Date: 2009-02-15
To: Prep #8
Miles today: 0.0

It is now (A)T minus 50! Crunch time!I've spent the past couple of days working out my bounce box schedule. If you are new to the trail, a bounce box is a box you mail (bounce along) to yourself c/o General Delivery at post offices along the trail. The box contains things you will need to resupply or swap out on a fairly regular basis ... pills, batteries, maps, spare tent stakes, etc. Maps are the Gordian Knot. I plan to use the full set of 37 AT maps along the 2,178.3 mile trail as well as the Appalachian Pages guidebook. In total, the maps weigh 4-1/2 pounds; nearly as much as my tent, mattress and sleeping bag! Individual weights vary from 1.01 to 3.35 ounces. They are by no means consistent or regular in any way that lends itself to smooth planning. Individual maps cover as few as 18 miles up to as many as 112 miles. They have been prepared by at least 10 different agencies, using as many different standards. A similar but less confusing issue also arises regarding which perforated pages from my 7 ounce, 180 page guidebook (Appalachian Pages) to carry from one drop point to the next.For what it's worth, here's how I approached the task.First, I made a spreadsheet with a row for each mile of the trail. Then I numbered, deciphered and entered into each trail mile row which map(s) cover that mile.Next, beginning at Springer Mountain, the southern terminus, I started looking for bounce box drop points about 180 miles apart. This is based on my plan to hike (on average) 15 miles a day, six days a week, or 90 miles a week. I want to have access to my bounce box about every two weeks, or about every 180 miles. Actually, my planned mileage will vary and I used data from whiteblaze.net to provide more realistic daily goals along various sections of the trail.Moving forward about (1) 180 miles (or two weeks) at a time, I looked for a town (2) near the trail with (3) a post office and (4) a grocery store, that was also near (5) a convenient map swap point. Finding towns that fit all five requirements was not always easy, so compromises were inevitable. Given the vagaries of the maps, I will be carrying 5 maps (11.4 ounces) in part of Virginia, and only 2 maps totaling less than 2.5 ounces in part of New Hampshire! Nevertheless, a workable plan eventually evolved. Here's the result (for now at least), with some added notes below:NOBO  ~Days to  ~Miles to    Town - miles from trail====   =====      =====     ===========================0                -               -             START at Springer163            17            163            Fontana Dam, NC - 2.0W (1)340            15            177            Erwin, TN - 3.8W (2)527            14            187            Marion, VA - 5.9W720            14            193            Daleville, VA - 0852            10            132            Waynesboro, VA - 4.5W1013         11            161            Harpers Ferry, WV - 0 (3)1137            8            124            Duncannon, PA - 01283         10            146            Delaware Gap, PA - 01466         13            183            Cornwall Bridge, CT - .9E1667         17            201            Wallingford, VT - 2.8W1805         11            138            North Woodstock, NH - .8E+ 4.8S (4)1958         15            153            Rangeley, ME - 9W2064         10            106            Monson, ME - 4E (5)2180            9            114            END at Mt. Katahdin(1) The bounce box will fly with me from California and then be hand delivered here, along with a resupply of food, when Bon Bon's sister picks her up from the trail.(2) I will be sending home some cold weather gear here, along with maps and guidebook pages no longer needed.(3) At this traditional halfway point, I will get a second lot of maps mailed in from home, along with some other mid-point resupply items. I'll also mail home unneeded maps and pages.(4) At this point I will have my cold weather gear mailed back to me along with the final lot of maps.(5) At this point I will mail the bounce box, unneeded maps, and pages home, carrying the final set of maps and pages with me until I get home myself.In between, I am hiking daily.