Mail Drops and the Virus

During this time of issues with unknown resupply in towns and the current virus outbreak, I highly recommend mail drops for resupply on the trails. So what goes in your drop?

Food for what you need for the days until your next drop. Write out a sample menu list. See this food list for other ideas.

Sometimes extra treats can be put into the box from home you can’t get elsewhere to enjoy on your day off from the trail. Especially treats you may not find.

A roll of toilet paper in a Ziploc along with some baby wipes. For women: light pads are helpful. A new pee rag bandana. If you know approx when you might need feminine supplies, it helps to have that in your drop too along with any medications you might take.

Medications. I have a set of personal meds and vitamins I take (see the first aid blog for what I add vitamin-wise. I usually carry enough meds for ten days. Be sure you are ok on the homefront with your prescription meds and plan ahead (you can ask for "vacation refills" ahead of time to pack into maildrops). I have added a sandwich-size Ziploc with some extra Advil and Tylenol.

Pages copied from the Thru Hiker Guide or the Companion (AT) or specific trail guide you need for the next section of trail you are hiking. 

I've also added for long distance ventures – 

Some brand new Ziploc bags to replace the ones I use in my pack. And large envelope in case I need to mail things home. 

A few extra band aids, leukotape, etc to replenish the first aid kit. Small bottle of hand sanitizer to replace. 

For fuel, use the trail guidebooks and trail forums to find out where they are obtainable on the trail.

Be sure to send your mail drop Priority Mail and allow plenty of time (I give it at least a week). 

The drop should be addressed as follows for a Post Office delivery (Use your REAL name, not your trail name, and be sure to carry ID to pick up at the PO). Be sure to have a RETURN address on it in case you need to ship it home. Writing or marking something obvious or your last name on the outside side of the box so the carrier can see it among the piles of boxes helps too. Send it Priority Mail. 
Sample address:

Jane Doe

General Delivery

Hanover, NH  03755
Hold for AT Hiker: ETA (state the expected date of your arrival)

Other businesses, hostels, etc are accepting maildrops and are good options if you feel you may arrive on a weekend when the PO might be closed. However some of these are closing due to the virus. CALL AHEAD with your ETA to see if they will be open. If you mail to other locations, be sure to put your real name and "c/o" - care of and the address being sent. Include your ETA.

If you are going to be late (like more than five days), courtesy asks that you call the place holding your drop and alert them.

If you sent your drop Priority Mail to the Post Office, are going to be late, changed plans, etc and you have NOT gone to the PO and claimed it at the window, they can bounce your mail drop up the trail or send it home for you at no charge. 

During this time of uncertainty, but really, at all times on a hike, planning and preparing is essential to a great time in the outdoors. 

Related Links: The Virus Thing and Hiking - 8 Ways to Protect Yourself and OthersNeed to be at home for a while? Check out my Hiking Adventure Series on the Appalachian Trail - Mountains Madness and Miracles and the Florida Trails - Gators Guts and Glory!




    

We are All Winners

The last few weeks have seen some interesting accomplishments on both the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). On both trails we have seen unsupported and supported hikers smash records. Supported means the hiker had a team meet them along the trail to offer support and carried minimal weight. Unsupported means the hiker carried all their supplies and also received no assistance when resupplying in and out of towns (adding lots of extra miles to their overall record of the trail).

Matt Kirk with Jenn Pharr Davis

For instance on the Appalachian Trail, 2,185.9 miles in length, Matt Kirk set the unsupported AT record, finishing in under 58.5 days. His average miles per day was 37. He was joined on the summit by the current supported record-holder Jenn Pharr Davis.

The PCT’s trail of 2,665 miles saw two record-breaking hikers, one after the other. Heather “Anish” Anderson holds the unsupported record at 60 days while Josh Garret holds the overall supported record of 59.5 days. Each boasted over 40 miles per day hiking.

Incredible feats for sure, and by the young.

But I saw an interesting post today that I shared on my Facebook page:

“The Last is just the slowest Winner” – C. Hunter Boyd

Think about it.

Maybe you have been hiking the AT or PCT or other long distance trail for years. Doing it on free weekends. Maybe day hiking. Or taking a vacation week from work to chip away at these mountainous trails. I’ve had hikers tell me as a ridgerunner – “Well, I’m only section hiking the trail (instead of thru hiking)."

“Only” section hiking??

Hey, you’re out there! You’re one of the winners striving to reach their own personal goal. Striving for the prize which is, really, the journey itself.

We don’t have Olympic medals for hikers. Or official world records. So I much applaud these young hikers for having accomplished so much in their individual records. What incredible feats.

But I also applaud the eighty-year-old hiker I met on the trail in Shenandoah this summer, hiking the trail of his dream. The young fourteen-year-old who, after attending a ranger-led hike in Shenandoah last summer, is now out trying to be the youngest unsupported hiker to hike the Appalachian Trail. I applaud the mom or dad who can only go out on an occasional weekend to hike as they care for their families. Or who take their children and go hike a few miles. I applaud the student hiking as he is in college. The teens hiking with their youth groups. The older and wiser ones of retirement age who take on the challenge of a trail even though their bodies are tired and getting worn with age.       

All are winners, whether first or last. Because they are out to accomplish their trail of dreams and do it with passion. 

   

Highs and Lows on the Pacific Crest Trail

No, I have not hiked the Pacific Crest Trail. But I feel as if I have experienced it through the talented writing of Bill Walker, trail name Skywalker.

Having accomplished the Appalachian Trail both north and south, my interests are now aimed toward other trails yet to be hiked. Such as the PCT or Pacific Crest Trail that runs from the Mexico border all the way to Canada, some 2,663 miles in length. I picked up this book with great interest and was not disappointed. The author's engaging style and numerous nail-biting moments on his long journey north, interspersed with human drama and even a history lesson or two all makes for a great read. From being lost in the snow to the hair-raising adventure traversing Mt Whitney to the heat of the desert and lack of basic necessities, there is no lack of fascinating moments. What I liked, too, is the author doesn't downplay the low moments but tells it like it is. It advances the ideal in the long distance hiker's mind--no matter what happens, keep pressing on to the goal. Fulfill the dream. Skywalker fulfilled his with determination and style. May it propel you to fulfill yours.

I highly recommend this adventure read.

Buy the book. 

Skywalker's blog.

Important Resources:

PCT Association

Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail - National Park Service

Planning your PCT Hike - Yogi's Guide

 

Having Fun on the PCT

Saw this video, courtesy of ULA Equipment, and wanted to share. Makes you want to go hike the Pacific Crest Trail and enjoy great scenery with great friends!

Summer Rambles 2009 - Part 1 - Lassen Peak, CA

At last I am updating my hiking blog to include a review of my summer, 2009 rambles. While the one I highlight in this post is not a backpacking venture, I was able to see parts of the Pacific Crest Trail and spent the day climbing a snow covered Lassen Peak while discovering the challenges, and yes, the fear of an ice-covered trail.

This was new for me. Not that I haven't done a snow-covered trail, but this required a bit of skill with Yak Trax on trail runners (of which I had only worn boots in the past). There was also something eerie about climbing an active volcano. I could see the devastation this mountain once wrought, and yes, could smell it as well - of cinders and strange vapors and other chemicals I can't really describe. As I neared the summit, I reached a very steep, icy part of the trail in which I had no idea how to get up. Thankfully a friendly Korean hiker (KJ) was on the trail with me, and when he arrived, assisted me up this icy ledge to reach the knife-edge summit. I celebrated with his flask and he snapped my picture in a most Everest-like moment for me. I like to think that perhaps this might be training exercises for a possible PCT venture one day. It's hard to know what the future will hold in the realm of hiking. But I was glad for the challenge and the opportunity to enjoy this pristine area of the Pacific west.

Summit of Lassen Peak

Note: Since I wrote this note, Lassen Peak trail is only open for a mile do to a fatality in late July of 2009 farther up the trail. I did the trail in early June.

The Gathering 2008 - Hiker's Conference

The annual Gathering put on by ALDHA has come and gone, and we were fortunate to attend this years events, held near Pipestem resort in beautiful West Virgina. I had heard about the event via the White Blaze forum, but did not really know what to expect. Come to find out, it's really like a glorified hiker's conference. It lacks some of the silliness and good ol' time at Trail Days in Damascus but instead focuses on hikers and hiker's needs. There were plenty of workshops on a plethora of topics, including workshops that spelled out the how-to's of conquering any of the long distance trails, including the AT, PCT and CDT. They also had other diverse workshops on everything from gear to viewing nature to even hikes in Europe and the Andes.

One of the highlights for me was hearing from the second hiker ever to complete the entire Appalachian Trail- a man named Gene Esby. He underwent his journey back in 1951 and had plenty of fine stories to tell. I enjoyed listening to him and was pleased to learn that he will soon be publishing a book about his trek. Perhaps some dreamer out there like me who once read Ed Garvey's book will pick up Gene's book and receive the same vision I did to complete a hike of the AT.

Another aspect of The Gathering that we enjoyed was meeting other hikers. Mealtimes at the college cafeteria provided a great way to chat and meet new people. We ate with different folks every meal, from a couple planning a 2009 thru, to another couple who were workshop presenters, to men who section hiked and then the proud father of the main presenter for Saturday night whose son completed an entire journey of South America through the Andes.

Whether your plans will take you on a whole hike of a trail, a section, or just a weekend out in the woods, The Gathering is a great place to celebrate the spirit of hiking and enjoyment of the outdoors with others. Plan to come next year if you able!