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[pct-l] Re: All about food



Hoosier & Linda

Gail and I thru hiked the PCT in 2003 and we did not send any food packages
apart from one mail order from Hadley's in Cabazon for a change of diet
(We'd resupplied in Cabazon earlier and enjoyed their food).

Advantages of buying food on route:
1. You don't have to spend days or weeks preparing food in advance.
2. You can vary your diet when you want to (subject to availability) rather
than when you think you might want to 4 or 5 months earlier. Some people got
sick of what they'd packaged 3 months earlier and bought at the stores. See
next advantage!
3. You can take advantage of all the (often good) stuff other hikers leave
in the hiker boxes in towns.
4. You are not tied to Post Office opening times at your resupply points.
5. You get to know the quantities of food you need better after you've been
on the trail. We misjudged our quantities at the first resupply point (Mount
Laguna) but were luckily able to get a few extras (potato chips, hot dog
buns and marshmallows!) at Warner Springs to last us until Anza.

Disadvantages.
1. You cannot be a fussy eater - some stores are much better than others.
Shelter Cove, White Pass and Stehekin were the most limited in their
supplies. White Pass had no breakfast cereal, bread, tortillas, peanut
butter and we ended up trying to make pancakes in a potlid using just a
spoon!
2. The food costs a lot more at some of the stores on route but this would
be partly offset by the cost of mailing.
3. Probably your food load is a bit heavier resupplying on route.

We met several hikers who had more than 1 parcel not arrive during their
trip  - so this is a hazard of preparing in advance.
At Shelter Cove (Oregon) and Stehekin (N. Washington) we did more than half
of our resupply from hiker boxes - Stehekin would have been really tough to
resupply from unless you stocked up at the bakery, which went on a 3 day a
week schedule after Sep 23rd (I think) last year.

Alistair
>>
> Message: 35
> Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2004 08:32:18 -0500
> From: "Linda Cooper" <LCooper@WHF-Law.com>
> Subject: [pct-l] All about food
> To: <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
> Message-ID: <F3A033D1CE42B549A6C4CE446596E407CC6AEE@whfex01.whf.dom>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> I want to say thanks to everyone who responded to the question about the
> ice axe and alcohol stove.  Hoosier Owl is my 24 year old son who hiked
> AT last year and plans to hike PCT this year.  He currently has no
> computer access at home, so I am assisting him in getting trail info.
> (He does have guide books).
>
> He has another question regarding food.  He is currently of the mindset
> to hike the trail without sending himself food packages.  Also
> considering leaving the stove behind.  Have any of you done this, and
> can you discuss pros and cons?
>
> Hearing of all your adventures makes me want to quit my job and hit the
> trail.  Also, loved the comments on solo hiking.
>
> Linda (for Hoosier Owl)
>
>
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> End of pct-l Digest, Vol 10, Issue 4
> ************************************