I'm hoping to take advantage of a late August meeting in the mid-Atlantic area and get through Shenandoah--but I want to visit when there are slightly fewer people. The plan (very loosely formed at this point) would be to get a shuttle south from Front Royal (or thereabouts) and start hiking south of the park on Aug 29th--arriving at the park on or around Sept 6th, and returning to my vehicle about a week after that. My usual pace in southern New England is about 14-16 MPD. So my questions are:
--Will I see a noticeable reduction in crowds after Labor Day (or should I plan for even later in the month)?
--What's a good start 80 to 100 miles (6 days) south of the park?
--What's a good resupply point? I'm thinking of a zero/nero just south of the park.
--Recommendations for a ~200 mile shuttle. Parking for 10-14 days.

Also, I'm given to understand that once in the park, there are numerous feeding opportunities along the trail for mid-day meals. Should I plan my food supply accordingly, or are there potential problems with this idea?

Thanks!

Cosmo