[at-l] Question about food and mail drops

[cballs at verizon.net (Curtis Balls)]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: at-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net [mailto:at-l-
> bounces@mailman.backcountry.net] On Behalf Of Kelly Whitman
> Sent: Friday, August 08, 2003 11:20 PM
> To: at-l@backcountry.net
> 
> I was working on a schedule for mail drops when I got a dose of reality:
> my
> Fibromyalgia flared up.

[Curtis] 
It would be interesting to know if hiking the trail improves or worsens your
condition.  Let us know.  One of my long term gay male friends has
fibromylagia.  As it's a condition that affects many more women than men, he
insists he's turning into a lesbian.


Could someone tell me a
> little
> more about the kinds of food you find along the route?  Is it more like
> that
> which you find in convenience stores (Circle K, 7-11), small-town grocery
> markets (the kinds you find in rural mountain communities), supermarkets
> (Albertson's, Von's, Basha's, etc.), or do they have actual prepackaged
> backpacking food?  Or all of those?  Am I stressing out about this and
> there's no reason to be?  Lol

[Curtis] 
You're stressing too much.  I did mail drops.  If I were to hike the trail
again, I wouldn't.  Only if were on a medication that needed resupplying or
had some other special needs would I go to the expense and trouble, and then
only when absolutely necessary.  Unless you're some kind of off the wall
vegetarian like that only eats Moroccan pine nuts hand ground with first
cold pressed extra extra virgin olive oil bottled in colored bottles from
olives picked in the Andalusia region of Spain, by 40 year old virgins, you
shouldn't have really much trouble finding at every stop enough non-carne
foods to sustain you.  Your thinking about the convenience stores above is
correct.  You'll find outfitters along the way in a few places that have
prepackaged food specifically marketed to hikers, but mostly you'll find
nearly every place has a market large enough to carry those Lipton
meal-in-a-bag dinners.  Add some cheese of your choice for the extra fat
you'll come to crave, and for flavor, and you'll discover how easy it all
is.  There are usually a lot of other food choices that a hiker can
reasonably make as well.     
> 
> I'll eat Pop Tarts and Snickers until they come out of my ears if that's
> what it takes to make it to Maine, but if I know where to look for some
> healthier options, I'll definitely take advantage of them, too.

[Curtis] 
No you really won't eat them until they come out of our ears.  You'll eat
them until you're sick of them and then you'll find something else.  I tried
Pop Tarts one day and it nearly killed me.  I had to lie down on the Trail
until my energy levels stabilized.  I'd never eaten such bizarre foodstuff.
YMMV. You'll snarf down the Snickers though.  Be careful with those
wrappers.