21 day CT July thru......advice on resupply.

[StubbleJumper]

Given the winter temps in Colorado, pretty much every gas station that I went into had Heet. I never saw it sold by the ounce anywhere, but given how little Heet costs, it's always possible to buy a bottle, keep 5 or 6 oz for your hike and then dump the rest (it just evaporates). If you did this 4 times during your hike, you'd probably end up wasting $5 or $6 on fuel that you dump.

That being said, I find that the western US is a bit dry (but possibly Colorado will not be dry this particular summer!). I have found that I prefer to use a cannister stove to reduce the likelihood that I'll inadvertently start a forest fire. As I recall, cannisters were available in Breck, Twin, Salida, Gunny, and Silverton.

[SloowJoe]

Having lived in Colorado for most of my life, I can confidently assure you that you will never be far from a bottle of HEET in the high country. No worries. Every pickup truck has at least one. I'm intending to run canisters. I got fuel resupply worries. You don't. Joe

[SloowJoe]

I'm new here, so if this is an inappropriate hijack question, just say so. I am not interested in the AT, so this is the only thread I have accessed so far.

It does relate to resupply, though.

My training, as it reaches the final 10 weeks, looks like it will leave me 10 pounds over fighting weight as I begin my hike. I hoped to lose 2# per week, but am only losing 1-1.5# as I glide into departure.

Looks like I'll start at 180 instead of my optimal 170.

So...I'm wondering if it is reasonable to count that 10# (30,000 calories!) into my carefully considered daily food plan.

Seems reasonable, but I'm not sure.

Joe

[StubbleJumper]

I'm new here, so if this is an inappropriate hijack question, just say so. I am not interested in the AT, so this is the only thread I have accessed so far.

It does relate to resupply, though.

My training, as it reaches the final 10 weeks, looks like it will leave me 10 pounds over fighting weight as I begin my hike. I hoped to lose 2# per week, but am only losing 1-1.5# as I glide into departure.

Looks like I'll start at 180 instead of my optimal 170.

So...I'm wondering if it is reasonable to count that 10# (30,000 calories!) into my carefully considered daily food plan.

Seems reasonable, but I'm not sure.

Joe

I'm not sure what exactly you mean by "counting" the 10 lbs. However, my observation is that most of us struggle to eat 3,000 to 3,500 calories per day while on the trail, and we likely burn 4,500 or 5,000 per day. If you are planning for a 30-day hike, that would leave you with a deficit of perhaps 30,000 to 60,000 calories. Some of that deficit is offset when you go into town and eat/drink with fervour. The rest comes from body fat.

[MuddyWaters]

On a short hike of a couple weeks with 3500 cal/day, i may lose 1/2 lb per day average. 3-4 weeks is my limit like that . I start to look emaciated.

Its still my normal m.o. though .

[SloowJoe]

Thanks both. Poorly worded question, but y'all worked through it, and gave me exactly the info I sought.

I've backpacked all my life, but this will be my first hike longer than 7 days/100 miles, and I'm finding that thru-hiking requires a LOT more thought and planning.

[SloowJoe]

That is unless one looks forward to hitching into towns, and I don't.

I don't much like towns at home, and don't expect to suddenly crave them on my hike.

My plan is for 15 mpd, and if I can't do that, my mail drops likely won't suffice. But they will be more generously calorie-laden, after y'all's advice.

I will, if all goes well, only visit one town, Lake City, to pick up a mail drop. Twin Lakes, Monarch Pass, and Molas CG won't require a town trip.

I will miss beer, though. I expect that I will miss beer very much.

Who knows, though. I have run into folks with lots of beer in the wilderness more than once! Horsemen and rafters. No rafters on this trip though.

Still, hope springs eternal. :-)

[Slo-go'en]

That is unless one looks forward to hitching into towns, and I don't.

There's a free bus from the RT9 crossing into Breckenridge, so that's a no brainer. It would be possible to go to town, get lunch at the Breckenridge brewery (ask for the unadvertised "working man's lunch" - burger and beer for $5.00), get a resupply and go back to the trail in one day. There is a nice camping area 3 miles south from the RT9 crossing. Of course, this sort of depends on where you camped the night before.

Speaking of Breckenridge, I need to remember to send the Bivac hostel a check. Seems it took them 9 months to figure out no one's credit cards were actually being processed by the software they had bought to do so.

I didn't meet any horses on my 100 mile section to Breckenridge, but did meet a lot of mountain bikers, of which only a few nearly ran me over. Don't use earbuds on this trail, those mountain bikers are hard enough to hear sneaking up behind you without earbuds.

[SloowJoe]

I lived in Breckenridge for ~10 years, before tiring of the 7 month winters, and transferring to Grand Junction. Breck is a fun town, but a transient one. Don't think I know anyone there anymore.

I'll just start hiking at Gold Hill. A friend is running a foot race at Copper Mountain that weekend and will drop me off.

The first 100 miles don't look like much fun to me.

I only had earbuds once, and was blessedly able to cure them with Q-tips and hydrogen peroxide. Itchy bastages, though. I'm more attentive to ear hygiene now.

[SloowJoe]

Oh, and Breckenridge Brewery recently sold out to Anheuser-Busch-InBev. Or whatever that evil outfit is called today. They are buying up all the top craft brewers they can entice to sell out. To improve their beers, via the economies of scale, don't you know. :-(

I'm thinking that "working man's lunch" is a goner, if not already, then soon. Very cool idea, it was, though.

[lonehiker]

I only had earbuds once, and was blessedly able to cure them with Q-tips and hydrogen peroxide. Itchy bastages, though. I'm more attentive to ear hygiene now.

Just when I thought Whiteblaze was getting boring.

[Venchka]

Oh, and Breckenridge Brewery recently sold out to Anheuser-Busch-InBev. Or whatever that evil outfit is called today. They are buying up all the top craft brewers they can entice to sell out. To improve their beers, via the economies of scale, don't you know. :-(

I'm thinking that "working man's lunch" is a goner, if not already, then soon. Very cool idea, it was, though.

Karbach in Houston also bit the dust when InBev bought them.
Wayne


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[SloowJoe]

Just when I thought Whiteblaze was getting boring.

Here to help, brother

[SloowJoe]

You mean InBev didn't actually buy them to improve their supply chain profitability, but to just spend a few million and eliminate them from the marketplace?

Huh. Who'd a thunkit.

[Dogwood]

[QUOTE=StubbleJumper;2149001]I'm not sure what exactly you mean by "counting" the 10 lbs. However, my observation is that most of us struggle to eat 3,000 to 3,500 calories per day while on the trail, and we likely burn 4,500 or 5,000 per day. If you are planning for a 30-day hike, that would leave you with a deficit of perhaps 30,000 to 60,000 calories. Some of that deficit is offset when you go into town and eat/drink with fervour. The rest comes from body fat.[/QUOTE]

Could depend on how much body fat he has in the beginning. If he's very lean to start and not getting the wide range of nutrients in the food he is consuming from his backpack his body could begin tapping into his muscle mass for amino acids somewhere over a 30 day duration. This is in context that a 30 day 16 MPD avg hike is not an energy restricted, fasting, very short term, or merely a survival event but an endurance athletic affair. He's omitting much too.

[SloowJoe]

Thanks Dogwood.

I I appreciate your thoughts.

I don't mind a bit your replying about me rather than to me.

I'm sure I'm not alone in wondering what your last line means, though.

"He's ommitting much, too."

Could you elaborate on that?

[Venchka]

You mean InBev didn't actually buy them to improve their supply chain profitability, but to just spend a few million and eliminate them from the marketplace?

Huh. Who'd a thunkit.

Karbach is still there. No doubt they have to answer to the remote owners.
Wayne



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[Venchka]

Disclaimer: I'm older than dirt and never set foot on the CT. Actually, I may have long before we knew there was a CT.
Everybody talks about "taking the bus to Breckinridge for resupply."
Why doesn't anyone ever mention "taking the bus to Frisco for resupply?"
Hey!

Wayne


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[lonehiker]

The bus stop is on the side of the road running to Breckenridge. So it is easier I suppose.

[hikeandbike5]

i always suggest frisco > breck for resupply. it's a more compact town, the (large) shopping center has a walmart, safeway, and a new whole foods in it. there's also an outfitter there.