[at-l] Resupply frequency and is 4300 cu. in. big enough?

[rickboudrie@hotmail.com (rick boudrie)]

>Ther are few(very few) places on the AT where it's necessary to carry >more 
>than 3 or 4 days food.
>


I would not disagree.  But by the same token you may find that there are 
plenty of places where you will want to carry more.  Especially if you start 
as a SOBO.

What are the chances of that?  I don't know.  From what I understand of how 
hiking the Trail has evolved, frequent resupply is the norm.  It may well be 
that it is a superior way of hiking the Trail for many people.  I think it 
is safe to say that one's decision regarding the frequency of resupply will 
have an enormous impact on the nature of their trip, however.  An impact 
that will extend beyond simply the weight carried on one's back.  Every 
hiker makes a choice.  Getting into and out of town is not always an easy 
thing, logistically or emotionally, IMO.

I also think the weight issue is not nearly critical for may hikers as is 
often made out to be.  No that's not right, it is critical.  Hikers have 
articulated really well the "cost" of carrying extra weight.   Lighter is 
better than heavier with all other things being equal-- absolutely.  But 
sometimes extra weight can bring great benefits (or at least differences), 
and I think the extra weight of a few more days food falls in that catagory.

As a SOBO, I didn't do everything right early on in my trip.  I set out on 
the AT with 11 days of food since I was a bit intimidated by the Wilderness. 
  When I got to Monson early I did not need my mail drop, so I had it 
forwarded to Stratton.  That got me to Gorham.  Gorham got me to Glenclift, 
Glenclift got me to Manchester.  And so on.  All told, something greater 
than 10 days of food per stop all the way to Springer.

Would I do this again?  Hell no.  I am middle age and have a gut and would 
probably kill myself.  But I was in shape once.  And while I started out 
packing 10 plus days of food because I din't know any better, I ended up 
doing so by choice.  I did get used to it, and I got used to extended 
stretched in the woods. It worked for me.  I recognized that there was a 
trade-off between the amount of food I carried and what I wanted to do with 
my trip.  Were I to hike again, I would find a new "right" distance between 
resuppy for me on the Trail, and I would use WF's and the ALDHA books to 
take advantage of resupply points that were virtually on trail.  But I would 
always remember that with the extra weight of more food, extra benefits 
sometimes possible.  I would not buy into the idea that lighter is always 
better when it comes to ressuply strategies.  Unlike some other trails you 
have real choices on the AT, although if you get overtaken by a "group 
think", some of those resupply stategies may not be considered as closely as 
perhaps they would otherwise.

How is this relevant?  It may not be, except to suggest that it is important 
to hike your own hike.  And the kind of hike you want may evlove some while 
you are on the trail.  I'm not good with pack capacity issues, but I do 
think that were I to hike again I would be looking to find a pack that would 
comfortably allow me to load it up with more food (and weight) than that 
which would be appropriate for 3 to 4 day ressuply.  To put it simply, I 
would want to be able to hike my own hike and not have my pack determine 
what that was because of volume, or, more likely, a suspension system that 
would not be up to heavier loads.

Anyway, where this really comes into play would be with the really small 
packs that have little or no internal frame, and not much of a hipblet.  
With one of thoe really small packs, God help you if you ever decide you 
wanted to carry a bunch extra food.  My bottom line is that I would want a 
pack that left me with options to carry more.

I guess my post doesn't really address your question at all , then.  OK, at 
least it gave me a chance to brag about carrying food.  I do that every few 
months.  There had to be some reason I carried it.  I really am not bitter 
about the experience. ;-) ANd, nowdays, both my mind and body are soft, so 
please excuse the digression.

Rick B








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