I'm Just Going to Throw this Out Anyways

By FeetForBrains on January 21, 2025

My next major hurdle-for-the-hike to consider is resupply. Honestly, I'm really struggling with this one for a few reasons.

First, it's complicated by the fact that I'll reside in a different country from the first day of the hike. My experience mailing things from France back to the US wasn't good. It was time-consuming, expensive, and inconsistent delivery and I don't expect much better service from Canada mailing to general delivery addresses back in the States.

Second, a good chunk of my extended family who still reside in the States will be out of the country for a significant chunk of Oregon and Washington. The northern tiers of the Pacific Crest Trail tend to have resupply points spaced out much more than anywhere in California.

Then there is the fact that with the possible exception of Kennedy Meadows South all of this is necessarily dynamic in nature. The prevailing advice online at the moment is to plan loosely, but be prepared to throw it all out the door as soon as you start putting one foot in front of the other.

Finally, there is the outstanding questions "Do I bring the camera(s)?" and if so, "What impact does that have on my resupply?"

The Plan

Right now I fly into San Diego on the 10th of March and get there around noon. I won't be there in time to catch the bus to the trailhead or CLEEF which is actually a good thing. It means I'll be able to swing by a grocery store, grab some food, and get it in the mail for the first few resupply points.

I'm sorting out the details for first 700 miles in a workbook. When I get closer to going I plan on printing this off so that I can take it with me and not have to worry about a network connection.

The Shuttle

I just booked an afternoon shuttle ride from Old Town Station in San Diego to the Southern Terminus. It's a lot more than I'd like to spend to kick this off, but it's also a sure fire way to make it to the trailhead and make certain I'm set up correctly for the first couple of weeks on the trail. Besides it is supporting a business that supports thru hikers and will put me next to other hikers on their way.

Even better, to get the ball rolling, the shuttle stops at USPS so that hikers can mail resupply boxes forward. This will give me an opportunity to ensure that I've got a nice mix of prepared and fresh foods to manger as I marcher.

Besides it may be my last opportunity to enjoy a little air conditioning. I'll just have to remember to savor the experience.

Chop Wood, Carry Water

I'll need to repeat this sans shuttle service as I move up the trail. As kit needs replacing I'll likely text/call one of my brothers to send a box forward so I'm not SOL when my shoes give up the ghost or if a trekking pole breaks.

I imagine that I'll be tracking what I eat along the trail and making note of things I no longer want to eat or need to replace in my kit too. This is the part the tends to flummox me to no end. I never know what my appetite will do when hiking. "Why do I only crave avocados and bananas?" or "If I have to eat another one of these bars to fill this bottomless void in my gut ... I think I'd rater chew on sticks." I am very curious to try things out and tweak as necessary, but it always feels like a roll of the dice.

Bear Cans are for Chumps

And I'm Chief Chump. Seriously, ain't nobody got time for that. My bear can will be mailed to Kennedy Meadows South well before I get there. And after the portion of the trail where a bear can is required I will probably swap my food sack out for a bear bag. Bear bags are now a requirement for Washington and there's no reason to not carry one in Northern California or Oregon since there are plenty of Yogis interested in my picnic basket.

To Film or Not to Film

If you're paying attention, you may have noticed that I left all my cameras out of my lighterpack list. I know I'm not going to try to film the whole thing, even in time lapse. That was a central, driving motivation back in 2022 when I first started pursing the trail. The data and charging requirements though are just too much for me to manage on my limited budget.

So, now comes the question, do I take a camera (360 or action) in addition to my phone and gather video as I hike that way or just rely on my phone? I think we can all agree this is a good question to answer, I just don't have an answer for it yet.