how many is tooo many mail drops?

[Lone Wolf]

i have been collecting food for two years.this is free food postage is all it will cost.three cases of tvp,beef and chicken,two cases eggs,all #10 cans,10 banana boxes of miss. box full of bubble gum,pasta ,the best is dry dumplings, just like pasta but stick to your ribs good. the problem is just how many food drops are possible within reason?
the best is the oatmeal i have 3 cases of 28 boxes.heartsmart the good stuff,i plan to give a lot of it away. what do you think

your chances of hiking the whole trail are slim. buy as you go. no mail drops

[superman]

your chances of hiking the whole trail are slim. buy as you go. no mail drops

The above is the clear and simple answer. On the other hand, some people received stuff in care packages that I envied. A world-class napper got small bottles of alcohol that he shared with his fellow hikers (great man ). Couples got interesting, frivolous but some times useful stuff. Then there were all those packages that just got emptied into the hiker boxes... thanks for the free re-supply. Oh yeah, then there is the one person who can actually make mail drops work.

[Dakota Dan]

your chances of hiking the whole trail are slim. buy as you go. no mail drops

If going solo I'd agree. Since I'll have a nephew to fetch mail-drops from the PO it may work out better and cheaper. I want to travel with a minimal of inconvenience. I'm looking at taking and sharing a wood burning camp stove so I don't have to fool with store bought fuels. No cell phones or electronics, just LED lights. I've also been trying to figure out if shipping eggs in our mail drops is going to fly. Haven't decided on this one.

[Lone Wolf]

I've also been trying to figure out if shipping eggs in our mail drops is going to fly. Haven't decided on this one.

shipping eggs is totally not needed. there's plenty of places to get fresh eggs

[Blissful]

If going solo I'd agree. Since I'll have a nephew to fetch mail-drops from the PO it may work out better and cheaper. I want to travel with a minimal of inconvenience. I'm looking at taking and sharing a wood burning camp stove so I don't have to fool with store bought fuels. No cell phones or electronics, just LED lights. I've also been trying to figure out if shipping eggs in our mail drops is going to fly. Haven't decided on this one.

I really thought trying to get fuel cans would be a pain. No problem down south. A few places up north we did mail them, no problem. Loved having my pocket rocket and used it the whole hike.

And yes, buy your eggs on the trail if you really want them. Actually I would wait until you hit towns and have breakfast. Cooking at times can be a pain on the trail, esp a thru hike when you are making miles, etc., and get there exhausted or you're freezing cold and just want to get into your sleeping bag and konk out. I was glad for simple meals. And you don't want the pain of cleaning out an eggie pan, which I think is worse than a mashed potato pan, esp if you don't get to it and the egg dries on. But whatever works for you.

BTW - my hubby loves taking drinks of my soy milk. I tease him about it though.

[A-Train]

Here's something to think about that is rarely talked about on the AT. Sending maildrops from the trail while hiking. This is done regularly on the PCT. It's beneficial because
1) it's expensive to send food across the country (and pointless).
2) you don't know whether you'll make it to said town. There's always a possibility of getting injured or quitting.

Though admittedly this is time consuming and may not be what you wanna do on your zero day. I suggest doing it from a town that has a good market and somewhere that you plan to spend some time at.

I'd send a Fontana Drop (if skipping the Hoch's) from Hiawasee or Franklin.
I'd send a Harpers Ferry box to the ATC office from Waynesboro.
I'd send a Port Clinton box from Duncannon
Maybe send a box to Glencliff from Hanover, though I don't think a food drop is mandatory here
Maybe send an Andover box from Hanover or Gorham if you're taking it slow.

Something to think about. Will definately save you money, you'll eat what you want and you'll cut down on the pre-hike prep

[Mags]

Here's something to think about that is rarely talked about on the AT. Sending maildrops from the trail while hiking. This is done regularly on the PCT.

That's what I did on past hikes. Wish I had thought about it for the AT.

It is a great compromise between "Buy as you go" and having food waiting for you in smaller towns.

[CoyoteWhips]

And yes, buy your eggs on the trail if you really want them. Actually I would wait until you hit towns and have breakfast. Cooking at times can be a pain on the trail...

Seems like it'd be easy enough to hard boil up to four eggs in an Imusa cup -- just did a couple on the supercat, just to test -- would you carry some for a quick snack? I think they'd be ok to the end of day.

[Blissful]

Seems like it'd be easy enough to hard boil up to four eggs in an Imusa cup -- just did a couple on the supercat, just to test -- would you carry some for a quick snack? I think they'd be ok to the end of day.

You're right, that would be good. Boiled eggs don't keep as long as fresh, though, but should be fine in the cooler times of the hike.