Thru Hike sans mail drops?

**Beast 71** · 09-20-2009, 11:57

OK, for us nonhikers, what's a bounce box?

**attroll** · 09-20-2009, 12:01

Originally Posted by Cannibal

I used the post office to send and receive gear, but beyond that I used it very little. The only places I used a bounce box were areas that I heard were not good resupply spots, but they were fine. If I had to pick one place to bounce to, it would be the NOC. The road to the store is hazardous, narrow, and mean. By mean, I mean locals throw stuff at hikers when walking down the road. They threw stuff at me anyway; buttheads!

Why did you send a bounce box to NOC when they have a long term resupply?

**Ongs-Hat** · 09-20-2009, 14:09

When the stars align and I finally get my chance to do a NOBO hike, I will be using a bounce box and a few unplanned mail drops just for switching out gear.

medicdude332 have you been to http://www.whiteblaze.net? They have a lot of useful information. Just ignore some of the big heads and you'll be alright.

**Nest** · 09-20-2009, 14:51

Originally Posted by Cannibal

The road to the store is hazardous, narrow, and mean. By mean, I mean locals throw stuff at hikers when walking down the road. They threw stuff at me anyway; buttheads!

That was me, sorry.

If you don't plan on carrying maps I wouldn't even do a bounce box. Just send yourself your summer gear to pearisburg,va where you will send your winter stuff to either the hostel in glencliff or to lincoln, nh. That's where you send your summer stuff back home. If you send it priority the post office is really good about not losing stuff.

There are a couple of places where resupply is a little weak. You will hear about them in advance. If you want to you can buy extra food in a town a week before and mail it to that place. That way you can kinda buy according to your appetite and tastes at the time.

For me a bounce box was a pain in the butt. The less I had to worry about days of the week and what time it was the happier I was.

**Beast 71** · 09-20-2009, 15:09

What's a bounce bag?

**Ongs-Hat** · 09-20-2009, 15:14

Originally Posted by Beast 71

What's a bounce bag?

AT thru hikers use a Bounce box (a mail-drop type box containing seldom used necessities that is 'bounced' ahead to a town where you think you might need the contents) sometime including maps, medicine, batteries, guides....etc. Hikers address the package to a post office or hostel in the next town they plan to spend time in.

**Cannibal** · 09-20-2009, 15:19

Originally Posted by Beast 71

OK, for us nonhikers, what's a bounce box?

Originally Posted by Beast 71

What's a bounce bag?

When you know a town ahead is going to be slim pickins, you buy extra food for that town and the resupply and mail it in a priority mail flat rate box. When you get to the town with slim resupply, you go to the PO, get your 'bounce box' and take out what you need. Then, you mail the box and remaining contents up ahead to the next town stop. Lots of people deal with their phone chargers this way; just keep bouncing it up the trail.

Originally Posted by attroll

Why did you send a bounce box to NOC when they have a long term resupply?

Because the resupply store (not at NOC) is about a mile and change down a two lane road with no shoulder. There is a little store there at NOC, but the selection is bare bones and it depends how many hikers got there before you as to if there will be anything left. Not a good place to count on resupply IMO. Not a hiker friendly area; not even close.

**Frawg** · 09-20-2009, 15:25

Originally Posted by Beast 71

What's a bounce bag?

See Google for more, but here are two definitions:

bounce box n. a container of supplies sent ahead to a series of stops by a cross-country hiker.

Mail Drop (aka Bounce Box) A "mail drop" is a box you have prepared with extra food and supplies that you mail to yourself at a given town's post office.

HTH

Edit - Oops... shoulda checked one more time before hitting 'send'

**Nest** · 09-20-2009, 16:08

Originally Posted by Cannibal

Because the resupply store (not at NOC) is about a mile and change down a two lane road with no shoulder. There is a little store there at NOC, but the selection is bare bones and it depends how many hikers got there before you as to if there will be anything left. Not a good place to count on resupply IMO. Not a hiker friendly area; not even close.

Yep. The "general store" at the NOC itself just had a couple packs of crackers and donuts when I got there this year. Then the outfitter has overpriced mountain house and oatmeal. The road to the real store isn't even worth trying to go to. Everyone there drives like a maniac, and being touristy the chances of a hitch are slim. I carried an extra days worth of food and resupplied at Robbinsville instead.

**attroll** · 09-20-2009, 16:17

Originally Posted by Cannibal

Because the resupply store (not at NOC) is about a mile and change down a two lane road with no shoulder. There is a little store there at NOC, but the selection is bare bones and it depends how many hikers got there before you as to if there will be anything left. Not a good place to count on resupply IMO. Not a hiker friendly area; not even close.

Thanks Cannibal. I will add that to my list of places to send a bounce box to. Maybe even a maildrop to this one. It is still only 30 miles into the trip so really will not need a lot. I was planning on send one mail drop to the Blueberry Patch Hostel.