[pct-l] Shop-As-You-Go Re-Supply - Will It Work?

[kentr-lists at sbcglobal.net (Kent Ryhorchuk)]

Cathy and I, being slower hikers, fell behind the pack quickly after the
kickoff in '02. We did resuply-as-you-go, but mailed packages ahead to
Warner Springs (from home) and VVR (from Kernville). We are hiking again
this year and will be doing the same.

To help answer your questions:

1. How likely are stock-outs of food or fuel?
 - We rarely had a problem, although some stores had limited selections
to begin with. We tended to fill up the fuel bottle every other town or
so. When we got to Sierra City, the only packable protein items in the
store were sardines and potted meat, although that looked like their
regular selections. The resupply-as-you-go diet is limited - we took
supplements to ward off scurvy, rickets, night-blindness, etc...

2. What percent of folks use this strategy versus mail drops?  Is the
percentage growing considering the recommendations
in The PCT Handbook and at PCTA.org?
 - No idea. But those recommendations were old news in '02 and there
were probably more people getting resupplied by mail.

3. Do the on-trail markets anticipate the thru-hiker demand at the right
time of year and "stock up" on mac & cheese,
Lipton's, HEET, etc.?
 - As for thru-hiker demand - there are probably less PCT thru-hikers
than people rolling through town for any other reason. Some places will
carry denatured alcohol or HEET just for hikers.

4. Do the back-of-the-pack hikers ever find bare shelves?
 - Dropped into Independence and found there was no store at all (closed
down)...

5. If yes to #4, what recovery options work?
 - ...so we hitched to Bishop and shopped at the supermarket!

Cheers,
K.