Timing of Early Resupply to meet Demand?

[gbolt]

Gbolt, with a Mar 15 start you should have little to no resupply problems if you follow Slo-go-en's resupply locations either doing a full or supplemental resupply.

Thanks Dogwood, this combined with Shrewd’s March 12th context has me comfortable with avoiding MailDrops and resuppling the same as I plan further up the trail.

[Dogwood]

No problem.

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[Dogwood]

Another plus I find in mailing resupply boxes once I had a better grip on food and travel size hygiene products needed on LD hikes is that it makes once on trail expenses so much clearer. For myself, not inclined to hotel stays, tallying up bar tabs, and having gear including footwear purchases pre hike accounted for, the single largest on trail expenditure is buying food. Take the food out of an on trail budget on a LD hike and the budget is easier.

I can easily fit 5-6 days of we'll chosen what I perceive as healthier food, 10-14 days supplements/meds (difficult to find vitamins and such @ about 25 pills/day), 400 trail miles of maps, pages from a trail guide, 2 wk's worth of travel size toiletries, and the occasional pr of socks or Microspikes in a med sized USPS Flat Rate Priority box w/ mailing perks for about $13.

It helps holding oneself to similar on and off trail diets and hygiene product usage so that in case a hike has to be postponed the food and the hygiene products in the returned resupply box will be eaten or used.

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[George]

besides being quicker and more relaxed in town, I have to say I leave town with less weight after a food drop vs a trip to the grocery store - everything looks so good I buy too much

[hipbone]

besides being quicker and more relaxed in town, I have to say I leave town with less weight after a food drop vs a trip to the grocery store - everything looks so good I buy too much

Also, if you need 4 items and it comes in a pack of 6 you'll have to carry extra or put it in a hiker box (which is really helpful to others but does raise your food costs)

[evyck da fleet]

As a newb I carried five days of food to start, tinkered with what I liked by picking up a few things at Neels Gap and resupplied in Hiawassee. It took about two weeks for my appetite to kick in so I’m glad I didn’t do mail drops. I’m assuming those who do are experienced hikers, have their meals dialed in and do so to save time and money. If you don’t know what you’re doing maildrops can actually cost you more time and money than town resupplies.

I also resupplied at NOC(on trail) Gatlinburg (shuttle from trail) Hot Springs (on trail) Erwin & Roan Mountain (hostel shuttles) and Damascus (on trail) during the first five hundred miles. But I like to be able to vary my meals based on what I want at that moment and would prefer not to be tied to the post office schedule of a small town. To each their own.

[colorado_rob]

As a newb I carried five days of food to start, tinkered with what I liked by picking up a few things at Neels Gap and resupplied in Hiawassee. It took about two weeks for my appetite to kick in so I’m glad I didn’t do mail drops. I’m assuming those who do are experienced hikers, have their meals dialed in and do so to save time and money. If you don’t know what you’re doing maildrops can actually cost you more time and money than town resupplies.

I also resupplied at NOC(on trail) Gatlinburg (shuttle from trail) Hot Springs (on trail) Erwin & Roan Mountain (hostel shuttles) and Damascus (on trail) during the first five hundred miles. But I like to be able to vary my meals based on what I want at that moment and would prefer not to be tied to the post office schedule of a small town. To each their own.

Yeah, to each his own, it's all good, but extending your last point:

For those that do use resupply boxes, again, avoid using post offices, because of this PO schedule thing. Use local hostels, outfitter stores, hotels etc, it's all in AWOL as to who accepts resupply boxes. Lots and lots of places all along the trail accept boxes.

[backtrack213]

I enjoy mail drops I hated food shopping in town. They make everything so much easier and JustBill has a spreadsheet focused on speed hiking the trail with a list of towns or mail drop locations within walking distance of the trail to make it even easier to just grab and go. Most of the locations are hostels or businesses where you can buy extras or leave what you don't want depending on your cravings at the time. https://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/att...4&d=1373563370

[evyck da fleet]

Yeah, to each his own, it's all good, but extending your last point:

For those that do use resupply boxes, again, avoid using post offices, because of this PO schedule thing. Use local hostels, outfitter stores, hotels etc, it's all in AWOL as to who accepts resupply boxes. Lots and lots of places all along the trail accept boxes.

Good point.

I got stuck in I’m gonna skip Fontana, Franklin etc because I can make the next town without resupplying. Never would have thought to send something to Kinkora or Standing Bear. Of course I would have had to stay there. If you plan your day right I guess that wouldn’t be a problem.