[at-l] Wanchor Report

[kahley7@ptd.net (kahley7)]

At 12:16 AM 5/14/01 -0400, Bluetrail@aol.com wrote:

>Talked to Jon twice today from Rural Retreat,  (Atkins) VA.  I'm perplexed. 
>  I sent this mail drop Tuesday about 8:45 a.m. priority mail and it's not 
>there.  When I mailed the box, the clerk's software told her I had the wrong 
>zip code, so she changed it to what the machine showed.  Now I'm wondering.  
>Some gut instinct told me to check it myself in the big book, but I didn't. 

Totally understandable..you'd need a microscope to read the print in the BIG BOOK anyway.

>  I just hate this kind of mess up.  If the box isn't there in tomorrow 
>morning's mail, Jon will have to pay someone to take him to a store and buy 
>what he needs.  This means he'll have to really hit some big miles to make it 
>to Pearisburg for George and Mary Sue to pick him up for Trail Days.  I still 
>feel as if I'm responsible.  If the package is just slow, I may have to start 
>shipping Fed Ex. 

Hike-USA has had good luck so far this year with Priority delivery
from Pa to Ga thru Va in 2-3 days.  With the notable exception of an 8 day
transit to Pearisburg.......aaaarrrgghh!  It happens..it suxs but it happens

Do you use the green tracking label?  For a small fee .40(?) you get a tracking
number that you can use to track the packages progress via computer or phone.
When/if everyone does their job, you can tell when it arrived at the po or hostel 
and if it's a po, it should tell you when it was picked up as well.  For sure, you
could tell where it ended up and if it was at a PO, you can get it bumped up trail
or returned for free if shipped Priority..  I say if/when, because sometimes the PO 
people just record it as' delivered' when it hits the Post Office instead of when the 
hiker picked it up.  For instance, two of Shakey's boxes were reported picked up 
on the same day even though three days hiking apart!  They just skip the middle 
"arrived" step. And sometimes they forget to log it altogether which really drives 
me nutz!!!  The worst offenders are Hiawassee and Franklin but ya gotta know
they are stressed out by all the hiker boxes.  It gets better as the crowd thins.

In general, it's a nice feature and let's me know the package has arrived before 
the hiker gets there.  If possible, we ship five - six days prior to arrival which gives a
replacement box a two - three day lead to get there if the original doesn't clock in on time
at a place where there is no local resupply.
Then we can have the original shipped back or bumped ahead for free, when it shows.
Of course, while pita holds up to that time frame, muffins are a problem.  So far. the
majority of our hikers have chosen to buy their own bread or go with pita.

Don't beat yourself up over this.  It isn't your fault.  I have had packages disappear
for a month!!  Even Priority 3-day (what we use) is nooo guarantee.  We have had
a four percent failure rate for 3 day delivery, over the last years and that suxs but i 
guess it's close enough for government work <sigh>.  No wonder they dropped the
three day guarantee.

I'm sure Jon knows it's not your fault.  You just have to accept that those boxes
are in someone else's care.....can't be helped!


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