Seems some want to give decades old advice but gee wiz- it's outdated. :confused:
You limit your adventure with drops and unless you have a peculiar diet it works against you. :-?
Drops worked in the old days because you didn't have the options. These days- because of your options, cost, pre-planning something you've never done, flexability, etc. - they are just a bad idea for the AT.:(:(
Drops are for baby newbies who don't know any better and old timers who no longer have a clue.:o
Thats a no BS response to you question. ;)
Carry enough to get to Monson (Abol - whitehouse landing, and another camp have food along the way. Then you can eat at Northren Outdoors, and the Harrisons- am I forgeting something- before Stratton. :-?
There are so many places I can't remember them all.:o
Drops will limit you as you progress. :mad:
Anyone care to explain otherwise?:)
Thanks everyone for their words of wisdom...here is my new list with some added details on # of days food to have sent in each item, please correct me if I am off base...
Drop at Caratunk, ME w/ 5 days of food to get me to Stratton, ME
Drop at Andover, ME w/ 4 days of food to get me to Gorham, NH
Drop at Glencliff, NH w/4 days of food to get me to Hanover, NH
Drop at Fort Montomgery, NY w/4 days of food to get me to Vernon, NJ
Drop at Port Clinton, PA w/ 6 days of food to get me to Duncannon, PA
Drop at Harpers Ferry, WV w/ 6 days of food to get me to Luray, VA- is it easy to hitch the 9 miles into town?
Drop at Fontana Village, NC w/ 4 days of food to get me to Franklin, NC- is it easy to hitch the 10 miles into town?
ADVICE WELCOMED!
I'm thinking you want to go old school on this, despite all the negatives, so...
I'd skip the Luray drop. You walk by so much food on that stretch and can be a difficult hitch.
Franklin can be a much easier hitch.
I have done the trail with resupply drops and I'm happy those days are over. I do a bounce box instead to can't/won't miss towns that I plan on taking a beero.
Jack Tarlin
06-10-2010, 12:25
*Andover to Gorham may take you more than 4 days.
*Glencliff to Hanover will probably take you less than 4 days.
*Port Clinton to Duncannon will not take you 6 days, it's only around 70 miles.
I did my long walk 17 years ago, but I think the principles remain the same. I figured on averaging 15 miles a day and resupplying every six days. Whether I bought or mailed depended on which was closest to the trail -- a good resupply store or a post office.
I based my judgments on the AT data book (around $5 from ATC), and a trail guide (Wingfoot in 1993, several choices today. Any are good enough.)
I noticed a lot of hikers doing 20 plus mile days. I even did a 20 mile day myself once. But I noticed that regardless of the big miles being bragged about, I tended to see the same hikers day after day, sometimes week after week, even month after month.
The explanation? I also noticed that a lot of big days were followed by zero days.
I tended to be behind schedule most of my walk as a result of minor injuries and illnesses. But my packages were always still at the POst Offices when I arrived, sometimes weeks late.
A couple of times I had to take an unplanned zero because the post office was closed. I enjoyed the break, since I hadn't scheduled any zeroes. Once I had a faster hiker pick up my package when it looked like I would miss a Saturday noon closing.
Weary
Once I had a faster hiker pick up my package when it looked like I would miss a Saturday noon closing.
Weary
Creative problem-solving should continue to be one of the aspects of an A.T. through hike that's encouraged. Woods time and preparing one's own meals should also be valued and encouraged.
My idea of what the Appalachian Trail ought to be continues to revolve around spending as little time as possible on the shoulder of a road, begging rides and being shuttled around to partake of various services. Fast food and a ride on demand at every road crossing is not a program conducive perpetuating the experience the A.T. was created to provide.
Too many see the Appalachian Trail as little more than an opportunity to generate revenue for themselves and their friends. I'm all for experiencing the indigenous culture. I just don't think the best way to experience it is as a passenger in an automobile.
This is what can happen when there exists really TOO much resupply beta. You have to sort through the mounds of info to understand what rightly applies for your hike. In some ways the AT is so well documented and over analyzed preparing for it can easily overwhelm. Sending resupply boxes starts making the prep that much more complicated in some ways.
Jack's got the lowdown on AT resupply(you did read his and Weather Carrot's resupply articles on WB?), but let me just add to the beta. Yes, you could do a resupply drop at the ATC in Harpers Ferry(I think it's free and they have generous open hours, besides you will probably stop there and register as a thru-hiker and have your pic taken) or you could rather easily get a ride to a nearby grocery store. Lots of trail folks go through HF that would give you a ride. Hiker boxes at the ATC too.
At Port Clinton there is a bus that travels through PC into Hamburg where this is a large grocery store and Bass Pro Shops(not really a good hiking outfitter in my mind, but does carry some stuff you might need, like stove fuel). The bus stops in front of the chocolate candy store in PC. If I recall correctly there is a hiker box in PC PO too! Like Jack said not all that far between Port Clinton and Duncannon and I think Boiling Springs is between PC and Duncannon where you could get a restaurant meal, cutting down on food carry. Get an ice cream in Boiling Springs!
I often mail resupply boxes to key pts(I almost always use a hybrid resupply approach, mail some resupply boxes, buy some resupplies along the way) because I have special dietary needs and am anal about pack wt. If this does not apply to you you really do not need to mail out so many resupply boxes on the AT. Usually resupply options are quite frequent.
Whenever I'm mailing out many resupply boxes I think about what happens if when I reach the resupply pt the place is closed(like a PO). What will I do? Wait around for possibly 2 days waiting for the PO to re-open? The more resupply boxes you send out the greater the odds of this ocurring at some pt. Be prepared for that!
flemdawg1
06-10-2010, 13:39
Like Jack said not all that far between Port Clinton and Duncannon and I think Boiling Springs is between PC and Duncannon where you could get a restaurant meal, cutting down on food carry. Get an ice cream in Boiling Springs!
Boiling Springs is South of Duncannon.
Port Clinton is North of Duncannon.
This is what can happen when there exists really TOO much resupply beta.
He's doing the same as most everyone does in the weeks leading up to one's first long hike and as people before the worldwide web did. There's far more information available today than what anyone really needs to hike the Appalachian Trail and much of it isn't readily accessible when it might be useful anyway.
I planned my through hike with nothing more than ATC's guide books and could plan another with nothing more than an A.T. Data Book and maps.
Blissful
06-10-2010, 14:42
MAIL DROPS ROCK! I love mail and its like opening a present. And I don't have to ponder at a store what to buy, which takes tons of time. And my hubby makes awesome homemade jerky with half the price or better what you buy at a store. And I get to have turkey dinner on the trail, homemade from chicken we dehydrated.
There....
:)
I said I wouldn't do but a few on my next hike, but I like the security of them (and am again planning for probably 25 this time). After my experience down south this year where the food choices in certain areas stunk and the prices even more so, it is worth my while in a smaller town with lesser food options to send a box with food I like (plus I need drops anyway for meds). Plus I like the idea of cutting down on weight with two or three days of food. And I don't care to carry a box of eight pop tarts either. Or I could buy three singles at a convenience store for the price of two whole boxes. (Pop tarts are junk nutrition anyway).
Double there... :)
This is what can happen when there exists really TOO much resupply beta. You have to sort through the mounds of info to understand what rightly applies for your hike. In some ways the AT is so well documented and over analyzed preparing for it can easily overwhelm. Sending resupply boxes starts making the prep that much more complicated in some ways. .....
I found planning for resupply pretty simple. Using the data book and assuming 15 mile days with resupply every 6, it was easy to pick out which towns that best fit my plans, i.e. had nearby resupply stores and/or post offices near the trail.
I had run for the State Senate and lost in the November general elections. By New Years I had decided to take the train to Georgia and walk home.
I spent the next three months reading the grocery ads for sales, and clipping cents off coupons for things like hamburger helper, Lipton dinners, oatmeal and other trail basics -- and buying stuff I knew I would use. By mid-march I was packing and labeling my boxes for my wife to mail. And arranging to meet an 11-year-old grandson in Harpers Ferry in July to walk north with me for two months.
An unexpected family emergency delayed things for a couple of weeks, but I arrived in Atlanta, where a friend of a friend picked me up and drove me to Amicalola State Park on April 13. I arrived on the summit of Katahdin on October 16, six months and three days later.
I suspect I spent more days in the woods and hills than most long distance AT hikers that year.
Weary
Blissful
06-10-2010, 14:54
Nice story, Weary.
That's why I like drops also - I can spend more time in the woods then figuring out with my meager money on my person (and stressing out) over what meals to try and get from overpriced (and often heavy) food item selections in certain stores. Or in some places, having to hitch or catch buses or hike miles to get myself there. I mean there are some places it is obvious you can resupply with ease. Like Wally World in Gorham, grocery store in North Adams, Kroger in Daleville, trail towns that have the infamous Dollar General, just to name a few. But some areas there isn't much and /or overpriced.
Jack Tarlin
06-10-2010, 16:30
This has been discussed here many times before, but in brief:
The advantages to maildrops are as follows:
*You pick out your own food, and assuming you have someone responsible
handling your mail, your parcel is waiting for you when you arrive at a
town, hostel, etc.
*Even after throwing in the cost of postage, one can ostensibly save a lot of
money by buying key hiker foods in bulk ahead of time.
*A lot of hiker food shopping is "impulse buying". If some or much of your
food is in the shape of maildrops, you'll spend less time and money in
markets, and will be able to get out of town quicker.
*You can send food that you might not be able to get in supermarkets (like
quart bags of powdered milk, etc.) and you can send food in proper quanti-
ties, i.e. four pop tarts instead of having to buy a whole box, etc.
*You can send stuff you've made at home, especially dehydrated stuff.
Disadvantages of maildrop re-supply:
*Most folks don't have the time to dehydrate ahead of time, so this
"advantage" actually applies to very few people.
*Postage fees add up, especially if like most people, your early maildrops are
too large and you end up sending extra stuff home or ahead, i.e. you end
up paying to mail it TWICE.
*You are at the mercy of Post office hours, i.e. you must arrive in a town by
mid-day Saturday before the post office closes, or you're screwed.
Without exception, EVERYONE who relies on maildrops can tell you a horror
story about getting to a town too late; killing time and money in a town
for a day or two til the P.O. opens up again; blowing off a drop entirely
and simply buying food instead, i.e wasting the time and money you spent
buying and mailing the drop in the first place, etc.
*If you buy your food en route, you'll likely get all sorts of ideas on food and
different foods from observing what other hikers are eating. If all your stuff
is bought ahead of time, you're essentially stuck with it.
*Here's the key one: It's Thursday afternoon as I write this. I have no idea
what I want to eat for dinner tomorrow. So why in heaven's name would I
have any idea in February (when I'm putting my maildrops together) what I
want to be eating the following September? Simple truth is that if you buy
all your stuff ahead of time, by the time you get it on the Trail you'll likely
be thoroughly sick of most of it, whether it's peanut butter or stuffing mix
or whatever. But if all your food is in drops, you're stuck with it; your
choices are to suck it up and eat food you've come to loathe, or you can
s***can it and buy all new stuff, thus wasting all the money you spent
buying it in the first place, never mind the postage fees. Discovering
mid-way thru a hike that you hate what's in your maildrops can be really
discouraging, bnever mind expensive.
*The amount of time you elect to spend in town will ultimately have little
or nothing to do with where you get your food. Maildrops won't get you
back in the woods any quicker.
For all these reasons and more, the "convenience" of maildrops, for most folks, is not all that convenient. The vast majority of today's thru-hikers find it easier to purchase most of their food while en route, and only send food parcels to a handful of places where shopping options for hikers are limited, far from the Trail, or too expensive.
A lot of good info here to consider. I did maildrops last year and hindsight tells me you can really cut way back on them. You're on the right track.
Thank you Flemdawg for correcting me on my brain fog. You just gave me another excuse for another cup of joe.
My post was not for or against maildrops so I was not intending to bring up that discussion again. It's been done far so many times on WB before. My pt was that there exists so much info on the AT you eventually have to find a away that is right for each individual hiker to weed out what is not necessary - Kinda like internet searches!
Jack, I think if you had a $1 for every time you had reposted that maildrop speil you would be able to fund another AT thru-hike! God bless your hiker loving heart!
I often do some mail drops for my own reasons, but doing so can bring about several consequences of which I noted in my last post. Actually, I found resupplying on the AT quite easy and flexible even with my dietary(pesce vegetarian) requirements. And yes, I too, resupplied on the AT just as you did Weary with no problems(ie; out of the data book, 15 mile days resupplying every 5-6 days and amending it as a went along as my miles per day increased)
I did no maildrops on the AT!
Appalachian Tater
06-10-2010, 20:16
It depends on what others you have in mind, but Fontana might make more sense and you might have a better option than the P.O.
Refer to ALDHA's Companion below. I think NOC makes more sense than Fontana PO because it is a pain going into the village and there is the nice shelter (and showers) right there on the trail. You go right through NOC anyway.
Appalachian Tater
06-10-2010, 20:26
Sorry for the double post, but I didn't do any food drops either, only cold weather gear in Glencliff and some replacement equipment here and there.
If you have not done any long-distance hiking you will be surprised at what you might want to eat and how that might change. On another thru I might do a couple of drops but it would be from the last town with a good grocery store, not anything prepared before the hike. It really is nice to be able to decide exactly what you are in the mood to eat and to try things you see other people eating. My appetite did a couple of 180 degree turns with some 90 degree turns in between and drops would not have been able to accommodate that. Even if I had been doing drops, I still would have wanted to go the grocery store for juice, fresh fruit, soda, ice cream, milk, etc when in town.
Of course there are plenty of experienced hikers or people who are on special diets or who like to dehydrate their own food but for most people on-the-fly resupply is by far the best option, especially when you figure in postage (http://www.usps.com/prices/priority-mail-prices.htm).
FWIW. Were I to thru again, I would use fewer mail drops. But I would definitely do some. These would include mostly the basics Lipton sides, oatmeal, powdered milk etc. Which with a little planning I can buy much cheaper at home. And more importantly, package in six day sized packets that I would need. I never liked sitting on a sidewalk or a picnic table in a trail town, sorting out the next weeks food and deciding what more I might need. Or trying to decide whether to carry any surplus I may have bought, or just throw it away, or, with luck, just give it away.
That's a chore better done at home, I find. Though I also find that over the years my needs are increasingly stable, making these transient needs increasingly stable.
Weary
Blissful
06-10-2010, 21:52
T
*If you buy your food en route, you'll likely get all sorts of ideas on food and different foods from observing what other hikers are eating. If all your stuff is bought ahead of time, you're essentially stuck with it.
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Jack makes some good points (though with my 30 maildrops in '07,only 2 didn't make it and two drops I arrived on a Sunday and had to wait until Monday to get it, no hardship for me. And several went to hostels or motels where you don't have to wait, and more and more offer this service, so POs are not really all that necessary as in the past)
As to the quoted comment above, really, all hikers out there eat the same standard hiker food that they get at the stores (like for dinner its Liptons, tuna packs, Ramen). I see very little other variety out there (unless they have just stopped at a huge store like a Kroger, for which you wouldn't do a drop anyway). Nice thing about drops, YOU have the variety (my hubby on the homefront makes up food from a cookbook, among other things, or foods we get from a Mennonite store, etc. If you have someone sending the drops, it adds lots of spice to your hike, they get to be a part of the hike and they can also be creative) Like for Maine we are packing a hummus burger mix into ours, lentil soup, some fancy shell mixes with different cheese flavors we got at Target, flavored couscous with dried veggies and cranberries, etc. We are also going to make omelets out of whole dried egg and bacon bits. No way are hikers buying food like that on the trail for their dinners. :)
Blissful
06-10-2010, 21:54
Even if I had been doing drops, I still would have wanted to go the grocery store for juice, fresh fruit, soda, ice cream, milk, etc when in town.
Definitely. That's why I do both, small drops and supplement grocery store items like cheese, fresh bagels or other bread, etc. Nutrition is the key out there, and I think this combo makes for better nutrition for me anyway, imo
FWIW, I'm of Blissful's opinion. If I was to thru the AT again I would probably never carry more than 4 days of food even in the Smokies and 100 mile wilderness. That's because I have a bettter idea of resupply options and by the time I reached places where resupply pts are spaced further apart(up north) I would be doing 25 - 25 + miles per day going NOBO. I also would do little food supplements along the way. But, that's me.
Two places on your resupply list that you could do some supplementing of food, even if you do mail resupply boxes there, are at NOC and Fontana Village. NOC has a restaurant, dehydrated food at the outdoor shop, and a little streamside burger/sandwich/fries booth where you can sit down at one of the picnic tables and watch the watewater kayakers float by. Also, no one said you can't pack out a sandwich to the trail. You can also get a real shower there.
The Fontana Village PO is right next to a smallish convenience store. I would venture to guess that 100's if not 1000's of thru-hikers have been able to resupply for the Smokies out of that convenience store. Hiker boxes were both at the PO and inside the convenience store when I was there twice. Restaurant up the hill at the Village too. Not a bad breakfast.
If you do send a box to Northern Outdoor Center they have a pool, hot tub, bar that serves food, a pool table, and decent rooms that you could share with other hikers. Again, you could supplement a bit here. Also in Caratunk, Steve Longley's Rivers and Trails had some resupply when I was there and quiet inexpensive cabins. He also accepts boxes.
In Andover there was a smallish convenience store w/ marginal resupply, but I knew thru-hilkers who resupplied from that little store. Possible to take sometheing like a sandwich or breakfast(Egg sandwiches) to the trail from here.
In the end Spot in the Sky, you shoiuld do fine finding food for the trail on the AT!
Look over JT's resupply info again. Lots of experienced hiker savvy resupply info in that article.
Check everything I said!
Sierra Echo
06-10-2010, 22:48
Don't forget to take advantage of the Postal Services Flat Rate boxes!
I think NOC makes more sense than Fontana PO because it is a pain going into the village and there is the nice shelter (and showers) right there on the trail. You go right through NOC anyway.
You're right. When I posted, I was thinking about resupply and pack weight in the context of a northbound hike. He'll be going the opposite way.
I think what I would do is take the list of mail drops with me but not send any mail drops. Also take a list of towns that have good stores. That way I have useful information with me and can send any mail drops from towns that have good stores along the trail.
Check your guide -between the towns -to see all your eating options and understand why many send and/or carry too much food.:)
As a follow up to what Nean alluded to, never have I heard of an AT thru-hiker dieing of starvation. Although, I do notice oodles of hikers, mostly day, weekend, and section hikers, finishing their hikes with leftover trailfood. At many times, on the AT and in National Parks in particular, I have noticed hiker boxes full of trailfood, sometimes expensive dehydrated trailfood. Even ULers I've seen obsess about the wt of a toothbrush while they finished their hikes with leftover trail food wt. It's not really a good idea to rely on any of these unreliable outlets for food, but they do exist.
Another thing you mentioned in your OP is that you were planning on mailing resupply boxes to towns that had poor or non existent in town resupply buying as you went opportunities. Well, sometimes, actually more often than not on the AT, you can simply choose to bypass those towns with out resupply buying opps and just plan on going elsewhere where those opps do exist. What I'm saying is that you don't need to stop at every possible resupply pt. Choose to mostly stop/resupply at the towns with med-lg grocery stores! This is going to eliminate much of the need to mail resupply boxes!
vonfrick
06-11-2010, 16:07
FWIW, I'm of Blissful's opinion. If I was to thru the AT again I would probably never carry more than 4 days of food even in the Smokies and 100 mile wilderness. That's because I have a bettter idea of resupply options and by the time I reached places where resupply pts are spaced further apart(up north) I would be doing 25 - 25 + miles per day going NOBO. I also would do little food supplements along the way. But, that's me.
Two places on your resupply list that you could do some supplementing of food, even if you do mail resupply boxes there, are at NOC and Fontana Village. NOC has a restaurant, dehydrated food at the outdoor shop, and a little streamside burger/sandwich/fries booth where you can sit down at one of the picnic tables and watch the watewater kayakers float by. Also, no one said you can't pack out a sandwich to the trail. You can also get a real shower there.
The Fontana Village PO is right next to a smallish convenience store. I would venture to guess that 100's if not 1000's of thru-hikers have been able to resupply for the Smokies out of that convenience store. Hiker boxes were both at the PO and inside the convenience store when I was there twice. Restaurant up the hill at the Village too. Not a bad breakfast.
If you do send a box to Northern Outdoor Center they have a pool, hot tub, bar that serves food, a pool table, and decent rooms that you could share with other hikers. Again, you could supplement a bit here. Also in Caratunk, Steve Longley's Rivers and Trails had some resupply when I was there and quiet inexpensive cabins. He also accepts boxes.
In Andover there was a smallish convenience store w/ marginal resupply, but I knew thru-hilkers who resupplied from that little store. Possible to take sometheing like a sandwich or breakfast(Egg sandwiches) to the trail from here.
In the end Spot in the Sky, you shoiuld do fine finding food for the trail on the AT!
Look over JT's resupply info again. Lots of experienced hiker savvy resupply info in that article.
Check everything I said!
no longer there
Resupply, like most thru hike decisions, depends largely on why one is proposing to do a thru hike. If the goal is simply to get from Springer to Katahdin -- or vice vera -- as easily as possible, one can resupply almost daily along parts of the trail, and certainly, with few exceptions, as often as every two or three days, everywhere except Maine and New Hampshire.
My goal was to maximize my contact with the the woods and mountains, and to minimize my contact with civilization. So I planned to resupply every six days, though I weakened when the trail went right through trail towns. There's such a thing as being a ridiculous purist.
Weary
Really, you can resupply almost daily? Can you hike the trail with just a credit card and some snacks?
Really, you can resupply almost daily? Can you hike the trail with just a credit card and some snacks?
Yes, if your doing the miles.;)
Snacks, of course, are optional.:-?
Cash is better than a card.:)
Really, you can resupply almost daily? Can you hike the trail with just a credit card and some snacks?
In places yes. It's a bit difficult to do so through some of the National Forests and National Parks. Though Shenandoah can easily be done by resupplying one day at a time. For most of that park, one doesn't need to carry more than snacks. You pass by a restaurant or snack bar at least once, most days.
There are towns almost everywhere outside the federal lands -- except parts of New Hampshire and especially Maine.
Weary
In the sections that I have hiked, in most caes, the maildrops worked. In some cases, they didn't. The main thing that I have learned is try to carry as few days worth of food as possible as this will grately reduce your weight. Numerous maildrops as well as visits to towns will help accomplish this.
The main thing I have learned is to try to carry as few days worth of food as possible as this will greatly reduce your [pack] weight. Numerous maildrops as well as visits to towns will help accomplish this.
Both cost more and require more time off-trail chasing after food. Today's hikers pay for their light packs in several ways, but life is about choices and nearly all of them have trade-offs.
Well then, one of these days I'm gonna do the AT as a day hike with just my credit card (and a little cash) and then backpack the final bit at the end.
If you believe that's possible, you no doubt can be sold on many other things too.
Well then, one of these days I'm gonna do the AT as a day hike with just my credit card (and a little cash) and then backpack the final bit at the end.
Well, no one has claimed that as a possibility, as yet. But "one of these days" it may become possible.
Weary
I'm joking. I think if I were to hike the AT I would actually try to minimize town stops since it doesn't sound like much of a wilderness experience.
It is what it is.;) A great trail.:)
I'm joking. I think if I were to hike the AT I would actually try to minimize town stops since it doesn't sound like much of a wilderness experience.
Don't make me go there since no one really wants to participate in that discussion anyway. Besides, it belongs in another thread.
Spot In The Sky
06-14-2010, 11:34
Man you guys have so much information! I hope I can return the favor when I complete this journey- thanks again.
So I had started a thread about the worst towns for resupply, meaning you should have a mail drop sent to you there...so I gathered some info from there but Im not sure its making much sense.
Trust me on this... Unless you really need something special you don't need to do a maildrop anywhere.....
Even the places you mention like Glencliff, Andover, Port Clinton, etc. are easy to resupply from.
No need to stress....
Spot In The Sky
06-14-2010, 11:49
Trust me on this... Unless you really need something special you don't need to do a maildrop anywhere.....
Even the places you mention like Glencliff, Andover, Port Clinton, etc. are easy to resupply from.
No need to stress....
10-K- that seems to be the general idea around here, Im not a picky eater...my family and girlfriend were looking forward to this list because they want to send special foods to me and letters- I think without having these 5-7 set spots to stop it would be much harder to tell them where to send things...does that make sense?
10-K- that seems to be the general idea around here, Im not a picky eater...my family and girlfriend were looking forward to this list because they want to send special foods to me and letters- I think without having these 5-7 set spots to stop it would be much harder to tell them where to send things...does that make sense?
Oh sure, makes plenty of sense.
As I hike up the trail I haven't actually needed any of the maildrops I've sent myself and if I had it to do over I wouldn't send any.
Just after 600 miles I'm already not wanting to eat what I pre-packaged last month and I sent way too much. So.... I've got too much food that I don't really even have a taste for.
But, if someone wanted to send me brownies and letters, I'd definitely make that list like you're doing. :)
Appalachian Tater
06-14-2010, 19:32
Oh sure, makes plenty of sense.
As I hike up the trail I haven't actually needed any of the maildrops I've sent myself and if I had it to do over I wouldn't send any.
Just after 600 miles I'm already not wanting to eat what I pre-packaged last month and I sent way too much. So.... I've got too much food that I don't really even have a taste for.
This is why I like to go shopping in the hiker box before I go shopping in the grocery store!