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pfann
09-15-2010, 13:47
This may be a repeateed question so I apologize if its been posted before and I didn't find it...

I am hiking the section from Springer to Franklin next year (late March) and I would like to send a mail drop to Mountain Crossings.

Does anyone have an estimate of how many days the mail will take to deliver a package from Michigan (SE-Detroit area) to Maountain Crossings.

Thanks

-pfann

10-K
09-15-2010, 13:51
Priority mail - 2 or 3 days.

Spokes
09-15-2010, 14:01
10-K's right.

I had my girlfriend mail all my drops 7-10 days out and never had a problem.

Be sure to write your (real) last name in bold letters on two adjoining sides of the box.

Jack Tarlin
09-15-2010, 14:04
And don't forget a return address in case, for whatever reason, the box has to find its way back to you.

leaftye
09-15-2010, 14:16
If you're hiking with anyone else, you might want to write their names on the box too. I did this once so my hiking partner could go ahead of me and get our mail. He ended up hauling butt ahead and got to the post office minutes before it closed, and then totally forgot to pick up our boxes. He remembered to pick up fresh boxes though!

pfann
09-16-2010, 00:09
thanks all.

pfann

Dogwood
09-16-2010, 14:31
Yes 2 -3 days from MI to GA by mailing it Priority USPS. HOWEVER, You are best to check with your Post Master on the exact amount of time because your mailing origin and destination for the package CAN CHANGE how fast your package gets there, EVEN IF THE SIGN AT THE POST OFFICE SAYS PRIORITY MAIL 2-3 DAYS SHIPPING TIME!!! Some destinations take longer for a package to arrive!!! Some U.S. Post Offices have IN VERY FINE PRINT under the cost and approximate delivery times for Priority Mail A SMALL FOOTNOTE saying DELIVERY TIME CAN VARY DEPENDING ON DESTINATION!

For example, when having a USPS Priority Flat Rate Box with resupplies mailed to me while thru-hiking the JMT to the eastern Sierras from NJ it can take up to five(5) days by USPS Priority Mail!

Mailing USPS Flat Rate in Hawaii, from town to town ON THE SAME ISLAND, can also take an inordinate amt of time to arrive at its destination as I rudely found out when I mailed a small box flat rate resupply box from Kahului to Lahaina on Maui where the distance was only about 25 miles apart between PO's. It seems packages are accumulated in Kahului, shipped to Oahu(a different island more than 100 miles away), sorted at a mail processing facilty on Oahu, and, THEN, shipped back to Maui to the mail's destination! Took more than 2 wks to get my mail sent only 25 miles away on the same island when I sent it Flat Rate in HI!

leaftye
09-16-2010, 17:31
Almost every shipper uses the "shipping time" wording. I only count business days. Delays are also caused by remote post offices that are not open every day.

scope
09-16-2010, 18:01
Just curious, why would you send a mail drop to MC? Wouldn't be saving money due to shipping. Specialized food perhaps? Making a point just in case it needs to be made, but apologies if it doesn't.

Jack Tarlin
09-16-2010, 18:13
Having catered to hikers for many years, the food selection for hikers at Mountain Crossings is indeed excellent, so for most folks, unless you're on a specialized diet or have prepared your meals in advance thru dehydrating, etc., there's no real need to send food here. Plus, one doesn't need much, as most hikers plan to go into Hiawassee a few days later, as it's an easy hitch, and increasingly hiker-friendly.

weary
09-16-2010, 18:23
Keep in mind that the post office offers flat rate boxes, that if you use concentrated items, is sometimes cheaper than conventional parcel post. The flat rates includes everything you can stuff in, regardless of the weight.

In 1993, I used to have my wife send stuff two weeks before my expected arrival at the post office. Since I was always a week or so behind schedule, I typically picked up my boxes three or more weeks late. It was never a problem. The post office held things until I arrived, regardless of how late I was.

JUst be sure to mark your boxes "Hold for Appalachian Trail Hiker" in big letters. Most post offices know that hikers are optimists in their arrival predictions.

Weary

Dogwood
09-16-2010, 20:08
Good call Weary. Yeah, if you are mailing a box from somewhere in the lower 48 and want it to get most anywhere in the lower 48 in roughly 2-3 days with special treatment and you have lots of dense heavy stuff like food/lead bricks/etc to mail use flat rate Priority Boxes from USPS. It should save you money over Fed Ex, DHL, UPS.