[pct-l] resupply boxes

[Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes]

Any packaging works fine. Priority mail lets you forward a package to  
another location for free as long as you don't open it. Sometimes the  
flat rate boxes save money. A few locations take UPS only, and  
someone said they used a list of places all along the trail that  
would hold a UPS package. Otherwise, good old USPS General Delivery  
works just fine.

You should hold off buying your food long enough that you don't end  
up with a lot of food way past its expiration date. I'd say don't  
even buy any food unless it's a fancy thing you can't find in a  
grocery store or convenience store.

I had 6 weeks from when I walked off my job to hitting the trail to  
do all my preparations and planning. I was ready in 4 weeks. My plans  
started falling apart around Idyllwild. I realized lots of planning  
wasn't really necessary. It all works out. It's really no different  
than your daily life. You don't plan all your grocery shopping for  
the year on January 1. You buy as you go, fill up your pantry when  
empty. It's much the same. More important than the resupply boxes is  
having a list of towns and services so you know where you really need  
to send a package and where you'll find an adequate grocery store.  
Why eat food that's been sitting in a box for 3 months when fresh  
food is waiting at the store?

I bought a pack and sleeping bag from the trail. I already had both,  
of course, but I bought better ones as I went along. Even your gear  
choices don't have to be set in stone before heading out.

On Feb 10, 2011, at 11:12 PM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:

> I was wondering about the kind of packaging people used for there  
> resupply boxes? I was looking into ups if it fits it ships so I  
> dont have to worry about weight on the resupply boxes and It might  
> make it a little easier when I call home and ask for a box. To be  
> honest I feel really behind as I have done my research for soo long  
> and have almost everything ready to get together but with work and  
> everything going on I still have to buy my backpack and  
> food...another thing I was maybe hopin to get ur guys input on, is  
> it wrong to hold off until the end of march to buy most of my food  
> for resupply(I leave nor cal for campo or the KO either april 20th  
> or 27th, cant decide to walk to KO or just come to KO then go to  
> border..) haha as you can see april is coming fast and i find  
> myself in a panic even tho I'm organized as far as maps and  
> resupply points go thisll be my first time on the pct and I'm too  
> excited/nervous to describe.....Thanks -David