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Re: [at-l] Question about Mail Drops

I have given this lots of thought, read journals, books, taken advice, and
here is my current plan for next year.

I have been drying food for 14 different dinner combinations. Most of these
are tried and true with me, but a few are still in the trial stages and will
be accepted or rejected this season. Most are Noodle or Rice dinners,
supplimented by different dried veggies and dried shredded meats - though
there are some other meals as well - including burritoes (hmmm, hmmm, hmmm).

I have a tentative maildrop plan, in a spreadsheet, with the number of days
and meal types in each drop location calcualted. If I change dates - compress
or extend as well as move up or back - the number of meals in a box changes.
This is mostly based on Wingfoot's planning book.  I am still working out all
the actual drop points and calculating miles between drops based on the
guidebooks and journal entries of others. This is a facinating study in itself!

My support team - wife and kids - are going to mail my boxes to me two weeks
before my expected arrival date. They will be updating my chart as my schedule
changes, so they will know reasonably well where I am and if I still need four
dinners, four lunches, and three breakfasts in a particular box.

They have the option of using any of my prepackaged meal choices to fill my
box. They get to choose if I get tuna noodle cassarole every night for a week
- but they have promised to keep mixing things up :).

This keeps them all active in my hike - let's them add any surprises - art
work, letters, pictures, etc. In my supply plan, there are also things like
toilet paper, toothpaste, batteries, film, etc that get added after so many days.

I have not decided to keep a bump-box ahead of me at this time, but it would
be easy enough to do that enroute if it looks interesting then.

If something in my food selection absolutely falls out of favor, I will change
it. Since all the food I am taking is well tested by me in camping conditions,
I don't think I'm at risk here, but you never know.  The food that I have
dried ahead will not go to waste with all the camping/backpacking that I and
my family/scouts do...

I also am packaging nearly everything into single serving sizes so there are
no odors in my food pack - no leftovers in a ziplock. I'm using the vacuum
seal bags and my current rule (for the past two years successfully) has been
"once you open it, you eat it." This almost eliminates any food odors in your
pack and makes it less attractuve to rodents. Things like Gorp and Jerky are
packaged into "single-day" packages and get eaten in their entirety (most of
the time).

I'm sure there are lots of other methods that work fine for others, and this
is only my latest incarnation.  I have no desire to shop in the little (or
even bog) grocery stores along the way. I may make an exception and add some
fresh fruit for the first day or two our of town, but I am not requiring any
shopping at this time.  I also don't plan to stay in many towns overnight if I
can help it.  My need for a hot shower and a day off will be minimal - at
least after the first month.

-Paddler (GA>ME 99                          yes only 290 days left :)
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