Mail Drops

This is right from the ATC webpage:

HOW TO USE POST OFFICES ALONG THE A.T.

• Anyone can have a package sent addressed to their name, c/o General Delivery, city state, zip code.
• Also provide a return address and add “Hold for A.T. hiker” and your expected arrival date. Writing legibly is important!
• Do not use your “trail name” or initials.
• You will need a photo ID to pick up your package.
• Post Offices are only open Monday through Friday and Saturday mornings—hours vary from Post Office to Post Office.
• Priority Mail is recommended for mailing packages—it’s faster, more reliable than parcel post, and you can forward an unopened package at no charge.

So to recap, if you want to send me a package use this template:

Will Meade

c/o General Delivery
City, State, Zip Code

-- hold for A.T. hiker --
--E.T.A day/month--

Thanks in advance, especially for the thought involved with any mail sent my way.  But please remember, anything you send, I have to carry out of town and into the woods.  Small and light is key.  Priority Mail is great, because if I don't open it, I can forward it to myself up the trail.  So if you call, text, or email me saying "hey I'm mailing you socks to Damascus around the week of May 1st", if I'm good on socks, I'll just bounce the package ahead to Waynesboro, for example. It can also be helpful to the post office if you have an "estimated arrival date" for when I should be in town, or a "hold until date" written in under the "hold for AT hiker" line.  Most post offices will hold a package for at least two weeks, and if you are following my progress you should get a general idea of how far ahead to send a package.  In general, allow about 10 days for a package to reach its destination.

It's hard to tell at this point what I'll be craving on the trail, or what things may be harder to find in the middle of nowhere, but I'll try to think of some things:

Notes of encouragement or updates on what's happening back home, candy etc. that will not melt easily, jerky, bars, good quality zip lock bags of various sizes, stamps to mail post cards, Nutella, Mountain House meals, single serving packs of drink mixes (propel, gatorade, etc), single serving packs of pretty much anything really  (honey, nutella, peanut butter, coffee, hot sauce)... 

And here's a list of post offices that I plan to stop by (this will probably change, I will update as needed):

Hot Springs, NC  28743                  [arrived: 4/18/12]

Damascus, VA  24236                    [arrived: 5/4/12]

Waynesboro, VA  22980                 [arrived:  6/6/12]

Harpers Ferry, WV  25425              [arrived:  6/25/12]

Boiling Springs, PA  17007             [arrived:  7/2/12]

Delaware Water Gap, PA  18327     [arrived:  7/18/12]

Kent, CT  06757                            [arrived:  7/31/12]
Cheshire, MA 01225                     [arrived: 8/9/12]

Hanover, NH  03755                      [arrived:  8/22/12]

Gorham, NH  03581                       [arrived: 9/4/12]
Monson, ME 04464                        [arrived 9/29/12]