AZT trail towns are usually close to the trail, spaced between 50-60 miles apart, so resupply is generally straightforward. I sent the first few resupply boxes before I left and dropped off a package at Roosevelt Marina. My initial strategy worked fine. However, for the resupply boxes that I needed to send, I asked my friend Debbie to send prepaid and packed boxes. This worked for the Colorado Trail since it was only for a few weeks. Debbie was fantastic, but I complicated the situation by not doing a good job estimating my time to a town and not taking pictures of each box’s tracking number. I often went too fast and either decided to resupply locally or missed the box. Furthermore, even though the box was prepaid, arranging pickup with the USPS was not easy and put more responsibility on Debbie, who was already overloaded.
Every town I stopped in had great resupply options with nutrition bars, instant potatoes, and packets of tuna, chicken, or spam. Electrolyte drink packets are harder to find, but bulk powders are usually available, and the excess would go into a hiker box. Wipes are also typically available; if not, wiping down with water and a Lightload towel is an alternative.
Going forward, I will not rely completely on resupply boxes and just use resupply boxes when necessary, e.g., the town only has a convenience store.
Next: Mental Preparation