I have been getting my trail food ready for quite some time now, gathering supplies, buying in bulk, and breaking things down into individual meals.  Now it's time to put it all into shipping boxes.  The containers hold about 5 days of food and other essentials.  In varying quantities, here's what's in there:  Bear Creek Soups, Knorr Sides, Idahoan Instant Potatoes mixed with Bacon Bits, Ramen Noodles and Tuna, Spam Singles and Macaroni & Cheese, Instant Oatmeal,  Dry Cereal with Powdered Milk, Almond Butter and Jelly (with tortillas to add before shipping), snack bars, dried fruit, cookies, crackers, coffee, sugar, hot chocolate, energy drink mixes, and on and on. 

In addition to the food, the boxes also carry other essentials like Bic lighters, Hand Sanitizer, Travel-size Toothpaste, my daily medicines and pain relievers, the next set of trail maps and guide pages, and things like that.

I have identified certain towns along the way where the post office is fairly convenient and will send these supply boxes to myself, care of General Delivery.  That will only take care of about half of my supply needs for the entire trip.  The other supplies will be purchased in other towns and convenience stores that I pass along the way.  One of the drawbacks of doing mail drops is figuring out months in advance what my food tastes will be.  By alternating mail drop food with other food purchased along the way, I hope to still find my mail drop food palatable when I open that last box in Maine.

Here are a few snapshots of the assembly process.  I took some video and will work on processing it tomorrow.

EVERYONE'S INVITED!!!

If you didn't hear via Facebook, there will be a little party on March 19th at the High Point Barber Shop on Lexington Avenue in High Point from 5:00pm to 6:00pm.  Brian Adkins is going to give me a buzz-cut and a straight-razor shave.  Yes, I will take a before and after photo.  Then I won't get a haircut or shave until I return from Mt Katahdin sometime in September or October.  You are all welcome to stop by for a meet and greet to help see me off on my Appalachian Trail adventure.  See you there.