[pct-l] Resupply strategies

[chiefcowboy at verizon.net]

On both of my thru-hikes I mostly re-supplied in towns.  The slightly 
increased purchase costs are insignificant when compared with shipping 
costs.  Second, I avoided using the Post Offices when mailing the few I did 
mail.  By doing that I avoided becoming a slave to their hours.  In some 
remote areas they hours are very limited.  In 2009, DNA arrived in Onyx on a 
Friday night - where they learned it was the Memorial Day weekend - three 
days to wait or simply forward their package, buy more food and push on.  My 
best reason for resupplying on trail is that the stuff you pack and prepare 
in March will turn your stomach by the time you try to eat it in August. 
Buying in town gives me lots of choices and chances to mix up my diet to 
what I want at that time.  Plus, it makes the town people more welcoming to 
us as we drop a few dollars into their economy.  I only mailed packages to: 
Kennedy Meadows (S), Crater Lake Store, The Dinsmores and Stehekin.  Has 
worked well for me both times.

Just my two cents worth.

-----Original Message----- 
From: Dan Welch
Sent: Wednesday, November 27, 2013 11:43 AM
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Resupply strategies

<<  Cheapest is doing everything for yourself ahead of time and most 
expensive is buying along the way. Although you should factor in the cost of 
mailing if you pre package everything at home. >>

When I was looking at the cost of resupply, it struck me that for each food 
package I'll send, I will pay $16 on shipping.  Am I really going to make 
that up by finding cheaper food at home?  Hmmmm...    Not to mention the 
freshness factor.  I don't really trust cheeses and such for more than 2 or 
3 weeks - not enough time to make them logical choices for shipping.  (Note: 
I am shipping from North Carolina where Flat Rate is the lowest cost.  If 
you live on the West Coast Regional Rate will be cheaper, but it is still a 
significant cost.)


<<  There is also the hassle of having someone send your boxes to you. >>

This is really a hassle for my wife - but I feel guilty having her make too 
many trips to the P.O.  But in addition to that hassle, I don't like to be 
forced to adjust my hiking schedule.  More than once I have found myself 
scurrying to do more miles than I want just to get to a P.O. by Friday 
afternoon.  On the flip side, I have found myself spending an extra day in 
town just to wait for the Post Office to open the next day.  For me, part of 
the fun of thru-hiking is not having to adhere to a strict schedule.  Post 
Office visits mess with that.  Sometimes (but not always) you can find a 
"non-Post Office option" for pick ups.  That helps with this issue.

I have only hiked a couple months at time previous to this - but enough to 
experience some of these issues.  For my (planned) 2014 thru, I am intending 
to do the hybrid re-supply strategy.  I'll take zero days in Mammoth, 
Ashland and Cascade locks for re-supply to points "downstream."  This sounds 
like a pretty popular strategy and it sure makes sense to me.

Timberline



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