Maildrops & total cost

imported
#1

I know there are many variables as to how much mail drops can cost, but what I wanted from the 2000-milers is to know how many mail drops you had and how much it cost total for them? Any info for me would help financial planning.

DAWGTREKKER

#2

Er, that depends on where they’re being mailed from. Postage from Ohio, was about $9.80 for a box for two hikers, around five days of supplies. Mailed Priority. About $200 for us. But again, as with others; maybe five drops and buy the rest in town by taste.

Bushwhack

#3

To Hiawassee. Then I bought along the way. I ate about 4000 calories of junk food each day, once the hunger set in. If I was to do it again, I might send some staples (couscous, olive oil) but would buy all snacks along the way. A good way to do it is to make up a resupply box in a larger town and send it ahead to a podunk town. This saves shipping costs and gives you greater flexibility in your meal planning.

Wedding Singer

#4

I had 22 drops. Cost was around $8 - $10 per box sent priority from PA. I had a mix of food in every box that totaled around $600- from lipton noodels to backpacker meals. I did have to buy in a few towns. It was a comfort knowing I had food coming. I reccommend using the towns with good grocery stores to buy food at and sending maildrops to the others.
A big tip if you are going to do alot of maildrops is: do not plan them all now, before you leave. After my first 6 weeks (Damascus) my menu changed drastically as my appetite increased and I realized I really needed to increase my calories. I ended up planning in 3 parts GA to Damascus, Damascus to PA, PA to Maine.
Another tip, and I think this is ingenious, if you have a strong friend and family base - assign each reliable person a maildrop and tell them the kinds of food you like and number of days you need. That way everyone who says they want to send you something can and you will get some variety and surprises, plus save some money. I had soooo many people ask what they could send me and I couldn’t think of anything because I didn’t need extra weight and all my food was already planned.
:smiley:

Blip

#5

Unless you have special dietary needs, i would suggest minimizing your maildrops as much as possible. From Springer to Damascus, there are not many places where you need to carry more than 3 days of food. Of course, it sounds silly to go into towns that often, but believe me, it can happen. Also, keep in mind that having 20 or so maildrops is about one maildrop per week. You may find your hiking pace and schedule dictated by not hitting a town on Sat or Sun when the PO is closed. Gives the hike a sort of ‘town to town’ flavor. And then you may find yourself catching up to or waiting for hikers you want to hike with. I only use maildrops to ‘treat’ myself occasionally to my favorite foods i can’t get along the way.

Ruthless Cur

#6

Im with Wedding Singer. Stock up in large towns and mail ahead to yourself in towns with not much resupply. Since I was bouncing that anvil ahead ( I thought I might do some blacksmithing on the trail) my maildrops were about $150.00 each. Once I didnt feel like hking so I bounce myself ahead.That cost about $200.00

Virginian

#7

To use mail drops,as your primary soarce of food,or purchase food along the way is one of the several things you have to sort out before starting a thru.
During my 2001 thru,I decided to buy my food along the way and if I was to do another thru, I would do the same. My reasons are as follows:
If you have mail drops to POs you can only pick them up when the PO is open. If you arrive in a town on Sat., late, you will have to wait until Monday.
If you only last on the trail for a few weeks or months, you will have paid a lot of money to send stuff and then have it returned. Knowone,who starts a thru,knows how long he/she will last. Only 20% complete.
You will probably send more food than you will need. The hiker box at the PO is always full of extra stuff that hikers don’t want to carry.
Your food tast will change. I thought that I liked instant oatmeal until I had it every morning for two months.
Buying food along the way was never a problem. I would resupply every 3 to 5 days. I could buy fresh fruit and veg. I even brought sandwitch stuff, ie.,cold meat, sliced cheese, tomatoes, and bread. I thought I ate a good variaty of food. You will get sick of eating Lipton Dinners, Ramin Noodles and tuna befor long.
Happy trails.
Grampie-N->2001

Grampie

#8

Don’t worry about mailing out alot of maildrops and then
dropping your hike. Have someone at home send them to you
on a schedule. If you fall behind schedule just ask them to
mail them a week later than planned, etc.

Just send the basic food you want in maildrops. There are
usually places in town to buy extras and goodies, and to get
a restaurant meal. Vary your menu, so you won’t get tired
of the same thing all the time. Try cold cereal/powdered
milk, oatmeal, pancakes, PopTarts, eggs/bacon for breakfast.
Have PB&J, Cheese and pepperoni, hard boiled eggs, etc. for
lunch. Use Mac’n’Cheese, spaghetti, soup/sandwich, canned
meat w/ mashed potatoes or canned beef stew for dinner.
The people that get tired of their maildrops usually didn’t
plan their meals very well. Get bread and perishables in
town. Dehydrated corn, carrots and apples carry well.

I used about 12 drops, but when I sprained my ankle it was
was easy to call the next post office from home and get my
food drop returned. The PO would return the box to the
return address on the box, which you need to verify it’s
your box. I did that successfully twice(2nd time was Lyme).

Each box cost about $10 to mail, but the PO raised rates
since '02. Total food cost was maybe $400. I also had $1
per mile to spend on the trail, and that took care of hotel
or hostel, a restaurant meal(or 2), snacks, laundry, etc.
on a weekly basis. If you stay out of every town you can
go cheaper, but don’t go too cheap. Most everyone needs a
break from the trail from time to time, if only to wait for
the PO to open on Monday. Some young guys were trying to
hike on $25/wk. They had it pretty rough/lean, especially
after buying food! One guy told me he tented for 70 nights
straight, ate mostly from hiker boxes, and spent $300 from
Springer to MD, where he passed me.

Good luck.

Scamp

Scamp