[pct-l] Self Resupply

[CMountainDave@aol.com (CMountainDave@aol.com)]

I relied almost soley on resupplying as I went along. I took the town guide 
at its word: When it said "limited supplies" I believed them and sent a 
package there. Anyone with more than limited backpacking experience knows 
that "moderately stocked" groceries have more than ample supplies for 
backcountry meals. Yeah, you might have to (horror upon horror) take some 
canned goods such as beannie weenies and Swansons chicken breast but unless 
you are utterly obsessed with weight, so what? I never ever use rip and stirs 
because they taste like you know what unless you doctor them up with all 
kinds of stuff and about 4 Pepcid AC's and they cost too much. Ditto for 
"energy bars" Yeah some of them are O.K. - I sampled about 15 different kinds 
out of a hiker's parcel that was abandoned and opened while I was at Ollalie 
Lake.  I really liked Tigers Milk- but man I grew to hate Clif Bars and their 
dry cardboardy chemical taste. Give me a Mars Bar any day ( they have the 
same calories, too)
   When I was at a major mart such as Big Bear Lake I would stock up on as 
much fresh fruit and veggies and pastries as feasable. One meal I never tired 
of was: first course - any noodleless instant soup ( Tomato I like best) 2nd 
course: potatoes (they mail well, too) mixed with Red Bell peppers, onion, 
yellow squash, cheddar cheese,  cherry tomatoes and chicken breast cooked in 
a small frying pan with butter after boiling the potatoes. Yummy Yumkins!! 
This meal is impossible if you have to ration fuel and are in a hurry - it 
takes about 30 minutes to get the potatoes just right. Instant potatoes are 
an option or you can substitute plain old instant rice or plain old noodles. 
For Dessert - a Carnation instant breakfast (need instant milk) eaten like 
soup. Ultra lights with alcohol stoves? Better stick with the rip and stirs, 
Mac and Cheese, and Liptons. Eating is just a perfunctuary chore anyway, 
right? Might as well go all way and not cook at all! ( a very viable option - 
I'm hooked on hot meals right now but certainly open to suggestions). My 
favorite treats are mid-morning cookies and milk and REAL snow cones made 
with cherry sugared Kool - Aid. I didn't have a hot breakfast on the PCT but 
on other trips pancakes are a big favorite with me with a myriad of toppings.
  My "Base Weight" is currently 20.5 pounds, tent, bivy sack, Zip stove and 
ice ax included. I carry about 2.5 pounds of food per day so a 6 day 110 mile 
well watered section (where I carry NO water - I don't filter)  puts 35 
pounds on my back. I cut back on food when it's sorta flat, hot and waterless.
    In all honesty, if you like what you're eating, you're doing it right and 
no two people have the same taste in food.