[at-l] HYOH and maildrops

[Phil Heffington <phil.heffington@oc.edu>]

There are definitely some pros and cons to using maildrops on your hike.  My
experience in using them (which I have done only once in 800 miles) and my
observation of others who seemed to depend on them, is that the major "con"
of this resupply method is that it puts you are the mercy of the government
in planning your daily hiking schedule.  This is true because you must be at
the Post Office when they are open.  That means during specific hours of the
day, days of the week, and days of the year.  You will have to schedule
around the Post Office being closed in the evening, on weekends, and on
national holidays such as Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day, as
well as others I am probably missing.  

The four most common topics of discussion on the trail are, (1) Pack Weight,
(2) Mileage covered, (3) Equipment, and (4) FOOD!!!.  For those using mail
drops there is a fifth topic, that being when the Post Office is open for
the next drop.  I have seen this become the major consideration for a number
of hikers, and it turned the HYOH philosophy into a HTPOH (Hike The Post
Office's Hike) for them.

There are a number of good reasons to use maildrops, but the above should be
considered as one factor for not doing so.  It is not that difficult to hike
the AT without them, unless you are planning for some special personal
requirements for diet, health needs, etc.
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