Mapping the Sheltowee

zacraw2 · Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 9:00 pm Post subject: food drops

Thru-hiking this April starting from ST

I would like to have my food drops as close to the trail as possible to avoid hiking/hitching into towns and I don't mind carrying up to seven days or more worth of food

Where are some places near the trail I could mail food to?

If I were to cache food near road intersections before I started my hike would that be possible or ethical? What is the best way to keep animals out of it?

Thanks for any input

PR · Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2011 8:47 am Post subject:

I can food drop from London to New Zion (Arvel) without any trouble, and you will walk past my brother-in-laws on the 421 section between stree and turkeyfoot. This is about halfway through the ST.

jbd · Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2011 10:50 am Post subject:

At this time you might consider the post office in Heidelburg. In the future there may be a re-route in that area which may make the post office there not feasible.

BSF-Hiker · Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2011 1:35 pm Post subject:

On the south end, the closest Post Office to the trail is Parkers Lake. It's 3.5 miles north of the Hwy 27 crossing at mile 43 (on the outragis map) from the southern terminus.

You can also mail packages to the Cumberland Falls St Pk Gift Shop at mile 62. The trail passes right by the front door of the gift shop next to the falls.

I can most likely help you out with a drop down on the south end near Parkers Lake.

Elkins45 · cub Joined: 15 Jan 2011 Posts: 9 Location: Northern KY

zacraw2 · Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2011 10:28 pm Post subject:

what about caching? anyone have experience with that?

I gotta spend some more time w/ my map, but I might be in contact w/ some of you that offered to make drops.

How much of the trail receives phone signal? I have Cincinnati Bell (AT&T) if that makes a difference.

jbd · Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2011 2:10 pm Post subject:

Elkins45---good point. The last time I drove by there I wasn't sure if the post office was even open any longer.

jbd · Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2011 2:16 pm Post subject:

WC4V · on trail Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Posts: 21

The postal service is considering closing a bunch of small post offices somewhere in the near future. One can't help but wonder if this won't be one of them.

Steve

BSF-Hiker · Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2011 7:32 pm Post subject:

USPS.com currently shows Heidelberg's hours are Mon-Sat 9:00am-1:00pm.

For your AT&T service, you'll probably won't have any service from the southern terminus till you reach the top of the hill at mile 26 and not again till you get reach mile 42 through 45 around Hwy 27. Then again at mile 53-56. At mile 56, the trail drops back down to the river and will prob be your last service till you get back on top the ridge at mile 75 near Laurel Dam.

Verizon/Sprint/Bluegrass works good through most of the area from mile 16 - 64, then again at mile 75, except in some of the lowest spots.

I can drop a cache for you around the Hwy 27 crossing. I'm near there 6 days a week.