[pct-l] Complaint about Red's Meadow pricing for packages--

[kdpo@pacbell.net (Ken & Marcia Powers)]

Red's Meadow isn't a necessary resupply point. Vermillion to Tuolumne is
less than four days. More important: Red's Meadow wasn't fully open when we
through hiked and arrived about June 21st. We did eat lunch, but couldn't
buy anything that was on our shopping list (deet, cheese, ice cream).
Southbound JMT hikers there at the same time were in a snit when they
couldn't buy cigarettes.----- Original Message -----
From: "R.J.Calliger" <calliger@infolane.com>
To: <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2001 8:14 AM
Subject: [pct-l] Complaint about Red's Meadow pricing for packages--


> Well-- here I go again...I jsut hate proce-gouging...sorry if this offends
> anyone..
> not meant to (Just Read's meadow perhaps <ha ha> but they should be
> shamed into something reasonable...a LOT of  Drops/TA's on the PCT do this
> for FREE!! or for $5.00 as you all know...
>
> Rich
>
>
> >Date: Sat, 13 Jan 2001 08:14:31 -0800
> >To: RMPS395@aol.com
> >From: "R.J.Calliger" <calliger@infolane.com>
>
> >Hi- As we are not hiking too much now, it seems a good time to
> >revisit this issue: I have received this justification below from
> >Red's Meadow folks on why they charge $25 per package
> >for pickup.  My answers and questions are interspersed
> >within the text the sent me below as R1, R2, etc. Of course
> >they are entitled to make a profit howevEr my analysis shows
> >this to be really out of line and is price-fixing as the are the
> >only game in town I think...anyway--- for those interested-
> >this is quite long.
> >
> >But to cut to the bottom line- VVR on Edison Lake is TWO (2)
> >hours from the PO --yada yada yada - and charges $6.00
> >for their package service!!
> >
> >And- there are other drops so Red's Meadow is not really
> >critical...just convenient.
> >
> >Rich
> >
> >At 12:02 PM -0800 9/25/00, RMPS395@aol.com wrote:
> >>Dear Rich:
> >>
> >>We appreciate your concerns regarding package pick up charges and the
high
> >>cost of living in the Eastern Sierra. The following are a variety (but
not
> >>limited to) of reasons as to why we charge $25.00 per package. Since you
are
> >>familiar with the Mammoth area, you realize that the price of regular
gas is
> >>$2.25 / gallon. \
> >
> >R1- Having lived in Mammoth for half-a-year and continue to visit there
> >and climb/hike 7-8 times a year, over the past 20 years- I feel qualified
> >to answer this and hopefully persuade you to change your fee to
> >something reasonable, say in the $5 range, or free, as the positive
> >publicity you would reap from that would be worth more than
> >the negative attention you are getting now and also one seasons'
> >grubbing of $25 per package. I say "grubbing" because it sure
> >seems it is an emotional response to charge $25 and not a true
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