I am planning on a thru-hike with a friend of mine in April, 2018. I have section hiked about 500 miles total (distances from 20-90 miles at a time). Looking ahead, I am hoping to minimize mail drops, but am concerned about the ready availability of other re-supply options, both in general and for specific items. In general, my concern is keeping the number of days until the next re-supply to a reasonable minimum. For specifics, I am most concerned about specific foods that I rely on especially Mountain House or other freeze-dried meals (that may not be available at many stores), and then also Esbit fuel. I'd be interested in what others have experienced about the availability of those specific items. Thanks in advance.