Date: 2008-03-22
From: Launch Date Three Days Away...

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Miles today: 0.0

I thought, since there are only three days until I hop onto that south-bound train to Gainesville, you¢d like to see my plan for re-supply (note the picture of my Living Room to the left). We¢ll get to this, but first ¢ it¢s time to finish the Appalachian Trail Song:LAST VERSE:I made it North, my hike is done        My picture¢s sent to everyoneThe only other thing to do        Is ¢turn around, and hike South too¢¦LAST REFRAIN:The A.T. Life is painless,        It brings on many changes¢¦And I can take what comes for six more months¢¦And you can pack and meet me if you please¢¦!There¢s just something about that final picture of an excited but exhausted Appalachian Trail Trekker ¢ now officially to be called, once and for all times, a ¢THRU-HIKER.¢In fact, it¢s not unusual for actual Thru-Hikers to admonish their fellow North- or South-Bounders who choose to call themselves by that term before they¢ve passed the final hurdle. It seems that one is not officially a Thru-Hiker until one has completed the first complete trek¢¦If folks ask me, I¢ll just tell them that, ¢¢¦I¢m the Colonel, and I¢m North-Bound¢¦¢ That¢s enough to meet the requirement and to be politically correct (PC) in the same short statement. *lol*Now for my typical Re-Supply:- I normally use USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes because the stuff I ship tends to be rather heavy as packages go, and the local Post Office will forward these unopened packages to another Post Office for no charge (not to mention the time it might take for a Parcel Post package to arrive at its destination)- I¢ve found very little difference in capacity between the small-squat and the tall-skinny flat rate box. The USPS has just introduced a ¢large flat rate box,¢ which isn¢t that much larger, but is better suited to the longer re-supply stops (Fontana Village, 100-Mile Wilderness, etc.).- I therefore prioritize that which is actually shipped in the following order:¢¢        MRE Entre for immediate meal(s) [these provide more variety, calories, energy, etc., than my typical trail fare]¢¢        Power Bars of all sorts and flavors [including the famous, ¢Hooah Bar,¢ which is an Army version ¢ not to be confused with the ¢Er-ahh Bar,¢ which is the USMC version produced for DoD ¢ I don¢t make this stuff up, believe me¢¦]¢¢        Heat Tabs [back-up cooking fuel and fire-starter for my BushBuddy Ultra Stove¢¢        Brown Coffee Filters [pre-filter material for my Sweetwater¢s pre-filter]¢¢        Paper Towel in Baggy [I use this as my trail toilet paper as well as to wipe pots, etc ¢ different pieces for each use, of course]¢¢        Wet Wipes [mostly for trail hygiene]¢¢        Instant Drinks in Baggy [Replenish Electrolytes; other instant drink packs; tea; and either MRE instant coffee packs or Folgers Singles (dipping bags)]¢¢        Toiletries Re-supply Baggy [BIC disposable razor; small tube of Zinc Oxide Ointment for deodorant; and perhaps a small bar of soap]¢¢        Medicine in Baggy [which includes prescription drugs and dietary supplements]¢¢        Packaged Flavored Oatmeal in Baggies [my all-time favorite is Quaker Instant Maple and Brown Sugar ¢ and I eat two packs per breakfast]¢¢        Packaged Instant Soups in Baggies¢¢        MRE Crackers¢¢        Packaged Peanut Butter and Jellies [many of these also come from MRE¢s]¢¢        Hard Candy, Individually Wrapped, in Baggy¢¢        As many Ramen Noodle Packages (Chicken or Shrimp) as will top-off the box [but these are the lowest priority]I find that with this basic Re-Supply Kit spaced every week or so, I can Yogi [as in, ¢Please feed the poor Trekker, after all, you have so much food over there¢¦¢]; scavenge; find in hiker boxes; and buy anything else I need along the way. Sorry, but while on the trail, I prefer quick and simple meals (if I¢m cooking them). I do, however, tend to carry heavier foods for the first day or so, even though this might make more difficult climbs out of trail towns.I can¢t exist on only Oatmeal, Peanut Butter and Crackers and Ramen, although it forms the basis for my re-supply.To this I like to add hard breads such as bagels; fresh fruits; meats; cheeses; and sometimes trail-gathered greens and berries in season. For instance, if the wild pigs have left any Ramps for us to find this year, they¢re great when boiled and added to Ramen Noodles¢¦Don¢t take anything that I¢ve said as, ¢the only way to re-supply.¢ I base mine on convenience, what¢s on-hand in the pantry, and then weight (but not always my priority). If I find the dehydrated stuff in hiker boxes, I say a little, ¢thank you,¢ to the preparer, and gladly add it to my normal trail fare for variety¢¦Still Even More Appalachian Trail Corollaries to Murphy¢s Law:- The Animals actually speak to one in the English Language after particularly long days with difficult climbs¢¦- Imaginary Friends are nature¢s way of telling you to take a ¢Zero.¢- Wild Mushrooms might or might not provide cures for Trail Ailments¢¦ Just remember that all of the Native Americans who tried them are now dead and gone¢¦- Those who eat the Wild Ramps found along the Trail in Spring and then go to Church will sit in their own pew¢¦- Has anybody considered an invitation to Bear Grill to find his next outdoor adventure with the rare and illusive Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker? It might be interesting to see his support gear that¢s carried by his ¢camera crew¢¢¦